Canal du Nivernais Decize to Auxerre

摘要

The restful Nivernais is a picturesque waterway of nearly 110 miles, cutting north across Burgundy from Decize to Auxerre. Before you get going, visit the Centre de Toueur (Tug Centre) at St-Leger-des-Vignes, where you can see the 1933 tug that used to haul horse-drawn boats across the Loire between the two canals. The climb from the Loire Valley starts with five locks on the way to Cercy-la-Tour, an attractive overnight stop. Through Cercy keep over to the north bank as this stretch is the canalised River Aron and depths are skimpy outside the channel. You pass the old port of Pannecot and Bernay village, then for the next 10 miles the canal shadows every bend, wriggle and meander of the river as you snake your way up to Chatillon-en-Bazois. After Lock 16 the canal widens into a little port with a turreted chateau on the slopes above. The village is two locks further on. Past Mont-et-Marre there are two pairs of locks, a three lock staircase and then 4 miles and three more locks to the summit level at Baye where two large lakes lie close alongside, part of the canal's water supply system. The summit has a useful port with a slip and repair facilities.