Puddlestonia: 15.07.13 Ranchot to Le Maroc

After 15 nights at Dole we set off and discovered after 5 hours of cruising a lovely little village called Ranchot. There we had water electricity and bollards for mooring but at a cost of 8 euros a night. we liked it there so I took the opportunity to catch up on my washing and ironing and we also spent 14th July 'Fete Nationale' there too.

The chapel at Ranchot now decommissioned and used as an exhibition hall.

The most beautiful hand made patchwork quilts were in evidence when we were there.

As usual the local kids came to visit us for their lollipops...

And a lovely singsong was had by all despite the language barrier!!

Two views of our moorings in Ranchot, the above one taken at Dusk as we headed off for Bastille Day fireworks...

These lads found a dip in the canal off the lock wall very refreshing on a very hot sticky sunny day!

This was the marching band on Bastille day, or "Fete Nationale" as it is now called. we marched behind them, the children carrying paper lanterns with candles inside them. All the while everyone was setting off crackers and bangers in the crowd...!!!

We walked about 6 kilometres altogether and had a celebration at both the villages's memorials to the Dead of the two World Wars. A bouquet was laid and the band played the Marseillaise, it was quite moving. By the time we arrived at the second village and climbed the hill for the fireworks we were knackered but they put on a fab display of very noisy fireworks!

Some of the views from the towpaths were amazing, with the river opening out with very pretty weir waterfalls. We spent five nights at Ranchot and then moved on to a wall by a weir, I didn't take any photos of the actual moorings but we could walk a couple of minutes to a lovely beach on the river where we have spent the last four nights.

Temperatures have been in the mid 30's so John cooled down by sitting on a chair in the river....!!

Mags and Ni arrived on Gesina and stayed a couple of nights so there was more putting right over a bottle or two and they had us to dinner for a BBQ. Poor Tashi (their dog) got so hot she regularly went for a paddle in the river!!