canal by boat
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a side trip on the river (image by Street View)
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On March 15, in order to return to my main route, I took a boat trip along a canal. This area of central France is very wet, dominated by the wetland known as the Marais Poitevin. The waterways are known as La Venise Verte. Land has been reclaimed from the wetland to create a labyrinth of waterways and dry land.
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my side trip, including a trip by boat (map from Google Earth)
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At the bridge in Le Gué de Magné, I put myself and my bike into one of the barges along the river and took a trip along the waterway…
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boats along the shore (image from Street View)
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The boat trip was a relaxing virtual vacation from all the biking I have been doing. In reality, I ‘simulated’ the boat trip by sitting down for 20 minutes with a book of Monet’s waterlily paintings…
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view along the canal from the bridge (image by Street View)
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It reminded me of a real trip I took on a barge at the Upper Canada Village in Ontario last fall…
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barge trip, Upper Canada Village, 2012 … barge was hauled along the river using horse power!
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The biking portion of the trip was along the Route de la Garette…
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the Route de la Garette, showing water as a major feature of the landscape
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I loved the view of this old barn and the rustic gates of the farm…
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old farm (image from Street View)
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Copyright Jane Tims 2013
nichepoetryandprose 
The side trip along the waterways of La Venise Verte, and your drawing of reeds and reflection, look so serene… And the picture of the horses pulling the barge on your trip in Upper Canada Village is fascinating – I’ve never seen horsepower being used to pull barges before!
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Barbara Rodgers
April 2, 2013 at 11:32 am
Hi Barbara. I’m glad you liked my side trip… building in some meditation time (the virtual canal trip) worked out very well! I think horses were used quite frequently in the past to power barges along straight canal routes. Jane
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jane tims
April 3, 2013 at 8:37 am
I found your comment about the barge at Upper Canada Village pulled by horse power particularly interesting. There are old “canals” along the Susquehanna River in Pennsylvania that once had barges that were pulled by horses or mules. Until I read your post, I hadn’t realized that there still are places where it is possible to see what this once was like.
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Sheryl
April 2, 2013 at 12:10 am
Hi Sheryl. Upper Canada Village (near Kingston in Ontario) is quite the place… a chance to see a lot of activities the way they were performed in times past. The canal is part of the experience. It was very soothing (I love being on water anyway) and the horse drew the huge barge (room for about 20 people) quite smoothly. Jane
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jane tims
April 3, 2013 at 8:35 am
We actually rented a boat and took it up the Canal’s of France, our bikes strapped on board for trips about the countryside. Going through the manually operated locks, which you must help open and close, and slowly motoring through France is absolutely amazing. One can legally tie up anywhere along the canal. A trip everyone must take although the great food and wine not good for ones waste line.
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stan spavold
April 1, 2013 at 12:23 pm
Hi Lee. I’ve seen those locks along my travels. I tried to figure out how they worked but the Street View image isn’t close enough. It makes sense that they are hand operated. I think the best part of my bike (and exercise) trip is that I can’t stop and eat at all the restaurants I see!!!! Jane
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jane tims
April 2, 2013 at 3:59 pm
Loved your drawing and the street views. The trip by barge was a great idea.
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Carol Steel
April 1, 2013 at 8:10 am
Hi. Choosing a route just for walking or floating might be a way to inject some meditative time into my virtual ‘life’. Sometimes I wonder if I’m getting carried away by all this (I actually wondered how I would get back on my main path from the side trip without biking the whole way). Enjoy your real day! Jane
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jane tims
April 1, 2013 at 10:55 am
Ummm you might have a problem Jane. lol Nice drawing of the reeds.
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JD
April 1, 2013 at 2:21 pm
Hi Denis. Am I enjoying my ‘virtual’ trip a bit too much? It is taking a lot of time but last year I spent an hour and a half driving to aquasize and this is much more pleasant. I was happy I could relive the memories of our day last year at Upper Canada Village. I don’t think you folks went on the barge trip??? Jane
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jane tims
April 3, 2013 at 8:46 am
Hi Jane. I’m pretty sure Heather went on the barge … with you. I was with Glenn remember? Anyways glad you’re having fun with the blog. At least you don’t have to worry about weather! Denis
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JD
April 3, 2013 at 8:56 am
Hi. Or the mud puddles… Jane
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jane tims
April 3, 2013 at 10:32 am