After the recent cooler weather, it has begun to warm up again. Indeed, looking at the 10-day forecast shows that it is going to be canicule conditions again next week, with temperatures of 40 in SJDL and up to 42 in Moissac. Since the batteries are due to be installed over that period, we decided that it might be a good idea to "head for the hills", and some cooler weather, and leave the boat empty to let the battery installers have an unimpeded work space (where they could switch off all the power while they did the installation). So I went over to Vasily to make sure that would work, and he was happy for us just to leave them a key to get access to the boat. He also told me that the batteries had been dispatched this morning, and should arrive on Monday. So the timing was good for our getaway. Having had a good experience with the Ibis Budget Hotel in Choissey, we looked for one in the mountains, and found a couple in Chambery (3 hours south-east of SJDL). We booked one in the Centre-Ville, but after later looking at the surroundings on Google StreetView, we changed our minds and selected the one out in the suburbs, which was closer to the mountains and had a swimming lake just across the road (Rita will like that).

We learnt yesterday that David Rothery has changed his cruising plans for heading north to Amserdam. He had started up the Doubs, but on reaching Besancon he learned that the Canal de Marne au Rhin further north was restricted due to low water levels and, with his draught of 1.3m, he would not be able to get through. This would have forced him to backtrack, so rather than wait for that (or pray for heavy rain, which isn't going to happen), he decided to turn around now and go up the Canal de Champagne et Bougogne, which is one of the few canals with plentiful water. Indeed, every day we keep receiving notices of chromages, advising us of restrictions on the canals. While we are not as susceptible to blockages (with a draught of only 0.7m), we are also affected. Today I learned that the Canal des Vosges was closed to everyone at Epinal. Since that was a key part of our route back from the north if we went up to Strasbourg, that has effectively scuppered our original cruising plan for 2019. So, if and when we ever get out of port with a functioning barge, we will probably now just go up the Doubs as far as we can (hopefully to Mulhouse), then come back down the Doubs and fill in with some time on the Saone before heading to Le Chatelet in September. Given the way we have enjoyed our car trips in the Jura region, and the problems with planning any cruising due to lack of water (which is unlikely to get any better in the future with climate change), I am starting to see the benefits of travelling in a motorhome!

In the afternoon, Rita again rode to Auxonne to swim at the piscine. While I was working on various websites, I heard a commotion outside, and an engine trying to be started. Turned out to be a boat (Sojourn) that had just arrived in port, and now refused to keep going (or start again). So the little weed-cleaner that was working around us, threw them a rope and then towed them to a mooring.

Around 1900h, I jumped in the car and went up to fetch Rita from the Auxonne piscine, since it was too much of a struggle for her to ride back home again. I found her sitting at a bench near the pool on the banks of the Saone, just across from Port Royal. I never realised that the piscine was directly across the river, and it gave a view of the Port that I had not seen before.