The start of another working week (not that weekdays and weekends are much different to us at the moment) saw me up early to capture some dawn scenes on the river. The river remained an absolute millpond until the first boat arrived from the south around 1000h.

We left our mooring at 1015h, and had a pleasant but uneverntful cruise down the river, arriving at Pontailler sur Saone at  1215h. Hyboot was already moored at the front of the stone steps (where hotel barge Grand Victoria normally moors) because they wanted to connect to the electricity supply to charge the batteries for their electric boat. We were thinking of mooring behind them until they pointed out a underwater rock that they had struck while mooring, so we pulled ourselves back to the rear of the mooring (where Baise had moored last time we were here). Since the day was young, and we planned to stay here overnight), we decided to go for another bike ride. This time we rode back up the river to the north to explore the initial stages of the Canal de Champagne et Bourgogne. So we headed back up river until we reached the "blue bridge" just beyond Ecluse 18, which marks the start of the canal, and then turned left to head up the canal.

We were impressed by the automatic Zapper dispensing machine at Ecluse 43, and with the moorings just beyond Ecluse 42 at Maxilly. We continued along the canal for another few kilometres until PK220 at St Sauveur, where we saw a side road to the right heading to Talmay, where the Guide Fluviale had noted there was a Chateau. So we thought that would be worth investigating. So off we headed, and after a couple of kilometres of riding on tracks of various widths, materials and conditions, we arrived at the town of Talmay, and followed the signs to the chateau. But when we arrived there, we remembered that while there may be no difference between weekdays and weekends for us, there is a difference on Mondays in France; the Chateau was closed to the public today! So we peered through the big iron gates and tried to get an appreciation of the Chateau. If we're ever in the area again, not on a Monday, we might take to opportunity to have a look inside.

We headed out of Talmay on the main road back to Maxilly (after several unsuccessful attempts to get around to the other side of the Chateau where we had seen that the gates were open), and rode back down the canal to the river. As we rode along the river, we again saw a cobbled section of the pathway, which we now understood better, having seen an explanatory sign further up river. It appears that in the past, an area 7m wide was reserved on the side of the river for the purposes of the towpath, and that many of these paths were cobbled so that horses and donkeys could get a good foothold in all weather conditions. The local Mairie had preserved these sections in their original condition, while providing a narrow smooth section for bicycles. Good idea!

As we neared Pontailler, we saw a swimming hole by the side of the river which was obviously popular with the local youth (judging by the rope swings and the "ladder" up the tree). Rita decided it was time for a swim, and while she didn't swing out on the ropes, she did find them useful for entering and leaving the river, which was very deep adjacent to the tree roots.

When we got back to Pontailler we made a side-trip to our favourite boulangerie to pick up some bread and something for a treat after dinner tonight, and then made our way back to the boat. We were soon joined on the other side of the river by some water-skiers from the local club. Luckily they stayed on the other side of the river, and the wake from their activities was minimal. Unlike the wake from the hoons in their outboard-powered inflatables, who delighted in racing up and down the river on our side.

As the sun set, we had a quiet dinner on board, followed by our after-dinner boulangerie treat.