By Mary Sagerson

For three years my husband and I had been planning a trip to France in September, 2001. We wanted to spend three weeks, beginning on September 9, on a self-drive barge on the canals in France. Since I am in a wheelchair with MS, it was necessary to find a barge equipped for my needs - possible, but not simple - and let the house move instead of the people. So far, I have found two such barges - this one was in central France, moored in Digoin (pronounced with a hard G) and traveled on the canals in France through the burgundy wine area.


The Best Laid Plans -

We planned to meet different people for each of our three weeks on the barge, partly to introduce friends and family members to canal barging in France, and partly to give us some able-bodied help for taking the barge through the locks.

The first couple, some good friends from way back, met us as planned in Dijon, France, on September 8. The next day we drove together to the town of Digoin, in central France, where the barge was moored. After a short lesson on managing the barge, we headed north. Our plan was to end up after the first week in Nevers, France, to meet the second group.


The Canals

Several hundred years ago canals were built all around Europe to be used for trade, so barges carrying goods were not required to venture into dangerous open waters. Now they are used mostly for tourists who like to float slowly down the quiet waterways to see the countryside.

One of the especially attractive parts of barging is that the boats come with metal stakes which can be pounded into the shore, allowing the barge to stop and tie up anywhere.

An interesting point that I didn't realize before is that the canals require a water source, and it is often more convenient (and dependable) to put the barge beside a river, using the river water to fill the canals instead of using the rivers themselves, which may dry up in the summer or flood in the winter. Thus, occasionally, the canal crosses a river. This is done with an aqueduct - a bridge built over the river to carry the canal and the barges. Looking down, the occupants on the barge can see the river flowing below. Always a surprise.

Movement on the canals over uneven ground is made possible with a series of locks, which are really clever as they don't require any pumps for their operation.

When we were "down-locking" for instance (going down hill), the water the barge is navigating in is at the same level as the water in the lock. So the boat goes into the lock, which is just a small compartment big enough for two to four barges; the front gates are already closed; and the gates behind the barge are then manually closed by turning a winch handle. Water is released through small openings in the front gates so the water in the lock - and any boats on it - sink to the level of the canal beyond the lock. A line (rope), front and back, was handed to the lockkeeper when the barge entered the lock. The lockkeeper wraps them around a stationary bollard and hands the ends back to people on the barge, so when the water has gone down, those people can pull on the ends affixed to the barge, retrieve the lines, and release the boat. When the main front gates are opened, the water in the lock is at the same level as the lower canal and the boat can just go forward.

To "up-lock," (move upstream, against the water flowing down) the process is simply reversed. The barge moves into a lock where the water is at the same level as that on which the barge has been moving. The lockkeeper is high above but he or she can reach down with a hook attached to a long pole and pull up the lines from the barge, wrap them around bollards and throw the ends back down. Then the small doors at the front of the lock are opened so water can enter, eventually bringing the level of the water in the lock up to the level of the canal ahead. People on the barge are pulling the line in so it is always taut. When the water in the lock (and the barge on the water) are level with the water ahead of the lock, the front gates are opened and the barge proceeds on its way.

There is a lockkeeper at each lock and we found them to be generally friendly and a valuable resource for local knowledge. They could recommend an upcoming restaurant, give us a weather report, and they might even sell homemade wine, preserves, and fresh vegetables.


And Then Came September 11 -

Unfortunately, it was during that first week on the barge that the terrorists crashed into the World Trade towers and the Pentagon. Although they didn't have us specifically in mind, and lots of people had bigger problems than we did, they did thoroughly mess up our vacation plans. Since all flights were grounded for a while, our barging crews for the last two weeks couldn't get to Europe. Disappointing for them, and for us!

We heard the news of the attack almost immediately (though it was evening, our time) while we were shopping for groceries in a small town in France. A Dutch fellow who worked at the store and spoke excellent English overheard our conversations and surmised that we were from the United States. He had heard the news before he came to work so he related to us what was known at that time.

Of course our first reaction, like everyone else's, was disbelief. This was followed quickly with a desire for more details and concern about our families and friends at home. Fortunately, both couples had rented cell phones for the trip, and we were able to get through to people at home (happily they were mostly on the West Coast)-none of whom were hurt, but all of whom were shocked.

After several days we saw pictures on a French televised newscast of the towers being hit, but since the reporting was in French we could only understand occasional words. (They speak so quickly - do we do that?)

We felt so far away, unable to share this tragedy with others from the U.S. One thing we found, however, was that the French people were very compassionate and helpful when they found out where we were from. Of course, we were in rural France so perhaps they are that kind all the time, contrary to their reputation.

Anyway we headed back south in a hurry, planning to leave the barge in Digoin where it started. On the way, my husband, Ron, figured out how he could manage the locks alone so we could keep going, even without help

There are three directions a barge can go by canal from Digoin. Originally we went north-west, both for the scenery and because we thought it would put us in towns that would make it easier for our later companions to find us. Now we had different criteria, so we chose the canal with the fewest locks to tackle alone. Thus, after the attack, we headed south from Digoin paralleling the river Loire toward the town of Roanne. There are only 10 locks in this section of about 60 kilometers (38 miles), and then the canal dead-ends in a harbor at Roanne. We tied up at Roanne and stayed there for several days while we explored the town.

And because we were not able to concentrate on travel, we started noticing other things about the culture .


Time v. Money

One thing that we noticed immediately was that the French seem to understand the principle of Time vs. Money. In most cases you can't have both, so in the U.S. most people opt for the money, and then complain about not having enough time. A clear example of the French approach is that most commercial establishments close for a day or two each week, a few hours every afternoon, and often much of the month of August or September (the Annuelle Fermeture) when the owners take a vacation. The attitude seems to be that customers need to conform to the proprietor's schedule instead of vice versa. And they usually do! If there are two bakeries in town, one might be closed for a few weeks so we and everyone else gets fresh bread from the other one during that time. Of course the first proprietor has to have faith that customers will return when the store is reopened, but so far it seems to work pretty well. It's not always convenient for the customer, who will of course want something from that particular store when it is closed, but most people understand the reason for the closure and return when the establishment is open again.

The daily closure, from noon to 2:00 p.m., for an extended family lunch depends on schools and employment being in walking distance of home, but when it works it's pretty neat. As towns get bigger, with schools and businesses located further from home, it gets harder to maintain this tradition. But perhaps that is why so many people prefer to live in a small town. At least they seem to know that there is a trade-off for living in a big city even if it has more opportunities for work and entertainment.


Efficiency

Sometimes we found an example of inefficiency that was difficult to ignore. An obvious example to us was the managing of the canal locks.

The part we never got used to was that the lockkeeper would manually close one gate in the back, then go over to the other side (sometimes requiring a walk to the other end of the lock), and manually close the gate on that side. Surely, I thought, this could be motorized so that both gates could be shut or opened at the same time with the flick of a switch. We found a few gates that were automatic, but in that case the driver of the barge was required to get in just the right position so someone on board could twist a pole hanging over the water to let the machine know that we wanted to go through the lock. This, though it worked, did not seem like an ideal solution.

The manual locks did give us a chance to practice our French and sometimes help the lockkeeper, but it certainly seemed inefficient. And often, if two or three locks were close together, the same person would manage all of them. So as soon as we were out of the lock, he or she would jump in a car and go to the next one where we would go through the routine again with our new friend the lockkeeper.

We also often found that paperwork was duplicated, and we were asked to provide answers to the same questions several times. We were on vacation, so we had time and didn't mind this very much. But it might get a little old if it were an everyday thing.

Another system that seemed outdated came up when our friends from the first week on the barge were leaving. Their plan was to visit relatives in Prague, Slovokia. At this point we were back in Digoin with access to our rental car, so we decided to drive them to Luzy, a small town nearby where we were told they could get a train to Paris and then transfer to Prague. The drive was spectacular, through rural French countryside, and the town itself was delightful: very old buildings, cobbled streets, and just what a small French town should be. Even the train station was charming. But here's the trade off. The fellow who was running the train station had a very old computer to coordinate with other train stations, and probably he knew where Prague was but it is also likely that he had never had this request in Luzy before so he wasn't absolutely sure they could get there from here. Everyone was tired - and it looked fairly complicated so our friends decided to stay overnight in a charming old hotel, and figure it all out the next day. They did.


Style

The French people are known, and rightly so, for having an inborn sense of style. The small size and funny-looking aspect of French cars, however, couldn't be overlooked - at least not by us. One car we saw was so small that it was stored on a barge which was moored for the winter, and we did occasionally get caught by the owner of one of these as we tried to document the phenomenon by taking a photograph. In their defense it must be admitted that the price of gasoline was exorbitant by U.S. standards (about $4 / gallon) Also some roads still go through arches in rock walls that were originally made for pedestrians or possibly horseback riders, so small, efficient cars have definite advantages. Nevertheless, while the French are famous for their style in clothes and food, their cars are often pretty funny-looking and it was hard not to laugh at some of the tiny vehicles.

One thing that quickly became obvious was that the uniform for laborers of all kinds includes bright blue pants. Workers also wore jeans and overalls, but these were more likely saved for a more special occasion, with the bright blue pants worn for work.

Sometimes a business needs a truck, but even these were excessively small. Trucks were almost always seen with a small canopy, and almost always painted white. The white truck seemed to be to be in the same category as the bright blue pants - they apparently indicated a hard-working person.

Probably this is also related to the fact that there were no sweatshirts for sale. I wanted to purchase a souvenir sweatshirt, but they were simply not available in the stores. Even out in the country, it is France. Style and food are apparently never taken lightly. And sweatshirts just don't make it.


The French People

We found people to be generally friendly and sympathetic to Americans in this time of crisis, but it was still clear that they have a very different idea of "friendly" than you find in the U.S. For example, when we walked around small towns we often found sidewalks to be bordered with brick walls. If a gate were open, a garden could often be seen behind the wall - with flowers running riot, some vegetables planted in neat rows, and occasionally a patch of grass. Clearly these people had grown up in a crowded environment and wanted people who ventured into their yard to be invited. The front porch "let's see what's going on in this neighborhood" U.S. mentality was not apparent at all. People were friendly and patient with our efforts to speak their language but they were not quick to use first names or the familiar form of verbs. No backslapping here.

The fact that there is a formal and informal form for the verb "you" says something all by itself.


Food - Serious Business

The French have a well-earned reputation for having some of the best food anywhere. We knew this, and it was one reason we wanted to go back to France.

Eating out, for instance, is an all-night ritual, often incorporating four or five courses. My first reaction to this was that there was no way I could put away that many courses. What I quickly discovered however was that no one was expected to take our table after us - so we had all night to get through the various parts of this meal (in fact, the bill isn't presented unless it is requested). Also, each course is fairly small, beautifully presented, and of course delicious. Somehow, a small (especially chocolate) morsel at the end of an evening of eating wonderful things seemed just right.

We did learn that we could appreciate a several course dinner best if we took a day or two off in between. So we would eat something minor (but still delicious) on the barge for a day or two after a big meal out, while we decided where to go next time. And if we found a great place on the canal while barging one direction, we would plan to stop there for dinner again on our way back, going the other way.

And coffee is served AFTER dinner, not with dessert. In fact, cafe au lait or cappucino is a breakfast thing and generally available only in the morning. Once I tried insisting that I wanted a cafe au lait with my dessert, and I eventually got this, but it was considered so weird that I never tried it again. Eating and cooking are clearly considered much too important to be taken lightly or done out of sequence.

One experience that brought this home to me dramatically was when I tried to buy a new car cup. Sometimes my MS causes my hands to shake making it hard to hold a cup without spilling. So I brought with me a "car cup," which was a pottery cup with a plastic lid. Unfortunately, about halfway through the trip I broke the cup so I went looking for another at the next town. What I discovered was that they were nowhere to be found in France, even in a Western-style supermarket. Then I started looking in the windows of parked cars and found that cup holders were also missing. Eventually it came to me that snacking, i.e. drinking and eating on the run, is not a part of the French culture. Their idea of eating is to sit down at a table and devote the appropriate time and attention to the food (and drinks).

This fit with the fact that there was little "fast food" available in the stores or at many restaurants.

Speaking of stores, it has always been a custom in France (and Europe in general) that individual small shops sell individual things - like bread or milk or cheese. This is still somewhat true, but supermarkets are creeping in and appearing in even small towns. Even the supermarkets, however, are adapted to the French system and tend to be HUGE, basically incorporating the individual shops under one roof. So there will be very big cheese, chocolate, and seafood etc. departments. I hate to see supermarkets take over, but it was convenient and I can see why it might appeal to busy French people. (One seafood display we saw included a beautiful arrangement of skinned eels. I'm not sure what one does with a skinned eel, but they certainly were displayed attractively.)

Bread is still unbelievably good and purchased fresh every day by most people. The part that I had not noticed before is that sometimes the bread is not actually baked on site, but is made in some big bakery and then delivered daily to the small shops.

One morning, we decided to go out for breakfast. We ordered a cafe au lait and a croissant at a local cafe, but it was after 9:00 a.m. so breakfast time was actually past (hey, we were on vacation!). The proprietor appreciated our problem, however, so she ran across the street to the bakery and bought a couple of fresh croissants for us.

The most dramatic example of the French attitude toward food came to us when we got on the barge. The barge was equipped with all necessary supplies and tools, including a salad spinner for washing lettuce, and a corkscrew, but not with a pizza cutter. It is assumed, apparently, that if you are going to cook on the barge, you are going to COOK.


Language

We have sometimes made fun of the French for trying to keep language pollution out. But I must admit I was somewhat shocked when I saw how prevalent English words were in signs and conversation. Looking around and listening - they were everywhere! BAR, CASINO, SPORT, TOP TEN, PICNIC, WEEKEND. Of course it goes the other way too somewhat with things like b?te noir, cafe, and menage a trois - but I could see that it might be perceived as a problem by the powers that be in France, and I had a little more sympathy for them.


Conclusions

In the end I still love France and I have to admit that I want the quaint French towns and way of life to stay just the same for when I next visit. But some things will change and it became clear on this visit:

1. People everywhere will adopt a convenient way to live and shop no matter what we think.

2. The Taliban (like the French government) ultimately cannot legislate what people think and how they speak.

3. We are very lucky in this country to be isolated from most wars. Every small town in France has a central monument honoring and usually listing the casualties from the First and Second World Wars. No doubt they were always there, but I could overlook them before.