Today we had some delays as we waited for the first major lock to clear out the backed up ships in the river. One side of the lock was closed down so it slowed things a bit.
It was a busy spot as four carriers were able to enter to lock at a time, so a huge lock.
Today we cycled the back ways and roads to get to the Chateau of Chantilly. A very famous chateau that has been on my list of places to see in France for quite some time. It's home to a very famous race tracks, both dirt and grass. It's huge! 
Now that's a Chateau!
The story behind these swans as told to me by our captain is that an older widowed woman purchased a barge from Holland which a retired captain sailed down to France for her. She tied it up and was going to live on it happily, but she found a code of injured swans that she nursed back to health. Over time they have populated the whole area and the swans remain in this area. Her boat has been taken over by injured birds in rehab!
As is are the famous stables.
Still used today with a nice museum, all things horsie!
This is just the sable complex....
A bit of humorous art...
An original "Babar"!
You get the idea. Inside was pretty amazing. A library...outstanding collection of very valuable books and manuscripts.
A nice little chapel. The ceiling of course. Art gallery...most of it was a gallery. Rubens and all sorts of painters on display. Erin, here are a few well known Dutch masters. Love the light!
Then we took one last look...
And we moved on through the famous polo grounds.
Along a GR route!
And into the bar for a cold beer!!
Bon Bateau!!
2 comments:
Another GR route! They seem to be everywhere! Are they marked on Michelin maps?
Enjoy that cold beer!
Hi Geoff and Annemarie
It sounds like a nice day. I am fascinated by the waterways and barge travel and have been lying in bed pondering the workings of locks. They are not something with which I am familiar, apart from a rather terrifying experience when I was about 4 and living in England. Does every lock have a lock master or are some operated by the skipper/captain of the barge?
And yes, enjoy that beer!!
Bon bateau
Neil and Sarah
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