Vagabonds Afloat in France

By Andrew, Sally

Book Id: WPLBN0100749998
Format Type: PDF (eBook)
File Size: 20.61 MB.
Reproduction Date: 12/1/2023

Title:	Vagabonds Afloat in France
Author:	Andrew, Sally
Volume:
Language:	English
Subject:	Non Fiction, Geography, Anthropology, Recreation, French canals
Collections:	Authors Community, Adventure
Historic Publication Date:	2023
Publisher:	Sally Andrew

Member Page:	Sally Andrew
Citation APA MLA Chicago Andrew, S. (2023). Vagabonds Afloat in France. Retrieved from http://gutenberg.cc/

Description
VAGABONDS AFLOAT IN FRANCE recounts the story buying a 100-year-old riveted-iron canal boat named “Vagabond” and exploring the superb French canal system – over 6,000 kilometres of inland waterways plus famous rivers like the Saône and the Rhône and the Garonne. How could you not fall in love with a country that has 365 different cheeses and bakes the world’s best breads. Not to mention the local markets, regional wines, delicious beers, and a widespread belief in and love for sharing la dolce vita and traditions.

Summary
After twelve years ocean voyaging on our deep-drafted Yamaha 33 FellowShip, Foster and I shifted our wet dreams to the canals of France. We began to think of water depth in terms of inches, not fathoms. Our canal boat Vagabond draws only 20 inches (70 cm) but that's only in the centre front and rear where we have small skegs for directional stability. No need for a deep, sheltered bay where we can throw the anchor down. We can pull alongside any river bank or quay as long as the water comes up to my knees. That’s what I call thin-water cruising! VAGABONDS AFLOAT IN FRANCE is the story of a decade living life in the slow lane, navigating the canals and cultural surprises of France.

Excerpt
quote from Chapter 13: In retrospect, perhaps our weirdest summer ever was the one we spent cruising the canal du Midi in the south of France. It’s the canal most travelled by people on hire boats and there is a reason for its popularity – the weather is great, the canal has fewer locks to navigate than, say, the Burgundy or Nivernais canals, and many stretches of the canal are close to the sea. This means you can moor your boat and bike to Mediterranean beaches and swim in the sea if the spirit moves you. Our summers in France truly epitomized “big life on a small ship” and “living in the slow lane”. We lived in the present tense. We had our feet, we had our bikes. It's a zen way to travel. So why was our summer in the south so weird? Normally, we would leave our car behind in Roanne and for six months our entire world was the canal and immediate environs. Our cruise in the Midi was one of the few times that we travelled with both the car and the boat. We found the car useful for shopping since there seemed few shops in proximity to the canal and, for a change of pace, it allowed us to get off the beaten path and drive to and hike in places that ordinarily would’ve been a bit too far to reach by foot or bike. Spain, the Pyrenees, the Atlantic coast ... With the car we could truly explore a vast area without going far! The only downside to the “wheels and keels” combo was that we (READ: me, myself and I) had to move the car every day. Why? Because we moved the boat everyday. This meant I ended up travelling the length of the canal du Midi six (yes, 6) times from the Med to the Atlantic and back again. Or nearly. Let me explain. Each day, we moved the boat forward a dozen kilometres, enjoying the view from the water, travelling slowly. Then, after mooring Vagabond to the bank somewhere, I backtracked by bicycle to retrieve the car from our previous night’s mooring. I would then throw my folding-bike in the back of the car and the three of us (me, the bike, the car) would set off to the new mooring place. In no time at all, I was in wickedly good shape. It often entailed three different routes to get from A to B. Water, towpath, road. The towpath that follows the canal is not always in good shape and can be a bit of a challenge on a bike. Sometimes the length by curvy canal was four-times further than the road route. So I had to decide whether to follow the canal or cycle on the road or some combination of both. Drivers in France are pretty respectful of cyclists, but still. It’s not pleasant when a large vehicle passes too close or too fast and you fear being sucked into the vacuum left in its wake. So yes. Three times coming and another three times returning meant I travelled the Canal du Midi six times in the course of the summers of 2012 and 2013. By boat, by bike, by car – twice.

Table of Contents
TABLE OF CONTENTS PREFACE - FROM VOYAGERS TO VAGABONDS INTRODUCTION: OUR 12 YEAR PACIFIC CRUISE ENDS - LAST OCEAN PASSAGE - TRANSITION: STAGE 2 NEW BEGINNINGS: LIFE IN THE SLOW LANE CHAPTER 1 HELLO FRANCE – BONJOUR! CHAPTER 2 OUR FIRST REAL WINTER IN A LONG, LONG TIME CHAPTER 3 CRUISING BENEATH A BURGUNDIAN SKY CHAPTER 4 KILLER HEATWAVE CHAPTER 5 CANAL CRUISING CHAPTER 6 CATHEDRALS. CHAMPAGNE. CEMETERIES. CHAPTER 7 THE CITY OF LIGHT: PARIS CHAPTER 8 AS YEARS WENT BY CHAPTER 9 SWIRLING IN CIRCLES – IN A NUTSHELL CHAPTER 10 COMPLICATIONS CHAPTER 11 SOUTHBOUND ON THE MIGHTY RHÔNE CHAPTER 12 ARRIVAL IN THE SOUTH - THE CANAL DU MIDI CHAPTER 13 A SECOND SUMMER IN THE SOUTH OF FRANCE CHAPTER 14 TOULOUSE AND BEYOND CHAPTER 15 RETURN TO ROANNE CHAPTER 16 VAGABOND FOR SALE CHAPTER 17 AU REVOIR LA FRANCE END NOTES - MEDITATIONS ON TRANSITIONS - THOUGHTS ON SLOWING DOWN APPENDIX - BARGING IN FRANCE - BUYING A CANAL BOAT