5. Isle Adam to Epernay

On 15th April 2025 we arrived back at Isle Adam. By the time we got to the boat it was quite late, but still not too late for a glass or two of bubbles to celebrate being back on Ayanna. The next few days were spent cleaning and stocking up with supplies, stopping for lunch at a Turkish restaurant and enjoying the mille feuille from the marina patisserie, they are without doubt the best we have ever eaten and the reason I will probably put back on the 5kgs of weight that I lost over the Winter months!!

25th - 28th April We had paid for the marina until the end of April, but we actually finished getting the boat ready quite quickly and so we decided to go to the town of Isle Adam, just 1 mile away and two locks - one being the marina lock. I had completely forgotton how to turn on the headphone sets, and assumed that they weren't working properly. We hadn't realised just how invaluable they were, especially as the marina lock is very narrow and it is a tight left turn onto the River Oise plus I had to keep a look out for other boats. Thankfully it was a short journey, but I so appreciated just how much communication is required. Hand signals are fine, if the captain is looking at you!!🫣

There is a floating pontoon in the town of Isle Adam that is owned by the marina, so we were able to moor there for free as we had a contract with them. We were quite exposed to the commercial traffic here, and if the commercials went at the correct speed, it wasn't too much of an issue, but some commercials go far too fast, and the boat was really rocked around, so Ayhan had to put stronger mooring lines on to compensate, and it mostly did the job. We enjoyed being immersed in the town and with the warming weather, it was lively and I was able to walk to the supermarket with ease from the boat and did a good stocking up of the heavier supplies.

The weather started to improve greatly and was getting warmer every day - a mini heatwave was on its way - so it was lovely to be where we were. We stayed here for 3 nights going out one night to an all you can eat buffet dinner including oysters and king prawns for €25 - if pre-paid - so we certainly made the most of the oysters and prawns, and on the last day, our good Australian friends Shaun and Tracy from 'Continium' - another Piper boat - came and moored along side us. It was so great to see them and we went on their boat for some bubbles, and then we went out to the Turkish restauant for dinner.

28th April - 2nd May - Isle Adam town to Cergy Marina ( 18.6km, 1 lock downstream in 2.05 hrs). Cergy marina is also owned by the same company as Isle Adam marina, so we were able to use two more nights from our Isle Adam contract and only had to pay for two. The cruise was lovely, it was quiet on the river and the weather was perfect and the headphones were working, all was good with the world! 🥰

The marina was very small and so we stayed on the visitors pontoon, which is a floating pontoon on the side of the river and so yet again we were exposed to the commercial traffic, but Ayhan has mastered the mooring lines, so whilst a bit uncomfortable at times, it wasn't an issue. We basically had the visitors pontoon all to oursevles and being quite hidden from everyone, I was able to do some laundry and change over to summer bedding and hang everything out to air and dry. A great spring clean! Feeling ready for the cruising season to begin!

Cergy is a pretty town, the marina is surrounded by lots of lovely restaurants. We had a wander around and felt obliged to try some delicious crepes, and participate in happy hour and off course try the local fish and chips! Diet? what diet! Shaun & Tracy arrived a day after us and were moored a bit behind us, futher up the river. They walked into town the next evening and we went out for happy hour drinks and a bite to eat. Another lovely evening.

On our last day at Cergy, we went for a lovely 5km walk to the water-sports lake and to Axe Majeur - a rare piece of urban architecture which is quite spectacular. You can get a view across Paris from the 12 pillars at the top and on a clear day you can see the Eiffel Tower.

Cergy was going to be our starting point for our trip on the River Seine, through Paris and then out onto the Marne and the Champagne region, ready for our 30th wedding anniversary on 18th May. Unfortunately, some bad news came via the VNF app - this being the French Waterways app - advising us that a part of the Marne was closed, so we couldn't go that direction. We had thought about maybe going on the Bourgogne, but were a bit undecided if the river levels would drop further as there has been no rain - just like in the UK - probably over-thinking things, but better to be safe than sorry. Anyway, our descision was made for us, as that evening our fresh water-pump started to make strange noises, and our spare pump also didn't work, possibly faulty. We didn't want to risk continuing without getting at least one replacement pump, so decided to return to Isle Adam marina, where we would at least have access to loos and showers should the pump pack up completely.

2nd May - 12th May - Cergy to Isle Adam Marina ( 20Km, 3 locks uphill, 2hrs 25mins). As soon as we arrived back at the marina, I placed an order for two fresh water-pumps. I was told they would be delivered by 7th May. Keeping eveything crossed that our pump keeps going until then. The weather changed and became a lot cooler and very windy, so actually quite happy to be in a known, safe marina. We like Isle Adam, so not a hardship to be back and we are not in a rush. Ayhan is always happy to wash his boat and the marina has plenty of room and strong water pressure for him to do this. 7th of May came with the promise of the delivery of the pumps, so whilst the e-mail said they would deliver between 8am and 1pm, they didn't as they just decided that they didn't want too!! 8th of May being a public holiday - VE day - we were told we would have to wait until Friday 9th May! Nothing we could do.

8th May we walked into Isle Adam to see if there would be any VE Day memorial events and we timed it perfectly and were there for the whole event. It was great to be a part of it.

Our water pump delivery was promised twice more and they kept querying the address and one of the guys from the Marina office phoned them twice to give them the correct details, yet no one at the delivery depot was changing the address. Finally, thankfully, Geoffrey at the marina office, felt very sorry for me and said he would drive me to the depot to collect the pumps. Luckily it was only about a 20 mins drive. As soon as we got the pumps Ayhan connected the new one. We could now begin our cruising again.

12th May L’Isle Adam Marina to Creil (30km, 2 locks upstream in 4¾hrs). We knew this route from last year, so didn't feel the need to rush, although we are now going upstream and have the flow against us and the locks are more challenging when going up in a lock. We moored up behind 'Continum' - who had arrived the day before apparently - as it looked like a good spot. We didn't want to disturb Shaun and Tracy as we know that they work from their boat during the week. We were tired anyway, so had a quite evening.

13th May - Creil to Compiegne (37.3km, 3 locks upstream in 5hrs 35mins). Had a nice cruise, not much traffic around. We like the River Oise. We needed fuel, so luckily on arrival at Compiegne the Fuel barge had no other boat along side, so we moored against it and someone came to us straight away. We filled up with over 500 litres of fuel, mostly for the Auxillary tank - which supplies the heating and the generator. We then moored up opposite the fuel barge for the night and made our plan for the next part of the cruise. In the very eary, hours of the morning - around 2am - we had two students climb on our cabin roof. They had been drinking and wanted some photos of themsleves on our boat. We woke up abruptly and soon told them what they could do with their photos! We don't have a problem with anyone wanting a photo of our boat with them in it, but we do have a problem with them climbing on our boat especially at 2am!

14th May - Compiegne to Soissons ( 43km, 6 locks upstream in 7hrs). We had decided that we would try for the 3rd time to get to the Champagne region. Last year we had tried and they closed the section of canal near Reims and this year they had closed a section from the Marne, Paris side. So fingers crossed for 3rd time lucky, we took a right turn, going back on the route we came along last year, from the River Oise to the River Aisne. Such a lovely stretch of water, so not a hardship. We were given a remote to use at the first lock until we get to the Berry Au Bac lock. I like the remotes, it means we are in control and I don't have to use my rubbish French to try to communicate with the lock keepers. It had been quite a long cruising day, but we know this route from last year, so that is always a plus. We also know Soissons, so didn't feel the need to explore. We were tired, and had a quiet evening.

15th May - Soissons to Berry Au Bac lock ( 48km, 6 locks upstream in 7hrs 10mins). Aisne to Canal Lateral a L'Aisne. Doing the locks uphill have been quite the challenge. The bollards are spaced so far apart and the force of the water coming in at some have been a bit difficult, at least the cruising has been nice with little traffic. Below are photos of us going into a double lock from the River to the canal system.

We moored where we did last year, next to a commercial barge and just before the lock. It is quite peacful here, we like it. We had a lovely relaxed evening. It takes a bit of time to get back into the swing for cruising again.

16th May - Berry au Bac to Sillery ( 33.8km,14 upstream locks in 7½hrs). Canal Lateral a L'Aisne to Canal Lateral a la Marne. It was a good job we had taken a walk to the locks the evening before to do a recce for today. We had to hand our remote back in once we had locked into the Berry au Bac lock and then choose the direction we were heading for by lifting the correct lever. Our next locks were immediately after this first lock, a sharp right turn onto the the Canal Lateral a La Marne and they are in a chain, so once the first one is activated the others are also then activated. We had a Chain of 5, then 4, then 3. The next lot of chain locks were activated by me twisting a hanging plastic pole a quarter turn clockwise.

The locks on this stretch are very narrow, and the bollard layout is not user friendly either, very far apart, but we managed to get a system in place. Each change of waterway, gives us a change of lock set-up, so it takes us a couple of locks to get the hang of them. Just as we do get the hang of them, we end up then going onto another waterway with yet again a different lock layout. No chance of getting bored!😆

This canal has some lovely scenery and is quite a bit narrower than the last waterway, and we met some commercial traffic as well as pleasure and hotel boats. It's actually the pleasure boats that can be more inconsiderate. We didn't know how far we would go today, but we didn't see any good mooring spots, especially with the 'Reims' town mooring still not completed, so we continued to Sillery. It got increasingly windy as the day went on which made going into the narrow locks even more of a challenge and our mooring at Sillery. When we arrived there was another Piper boat - Svenan - with Steve and Fiona onboard and Steve gave us a hand on arrival. Unfortunatley no water on our pontoon but there was electricity. The mooring was €23 per night, electricity and water was extra. Not a very well organised marina and not very helpful staff. Steve and Fiona invited us onto there boat for a drink, it was getting late and we were tired, so we didn't stay for long.

The next day we did a few chores, shopping, laundry and filling the water tanks, thanks to a very helpful Frenchman that attached his water-pipe with ours so that it would reach. That evening we invited Steve and Fiona onto our boat for drinks at around 6.45pm and they left at about 12.30. It was a lovely evening and nice to get to know them.

Today - being the 18th May - was our 30th wedding anniversary. We had intended to be somewhere a bit nicer than Sillery, but river closures had changed our plans a few times, so a bit out of our control. We went and had a look at the impressive war memorial at Sillery and we then did a 30 mins bike ride to Verzenay Light House museum which tells the history of the lighthouse and the Champagne. It was a lovley town with many Champagne houses and the vines growing on the hill sides. We bought a couple bottles of Champagne to take back with us and to celebrate on the boat that night. There is only one decent restaurant in Sillery and it isn't open on a Sunday evening. We will find a posh restaurant to properly celebrate later on in the cruising.

19th May, we took the bus into Reims. There is a lovley Cathedral and many Champagne houses as well as the lovely old town to wander around. We had a yummy lunch next to the Cathedral. It was quite a hot day.

20th May Sillery to Conde sur Marne. (24.3km, 3 locks upstream and 8 locks downstream, 1 tunnel (2,203m) in 5 ½hrs). We had a nice cruise, enjoying the countryside. The mooring here was quite strange. It is a small marina with loads of unkempt boats, but it had water and electicity for €10 per night, so we were able to give the boat a wash and do some laundry. We also took a walk to an old aqueduct, which was interesting. It had been a long day, so we had a fairly late supper, and went to bed soon afterwards. it was nice a peaceful here.

21st May. Conde sur Marne to Epernay. ( 20.3km, 4 locks downstream, 1 swing bridge in 3hrs 40mins).Canal Lateral a la Marne to Marne. I had booked our mooring for tonight, being €34 including electricity and water. It is expensive here because it is Epernay, the heart of the Champagne region. It was very quiet though and we were the only boat, as the closure of the Marne from Paris direction had put a stop to many criusing plans, and we had come the long way around to get here. The Capitain at this marina was getting worried about his business for this season. It was nice for us though, as we had it all to ourselves.

We headed straight into town as rain was forecast. We walked around the town and then on Champagne street, which was full of all the well know Champagne houses, like Moet and Dom Perignon. We saw many very posh cars and you could go and taste the various Champagnes, but it was quite pricey and we are not connoisseurs . We decided to enjoy wandering around and then go back and drink Champagne on our own boat! We had at last made it to the Champagne region! 🍾🥂🍾🥂🥰🎉