Porte D’Alsace - Dannemarie

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A few kilometres on from Montreux a chain of lock-steps descend from Valdieu to Dannemarie. Again a couple of students followed us from lock 3 to lock 16. The two girls spoke quite a good English and we had some lovely chats. A couple of times Austin had to remind “us girls” that the lock door had opened and it might be time to cruise on to the next one.

We learned all about the specialities of Alsace from the girls: the tarte flambée, baeckeoffe, fleischschnacka and choucroute, so that on our arrival we had worked up quite an appetite.

On approach of the marina Madame Meyer, the capitainière, waved us to a pontoon and helped us tie up, just as Angus had told us! What a lovely lady! 

And a lovely little town this Dannemarie is too! Storchs nest atop the town hall, half-timber houses are painted in jolly colours, and a fleet of cars driving horn beeping through the streets for a wedding, where seemingly the whole village had been invited to.

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We stayed an extra night. For the first time in weeks we had rain and very strong winds. A good excuse to have a lazy Sunday.

© Austin Robinson 2019