August 26, Rolampont
We got up around 8 to a sky filled with clouds scudding all over the place. Around 9:30 we set off for Chateauvillain and the Chasse Exposition. We drove through the country and little villages and the forest. By the time we arrived it was raining and we had a bit of a walk into the walled village where the expo was being held. We had to pass through “gates” that were actually like a little gate house with an archway entrance. The first thing we saw was a huge selection of charcuterie complete with the dead animals, represented in the meats, hanging over them; there were wild boar, pigs, and deer. Across from that was a tent filled with table after table after table of candies. Next we walked past the dog kennels – all sorts of hunting and sporting dogs – most of which were not familiar with; we liked the griffons quite a bit – they are large furry dogs and seemed to have nice dispositions. Then we encountered cages and cages of birds, roosters, chickens, and rabbits. I’ve never seen so many kinds of rabbits – Flemish, sable, brown, black, furry; the huge Flemish rabbit was for sale for 70E. After that we wandered around and saw puppies for sale – all sorts of sporting puppies in big pens – they were soooo cute.
There were about 200 exhibitors selling fishing equipment, sporting goods, knives, clothing, art, jewelry, wine, champagne, local products, and there were food tents. By then it was pouring rain, I was wearing a windbreaker which was wet, my glasses were covered in drops of rain so that I couldn’t see and it was cold. Dave bought himself a waxed winter jacket and matching hat and was warm and snug.
August 27, Rolampont to Langres
We prepared to leave at 7:50 to be at the first lock at 8. When we got to the lock it was closed – a call to the VNF informed us that the lock keeper would not arrive until 9 so we drifted and waited. It is completely overcast and raining on and off. It was a short trip and when we got there John and Rosemarie were moored ahead of us with another boat in between. Since it was raining we rested and read until about 4 when we ventured out for a walk. We stopped for a chat with a British gentleman on one of the other boats, saw John and Rosemarie and they invited us to cocktails on their boat around 6. We took a short walk but nothing was open so we went back to the boat the change for cocktails and went over to their boat at 6 where the other couple, Simon and Marion, were already there. We had a lovely cocktail hour chatting about boating and such. Simon and Marion are on their way to Paris for the winter, they live in Oxford, UK and John and Rosemarie are waiting for their non-favorite cousin or something to arrive tomorrow; they will leave Langres on Tuesday and follow our path to St.Jean. John was telling us that in their log he has counted every commercial peniche they have passed and the count is around two thousand. We went back to the boat and fixed hamburgers for dinner and watched a movie.