Category Archive

Lock 7 to Peronne Lock 7 to Peronne

First thing this morning, Bob went through all of the engine system checking for blockages and found nought. This left only one other scenario causing the engine to cut out: the muffler. Believing new parts would be required to solve the problem, we continued on our way, taking care to keep the revs below 2000. […]

Another Day of Excitement on the Canals Another Day of Excitement on the Canals

Douai to Lock 7, kilometre 17.5, France Canal du St Quentin was next on our list, however another spanner in the works came this morning when Bob went online and discovered one of the bridges has been out of action for the last two weeks with no date provided for reopening: this really has been […]

Douai, France Douai, France

With the issues we had experienced to date and a reasonably tight schedule to make it down to Paris that could go pear shaped should further issues occur, intending further trips down this way, the decision was made to only have a quick look around Douai. It’s a city with in excess of two millenia […]

Bouvry to Douai, France Bouvry to Douai, France

Another pleasant day’s motor in which there were few stops for the pleasure boater. That at La Bassee has been earmarked for the year that we return to visit Calais and Ypres. Exiting Canal D’Aire, Gratis turned into Canal de la Deule, a major waterway for the working barges. Our eyes boggled in amazement at […]

Arques Plaisance to Beuvry, France Arques Plaisance to Beuvry, France

Recent rains had commenced the process of flushing away the green algae and the gates at the lock were overflowing. It was a pleasant 30km or so motor along a waterway lined with a mix of forestation, farms, animals, and an occasional industrial site. Constructed in 1885, the boat lift was the work of British […]

Maison du Marais, Saint – Omer, France Maison du Marais, Saint – Omer, France

Today was the UNESCO man and biosphere accredited 22,000+ hectare Maison du Marais experience. This region is comprises of marshes throughout which small channels run, all fed by the Aa or canal d’Aa. In operation since 13th century and the only French marsh to undergo continual cultivation, it is in this fertile landscape that generations […]

Relais Flandre – Artois to Arques Plaisance, France Relais Flandre – Artois to Arques Plaisance, France

After a quiet night’s rest it was time to go. A beautiful motor – that included a short wait – along a waterway in which a multitude of smaller channels and additional canals joined. Past that leading to Calais went Gratis – that’s for another year. Oh yes!! The Frenchmen love their fishing. The history of […]

Dunkirk to Relais Flandre – Artois, France Dunkirk to Relais Flandre – Artois, France

The climb commencing at the first of the locks, we soon left Dunkirk behind and entered the rural countryside. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRRoKKOq3KI&feature=youtu.be Farmers going to and fro, carting their harvests in the trays, walkers and riders were all to be seen. Unlike the western most canal we had recently finished, this was a major channel and the […]

Dunkerque War Museum and Bergues Dunkerque War Museum and Bergues

Dunkerque (Dunkerk, Dunkirk), meaning ‘Church of the Dunes’, was first recorded in the year 1067. As with many towns and cities within the region, World War Two wasn’t the only battle the peoples experienced. During the Middle Ages, the town was beleaguered and raided no less than half a dozen times, in addition to finding […]

Into Dunkerque Into Dunkerque

Morning upon us, it was time. Time, that is, to deal with clearing the prop! By using a knife attached to one of our metal poles, Bob was most relieved when he managed to avoid a dive overboard into the murky brown waters. After some serious carving, he eventually pulled up a long piece of […]

Adinkerke to Dunkerque: Belgium into France Adinkerke to Dunkerque: Belgium into France

The morning was spent out on the bikes attempting to find cycle tracks into the exquisite de panne, all to no avail. There were plenty of paths for walkers, but the closest the cyclist could go was around the perimeter. We liked this critter….. Then to the beach we cycled……. What a beautiful piece of […]

Bike ride to Zottegem and the Provincial Archaeological Museum, Velzeke:Belgium Bike ride to Zottegem and the Provincial Archaeological Museum, Velzeke:Belgium

Another beautiful bike ride through Belgian farming country led us from Geraardsbergen to first the township of Zottegem, then on to the museum in Velzeke. There was just one word to describe this museum: sensational!!!! Covering a time period from 300,000BC to the present, the past was brought to life via a variety of mediums. […]

Blog Updates Blog Updates

The 2016 Odyssey is still being installed and back – dated. Check out the ‘Our Journey Pages for Germany, Poland, Switzerland, and France to catch up on the adventure.   Click on the tags in red below and you will be taken to the pages relating to the subject. It’s then just a matter of scrolling down and […]

2016 2016

From Mittelland Kanal to Havel Canal through lake district to Potsdam in August, then Potsdam to Zehdenick, September. Car journeys Nancy, France to Germany, Austria, Switzerland and return Potsdam, Germany to Poland and Return  

2015 2015

Click to view the map showing our trip through Canal du Midi to Sicily.

2017 Journey 2017 Journey

Preparing this year’s route from Spandau, Germany to Basel, Switzerland. We thought the mapping for last year was a bit tricky. Working out the best route through Holland and Belgium is even more difficult! It turns out, the shortest route is heading upstream via mostly rivers. Hmmmmmmm!!!!!!!! Maybe not the fastest after all. Need to […]

Metz, France to Schengen, Luxembourg Metz, France to Schengen, Luxembourg

A long day that saw us arrive on the outskirts of the small country town of Schengen, the town where numerous European countries met to write up the Schengen Agreement. One important aspect for the traveller is the time allowed in each country that signed on and became a member of the Schengen agreement. If […]

Pont a Mousson to Metz, France Pont a Mousson to Metz, France

Another easy motor found us in Metz. Highlights, St Etienne’s Cathedral, 12th/13th century Templar’s Chapel and the Gare. The Templar’s chapel (also top image)  

Pont a Mousson to Metz, France Pont a Mousson to Metz, France

A distance of thirty kilometres travelled on this morning found us in Metz, a town with 3,500 years of history. Each invasion that took place saw alterations of one kind or another, and sadly much of the visual history had vanished into the annals of time. Metz, the Township Commencing life as a small Celtic […]

Nancy to Pont a Mousson, France Nancy to Pont a Mousson, France

An easy run – except for the water hose to the engine popping off a few times before Bob discovered the reason, fantastic locks. Gratis is now upon the Moselle. During our travels, we came across workers upon a barge sandblasting one of the bridges.