Through the hills towards Paris

From Nancy our passage is eastwards, continuing along the Marne Rhine canal through Toul, Bar le Duc, Vitry, Chalons-en -Champagne and Epernay.
We were warned of low water levels and weed through the Summit levels, A bit of rain would help.
It has been a very hot dry summer in this region. The Meuse river that we cruised up last year, has already been closed to navigation to conserve water for the Nuclear power plants further downstream.

The lost waterway and tunnel through Liverdun

I had to explore the old abandonned canal route between Toul and Nancy closed in 1966 when the Moselle was opened as a Rhine barge size waterway 

  

Slowly does it over the summit level, 

barely 50cm below  the keel at times

Mauvages tunnel, 5km long, 

We are accompanied by a safety guide on his bicycle

Crystal clear water, on the summit level

Big fish swim by , 

these waters are too remote for the anglers

Bar-le-Duc, an ancient city. 

A quiet mooring in Bar-le -Duc

The clock tower towers over Bar le Duc.

It has told the time for over 6 centuries

Once past the shallows, the rains came to refill the canals.

Patisserie on show in Chalons-en-Champagne

We find security barriers have suddenly appeared in public squares 

Chalons-en-Champagne

We are heading downhill now towards Paris

Jam making time, Blackberry and Mirabelle.

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