St. Jean de Losne is this years' winter home for the Shenandoah. St. Jean, or more precisely, St. Usage and the basin where the boat is located, is about thirty miles south of Dijon. The blue arrow points to the exact location at the south end of the Canal du Bourgogne as it empties into the Saone river.
This area is called the "barge capital" of France, mostly because there are two major canals and the Saone river that winds its way south to join the Rhone river and the Mediterranean. In years gone by, it was the mooring place that the commercial barges used while waiting for loads. Due to its' location, they were close to most of central France and the waterways therein. Now days, most of the commercial barges have gone to rust or have been cut up for scrap steel/iron and the area, at least boating wise, is more of a pleasure boating center than anything else. There are four areas nearby where boats of almost any size can be accommodated.
The Shenandoah will stay here until the first week of May due to being hauled out for bottom painting and fitting a new propeller on April 30th. Currently I am in Beaufort, SC enjoying Mary Ellens' company and the warm South Carolina days. We plan to return to France the first week of April.
