Laura, the fairy godmother at Le Boat's base office in Jarnac, does a perfect job: not only does she guide us through the usual paperwork procedures in good English before the start of a charter trip, she also explains the current navigational problems impressively using the water chart. The water level in the Charente is very low when we take over the boat on 10 June 2017. And caution is required in some sections of the river, especially above Jarnac in the direction of Angoulême.
The barely visible, protruding reinforcements of the bridge piers just below the water surface are also treacherous. "So always go through the centre of the arch".
And what route does Laura recommend for a week-long trip? "First up towards Angoulême, perhaps as far as Châteauneuf and then down to Saintes. Then you'll get to know two very different and very typical sections of the river".
An evening stroll through Jarnac: it smells of fermented wine. The warehouses of the Louis Royer distillery are just around the corner. The house where former French President François Mitterrand was born, with flag decorations and a memorial plaque. A small museum in his honour on the banks of the river. Opposite, on the left bank, is the mighty Maison Tiffon-Braastad, ancestral home of the Cognac dynasty of the same name.
To the north of the bridge is the castle square with the Château Courvoisier, a cognac that is particularly popular in Germany.
A few bistros and restaurants around the square. The shopping street "Grand Rue" is deserted, a number of shops are boarded up due to abandonment, many are for sale: "à vendre"! A symbol of the decline of the French provinces, yet with a discreet charm.
When shopping on a Sunday morning (Intermarché Super is open on Sundays from 9 am to 12.30 pm), we are happy to have our hire car, as it is two kilometres to the supermarket. Drinks, basic shopping for breakfast and a snack in between. We don't want to cook on board - especially not in the heat, which has been making the region crazy for days.
Cast off: Jarnac is our first lock and Manni (the grumpy guy from the "Meckerecke", one of the best mates you can have on board!) and I quickly found our division of labour at the bulkheads and lock gates.
The green flywheels that move the bulkheads and gate bars are perfectly lubricated and run smoothly. No lock takes us longer than 20 to 30 minutes. Of course, this is also due to the fact that (with one exception) we were alone in the locks for the entire trip and only had to wait once for someone to come on board.
The merciless sun is making things difficult for us on the flybridge. The boat doesn't have a bimini. But as there is a heavy umbrella stand on the fly, there must also be a sunshade. I comb the boat, every nook and cranny, every box, under the bunks... Nothing. We'll have to change that if we want to survive the week without sunstroke!
The village of Graves offers a shady mooring on the 25 metre long jetty. Perfect for a lunch break. Cables and hoses protruding from the ground on the shore indicate that there will soon be a service column with water and electricity here.
Graves: a dozen or so houses, the defiant Romanesque church of Saint-Martin and a winery. But in this heat and at this time of day, we're not in the mood for cognac, wine or Pineau.
We leave our shady spot far too early to head for our destination for the day, Saint-Simon. The almost 200 metre long quay is mercilessly exposed to the sun. Off to bed and sleep until the sun gets a little lower. Then we venture up to the village. The guide not only recommended the small maritime museum "Maison du Gabariers", but also the restaurant "La Chabourne".
Late afternoon and evening are therefore guaranteed: first the museum, then the restaurant. On the church square we find a closed bistro that will not open until 22 June and is not called "La Chabourne". But who to ask? The museum is now closed and the streets are deserted. Suddenly a car stops at the stop sign on a side street. I jump in: "Bonsoir Madame..." and try to explain our problem to the driver in broken French.
"There's no longer a restaurant in town," she says, "and the new bistro won't open for a few days. "And where is the nearest restaurant?" I ask timidly. "In Vibrac", says Madame, "if you want, I'll drive you there".
Once again, the evening seems to have been saved. It's a good two kilometres to "Les Ombrages" and in our anticipation we don't think about how we'll get back from there...
Madame stops in front of the restaurant. It looks very dead. Are we the first guests? The answer to the riddle at the entrance: "Fermé le dimanche", closed on Sundays. It doesn't help that our guidebook says: "No closing day". And now? We don't dare ask. "Shall I drive you back?" asks our angel and heavy stones fall from our hearts.
Madame stops at the beginning of the quays of Saint-Simon: "I live here", she says, "your boat is probably a little further down". "Merci beaucoup et bonne soirée Madame".
We know where the nice lady lives and what her car is. That will have consequences: At the end of our trip, we will drive to Saint-Simon in the hire car, armed with a thank-you letter, our business cards and a good bottle of Pineau. Everything will be draped on the bonnet of Madame's car as a little thank you.
When we get back to Hamburg, we already have a thank-you e-mail on our computer: Merci beaucoup encore, Elisabeth!
In the evening in Saint-Simon, however, the kitchen remains cold. The baguette we bought in the morning was still reasonably fresh, but the next morning it's a different story and there's no bakery in Saint-Simon.
So we set off hungry for Châteauneuf-sur-Charente. After 1 ½ hours, we moor at the beautiful mooring on the Île de la Fuie, which is equipped with water and electricity. We cross a bridge to reach the small town. The supermarket is only 400 metres away and the fresh baguette smells wonderful.
The town makes a deserted impression. Around the Place de la Liberté with its neoclassical town hall, we spot the signs of a few restaurants and bistros, which are of course still closed in the morning. That gives us some perspective for the evening.
But first we are drawn to Saint-Simeux. The description of the pub-restaurant "Les Gabariers", run by an English couple, aroused our curiosity ( www.pubgabariers.com )
The crystal-clear water of the Charente allows us to clearly recognise the bottom and the abyss of the river. Thick clothes lie in front of the rustic bank stabilisation made of large natural stones in front of the restaurant. You have to be pretty cold-blooded to moor there. So we moor at the shallow pier on the opposite bank. The view from the bridge northwards over the weir and the village of Saint-Simon is ample compensation for the diversions.
The pub is original and cosy. The food is delicious and there are several types of English beer. Live concerts, especially rock and blues, are organised at weekends. Definitely an interesting tip.
Back to Châteauneuf. The mooring on the island is now in the shade, which we enjoy on board with a beer.
Around 8 p.m., hunger draws us into the town. Restaurant "Le Palais": closed on Mondays; Bistro "Chez Ludo" abandoned, Restaurant "Graines et Garennes": closed on Monday evenings; "Le Soleil d'Or": not found.
That leaves "La Tonnelerie" at the lock, a cosy-looking house that we have already passed twice by boat today. And it comes as it must: "Fermé le lundi" (closed on Monday). A whole town closes down. And we can no longer get fresh baguettes either: living like God in France...
Now the question has to be asked about the landscape between Jarnac and Saint-Simeux. What do the banks of the river look like and what is behind them? I wish I knew! The banks of the Charente in this section are covered throughout with a narrow but extremely dense "green strip" of trees, bushes and wild growth, which at no point allows a view of the terrain behind it.
So we are sailing in a green tube, whose only attraction is the clear water of the river and the nuanced play of colours in green in this dream weather. Anchoring and swimming would still be an option! But as our boat doesn't have a bathing ladder, we have to do without.
Descent: From now on, everything will be different. After all, Laura had promised us two very different river sections. A short stopover at the base in Jarnac: the parasol is a huge step forward.
Below Jarnac, the "riverside greenery" becomes thinner and the river takes on a hitherto imperceptible lightness. Vineyards, corn and grain fields rise gently and shallowly from the banks. A small village becomes visible or even a château, such as in Saint-Brice, where the castle is visible behind a well-tended park and a hunting scene cast in bronze.
Or grain fields that have already been harvested, on which the gigantic pellets form geometric structures and provide rich prey for the storks strutting gracefully between them. And again and again vines, vines, vines in meticulous trellises, which do not grow on wine "mountains", but on flat vineyards, or shallow hills at best.
And then Cognac, not the liquid, but the town. From under the arches of the road bridge, the view opens up to the impressive backdrop on the left bank: the château where the knight-king François I lived.
1494, which has served as a warehouse and trading house for the Otard-Dupuy cognac dynasty since 1795. Then there is the striking Porte St-Jacques gate and finally the main building of the Hennessy distillery. Cognac wherever you go and wherever you stand.
As the marina below Hennessy is full to bursting, we moor on the quay on the right bank directly opposite the castle, without service but with a breathtaking view of the city's waterfront.
Crossing the road bridge, we quickly reach the city gate and the well-kept old town, which is really worth seeing.
Anyone who knows that Baudoinia compniacensis is not only a mushroom, but also an alcohol lover, will understand that it prefers to stay near oak barrels filled with cognac, from which alcoholised vapours are constantly escaping. It's just a shame that the fungus is black and prefers to colonise the facades of houses. It thus takes the lustre off the houses in the vicinity of cognac warehouses.
This does not detract from the charm of Cognac. In the evening, the whole town seems to gather under the equestrian statue of François I on the square of the same name to enjoy an aperitif and later dinner together with the knight-king in one of the numerous bars and bistros: Living like God in France...
Already halfway reconciled with the Charente, we leave Cognac. Our first destination for the day is Saintes, 35 kilometres away. With 25,000 inhabitants, Saintes is larger than Cognac (18,000) and also has a lot more sights to offer.
The Roman "Arch of Honour of Germanicus" (19 AD) is right next to the sports boat jetty above the footbridge (a solid floating bridge with water and electricity).
On the other bank of the river, quickly reached via the pedestrian bridge, is the old town with a lively market in the shadow of Saint-Pierre Cathedral, the pilgrimage church of Saint-Eutrope (UNESCO World Heritage Site) and the remarkable remains of a Roman amphitheatre.
That's enough for more than one day, especially as strolling through the pedestrian zone between the left bank of the river and Rue Alsace-Lorraine is a stimulating pleasure.
In this respect, we were wrong to head for the village of Chaniers, ten kilometres above, for our overnight stay. A dead-as-a-mouse village where we couldn't find any of the restaurants promised by our guide. The small supermarket doesn't open until 4pm (if at all). At least we find a vending machine with baguettes on the other side of the railway tracks.
So another nine kilometres uphill to the jetty at the Rouffiac leisure centre. We had seen some young people working in the "les Clapotis" bistro as we drove past this morning. That's it for tonight.
Would be... if they didn't open tomorrow, 15 June: "And there's no breakfast tomorrow either". So two baguettes from the vending machine: halfway fresh tonight and chewy tomorrow morning!
Unsettled by the unpredictability of our water guides, we play it safe for the next day: in Bourg-Charente there is supposed to be the starred restaurant "La Ribaudière". To be on the safe side, we call and book a table: how nice: the restaurant really does exist and it's not closed (www.laribaudiere.com)
On the way to Bourg-Charente, we stop off at Chez Landart, a small village that seems to consist solely of Christian Babinot's winery. Wine, Pineau and Cognac from his own production are on sale in the small farm shop. It's a great place to buy a souvenir. And of course a fine Pineau for our friendly street angel in Saint-Simon.
The sunbathing area in Bourg-Charente is brutally sunny, so we hide away for an aperitif on the shady terrace of the Bar du Port.
And on the terrace of "La Ribaudière", not only the evening but our entire cruise comes to a glorious climax. The menu is delicious, the wine excellent and the price reasonable. The cognac with the café is a tribute to the region. Living and eating like God in France!
Laura was right when she talked about two very different stretches of river. And so we are a little sad that this is to be our last day of sailing. Have we fallen in love with the Charente after all - at our second attempt?
TIPS
▪ La Ribaudière is the name of the famous Michelin-starred restaurant in Bourg-Charente. Just a few kilometres from the charter base in Jarnac, you can celebrate the last evening of your cruise here in peace and quiet. Don't forget to book a table the day before: www.laribaudiere.fr
▪ Maison des Gabariers is the name of the small maritime museum in Saint-Simon, which is primarily dedicated to the "Gabare", the classic Charente barge that was built in Saint-Simon until 1906. Open 10-12.30 and 14-18 hrs.
LITERATURE
▪ Canal Guide 06 "La Charente", Editions du Breil, Castelnaudry. trilingual: German, English, French. ISBN 978-2-913120-33-4. Price €18.50. This volume is on board Le Boat boats.
▪ Fluviacarte 25 "la Charente", Editions de LʼEcluse, Paris. trilingual: German, English, French. ISBN 978-2-916919-03-4. Price 20 €.
Both chart series offer nautically correct waterway charts with adequate descriptions of the points of interest.
sights. The presentation of the supply and service offerings
is not always up to date in both
up to date in both volumes.
CHARTER
With charter centres in 8 European countries, Le Boat claims to be the "number 1" houseboat provider in Europe. On the Charente, north of Bordeaux and not far from the French Atlantic coast, 19 different types of houseboats from 2 + 2 to 10 + 2 berths are offered from/to Jarnac.
Information and booking: Le Boat c/o Crown Blue Line GmbH, Thedor-Heuss-
Straße 53-63, 61118 Bad Vilbel.
Tel. 06101-8 07 30 22. www.leboat.de
OUR BOAT
The clipper we chartered is an almost perfectly equipped 4 (+2) person boat with two double cabins, two bathrooms and a fully equipped galley. Weekly prices €1540 to €2920 plus €8.37 per operating hour (as of 2017).
DRIVER'S CERTIFICATE
The houseboats offered in France may be skippered without a licence. Skippers of private boats must have the boat licence required in their home country to navigate comparable waters.
REVIER
The Charente is a small coastal river that rises near Chéronnac and flows into the Atlantic at Port-des-Barques after 361 kilometres.
tic after 361 kilometres. It is navigable for 147 kilometres from the mouth to Angoulême. Of this, 54 kilometres are tidal and sea
waters (estuary to Saint-Savinien). Above Saint-Savinien, the "Binnencharente" is regulated by 21 locks. The current speed at normal water levels is 2 to 3 km/h.
3 km/h.
SLIDE
There are twelve locks on the 70-kilometre stretch between Saint-Simeux and Saintes, which we travelled up and down. Eleven of them have to be operated manually by the crew, one (La Baine) is automated and is controlled at the touch of a button. The lifting heights are between 0.60 metres (La Baine) and 1.90 metres (Châteauneuf). The chambers are 34.00 m x 6.50 m in size.
ARRIVAL
It is 1400 kilometres by car from Hamburg to the charter base in Jarnac, and still a good 1000 kilometres from Frankfurt. So it's worth thinking about a flight. The connection Hamburg - Bordeaux - Hamburg via Paris is available from Air France from € 230, Frankfurt - Bordeaux - Frankfurt direct from € 200. From Bordeaux airport, it is best to book a hire car for the duration of the charter, which (for a week) is not significantly more expensive than the taxi transfer, which costs €225 per trip (130 km each way), but guarantees full flexibility on the spot - for example, for shopping.
flexibility - for shopping, for example.
This trip comes from BOOTE issue 11/2017
