July 25, Chambly, QC

We left Ste Jean de Richelieu and started north on the Chambly Canal. The Chambly Canal was needed to lower and raise the boats around the rapids of the Richelieu River. The Chambly Canal connecting Lake Champlain with the St Lawrence River was proposed in 1785, started in 1831 and completed in 1843. The Chambly Canal required nine locks to float this section of the Richelieu River.

Park before lock 9 in Ste Jean.

Beginning at Ste Jean we enter a very small lock and are lowered about 10 feet to the next level and then motor along in a narrow canal that has been dug alongside the wide and shallow Richelieu river. We will make a drop in each of nine locks today. Busy day.

Entering lock 9.
About 30 feet wide. Smallest lock we have ever been in.

The narrow Chambly Canal with the bike path.
Wide Richelieu River to the right.

Distinctive boat moored along the canal.

We meet six boats coming out of lock 7 heading the other way.

Park before lock 3 with the town of Chambly behind.

Lock 3 emptying so we can go in. Lots of tourists watch the operation of the bridge and lock and the boats coming and going.
We are the show today.

After lock 1. Approaching Marina de Chambly.

Marina de Chambly is a block from town.

Historic Fort Chambly (1711) is visible from our marina.

We end the day at Chambly, Quebec, and like the setting of the town on the wide Richelieu River with some mountains in the distance and we like the town. Very tourist friendly with flowers everywhere and lots of people biking on the miles and miles of bike paths. A bike path runs all the way from Chambly to Ste Jean, a distance of about 10 miles. The bike path is mostly paved and follows the old path used to tow the barges along the canal. However we did not see any place to rent a bike. There may be a business opportunity here for someone in the summer.

Downtown Chambly.

Pretty homes and flowers.

Playing chess in the park.
Free theater with a magician behind.

Little people with big chess pieces.

Ice cream cone table and chairs.

Lots of restaurants and ice cream shops. We found a very nice large grocery store in town. Everyone speaks French. When they hear our English they switch and are very helpful, but we can tell that everyone here speaks mostly french. This is a very nice stop for us.