The finish of this year's cruising!

As we head for the end of the Nivernais and onto the Loire Lateral Canal we leave behind all the low low bridges. We will miss the quaintness of this wonderful small canal.

Our last stop on the Nivernais Canal is at Cercy la Tour on a full moon evening. What a treat and wonderful place to spend our last night on the Nivernais Canal.

The Fall mornings are often very foggy as the cold air mxes with the still warm water in the canal. As it does on an ocean coast , the fog burns off by noon and we have these glorious warm sunny days and cool nights.

This is a photo of our last bit of canal. We finished this day in our home Port of Roanne. We are glad to be home after 5 months of cruising and yet will miss the constantly enjoyable exploration of France with our great barge.

5 months of cruising - May 20th to October 13th, 2009

842 Kilometers

435 Ecluses ( really hard to imagine)

6 Tunnels ( the Pouilly on the Bourgogne we did 3 times )

Roanne/Digoin Canal, Centre Canal, Saone River, Bourgogne Canal, Yonne River, Nivernais Canal, Loire Lateral Canal

The Port of Roanne. Although this photo is probably too small - you might be able to see at the end of the Port a humongeous Circus. This view is from the ecluse that lets us out into the world. We are moored on the left side of the Port.

This winter for the first time ,in the 4 years we have lived in France, we are going to the United States to spend Thanksgiving with Eric's mother, sister, brother in law and nephew and his wife. We then go onto Colorado for Christmas with our kids. The spring will be with more of our kids. Then back to France in April 2010.