French Canals: the most beautiful town we’ve seen [Ep 11]

I can see the first look to enter the Rhine Rhone canal [Music] [Applause] yeah what a special place they call it grilled almonds to me it's more hazelnut [Music] and it all mixes together - just to make this totally fairy tale magical sort of scene I'm Maya and this is a Ladino in mid-november we converted our 28 foot sailboat into a riverboat and we started going north from the Mediterranean all the way to the North Sea in front of us we had 2,000 kilometers and 200 locks join us as we navigate river currents discover incredible places cruise through canals wade out a global pandemic in the heart of France and record the whole voyage with a new episode every Friday this is north through the continent we're going [Music] we left the town of st. Jean de lone in the morning ahead of us was a big day we were finally leaving the river and entering into the small and picturesque Ryan Rowan Canal with over 70 small locks many of them automatically operated our journey was about to look a whole lot different the confusingly named Ryan Rhone Canal actually connects the sound and the Rhine rivers for decades there were plans to rebuild the canal to accommodate commercial river barges but residents vehemently opposed the idea so now the Canal is mostly big enough only for pleasure boats with a 1 meter 80 maximum draft the canal passes through very impressive scenery especially when nearing the border with Switzerland and my guidebook says that it must be one of the most gloriously beautiful inland waterways in Europe we were looking forward to this section of the journey hey I think we're here I can see the first look to enter the Rhine Rhone canal so I think let's get closer maybe we dock there the lock-keeper saw us coming and started preparing the lock when the light turned green we motored inside holding both the stern and bow line I climbed up the very slippery ladder and secured the boat the gates closed in the water level rose [Music] when the lock cycle is finished we went to talk to the lock-keeper who gave us an electronic remote which we would use from now on to operate the locks after receiving instructions on how to use it we continued on our way wow what an experience in the first small lock it's a lot easier now that we can actually space the ropes out have one of the bow and one of the stern so having a bow line in a stern line rather than two in the middle that makes movement a lot better on the boat type just offenders on how their position on the boat touch one touches the other touches one touches and instead when you're just clean it off the middle it's very different ohoho we're at the next lock but I have to use the remote control now to activate the next look and so quick push to turn the remote on then I have two buttons if I'm going upstream or downstream one for upstream so I push one to confirm push okay long push on okay English as well and the light turned red green now and it's flashing that means the gates are opening and it's preparing for us [Music] the next few locks were all in quick succession and we quickly scrambled around with lines and cameras trying to get the muscle memory back while filming the whole procedure every lock has a little control booth with a red and blue rod once the boat is secured someone has to go pull the blue rod to start the lock cycle [Music] shelter you wanted to go north I know the weather was a bit gloomy but the charm of the French countryside wasn't dampened [Music] isn't it so cute here yeah it's such a contrast it's so different right now this locking system I mean I mean we're in the canals now and yeah I find it quite quite different had three locks now all in within five minutes distance yeah and that's yeah how it will continue for now [Music] [Applause] [Music] we traveled along the narrow waterways through lock after lock thoroughly and joined the change of pace [Music] we were also really excited about our destination that night we were planning to tie up in the town of Dole and just wait until you see it when in Dole it's easy to think you've suddenly landed in a fairy tale I'm so excited to show you but first we had to get there so of course not everything can be all sunshine and rainbows so we're now entering a little bit more of an industrial area not a little bit a very industrial area and you're not actually allowed to stop in this section of the river there's also lights which apparently if they turn red it means something has gone wrong in the industrial area and you need to vacate immediately just kind of as a warning system there is also a sign we just passed by the side you're now entering a CCTV area so we'll speed on ahead through this section onwards and onwards there's nothing like returning to somewhere you've been before maybe several years ago to make you reflect on how time has passed we drifted by locks and fields and trees all of which I've drifted by before except everything was different then and so was I last time it was warmer and sunnier last time I was younger and far more uncertain last time was two years ago and so much has happened since then the rain started in earnest we kept going Dole wasn't far now [Music] wet wet wet so very very wet [Music] oh you let go okay I will also let go do you mean will steer us out watch my little flick of the wrist how smooth was that I don't know if they go pro about it or not the Rhine Rome canal weaves in and out of the river doop and we were now entering our first stretch of river and here the river opens up a little bit this is now the River Dube we are no longer in a man-made canal now there river do I have to tell you something about it I'll turn the camera around the river do is a little bit nasty at times not because of current or anything it's a fairly small gentle River but that's exactly its problem because the canals have a fairly consistent depth we are looking at the depth sounder and it never really went much below 2 meters and the canals we just came through this morning which is really good because of the rain I think that's a little bit higher than usual now rivers because they do move and they shift and they change with the seasons the bottom is always shifting and moving and changing and it can't always be dredged out perfectly so last time we came down the dude we had quite a lot of problem with running aground in sections that all the signpost said we shouldn't run aground in but just the sand banks move and shift so I am glad even though I don't love being wet I am glad it is raining because hopefully this will elevate the water in the doob just a little bit and we won't have to scrape our keel too much but I am expecting we will probably scrape our keel once or twice in the doob so we just have to take it slow and I mean why have a full keel if you're not gonna smash it a few times [Music] there's the aclu's you see the red light now let's see if good old automatic lock keeper can find it now that we are in line of sight it always says range in ah there we go push one upriver push to down one to confirm press ok often it doesn't like it when I press ok and I have to press ok a bunch of times ah huh I got it and now I don't know if you can see that it is far away but the red light has turned to a red light and a green light and a flashing orange light and got them all going right now and that means that a aclu's is getting ready okey dokey we're almost in dole and I am very excited to be in dole because it is a very beautiful place and also I am very excited for it to stop raining I'm not sure when it plans on doing that but I'm gonna can't keep this up forever right go ready [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] so I just went to the reception and they said our size boat is 750 for the night +7 if we want water and electricity so I go back now pay since they're closed tomorrow morning it's Saturday yeah I'm good and we are the only pleasure boat here totally yeah when we started the lock my friend Lee the lock master said there was another boat that came through yesterday yeah it's not here done it it went further yeah yeah hello from dull it is very wet and gloomy and although we should be out exploring the new town we are not we are inside being cozy and dry enough option today I'm working on some video editing a ladino mates and black beans and we are going to go out and explore dal tomorrow morning so we're going to have a cosy lazy night and I am happy about that [Music] so beautiful what do you think about a do you think we should splash out and have a meal alongside the canal here we should splash in and try to catch a frog [Applause] [Music] yeah what a special place it's interesting because we've spent a lot of time in Europe there's like the nice bridge and there's the beautiful old church and there's the old buildings and the small centre of town where there's no cars and it's just pedestrian and every now and then you come across one which is still just takes it to a new level and I feel like dolt was that place where it just takes it to a new level of beauty and antiquity and charm [Music] dole is in the region of frosh comte and it actually used to be the capital city until louis xiv conquered the region in the 1400s and shifted the parliament to base on sol another town a bit farther along on our route presiding over the town is the Church of nacho Dom with a 75 meter high bell tower and an enormous yet intricately carved wooden organ another reason why girl is a little bit famous is because this is where the we posture is from and apparently there's a Museum at his old house or something like that I doubt it will be open today but apparently it's this way [Music] so it is evening now we are still in dull after we went for our walk this morning we came back and I did some more video editing there's always more video at a team to do it usually takes me at least a full day to edit a movie so sitting down doing that anyway tonight we are doing something exciting that very very sweet little canal with the restaurants running along beside it we're going to go have a little bit of dinner at one of those restaurants which I'm really excited about we haven't been to a restaurant in about four months because of coronavirus and we were just locked down and all the restaurants were closed so their first time going out and I'm very excited I think it's going to be really memorable because it's such a beautiful spot so yes let's go [Music] so just through this arch right into the canal and there's the little walk path where we're going to be eating dinner it's such a magical entrance right to living like fairytale it's so beautiful [Music] okay I want to start out by making it clear right away that we do have we have no idea what we're talking about when it comes to wine like at all we were just gonna order a picture cuz in France they have like the table wine and that's always the cheapest you can just get like literally a picture of it in different sizes but then he talked us into one that's actually supposed to go with what we're eating and we were kind of like okay fine I mean in France wine is far more affordable than it is at home so a glass of this nice stuff is still only 750 euros which is about like $8 u.s. so it's still not excessive but it's really good yeah it has a very nutty thing to it which is why they recommended it with the cheese dish we're getting which makes sense to me yeah it's very good it's very hard to pronounce correctly sure [Music] hmm they call it grilled almonds to me it's more he's a lot watch out I'll be the next great thing Dini wine reviews you gonna have to start your own channels without charlie [Music] and so you look so happy yeah this is like the whole romance of the idea of a trip through the French canals and when we came down the French canals last time we really didn't have any money and we didn't go out to any of these places and it's just such an amazing feeling that now we can and we can have a dinner out occasionally and that's just our ability to enjoy these little extra things along the way sometimes is thanks to you for watching the videos every like and every subscription of course every patron makes the whole difference so thank you [Music] the creamy of the region and it's a cheese in this wooden basket yeah oh it's very hard very soft yeah potato salad and the slice of Shambala and apparently it's a specialty of the region this region of France is very close to Switzerland and the mountain influence is apparent the restaurant had fondue on the menu and although what we ordered isn't the same as fondue it still follows a similar line of thinking [Music] okay let's see how this is is it hot yes it tastes like really nicely baked and herbed potatoes dipped in really warm and good cheese Wow I'm absolutely knocked out I thought this would be an appetizer or just something to share as a starter but yeah I'm full then we shared it but yeah it's a big quantity of cheese it was really good though [Music] all paid up all paid up you want to go for a walk you know try and walk off some of that cheese I don't know if it's possible but we can try but the best was still yet to come for as the light faded from the sky the lights of dole slowly flickered on and what already seemed like a fairy tale in the daylight now seemed like something too magical to exist [Music] [Music] I love this it's so beautiful here France and and a lot of Europe just put so much effort into making things magical and beautiful in their old historic districts and so like for example behind me this bridge it's a little bit hidden behind the tree but this bridge is all lit up in purple because why not purple is a beautiful color and it contrasts the orange of the street lamps and the blue of the night sky and the green of the trees and it all mixes together to just to make this totally fairytale magical sort of scene [Music] thank you so much for watching please don't forget to give this video a thumbs up and maybe leave a comment what you thought and if you want to keep following this adventure hit subscribe and press the little notification bell next to the subscription button as well a big huge thank you to our patrons for making these weekly episodes possible and an extra big thank you to these folks who go above and beyond to make sure that these videos keep happening we'll see you all next Friday [Music]

Channel: Sailing Magic Carpet

Views: 242,583

Keywords:

Id: DFzg3ioahKg

Length: 24min 2sec (1442 seconds)

Published: Fri Jul 17 2020