The Silver Fern Canal Boat
Have you ever dreamed of touring the French towns, tasting the food and enjoying the lifestyle? One way to do this is to hire a canal boat and travel the waterways which spread across the country side.
The Silver Fern is our canal boat. One day we would like to spend more time cruising the waterways, but in the meantime we are giving others the opportunity to see and experience France.
Our aim with this website is to introduce you to the joys of canal boating on board Silver Fern through the French countryside. You can even read extracts from Judith's travel diary, her favourite meals, the experiences of canal boating, the French people and, of course, the shopping!
Our boat is moored at St Jean de Losne, a village at the junction of the Canal de Bourgogne and the River Saone. To ge there, you can take a fast train from Paris (from Gare de Lyon or from Charles de Gaulle airport) to Dijon which takes a little over an hour, and then a small train from Dijon to St Jean de Losne and that takes half an hour. The train trip takes you through some of the most picturesque countryside.
If you have any queries, please contact us via the query form, email Francois at frochecouste@iinet.net.au, or just ring us (mobile +61(0)403571787; phone +61(0)359318142)
About Canal Boating
You will discover a whole lot of new muscles working on the boat, it's the men who usually drive and the women who do the work. So it's good for the figure which makes up for the superb food that you will eat. Not to mention the wine!
One good thing about being on the deck and doing all the work is seeing all the country side. Landscapes of farms, village life and beautiful architecture are just some of the highlights of deck work, and given the speed that canal boats travel there is certainly time to stop, breathe and enjoy the view.
Be warned that, although Canal Boating does have it's relaxing and peaceful moments, it is an active holiday.
The Food
For a short holiday there is no need to cook. We survive very well with delicious French cheeses, crusty bread, pates, wine (good value at the supermarkets) and of course those fantastic pastries. There are also many places to dine out, even in Saint Jean de Losne. We find the menu touristique, which is on at lunchtimes, the best value and so much that you only need a light evening meal.
September 5th 2007
Today we noticed people picking apples from the trees that grow along the edge of the canal and especially around the old lock keepers' cottages many of which are deserted now. Yesterday I also saw people collecting walnuts from under the trees on the tow path. Just beside us is a field of maize (corn) ready to harvest - perhaps we will have fresh sweet corn for dinner tonight!
The Markets
The markets are a great place to shop and the arrays is always tempting and delicious. But if you are wanting spend less, the local supermarkets have all the delicacies, except that I would still buy pastries from the boulangerie.
Dijon has a big market day on Tuesdays, although the main food market, Les Halles, is open on Saturdays too - but get there early. The Tuesday market includes the food market but also many stalls in surrounding streets - just wonderful to browse. The local village, Saint Jean de Losne, also has a market on Sundays during the tourist season.
The Views
The canals of France are a painter's or photographer's paradise. And if you like bike riding, there is always a tow path along the side so you can get to the next lock before the boat.
September 5th 2007
Then we set off up the Canal de Bourgogne which is straight, straight, straight. Poplars along the edge also hawthorns with red berries, oak trees with acorns, lots of ash trees and what look like plane trees and something with fluffy dangling seed pods (chestnuts?) – all very 'fruitful' and autumnal.
The fields are so neat, freshly ploughed – perhaps gone over 2–3 times as the earth is finely broken.