THE GRAND RIVER TOUR

The decision was an impulsive and possibly unwise one. I had returned to Rochefort on France’s Atlantic coast to prepare my yacht Celestine for the coming season; the plan had been to sail across the Bay of Biscay to Spain, then down the Spanish and Portuguese coasts, past Gibraltar and into the Mediterranean.

However, a couple of things caused me to rethink my plans and consider an alternative cruise. Having travelled the length of France previously, from Marseille in the Mediterranean, up via Paris to the Port of Calais on the English Channel, I knew I enjoyed life on the inland waterways, and had always had the idea that it should be possible to get across the entire width of Europe by canal and river. Also, crucially, my crew Pete had committed himself to spending the entire season on Celestine. Having a reliable crew on deck would be critical if this plan was to succeed.

So, after a glass or two of Bordeaux’s finest, and having carefully measured ’s air draught to ensure we could achieve the 3m maximum required by the low bridges