Canal du Nivernais Discovery

1Day 1-2: Decize – Châtillon (40 km, ~10 hrs)

The quiet canals behind the hills

The morning in Decize greets you with that unmistakable scent that only arises where great waters meet. Here, where the wild Loire and the tamed Canal du Nivernais flow into each other, a fine mist lies over the water, promising a hot late summer day in Burgundy. Before you start the diesel engine and feel the gentle vibration of the steel under your feet, the most important logistical act of this first stage awaits: provisioning. The small Carrefour Market on Route de Moulins is your point of call, and I strongly advise you not to just buy mineral water and baguettes here. You are heading into the solitude of the Morvan, where restaurants are rare and supermarkets even rarer. Stock up on Époisses cheese, whose spicy aroma will later pair excellently with a glass of chilled Aligoté on deck, and don't forget the robust Charolais beef steaks for the onboard grill. Once the lines are cast off and Decize is left astern, you dive into a world that has its own rhythm. Four kilometers per hour. That is not a speed; it is a state of mind. Initially, automated locks still do the work for you, but the further you move from the Loire, the more traditional the technology becomes. Soon you will encounter the first manual locks that define the true character of the Nivernais. Here you are not just a captain, but also a machinist of history. Cranking the heavy iron gates, the roar of the incoming water slowly lifting the hull of your boat, and the short chat with the mostly student lock keepers, the éclusiers, become the rhythm of your journey. Watch the play of light in the treetops, which often form a green tunnel over the canal; the sunlight breaks into a thousand facets on the dark, almost oily water. The forty kilometers to Châtillon-en-Bazois are hard to manage without stress in a single day, so you should prepare to enjoy this stage and perhaps make a stopover for the night near Cercy-la-Tour. When you finally reach Châtillon on the second day, the scenery changes dramatically. The valley narrows, the hills of the Morvan move closer and seem almost protective. The arrival in Châtillon is majestic, as the canal leads you directly past the back of the Château de Châtillon-en-Bazois. It is an image for eternity: the old defensive walls and the elegant roofs of the castle are reflected in the calm canal water, while swans silently glide by. After you have moored in the small harbor – mooring fees are very moderate at around ten to fifteen euros including electricity and water and are often collected directly by the harbor master in the evening – you should stretch your legs. The place itself seems sleepy, almost out of time. For dinner, the restaurant La Fontaine on Place de la République is your address of choice. Don't expect molecular cuisine, but honest, hearty Morvan fare. If they have Oeufs en meurette on the menu, poached eggs in a deep dark red wine sauce with bacon and onions, then be sure to order them. It is the essence of Burgundy on a plate: rich, earthy, and warming. Here is an insider tip that many houseboat captains overlook in their haste: most only admire the castle from the water, but the gardens of the Château de Châtillon-en-Bazois are classified as a Jardin Remarquable and are often open to visitors if you ask politely at the gate or observe the opening times. Behind the stern walls lies a beautiful orangery and a park so still you can hear the buzzing of bees in the lavender bushes. Take this half hour before dinner. When you later sit on the aft deck of your boat, watching the starry sky over the Nivernais with the last wine sparkling in your glass, you will understand why this region is called the land of still waters. It is a silence that is not empty, but filled with history and nature.