Why boating through Brittany is just magnifique - with miles of Napoleonic-時代 canals to 調査する

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Pootling along at six miles an hour was pure 楽しみ. Not least because, standing at the 支配（する）／統制するs of our cabin 巡洋艦, I 直面するd a choice of three settings: slow, slower and stop.

The previous day we’d boarded the 夜通し フェリー（で運ぶ） from Portsmouth to St Malo with our two boys, Noah, 11, and 圧力をかけて脅す（悩ます）, eight. ‘It will be an adventure,’ I 約束d them.

Our 目的地 was Messac, just two hours’ 運動 away, where we took 所有／入手 of our floating home and began a family holiday on the canals of Brittany.

Messac is a 中世 town at the 中心 of an 広範囲にわたる 網状組織 of canals that spin an enchanting and spidery web throughout the 地域.

The idea was to 調査する La フラン Profonde and read 改善するing novels. Our sons, 一方／合間, would delight in the bucolic charms of the countryside.

Pure 楽しみ: Ticky Hedley-D ent enjoys a canal boat holiday in Brittany with Le Boat

Ahead of the holiday, Ticky wonders how her two 'energetic boys' will manage passing through 'all those terrifying locks'. Pictured: A flight of locks at the Canal de Nantes a Brest, part of the family's 旅行

But how would two energetic boys manage in a 限定するd space? What about them 落ちるing overboard? Never mind passing through all those terrifying locks. But we had a secret 武器 船内に: we had 招待するd along our friend, Dave, who’s an old canal 手渡す.

Messac is home to Le Boat, a company operating a (n)艦隊／(a)素早い of 楽しみ 巡洋艦s, and it was here that Francois introduced us to our six-person 大型船. Just 12m long by 4m wide, it 含む／封じ込めるd everything we needed: three en-控訴 cabins, a salon and 井戸／弁護士席-equipped kitchen.

Francois chose to direct all his 指示／教授／教育s at my husband, Dan, in a displ ay of Gallic chauvinism. Still, his tutorial didn’t take long.

Ticky starts her 小旅行する in the 中世 town of Messac, before 長，率いるing の上に Redon (pictured)?

Above, Redon's 'elegant' 17th-century half-木材／素質d houses

As we 直面するd our first lock, our new-設立する knowledge was put to the 実験（する）. Dan manoeuvred us in while the boys kept watch. It was left to Dave and I to stand at either end of the boat and 高く弓形に打ち返す the mooring ropes to the lock-keeper. Then, once the 議会 had emptied and the gates opened, we could move on. 平易な-breezy!

By the end of our first day, we 設立する our shoulders had dropped and we could enjoy the scenery. As 早期に evening fell, we spotted an カワウソ having a swim.

Our 旅程 would take us in a leisurely circle 西方のs to the pretty town of La Gacilly - all 石／投石する cottages and twisty streets. We would 巡航する 負かす／撃墜する the River Vilane, enter the Canal de Nantes ? Brest and the River Aff, before returning to Messac.

Ship 形態／調整: Ticky, with husband Dan, and their boys Noah, 11, and 圧力をかけて脅す（悩ます）, eight

Brittany’s 広範囲にわたる canals are the 遺産／遺物 of the Napoleonic wars. Because the British 海軍 had 封鎖d the French ports, canals became the only way to move 供給（する）s around.

An ambitious programme of building 続いて起こるd, with many canals dug by 囚人s of war.

The unhurried pace of life on the water meant we could really 高く評価する／（相場などが）上がる the charms of the countryside. That’s when we weren’t busy waving. They’re a friendly lot, canal folk. We soon got used to the etiquette of あられ／賞賛するing fellow boaters, cyclists and walkers on the towpath.

Ticky stops in the town of La Gacilly (pictured), which is 'all 石／投石する cottages and twisty streets'

We had one 支配する. Popular 目的地s such as La Gacilly could quickly become overcrowded. Pitch up late and you ran the 危険 of not getting a 寝台／地位.

Our first stop was the 古代の port of Redon, with its elegant 17th-century half-木材／素質d houses. We ドッキングする／減らす／ドックに入れるd to 在庫／株 up at the supermarket.

One of the trickiest moments was 緩和 into a tight 寝台／地位 at La Gacilly, but Dan managed with the help of a friendly French couple in the next-door boat.

That afternoon we 調査するd the town, taking in its photography festival before beginning our 旅行 支援する along the Aff.

Our best night was spent at Ile-Aux-Pies, a beauty 位置／汚点／見つけ出す known for its sheer cliffs and islets.

Mooring before sunset, we 解雇する／砲火／射撃d up the barbecue and, sipping the 地元の white ワイン, watched 登山者s 規模 the granite cliffs.

Our best memory? A leisurely lunch at La Belle Vilaine, in Sainte-Anne-sur-Vilaine, where the proprietor, Laurent, served us langoustines, mussels and lamb, and sauvignon blanc from his vineyard.

支援する in Messac, 準備するing to say adieu to Brittany, we all agreed it had indeed been an adventure. And to 最高の，を越す it all an カワウソ （機の）カム out for a twilight swim.