Longest day and heading North

After a busy couple of weeks, we are heading back up the Saone river and away from Lyon.

Sundown on the Saone, the longest day

We were able to leave Antiope in the marina at Lyon for ten days, due to the kindness of the port capitaine, not something we could get away with in mid season, while we took an easyJet flight up to England. It was about time we caught up with old friends and relatives. While there we were able to see progress on two boat restorations on opposite sides of the country.

Valerie, built 1895, now fully restored by Scott Metcalfe, 

 Port Penrhyn, Wales 

                                 The Lowestoft Boatbuilding Training College  and  'Swan'

Barge yacht 'Swan' built 1897,  

 I was once the proud owner of Swan before moving to New Zealand. Her current owner is having her restored to her 'as built' condition, Work is slow as she is being used as a teaching tool, but there is progress.

Antiope in Lyon alongside the massive Confluence shopping centre.

Lyon has several building facades completely covered by incredible murals, this is the most striking. Look closely at the bank front mural below, bottom right on whole mural. 

This is all one mural !  6 stories high

Detail, life size from bottom right of main mural

Strange sights in Lyon, a driver less shuttle bus

and way out building design

Looking down from the Confluence centre.

Rhone river left, Saone river right.

The French waterway network.

This map may help to follow our track. Starting out from Corre down to Lyon and now heading North and East towards Strasburg

Charles and Annie,      Saone river,      21st June

Down the Soane to Lyon

As I write we are moored in Lyon, What a friendly city.
We are just over two weeks out from Corre and into cruise mode, we have traveled the navigable length of the Soane river to where it joins the river Rhone, which runs down from Switzerland and all the way down to the Mediterranean (look it up on Google maps) Here we will turn around and head back upstream, Although the Med is only four days cruising down river from here, that trip is for another season.

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Approaching St Albin tunnel, just a few Kms down from Corre.

An overnight stop in the sleepy village of Ray sur Soane.

A cool spot, Summer has kicked in.

We approach Lyon, the Basilica dominates the skyline

The Romans left their mark on Lyon 

The interior of Lyon Basilica, magnificent!

Architecture in Lyon, a more Mediterranean style.  

Having located a secure marina berth for Antiope, Annie and I will fly up to England from here for 10 days, to catch up with folk we missed last year.

Go, team NZ. 

Cheers Charles and Annie