We're heading downstream on the Seine, from Conflans to Rouen.
After a night in Conflans we were ready to move on. Dog walking was limited and the mooring pitched about like a bucking bronco when a barge passed, which was often.
Gleich nach Conflans geht's durch eine riesige Schleuse. Wir müssen etwas warten, sind dann aber wie üblich allein in der Kammer. Die Einfahrt ist eine Überraschung, denn sie ist kein eigentliches Tor, sondern eine enorme Eisenplatte, die sich ins Wasser senkt. Nie zuvor gesehen.
We had to pass through one enormous lock. Unusually, we had to wait a bit but when we got the green light we enjoyed a novelty. Instead of Leonardo da Vinci's offset doors, the entry to this lock was a massive steel panel that was lowered into the water. Never seen that before. Leonardo was back on duty at the exit, however.
Nach Conflans fährt man durch einige Industriegebiete, danach wird die Landschaft wieder ländlich mit kleinen Örtchen und schönen Häusern ab und zu.
Peugeot proud.
Bei Poissy fährt man unter einer Metallbrücke aus den 1950er-Jahren durch. Dahinter stehen noch einige Pfeiler einer Brücke aus dem 16. Jahrhundert. Sie bestand aus 37 Pfeilern, auf denen nicht weniger als vier Mühlen standen. 1944 wurde die alte Brücke zerstört.
The handsome modern bridge stands near the remnants of the 16th century bridge in the background.
Weil Roy einen Auftrag zu erledigen hat, steuern wir zehn Kilometer nach Conflans die 'Nouvelle Marina Port Saint-Louis' an. Gemäss unserem Führer gibt es da 130 Liegeplätze, Wasser, Strom, Duschen und ein Restaurant. Nun ja; unser Buch ist gute zehn Jahre alt, das ist auf dem Wasser eine lange Zeit. Der Hafen ist völlig heruntergekommen. Strom gibt es nur an den vordersten Stegen, Wasseranschlüsse haben wir keine gesehen, ein Restaurant auch nicht. Das wäre uns eigentlich noch egal gewesen. Was wesentlich mehr stört ist, dass es nachts im ganzen Hafen kein einziges Licht gibt. Darüber hinaus will uns der Hafenbetreiber den Code zum Eingangstor nicht geben. Was bedeutet, dass wir das Gelände nur zwischen zehn Uhr morgens und neun Uhr abends verlassen können. Für einen Hund, selbst einen so dichten wie Neira, sind 13 Stunden ohne zu pinkeln eine lange Zeit. Im Hafen selber darf sie nicht frei herumlaufen weil der Hafenbesitzer, wie er uns stolz erzählt, das ganze Gelände mit Rattengift verseucht hat. Kurz, der Hafen ist eine Schande und sollte aus den Wasserführern gestrichen werden. So!
I had some translatin' work to do so we swung into the next plausible harbor. Nouvelle Marina Port Saint-Louis was the impressive name. Well, it was a real dump, in private hands, and the Capitaine de Port has evidently made the considered business decision to do nothing with his harbor. Not a single lamp illuminated the place at night. Plus, he had a uniquely restrictive policy about opening the gate to the street. It was, he said, only open when he was present, from 10 am to 9 pm. This, even though the door did have a code lock. Now Neira's about the most patient, tightest dog I've ever known but 10 am really is a bit late. On the first morning, a Saturday, a local opened the door for us; on the second, it was somehow also open. But that obstacle was just one of several reasons to leave the harbor earlier than we had intended. The place should be condemned!
Wenigstens kann Neira während ihren Freigängen in der Seine baden.
That said, we did find some good dog walking but it was a bit repetitive.
Heute morgen verlassen wir die 'Nouvelle Marina' fluchtartig bei allerschönstem Wetter.
And the weather was so glorious it seemed a pity not to sail. So we did.
What a day!
Damit wir nicht ständig durchgeschaukelt werden, halten wir Ausschau nach einer Anlegestelle an einem Seitenarm der Seine. Und werden fündig im kleinen Städtchen Meulan, wo es einen Ponton für genau ein Boot gibt.
We looked for a tie-up off the river, just so we wouldn't be tossed around so much by passing barges and speedboats. (Interestingly, a little boat going fast makes a wake as stomach-churning as a big, bad barge.) We found what we were looking for in the town of Meulan, about an hour from Saint-Louis. The town has its charms and the mooring couldn't be better located.
We arrived during the last hours of the annual cheese festival. The whole town was devoted to eating and drinking. What could we do? It was awsome. So many booths offering their best wares.
Es gibt sogar einen Schweizer Stand!
There was even a Swiss representative and it looked pretty good, too.
Im Park, direkt vor unserer Haustür, findet das Ponyreiten für die Kleinen statt.
Just outside our door, the ponies were on parade.
Die etwas Grösseren interessieren sich weniger für die Ponies, dafür mehr für Plan B.
We attracted some local youths at our mooring, the only tie-up in town. They made their best MTV-inspired gang signs just to impress us. But they were (mostly) quite sweet.
Die Anlegestelle könnte idyllischer nicht sein. Strom und Wasser gibt es auch, ebenso eine Bäckerei gleich um die Ecke. Geht doch!
We had to pass through one enormous lock. Unusually, we had to wait a bit but when we got the green light we enjoyed a novelty. Instead of Leonardo da Vinci's offset doors, the entry to this lock was a massive steel panel that was lowered into the water. Never seen that before. Leonardo was back on duty at the exit, however.
Peugeot proud.
Bei Poissy fährt man unter einer Metallbrücke aus den 1950er-Jahren durch. Dahinter stehen noch einige Pfeiler einer Brücke aus dem 16. Jahrhundert. Sie bestand aus 37 Pfeilern, auf denen nicht weniger als vier Mühlen standen. 1944 wurde die alte Brücke zerstört.
The handsome modern bridge stands near the remnants of the 16th century bridge in the background.
I had some translatin' work to do so we swung into the next plausible harbor. Nouvelle Marina Port Saint-Louis was the impressive name. Well, it was a real dump, in private hands, and the Capitaine de Port has evidently made the considered business decision to do nothing with his harbor. Not a single lamp illuminated the place at night. Plus, he had a uniquely restrictive policy about opening the gate to the street. It was, he said, only open when he was present, from 10 am to 9 pm. This, even though the door did have a code lock. Now Neira's about the most patient, tightest dog I've ever known but 10 am really is a bit late. On the first morning, a Saturday, a local opened the door for us; on the second, it was somehow also open. But that obstacle was just one of several reasons to leave the harbor earlier than we had intended. The place should be condemned!
That said, we did find some good dog walking but it was a bit repetitive.
And the weather was so glorious it seemed a pity not to sail. So we did.
We looked for a tie-up off the river, just so we wouldn't be tossed around so much by passing barges and speedboats. (Interestingly, a little boat going fast makes a wake as stomach-churning as a big, bad barge.) We found what we were looking for in the town of Meulan, about an hour from Saint-Louis. The town has its charms and the mooring couldn't be better located.
In Meulan findet gerade das jährliche Festival du Fromage statt. Die ganze Stadt feiert, isst und trinkt. Was bleibt da anderes übrtig, als mitzutun?
There was even a Swiss representative and it looked pretty good, too.
Just outside our door, the ponies were on parade.
We attracted some local youths at our mooring, the only tie-up in town. They made their best MTV-inspired gang signs just to impress us. But they were (mostly) quite sweet.
The mooring is fine, with free electricity and water. My most pressing work is done. We may stay another night; we may not. We'll see tomorrow.
