Port Napoleon 30 March

Last night on land. 

We met the most amazing people last night, Kurt and Ann-Britt from Uddevalla and Svenne from Ludvika and Arvidsjuar. 

They had taken a boat Nauticat 38 from Greece to Port Napoleon. They are taking the boat back to Sweden for a customer, via the canals. I feel like a real wimp listening to these +70 and + 80 year old youngsters and their trip from Greece to France with only two or three stops and I am trying to convince Carl not to take a 1,5 hour trip in a sheltered bay to Port st Louis because of the wind.

Turns out the only lock by which we can enter the Rhone is under repair and will not be open untill 8 April! We certainly did start off too early. So we find something to do for the week and get used to living on the boat again.

Lellebelle will be launched today.

At 09:00 the truck with haul wagon came to fetch LB. Same procedure as

Last year but in reverse.

Here we go.

It's about 300 m to the launching place.

At the launching place.

On its way into the water. Leslie in horror. 

Everything went well. LB stayed afloat and the motor started at first try. 

Things can't be better. Mooring went well and Leslie hopped ashore and tied up like it was yesterday. 

Marseille to Port Napoleon 29 March

Enjoyed the luxury of a hotel for the second last time at the Ibis Airport Hotel, Marseille.

Sunshine in Marseille looks promising. Back to normal, looking for the bus stop and hopefully finding it. We took bus number 38 to Martique, bus number 2 to Port St Louis and were told to take bus number 3 to Port Napoleon. When it finally arrived we were told that we had to call to reserve a bus because there were so few people taking a bus to Napoleon at this time of year (we are maybe out a bit early!) Carl found a cafe where the owner found someone to drive us. Turns out that he is Spanish. I thought I could get by in Spanish, but after the past few months of trying to learn French, the Spanish is gone! Carl however is sprouting Spanish!

And here we are, back on board. Lellebelle is shining in the sunlight. Everything works.

Bordeaux and Boutenac-Touvent 24-28 March

First stop Boutenac-Touvent, a village close to Bordeaux, where we celebrated Gunilla R's 60th.

Managed a quick visit to the city of Bordeaux before flying to Marseille.

Bordeaux, the wine capital of the world! We were happy to spend a day, Easter Monday, walking around this lovely old town. This is an enormous statue on the square " Quionqoun" or King Kong as Carl translated it.

Outside the theatre this wonderful work of art. It rained in the morning so we spent a lot of time in Grand Cafe. Sun came out in the afternoon but there was not enough time to learn about the history. Definitely a place to return to. Denise and Anders returned to Sweden and we fly to Marseilles.

Visiting our favourite Boulangerie in Brie, village next to Boutenac Touvent. We got to practice our 10 words in French with the owners Lionel and Laurette.

A visit to Mortagne sur Gironde where a hermit lives in the caves in the background. He is open to visitors but not today!

LelleBelle travel map

Planned trip for 2016 travel. Starting date in Port Napoleon around 31th of March.

 

The map below shows the 2014 and 2015 travels fairly accurately. 

We´ll see if we manage to stick to the planned route for 2016.

Here we go again

On 24 March at 04:50 in the morning we are ready to leave Hollviken for another season with Lellebelle.

Lots of expectations for the final leg of the "round Europe trip". But departure at this early time of the day sucks. We'll only see LB in Port Napoleon on 29 April. 

First we visit  Herman and Gunilla in Boutenac-Touvent to celebrate G's 60th birthday. We travel with Anders and Denise.