Waters and Wines of North Burgundy
Waters and Wines of North Burgundy. Joigny
Waters and Wines of North Burgundy. Way to Auxerre
Waters and Wines of North Burgundy. Auxerre
On a foggy morning, we pushed our boat from the bushes and moved slowly to Vincelles, where our biking tour to the vineries of Irancy should start.
Just started as the first lock appeared. Well, it was predictable.
The news was that automatic locks were all behind us, even operated by lockmen. In front of us was the long row of manually-operated locks —such a Burgundian feature.
It is a fan and adds some charm to a journey, but at the same time makes it much slower (and it is already not fast).
A lock has four gates, two on each side. First, the lockman closes one gate behind the boat by turning the lever. Then, he gets around the lock
on the closed gates in front of the boat and closes the second gate behind the boat. Then opens one gate in front of the boat, gets around the lock on the just closed gates behind the boat and opens the second gate in front of the boat. Very meditative.
Despite the opening-closing of the gate, four vertical valves (one on each gate) should be raised and dropped.
This lockman in his free time grows his vineyard just around the lock.
Very strange trees grow here.
I saw the sort of basket right in the water. First though – how high the river raised and overflow the bank.
But then I saw the second basket and the marking. I just don’t understand – do they play in this something by swimming or on the boats?
On the foggy meadows, Charolais, the proudness of Burgundy, dreams.
Because of the specificity of Burgundy’s locks, it is a good courtesy to help the lockman. It also significantly increases the speed of the process and provides you with some exercises.
The fog doesn’t want to rise.
We came, but the lockman is not yet, so we are waiting…
After the rains, the water is so high, that the canal overflows into the river.
There are plenty of swans on the river. The most popular bird here.
Very ivy house.
While our boat slowly moved through the lock, some of our comrades ran around.
Mustard fields. Among other good things, Burgundy is famous for its mustard. Dijon is a Burgundy capital, and it speaks for itself.
Sunflowers intervention the mustard fields.
Around midday, the fog started to rise.
Soon after midday, we arrived at Vincelles.
To be continued…
