On to Montargis

Californian owned Festina Tarde moored near us in Montargis. Her owners Jim and Mary are very familiar with this waterway.

From our rural mooring just past lock 9 on the Canal du Loing, it was 12 locks and 26 km until we moored for the night in Montargis on the Canal de Briare, one of the oldest canals in France. We had to wait as the VNF fixed the second to last lock. The delay meant that we arrived at the last deep lock in Montargis after the closing time. Fortunately the VNF stayed late and let us through. Still, the delay made for a long day.

Leaving Nemours

Wanderlust near a farmhouse gîte just past lock 9 on the Loing Canal

Departing Nemours was a little too exciting. Overnight the rains had continued to push the River Loing deeper into flood. As we readied for departure the river was churning along off Wanderlust’s port side.

To Nemours

Château de Nemours

With the rains continuing to swell the River Loing we had a choice. We could hunker down on the river in Moret-sur-Loing and wait out the flood. Or we could continue onto the protected waters of the Canal du Loing nearby. If stayed moored in Moret we might be pinned down for some time. Being stuck in Moret is hardly a hardship but it seemed best to move on while we still could.

Moret-sur-Loing

Wanderlust moored in Moret-sur-Loing.

Leaving the River Yonne at Montereau-sur-Yonne we headed a short distance down the Seine until we reached the confluence with the Loing River in Saint-Mammès. As we turned up the Loing we formally started on the Bourbonnais Route. The Bourbonnais Route consists of four canals, the Canal du Loing, the Canal de Briare, the Canal lateral a la Loire, and the Canal du Centre. This route would ultimately take us to the Saône River.