If anyone out there is cruising between Besançon and Novillar would you please look out for a pair of sunglasses floating in the Doubs!
On the way to Baume-les- Dames we stopped at Novillar to meet up with Craig and Michelle from the “Avonturier" for lunch.
On our arrival a hire boat had already tied up at the pontoon leaving just enough room for our boat. So when Craig and Michelle arrived they tied up alongside us. The pub/restaurant we expected turned out to be more like a beer/ hamburger stand.
Keen to try a “French” Hamburger we decided to give it a go. The burgers were 15 cm in diameter, flat like a pizza but we quite enjoyed them.
When the hire boat left, Michelle,Craig, Austin and I shuffled our boats around so be both could tie up to the pontoon and stay for the night, when it happened: Austin’s prescription sunglasses slipt off his nose and straight into the rushing waters of the Doubs.
For a while we were kept in great suspension while Austin aided by a long rope off the “Avonturier" paddled and dived and combed the long weeds on the ground in the search for his glasses. Coming up for breaths he subsequently wore one or the other fancy river plant around his head. (Unfortunately the photo I made of “neptune" didn’t work out).Craig even donned goggles and snorkel to the effort and joined Austin in his search. But alas! the glasses were well and truly gone.
A lovely evening on the Avonturier and a few drinks with Michelle and Craig helped greatly ease the pain.
The next morning we were ready to carry on to Baume- les Dames. As the Aussies had just beaten the French in Rugby again, Austin had to rub it in by wearing his Wallabies Jumper as you can see!
Lucky that the French have a sense of humour! Arriving late for lunch at the marina and Austin wearing “the jumper” they still served us a salad at the Gîte. Bordering the marina the gîte offers a nice menu, but prices are a little higher than in the average village restaurant. The marina is managed by the Camping ground office above and in order to pay everyone cues up at 18.30pm sharp, the only time the office opens. A big sign at the door announces in German “Der Bäker kommt um 8.15". We must have missed him. No baker to be seen at 8.25am.
We got our baguette a little later from the Super U Marché. Not far away is also a Intermarché and a Lidl.
Sadly we had to say good-bye to Michelle and Craig who are returning to St. Jean to meet up with friends.