Day 14 - A day off - On a barge from France to Belgium

Today, we spent the morning buying and repairing my back tyre. Note that "buying" is important in the time this process took - as our transport is simply our legs and bicycles (when repaired!).

Then we were free to take a ride around town and view the viaduct.

The huge stone railway Viaduct de Chaumont is impressive. An engineer named Eugene Decomble is responsible for the structure that is 50 metres high! Work began in 1855 and after the first company running into difficulties, a second company took over the work.

More than 2,000 employees, paid 3.50 francs (for the strongest) and 2.75 (for the weakest), worked all day and even at night under electric lighting (a revolutionary idea for those times!)

Conditions were harsh and the bishop of Langres complained when he learned that work continued on Sundays.

The job took 15 months and the bridge was inaugurated in the presence of the Prefecture and directors of the railway company on 18th April 1857.

The completed structure, 600 metres long, has a slope of 6%.

The stones used to build the 50 arches come from the place of the present Chaumont station and other local quarries.

Noel and I spent a lovely few hours cycling and walking around the structure. It was interesting to note that tourists can walk across the lowest arches (not the top), if you are in the company of an animal, other than a dog, or if you are pushing a wheelbarrow, you could be asked to pay a fine of 5 francs.

This evening we were visited by Jill and Graham from Matlida Rose. They are moored just a few miles north of us and are sensible enough to have a car.

No photos on them yet (that's tomorrow) - but we'd 'met' them via FB on a fabulous group called Women on Barges (if you are connected to boats, join us!) So, you'll be properly introduced to them tomorrow and told all about how they sabotaged a lock for some Pear Schnapps and our company! Here's their blog. Jill is the author and she has a wickedly funny sense of humour!