Festival of the Loire

Orleans would be an interesting place for an overnight stop at any time with its spectacular floodlit cathedral dominating the central square.

But our hotel receptionist had promised us an "animation" down by the river and we were curious to see what this could be. Making our way down to the bridge over the River Loire from the cathedral we noticed first of all that the road leading from the bridge along the river bank was barrierd off to traffic and then followed the crowds towards the lights and the music coming from further along the river. We had stumbled upon the "Festival of the Loire"

The river bank was lined with a succession of stalls selling local food and drink or advertising local businesses and attractions and punctuated with a stages upon which a variety of musical acts from folk to mostly jazz and rock were performing. This amazing "samovar" was in use dispensing cups of mint tea!

Moored on the river itself were over 200 boats, mostly modern replicas of the traditional trading boats of the Loire valley but which now functioned as pleasure boats for their owners.

The traditional trading boat of the Loire was, apparently, a short but wide flat-bottomed craft with a central mast carrying a sail, but quite how authentic the "garden shed" constructions that now serve as accommodation are I have no idea.

Out on the river itself was moored a line of replica craft in trading condition "loaded" with bales of wool, sacks of grain and, of course, barrels of wine - these being their traditional cargoes. Unfortunately they were moored too far out on the river for a photo.

The whole event, which takes place each year, is a sort of combination of the Braunston Working Boat Gathering, a trade fair and a local food festival and to come across it as unexpectedly as we did made a great start to a holiday - even one which wasn't supposed to be about boating!

On to Orléans

River Loire at Orléans

From Paris we continued our holiday journey by train to Orléans. Long-distance trains call at Les Orbrais station, which is some distance from the town centre along a branch line. Getting off the Paris train we were surprised to find ourselves directed to the outside of the station for a connection. Apparently the local train drivers were on strike, so it looked as if we were in for a dreaded British-style "rail replacement bus".

Instead, right outside the station door was a tram stop, where we - and a hundred or so other passengers - were directed to wait. After a few minutes, along came a service tram heading for the city centre, scooped up the waiting crowd in seconds (train tickets valid) and deposited us minutes later just outside our hotel (although we didn't actually realise that and spent the next fifteen minutes wandering about looking for it!). In fact, the "tram replacement service" was so efficient it makes you wonder why the SNCF bothers with the branch line at all!

Having left Hereford, 150 miles west of London, at 07.48 we had arrived at our overnight halt 130 km south of Paris at 18.45 despite having allowed at least an hour more than was strictly necessary for crossing both London and Paris city centres on the way. The hotel receptionist offered us a map of Orléans and mentioned that there was an "animation" on the riverside that evening that we might find interesting. Just how "interesting" this would would prove to be to us she could never have guessed!

It wasn't meant to be a boating holiday

I've just got back from a few days in France. It really wasn't meant to be a canal holiday - but you just can't help it, can you?
Travelling by train from Hereford you first cross the River Wye, not generally considered to be navigable these days although a few years ago Frank Barton brought his "Wye Invader" unconverted Dutch barge up to Hereford from Chepstow with the intention of turning it into a floating restaurant. Next comes the River Usk at Newport, which might, just might, one day provide a link from the Mon & Brec Canal to the River Severn and thus to the rest of the system.
Near Reading, the railway parallels the River Thames for a while and at West Drayton comes tantalisingly close to the Grand Union near the unloading wharf for the gravel traffic from Denham - although there's nothing to be seen from the railway. The GU is crossed at Osterley, but you are lucky if you see a boat from the train and, of course, the best walking route from Paddington station into central London is via the rear exit and the Paddington Basin towpath that takes you almost to the Edgware Road.

Leaving St. Pancras on the Eurostar you get a glimpse of the Regent's Canal as you exit the station whilst once across the Channel you can look out for the Canal de Dunquerque a Valenciennes outside Calais and, later, the Canal du Nord near Lille, although at 186 mph you would be lucky to spot a boat on either.
Our onward journey required a crossing of Paris from Gare du Nord to Gare d'Austerlitz which we did partly on foot, being lucky to see a loaded aggregates barge on the River Seine near the latter station. On previous visits we have followed the route of the Napoleonic Canal Saint-Martin which joins the Seine almost opposite Austerlitz station.
Of course, as this was "not a boating holiday" I didn't really notice any of this - and I certainly didn't take any pictures!