Thursday 6 August 2015

Taking the lift to Strasbourg

In a quiet backwater just outside Nancy

With a couple of weeks between guests aboard, I found a quiet spot for a bit of maintenance.
i also took time to explore town.

The Porte de la Graffe, Nancy, has stood here since 1360

Joan of Arc is claimed as a local lass
On August 3rd we get underway, with news that the Arzviller Inclined plane has re-opened, after a two year closure, severing this route to the Rhine. So with a new crew we head for Strasbourg, the Rhine and Germany
A day out from Nancy and we encounter this beast of a lock at Rechicourt, It replaced a chain of 6 locks.
The single deepest lock on the Marne-Rhine canal, a staggering 16m


An early start, to cover some ground before the hire boats are moving

 Two days out from Nancy and we are at the Summit of the canal, the waters behind us flow to the Med, the waters ahead flow to the North Sea.
The Arzviller tunnel 2.3 kms long runs alongside the main rail line
from Paris to Strasbourg. 

We arrive at Arzviller, a breathtaking sight.
We ride the lift

Safely down

The Arzviller inclined plane replaced 17 locks back in 1968. raising and lowering boats 44 m in 25 mins, level to level. The container weighs 850 tons full of water.

Lutzelbourg , we are now in the Alsace region, the other side of the hill.

The European parliament  building,
as we arrive in Strasbourg, four days out from Nancy.

We will explore town, before heading out onto the Rhine, turn left and head downstream.
Cheers, Charles, Bruce and Shirley-Ann





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