Tales of the Riverbank

For the last two days we have been traveling along the cycle path by the Canal du Centre. Not only is it easy cycling, but you also get time to talk to each other as you cycle side by side. Birds of prey glide overhead along most of the way, especially in the morning, and herons are very common. We saw a water rat swimming along the surface today and we often hear other animals scurry into the undergrowth as we pass. The canal is very quiet but there are signs of long lost activity along the way. Derelict factories, old brickworks, ironwork that overhangs the canal for loading the barges and other structures are seen frequently along the way. The traffic now is mainly pleasure craft but there are still a few large barges that travel very slowly along the canal. They are nearly as long as the locks and some have been converted into houseboats, with gardens, washing lines and even cars on deck at the back. We only passed around a score of vessels on our trip but many more were moored in harbours close to the towns. They say the canals are getting rejuvenated again, but this one still seems very quiet.

Typical canal barge




Canal du Centre



This morning we left Paray Le Monial. There was a great view from our window as it overlooked the basilica, which was lit up at night, and we were woken by the bells in the morning. They ring especially loud at 7am, presumably for mass.

Basilica from our bedroom window



We ended the day at a thermal spa town that seemed locked in a prior age. The Grand Hotel had obviously lowered it's prices since it's heyday and we booked into a room that could have been in the 1930's. Most of the residents would have been alive at that time too! It used to be a convent and was built-in the 18th century. We got a free pass to the spa but gave it a miss. The thermal spa part of town is in a hollow, but in the upper part of town there are medieval streets. We had a quiet walk around some of the streets and then sat watching the world go by with a beer.










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Location:Parc Thermal,Bourbon-Lancy,France