This is the seventh part of our journey on the Canal Lateral a la Loire which takes us from Cour-les-Barres to Nevers. This section takes us through the deepest locks of our trip in a double staircase then over the Guetin Aqueduct. On the first deep lock the lock keeper found it most amusing to spray Tracey with water from the lock paddles, he has probably had the same amusement throughout the summer. Our ropes are only just long enough for the rise and we were pleased to get through unscathed.
On this stretch we meet with a French gentleman in the steel dutch cruiser seen in the double lock with us who warned us about some shallow water just before our lunch break location which would have caused us some problems if we had gone aground. Our lunch stop was on the edge of the small village of Gimouille where we were meet by the Village Mayor who was very keen for us to stay and enjoy his small village. He offered us free water and electric. We had never come across this before, but we said that we were grateful for the kind offer, but needed to move on. If we were not on a time constraint we would have without doubt stayed for a few days. We did however take a walk through the village which was very quaint.
Like us out new French friend was on passage to Nevers and showed us how to use semi automatic lock gates. Without him we would have struggled to work the locks as we were not given any instruction with these types of locks. He also helped us with a mooring for the night, so we gave him a bottle of wine for his help that day. It would have been good to have enjoyed his company for a while longer, but he was wintering his boat in Nevers and making his way back to Paris.
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