This map shows our journey so far - starting from Calais on the 7th of September and arriving at Moret-sur-Loing on the 21st of October. Paris within reasonable distance, about 45 miles. Paris, like London, is a genuine magnet. We already booked for Donizetti's "La Fille du Regiment" at the Paris Opera (Bastille) and the Edward Hopper exposition at the Grand Palais. You only live once!

Our present mooring spot - probably for the entire period of the coming winter. It is slightly different from the spot where we were initially - just a 100 meters ahead. There are 3 pontoons, arranged like roof tiles. The middle one, ours, is the longest and a bit higher than the outer ones. Every moored boat has it's own connection for water and electricity - both included in the mooring fee. And free Wi-Fi too! Present position: 48'22.6421N - 002'49.1002E.

A big one, almost 39 meters long, on its way to the first lock on the Canal du Loing. This is the view on our port side.

We cross this park on the left bank ("rive gauche") of Le Loing while walking to Moret centre and its shops. The medieval bridge over the river is visible in the back ground.

In bygone eras Moret occupied a strategic position on the route between Paris and Sens. Apart from this there was a waterway and, thus, hydropower. Several economic sectors exploited Le Loing, the obvious ones being mills like the one in the front of the picture. This one is comparatively "new", as the original one was destroyed during WWII, together with a part of the bridge.

One of the arches of the bridge over Le Loing in Moret-sur-Loing. It's all postcard views, wherever one looks!

Previously Moret-sur-Loing was completely walled. Today parts of the wall are still visible and there are two town gateways, the one in the foreground, dating from the late XIIth century, called "La porte de Bourgogne" and the one in the distance "La porte Samois" (aka "La porte de Paris"). This gateway was closed by a dropping metal barrier as well as a heavy wooden gate. As one would expect a part of the building, the second floor to be precise, served as a prison. The arch for pedestrians was constructed only in 1857.