The Journey -
'Rosy', Locks, Bataliers and the Bourse

Whereas in England boaters usually work the locks themselves, in France this is generally not so.  There is either a lock-keeper who will do it for you (though on some canals they appreciate a hand), or else they are 'automatic'.

An automatic lock knows that you want to work through it EITHER because a radar sensor sees to approaching OR by way of a pole, suspended over the canal, that the boater has to grasp, and give a quarter turn.

In either case, and if everything is working properly, lights at the lock light up (so that you know you have been recognised) and the lock starts preparing itself to let you in - culminating, of course, in the lock gates opening.  A green light then comes on, and in you go.

It is a rarity to find two locks the same.  The automatic mechanism can be on either side of the lock, as can the lock ladders.  The bollards on the sides of the lock are generally positioned for the convenience of barges, and these may not coincide with the convenience of pleasure craft.  There are some locks with floating bollards, where the bollards stay in the surface of the water as the lock fills or empties.  On some deeper locks, extra bollards are set into the lock walls.

So, into the lock you go, and prepare boat ropes appropriately.  When you are ready, you go to the automatic station at the lock side.  There are two vertical rods, (often running down the lock wall in a channel that used to be occupied by a ladder), one red and one blue.  The red is an alarm.  If you lift it slightly, all gates and paddles close, and a person (eventually) appears on a moped to see what all the fuss is about.  Lifting the blue rod slightly starts the sequence of gates closing, paddles opening, and, eventually, gates opening and out you go.

These locks generally have some sort of voice communications with the control point.

Some locks are linked together, so that as you leave one, the next is being prepared for you.

Rosy is presently moored at Vitry-le-François, on the outside of a sharp right angle.  Opposite are some barges, so yesterday I cycled round for a chat.

The St Marie is a short, residential peniche.  A man was on it, so I said hello, and said that I was from the English boat opposite.  'Ah!  Rosy!!' he said.  And that was us.  Friends for life.  We discussed the passing of the peniche Floan (pronounced Flow Ann) the other day, and how I knew the owners, then we went on to discuss all the other English-run barges.  He is a few years older that I, unusually clear complexion, fine grey hair, and deficient of a thumb.  He spoke French that I could just about understand, in that pronounced his words very carefully, and spoke slowly.

He had worked his peniche all his life, and when he retired he had had the centre section cut out (I think to turn it into a pleasure boat that attracts a lower licence fee).  He had been born on a peniche, as had his father.  His own son was born on a peniche, and now works one on the Moselle, moving sand and gravel.

He is moored next door to the two peniches 'Whyme' and 'Whynot'.  I mentioned that their names have made them famous with English boaters.  He asked if I knew the French translation - an odd question, I thought.  Surely he already knew?  Was he just testing me?  Anyway, they are, actually, in a dry dock - the very one that St Marie was shortened in - and he laughed when I gave him the French translation.

We then talked canals, and he repeated the conversations that were similar to the ones going around the UK canals 50, 60 and 70 years ago - that the French have an excellent canal system, that is capable of contributing to the economic life of the country.  That maintenance is being neglected, and essential dredging is not taking place.  A loaded peniche drags along the bottom of the canal, stirring up mud, and being slowed down.  'Et les écluses automatiques!!!!  C'est le de-hu-man-is-ation!'

Right on the inside corner of the canal he has created a little bit of a garden.  BIG problems being on the corner - he either gets an east wind or a north wind!!  (Not true, actually!  He either gets an east wind or a south wind, but why let mere facts interfere with a good story - I certainly wouldn't!!)

A lovely man.  Later, in the balmy evening, I saw him help his rather elderly looking and doddery wife down to the canal side.  She was wearing an elderly bathing costume, and in she went for a swim. 

One of the major changes took place a few years ago, when the Bourse was disbanded.  As I understand it ...

When a barge unloaded, the batalier (boatman) went to the nearest bourse to register the fact that he had an empty boat and was waiting for a cargo.  His name went on the bottom of the list of waiting boats.

Similarly, a person with a load to move would register the load with the bourse, and the load would be put at the bottom of the loads list.

Then the boat at the top of the list of waiting boats would be allocated the load at the top of the loads list.

The disadvantage of this system, to those of us getting used to a market economy, are now obvious.  At the time, it was recognised that the system didn't allow any sort of relationship to be built up between carriers and customers.  It also failed to reward prompt and efficient boaters.  But the removal of the Bourse was much resisted.  The old Bourse building is still here in Vitry.

That's all folks!!!

Toodle pip!!

Bill