Redon

We spent 2 days in Piriac during which we visited the local market and listened to a

concert in the local church where amongst other things they sang a Negro spiritual “swing low sweet chario” and being French they didn’t sound the t.

 

We were going to go out to the island of Huat [close to Belle Isle] but as the distance for the following day could be quite long and in case the weather deteriorated, and as the French holidays have now started, we went to the Island of Dumet instead and then a very pleasant sail up to the barrage on the Villaine river using the drifter only [a big light foresail]. Thinking that we could just catch the next lock gate we motored the last bit but we had to wait over an hour. Our pilot books do not always have up to date times.

 

The night was spent in La Roche Bernard and we left moderately early for Redon some 25 miles up river. All very attractive, a bit like the Thames only wider for the most part. The weather was baking hot. Again we were surprised by the timing of the opening of a road bridge but 1 hr. later we went through.  We are right in the middle of Redon so easy to explore with the bikes.

 

Redon is a bit run down and not somewhere that one would want to visit unless one had a specific reason. So we are here to get Esther and Olly to Nantes airport and many of the other boats either very tired or are small and have come down through the canals with their mast lying on top of the coach roof rather like a long lance. OK provided you do not spear anything! So off early tomorrow to find a car rental place or if we have no luck it’s the train.