French River Day 5
Friday
Foggy start then a fine sunny day.
We were woken by the bin men collecting the rubbish from the pathside bins.
It was a magnificent scene of the mist rolling around and the low sun peering
through
- 
Tidied up the boat and just sat and watched as the mist lifted. We eventually moved off at 10.30.
Lock 24 = la Bonne at 10.45
We moored immediately after passing through Lock 25 - Port-Rhingeard and went to visit Abbaye du Port du Salut. The Abbey Notre-Dame du Port-du-Salut, founded in the 13th century, is occupied by Trappist monks who used to make the well known cheese, Port Salut, here. They now seem to brew beer because that and the cheese was on sale in their shop at the entrance to the abbey.
Looking at Lock 25 from the abbey visitor's mooring pontoon.
Looking at lock 25 from the abbey grounds. 
The gateway to the abbey. 
Moved off again at 12.00 ish after buying some bottles of beer.
Lock 26 - Persigand at 12.15. The waterway guide warns about the current flowing into a bypass channel from the lock cut. The channel runs to a mini electric power station but there was no flow when we passed.
We moored up to the west bank for lunch at 12.30 near some fish breeding ponds. and moved on again at 14.05.
Lock 27 - Briassé at 14.25.
Looking back at Briassé, very pretty. 
Lock 28 - la Bénâtre at 14.50.
Chateau de la Roche dominates the river on this stretch. 
Lock 29 - la Fosse at 15.15 the quarry machinery closed down as we went through this time.
Lock 30 - la Rongère at 16.20. The engine suddenly stopped as we came out of the lock. Fortunately the branch floated clear of the prop and we were able to get underway again.
Lock 31 - Neuville at 16.50. Another shot of the mill
house. 
Lock 32 - la Roche-de-Maine at 17.30 Alongside us as we waited for the lock to lower
is le Moulin de la Roche (taken over by hundreds of
pigeons). 
Lock 33 - Mirvault at 17.55. Closing time is 18.00!
Misjudged the approach speed and reversing capabilities of our conveyance and
rammed the floating pontoon at the public moorings in Chateaux Gontiere at
18.15. The offending pontoon! 
Picture of Church of St Jean from the mooring. 