Into France

Dinant was the start of the prettier section in Belgium. Fabulous Citadel with a cable car to the top and huge cliff faces overlooking the town.  It's also the birthplace of Aldoph Sax - the inventor of the saxophone.

Overnight stop in Dinant

Adolph Sax- invented the saxophone

Church and citadel of Dinant

We left Dinant and headed south again, we were aiming for Givet just over the border into France - an we nearly made it.  Lots of locks some big, most small, pretty villages and amazing Chateaux.

The locks are now smaller and prettier

We stopped at one lock while divers fixed it, several boats rafting up for the wait. Then into France, four boats into the lock where we were all held whilst we paid our French canal fees - €236 for two months use of the system.  Once we'd paid we were all allowed out and onto towards Givet itself - yet another pretty little town but we carried on a little way heading for the next small village for the night.  But the lock broke and we ended up anchoring in the river, going for a swim, and having a fabulously peaceful night at anchor - our first in this boat. Totally idillic.

Bernard  rocks

Our first anchoring with this boat

New sun bimini proving very effective

The following morning all was well with the lock and we headed into the tunnel of Ham - 600m long and 5m wide - felt a lot narrower than that - our fat boat is 3.80m wide.

Our first tunnel

Yet more locks followed - we think we have about 250 yet to do - including another smaller tunnel before ending top at Riven for the night.  Lots of locks on this stretch making progress slow -but we don't care!
  Good system with automatic locks - given a radio controlled gadget which press as approach the lock; nifty.

Have heard the our river gets very shallow in the upper reaches but hopefully we should be ok as we turn off into the Canal d'Ardennes near Charleville-Messiers - fingers crossed.

Second tunnel