Thursday

Left the beautiful Vianne this morning and slowly motored down the canal past fabulous ruins and forests with duck accompaniment. Sun filtered through soft poplars. Hardly anyone else on the canals this morning as we manoeuvred through a series of five locks. Crew now very well co-ordinated – shall mention them all in despatches at a later date. Just after midday we arrived at our southernmost port of Nerac – a considerably larger town and another (insert own cliché here) ridiculously beautiful spot. Wandered about the town, found a charcuterie specialising in duck stuff and bought some very interesting looking duck sausages and some more confit, for tomorrow night. We shall all explode imminently. Fantastic (12th Cent) chateau built by (I don’t think he did ALL of the hammering personally) Henri 4th and a Romanesque (ish) church with wonderful windows and the most appalling frescoes. Look like they were painted by a troup of volunteers! There are now suddenly thousands of birds in the trees by the canal. It’s bedtime for them.