The temperatures have finally come down, although it’s only a temporary reprieve. Later this week we are expecting late 30°s again. The hot dry weather is having an impact on the water levels of the canals. So far there isn’t any rain in the forecast and we noticed the levels have dropped. We need around 1.2 metres depth so it will be interesting how things pan out. We headed to Decize and hoping for a swim in the Loire. Decize has an excellent marina, lots of spare spaces, an Intermarche nearby and its relatively good value. 9€ per night, includes power and water, 1€ a day wifi (per computer) and the pontoons are locked. The view isn’t that great with a very ugly hospital in view. However it’s not far from the centre of town (walking about 15mins.) And best of all you can ride your bike to a little beach on the Loire. We spent 4 very relaxed hours swimming and reading our books in the shade. Bliss!

Decize

The next day was cool enough to go for a wander in the town, stopping for coffee. Later on we had fellow kiwi boaters Frank and Carol on the boat for drinks.

Getting our daily bread.

Decize ramparts

Loire countryside

On the 9th we left Decize when the locks opened at 9am, following Frank and Carol out. They turned left to head back down the way we had come and we turned right heading to Fleury-sûr-Loire. Last time we were here it was very cheap and the place was humming. This time it was quiet and the fact they had doubled their prices may have something to do with it. Nice spot though with shady trees (which we shared with horses one afternoon)…

Horse riders looking for shade. Left the place smelling of horse poo though.

Relaxing (ok posing) in Fleury

Mooring in Fleury-sûr-Loire

After two days catching up on washing and sitting in the shade we headed off towards Nevers. Due to the lack of water we had a wait of an hour and a half before we could enter the locks of the Nevers Embranchment. Very pretty though. We went through the two automatic locks with a hire boat of Danes. That’s 2 lots we have seen this year. Very nice people. We are staying in Nevers until after Bastille Day as all the locks are shut on the 14th. We are hoping to see some feu d’artifice (fireworks) on Tuesday night.

Nevers is having a festival to celebrate their National day and on Saturday we caught some street performances and sat in the square, drinking beer and people watching. Also had a delicious pizza at Florentin. The temperature has been lovely and the breeze is cool. Very pleasant. The sheets dried in about 30 mins strung across the deck today.

Here are some pics from the last few days in Nevers.

Nevers, view from the bridge.

Evening stroll over the bridge in Nevers

Nevers bridge over the Loire

Has anyone heard of the coypu? We have seen these large river rodents swimming along the canal a few times but here in the port de plaisance there is a family of coypu who are quite tame (possibly because some people have been feeding them off their boats…oops). They are considered pests as they are ruining the sides of the canals and rivers by digging tunnels and eating the plants that hold the sides up. Anyway they look like a beaver but have a rats tails, webbed hind feet and bright orange teeth. From our boat we watched a family of coypu as the sun was setting…

First there was this little guy who came to eat the ducks bread. There were a few arguments and I think the ducks won

Then there were two…

Then three…

And finally the whole family were sunning themselves on the back of someone else’s boat. Looks like no ones lived on board for a while so these guys have moved in.

An entertaining evening!

Have a good Bastille Day everyone. We leave Nevers on Wednesday, heading North. Maybe a wild mooring this time. Talk soon.