Kanalen n FrankrijkNederlandse versieSaône

I remember the Saône from a few years ago near Chalon-sur-Saône which is situated downstream. I still have a picture of it.

I start my survey of the Saône this year in Gray. Between Corre and Saint-Jean-de-Losne the river Saône is also called Petite Saône . 

In Gray the Petite Saône certainly isn't 'petite'. It is a wide river with a weir and a lock. A motor road crosses the Saône by a long bridge at the place the weir is situated. A couple of swans are sitting at and swimming near the weir. Some boats are waiting until the can be locked.

I drive upstream by car in the direction of Rigny. Here, a derivation canal is constructed for the shipping. I go on and find a similar derivation section in the neighborhood of Beaujeu. Then I go on by bike. I park my car close to a lock (Vereux) and see a turning bar hanging above the water which can be used by the shippers to manage the locks. 

I cycle along a lock which is only being use at times of  high water and arrive at the river again. I see a lot of hire boats on the river. Some have found a mooring place to stop for lunch, others navigate on to the next lock.. I see no barges. 
I like the wideness of the river here and I can imagine why the river is called Petite Saône. It has the character of a river but nevertheless has it the intimacy of a canal. The Saône is meandering through a landscape with meadows and strips of wood. I cycle on about ten kilometers on a towpath which is locally repaired with shingle. I go on until the next derivation section with a tunnel.

Here the derivation canal is going through a tunnel. The tunnel is 640 meters long and is called the souterain van Savoyeux. It it's a beautiful spot. Alas the pictures I made, were a failure.  

Then go back to my car  and pick up the Saône again more upstream in the neighborhood of St-Alban. Some cows are taking a bath in the water of the Saône.

I take a look at the tunnel of St-Alban with a similar tunnel as Savoyeux. The tunnel is even 40 meters longer. This time the pictures are a success.

I also take a look at the other end of the tunnel. I find a lock here which is only use with high water. A beautiful place to be!

Some kilometers further on I see some boats moored in Scey-sur-Saône just before a weir. The waterway in the form of a derivation canal is situated at a distance of kilometer but apparently boats can navigate on the river Saône until the weir in the village.