Wednesday 19 July 2017

Into the hills

Our passage through the Jura hills has been spectacular, the sheer rock cliffs have been formed over millions of years by the river eating its way from the Swiss Alpes to the Rhone river.
The Citadelle dominates the town of Besancon

The Citadelle again, as we head East out of Besancon

                                       The Doubs river winds its' way through the 'Duras'


                       Must not be distracted by the scenery as we follow the marked channel,

River levels have been low with little rain over the past Months, in places we have no more than 30cm below our keel
                                        Each lock is accompanied by a Barrage (wier) 



Weed harvester, on the summit level 

The Rhine/ Rhone canal takes over from the Doubs river as it becomes too shallow to navigate.  
Completed in 1834 after the revolution, the entire navigation is 236 Kms long with 112 locks and climbs to 340m above sea level.

Looking back, as descend towards Mulhouse and the Rhine valley 

Storks, lots of them around Montbeliard


Arriving in Mulhouse


We are greeted by the marina 'Ragondin' (Coypu)

Time to stay put for a week in this very friendly marina, after three weeks of mountain climbing. 


Saturday 8 July 2017

The Doubs and Jura mountains

Having cruised North from Lyon up the Saone river back to St Jean de Losne, we turned right onto the Doubs river which will take us across to the Rhine and Strasburg. This is a new waterway to us, and came with warnings of strong currents, shallows or floods. we seem to have picked a good year to make the passage, The scenery dramatic and the river kind.
Our entry into the Doubs river near Dole

The Rhone / Rhine canal stretches 240 Kms from the Saone almost to Switzerland.


Industry, least we forget the reason for a canal to be built
 Dole, the birthplace of Louis Pasteur
A magic waterway, as we climb the river into the Juras
Becancon, a classic old town, with Roman and Spanish heritage

This Roman gateway survives in Besancon.

As I write a heatwave envelopes us and shopping is a welcome relief from the heat, escaping to the cool of the Supermarket.