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Category: Barging

—  By Helm and CrewJanuary 20, 2019

Kruising with Kiwis: 23/7 – 26/7

Arleux – Moislains – Péronne – Noyon – Pont-l’Évêque Ruyaulcourt Tunnel We started off at a sensibly early time on yet another sunny windless day. Every day seems to be the same this year – warm or hot, sunny and little or no wind. What’s…
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—  By Helm and CrewDecember 29, 2018

Finally off – heading for garlic: 15/07 -22/07

Veurne – Watten – Béthune – La Bassée – Arleux To Dunkirk Sunday morning came and we set off in company with a Dutch couple on a cruiser that we had been chatting with over the last day or so and a third cruiser being…
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—  By Helm and CrewDecember 19, 2018

An Inauspicious Start: 12/07 – 13/07

Veurne – Veurne Veurne Our plan on returning to Catharina Elisabeth was to collect a couple more items with the car, drop it back to Dunkirk and then cruise off into France on July 13th, ready to enjoy the Bastille Day celebrations again. It’s perhaps…
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—  By Helm and CrewNovember 23, 2018

Finishing Unfinished Business: 03/07 – 08/07

Veurne Once back on board, we started to unpack Catharina Elisabeth from her winter wrappings, and with really pleasant weather in the low-mid twenties, this was quite a pleasant activity. We knew we would not be cruising for a week or so, using the hire…
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  • Barging (185)
  • France (105)
  • Belgium (40)
  • 2016 (29)
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"New grandkids are the natural enemy of extended boat cruises."

Harvey Schwartz | 'On a Barge in France' blog

  1. Avatar photo
    Ian on The Top of the Canal du Midi ( 20/8 – 23/08/2025)May 26, 2026

    Hi Don, no sorry, it was from 'Stranger in a Strange Land', but I totally agree that 'The Moon is…

  2. Val Poore on The Top of the Canal du Midi ( 20/8 – 23/08/2025)May 18, 2026

    A lovely post, as always, Lisette and Ian. How your girls must have enjoyed it! You achieving your dreams along…

  3. Don Evans on The Top of the Canal du Midi ( 20/8 – 23/08/2025)May 18, 2026

    I think that "there ain't no such thing as a free lunch" was The Moon is a Harsh Mistress. A…

  4. Val Poore on Daughters in the Walled City (14/8 – 19/8/25)May 15, 2026

    How lovely to have your girls with you! I bet they thoroughly enjoyed it too. I haven't been to Castelnaudary,…

Categories

  • ▼Barging (183)
    • Swapping Guests in Toulouse (24/8 - 6/9/2025)
    • The Top of the Canal du Midi ( 20/8 - 23/08/2025)
    • Daughters in the Walled City (14/8 - 19/8/25)
    • Meandering on the Midi (06/08 - 13/08)
    • The Bridge at Capestang - Finally (31/7 - 5/8/25)
    • Wheelhouses, Biminis and Bridges
    • Béziers and the Fonseranes Staircase (25/07 - 30/07/25)
    • The Lights of Béziers (21/07 - 24/07/25)
    • Tentative start to the Canal du Midi (18/7 - 20/7/25)
    • Jousting in the Sun (12/7 - 17/7/25)
    • Along the Mediterranean (6/7 - 12/7/25)
    • Avignon (30/06 - 05/07/25)
    • Downstream on the Rhône (23/06 - 29/06/25)
    • Lyon (20/06 - 22/06)
    • End of the Saône (19/06 - 20/06)
    • Rowing races and serenaded by frogs (14/06 - 18/06)
    • A long pause in Tournus (8/06 - 13/06)
    • Cruising into new territory (3/06 - 7/06)
    • Nearly ready to go (29/05 - 2/06)
    • Into the swing of things (20/05 - 28/05)
    • Hopes and aspirations for season 2025 (20/05/2025)
    • Roanne to Paray-le-Monial (20/7 to 23/7)
    • The Race to Roanne (15/7 - 19/7)
    • Change of plans - the tyranny of a schedule (10/7 - 14/07)
    • Wine country again (07/07 - 09/07)
    • From 12th century castles to 20th century nuclear power (1/07 - 6/07)
    • The Road to hell is … (16/12/24)
    • The Canal (and River) Briare (21/06 - 30/06)
    • Montargis, Orléans and Joan of Arc (17/06-20/06)
    • Into the Unknown (12/06 - 16/06)
    • Cruising again (01/06 - 11/06)
    • Let's get started (20/05 - 31/05)
    • Ten Years On
    • 2024 Plan A, Plan B, Plan C …
    • Finishing in Paris (20/10 - 25/10)
    • Life's not just about overplating (16/08 - 24/10)
    • Finally - the Overplating (16/08 - 21/10)
    • Cruising with the Whelans (31/07 - 4/08)
    • Waiting for the Whelans (19/07 - 30/07)
    • DBA Rally in Auxerre (12/06 - 18/06)
    • Cruising to the DBA Rally (1/06 - 11/07)
    • Many hands make light work (27/05 - 25/06)
    • Stage 1 Continues (8/05 - 26/05/23)
    • Stage 1 (26/04 - 07/5/2023)
    • A busy year begins (24/04 - 25/04/2023)
    • Completing Season 2022 ( 04/09/22 - 25/09/22)
    • Much delayed overview of the 2022 season so far: (24/5/22 - 3/9/22)
    • Where have we been? 1/9/20 - 21/4/22
    • Migennes and home (21/09 - 27/09)
    • Motoring around Burgundy (12/09 - 20/09)
    • Back and Forth from Auxerre: (30/08 - 11/09)
    • What's happening to the Eurmac's blog?
    • Short trips to millions of bottles of bubbly: (23/8 - 29/08)
    • Duck diving and Lavoirs: 14/8 - 22/8
    • Saved by the Dutch: 6/08 - 13/08
    • Once more unto the breach: 1/08 - 5/08
    • Crunch time: 28/07 - 31/07
    • Ascent to the Summit: 27-28/07
    • Cruising in a Canicule: 24-26/07
    • Marooned: 21/07 - 23/07
    • Clamecy: 18/07 - 21/07
    • Trout and Climbing: 15/07 - 17/07
    • More paintings and wine: 11/07 - 14/07
    • Isolation: 25/03/2020 - ??
    • There and back again: 05/07 - 10/07
    • Auxerre - Sightseeing and Socialising: 28/06 - 04/07
    • Backwards to Auxerre: 27/06 - 01/07
    • Meandering while in Migennes: 14/06 - 26/06
    • "Catharina Begins Burgundy" Plan A - Z or Trapped on the Nivernais
    • The Final Cruise: 27/09 - 4/10
    • Montereau to Sens: 20/09 - 26/09
    • Nogent-sur-Seine and back again: 16/09 - 19/09
    • Towards the Top of the Seine: 6/09 - 15/09
    • Two grand châteaux: 29/08 - 5/09
    • Paris: 21/08 - 28/08
    • Rendezvous with Renoir: 17/08 - 21/08
    • Monet's Garden: 16/08
    • Death of a Painter: 11/08 - 15/08
    • Compiègne: 8/08-10/08
    • A lucky climb: 7/08
    • Selebrating with Soissons: 03/08 - 06/08
    • Just cruising in the sun: 30/07 - 02/08
    • The third most visited tourist attraction in France: 27/07 - 29/07
    • Kruising with Kiwis: 23/7 - 26/7
    • Finally off - heading for garlic: 15/07 -22/07
    • An Inauspicious Start: 12/07 - 13/07
    • Finishing Unfinished Business: 03/07 - 08/07
    • Planes, trains and automobiles
    • Retired but off again: 02/07/2018
    • Unfinished, unfinished business: 18/09 - 27/9/2017
    • Bergues and Dunquerke: 11/9 - 17/9
    • Plan D: 6/9 - 10/9
    • In the wars: 2/9 - 5/9
    • Leaving the Somme: 31/08 - 01/09
    • Gorgeous Amiens again: 27/08 - 30/08
    • Castles and Barbies: 25/08 -26/08
    • Retracing our steps: 22/08 - 24/08
    • "Oh I do like to be beside the sea ...": 20/08 -21/08
    • "Oh I do love to be beside the seaside..." 19/08
    • Chauffeured to the Coast: 16/08 - 18/08
    • ANZAC Journey: 14/08 - 15/08
    • Towards the Somme: 11/08 - 13/08
    • Courchelettes Resort - Side Trips and Plan C: 17/07 - 10/08
    • Courchelettes Resort - Around Douai: 17/07 - 10/08
    • Courchelettes Resort - Working: 17/07 - 10/08
    • Our First Bastille Day: 11/7 - 16/7
    • If it's Sunday, there must be Jousting: 9/7 - 10/7
    • Mademoiselle from Armentières, Parlez-Vous? : 07/07 - 08/07
    • Stranded - Waiting for a green light for France: 28/6-4/7
    • Australian Bar in Flanders: 21/9-26/9
    • Plans in Gelée: 25/06/2017 - 26/09/2017
    • The long way around: 17/09 - 20/09
    • In Bruges - Again: 12/09 - 16/09
    • Back to Ghent: 9/09 - 11/09
    • Trees and weed: 5/09 - 8/09
    • The old Capital of France: 1/09 - 4/09
    • Heading towards Neptunia: 30/08 - 31/08
    • The Army comes to Town: 26/08-29/08
    • Big Day Out: 25/08
    • Sliding down the Canal: 22/08 - 24/08
    • Appointment with a Vet: 19/08 - 21/08
    • We Made It! 18-08-2016
    • Dog Aboard: 15/08 - 17/08
    • Two abbeys and three guests: 13-14/08
    • Beer and Bloggers on the way back to Namur:10/8 - 12/8
    • Taking Catharina to the limit: 8/08 - 9/08
    • Highs and Lows in Dinant: 7/8
    • Hergé's Adventures of Catharina Elisabeth
    • La Louvière to Namur: 1/8 - 5/8
    • Distractions and Calendars
    • The Historic Canal du Centre: 30/7 - 31/7
    • Into the War Zone: 26/7 - 29/7
    • The Land of the Giants: 23/7 - 26/7
    • Ex-Colonials Head up the Dender: 18/7 - 20/7
    • We Made It!
    • Dashing past old haunts: Veurne to Dendermonde 13/7 - 16/7
    • Barge Antics at Briare: 6-12/7
    • Veurne - Coming World Remember Me: 2 - 5/7/2016
    • Plans in Jelly 2016
    • A new look - for a new season
    • Den Bosch: 23/9
    • Heading Home: 18 - 22/9
    • Entering the War Zone: 13/9-17/09
    • Brugge: 10-12/9
    • Another Castle on the way to Bruges: 6-10/9
    • A quick look at Ghent: 3-5/9
    • One last Hurdle: 30/8-3/9
    • Into Belgium: 28-29/8
    • A Pause in another Cheese Town: 25-27/8
    • The Race to Belgium: 22-24/8
    • Sail Amsterdam: Tall Ships...
    • Catharina Elisabeth returns to the Kaasmarkt
    • If you want to come and join us ...
    • Meet the Verwers
    • The Great Quest
    • The Centenary Cruise Begins
    • Where are we now?
    • The Guests get a break
    • Cruising towards Amsterdam
    • Guests Arrive
    • Hopping around Friesland Lakes
    • Wild and Free
    • Neo Vita's last cruise
    • The Best $50 we ever spent
    • Plans in Jelly
    • Big brother is watching you
    • Venice of the North and Amsterdam
    • Cruising to the end at Groningen
    • Elburg - and the Sailing Ships
    • Welcome to the Netherlands!
    • Tourism (and less scary stuff)
    • Cruising to Amersfoort
    • I'm in Love
    • Our First Day Cruising: 31/8
    • Where is Neo Vita?
    • Papa Alpha Sierra Sierra Echo Delta!
    • Gnomenapped
    • Never too old to learn
    • One always needs a boat
    • Pretty Flowers
    • Seven weeks to go - started packing
    • Updated the 'Why Barge/France?" page
    • This is my first blog post
  • ►Countries (171)
    • ►Australia (2)
    • ►Belgium (40)
    • ►France (105)
    • ►Netherlands (27)
  • ►Cruising Year (178)
    • ►2014 (17)
    • ►2015 (22)
    • ►2016 (29)
    • ►2017 (21)
    • ►2018 (21)
    • ►2019 (19)
    • ►2020 (1)
    • ►2021 (1)
    • ►2022 (3)
    • ►2023 (12)
    • ►2024 (13)
    • ►2025 (21)
  • ►History (2)
  • ►Housekeeping (13)
  • ►Photography (4)
  • ►Waterways – France (41)
    • ►Briare, Canal de (4)
    • ►Centre, Canal du (3)
    • ►Étang de Thau (3)
    • ►Latéral à la Loire, Canal (6)
    • ►Loing, Canal du (1)
    • ►Loing, River (3)
    • ►Marne, River (1)
    • ►Midi, Canal du (9)
    • ►Nivernais, Canal du (4)
    • ►Petit Rhône, River (1)
    • ►Rhône à Sète, Canal du (1)
    • ►Rhône au Rhin, Canal du (2)
    • ►Rhône, River (2)
    • ►Roanne à Digoin, Canal de (3)
    • ►Saint-Martin, Canal (1)
    • ►Saône, River (8)
    • ►Seine, River (3)
    • ►Yonne, River (7)
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