Monday 16th April 2018 Richardménil to Roville-devant-Bayon 18.5kms 7 locks

Moored at Richardmenil junc with Nancy branch,
absorbing sunshine

5.1ºC Sunny with lots of clouds, warmer. Set off at 9.35am. Mike reversed to take a photo of the zapper post, which also had three cameras for the junction each with a motion sensor. The towpath was very rough, no tarmac here, further on the towpath was not used by VNF and very bad in places. The suburbs of Richardmenil ended as we went under the A330 motorway bridge and into farmland. Two VNF operatives, a young lady and a young man, each with a van, were at lock 45 Basse Flavigny when we arrived. All the locks had ladders on the

Zapper post and cameras at junc Nancy branch

wrong side for us – ie opposite the rods, OK for péniches. Plus all the locks were at least 3m deep. Mike did his usual climb up the ladder with the rope then walk round to lift the rod. The birdsong was loud as we went through woods on the river fed pound to lock 44 du Prieuré. A short pound took us to lock 43 Haute Flavigny which had four fancy lamps on the locksides. The Moselle ran a tortuous course below the canal on our left as we followed its valley. A long pound of over 5kms through more woodland. A deer was swimming across the canal from our right, oblivious of the fact that the piling on the river side was far too high for it climb out – it turned around and swam back across the canal and quickly disappeared back into the woods from whence it came. Up lock 42 Benney and 2kms to lock 41 Crévéchamps. A man on a bike had paused by the lock cabin to eat and Mike shouted across to him to ask if would like to lift the blue rod for us. He did – a big smile when the siren went off and the yellow lights flashed on the bottom end

Lock house 45 Basse Favigny

gates as it closed behind the boat. Honorary lock keeper eh? I made some lunch and we ate it as we went on to lock 40 Neuviller-sur-Moselle, then past the village of the same name. Two ladies were walking the towpath enjoying the sunshine. Our young lady in a van was at lock 39 Bayon. Mike went up the ladder with the rope and she worked the lock for us from the cabin (the lock must have a fault). Mike went to tell her we were staying overnight at the silo quay, OK, so we’d see her next day – nope – she’d worked the weekend so she had the next two days off. Told her we were

Fancy lamps at 43 Haute Flavigny

heading for Nomexy next  - she said she lived there next to the wharf. Mike wished her a bon weekend. The silo team were busy, lots of lorries plus their weighbridge was being calibrated. Mike asked to see the Chef, busy, so he asked the secretary if we were OK to stay overnight on the quay – she gave him the look that said “Why are you asking, no one else does?” and she said OK. We tied

Moselle from aqueduct at 43 Haute Flavigny

up at 2.15pm

Deer swimming across the canal on the 5km pound

Old lock house at 40 Neuviller-s-Moselle