So far this year's route has been mainly on rivers and large canals dominated by commercial traffic. Many of the barges travel widely and we have seen them year after year, in the North, South, East and West of France and in Belgium. The owners often have a sense of humour when they name their boats, particularly in the double peniches each of which carries a separate name. So we have seen the front barge: Why Me and the back Why Not; Crazy and Trucker; Leader and Outsider; George and Victoria. There are apt combinations: Neptune and Trident; Comet and Planet.

Many of the single names have a story to tell. We spent one whole day travelling with Yacht, matched by Sail and Surfboard (all huge commercial barges which take 40 trucks off the road); Baby Love similarly underestimates the size and Giraffe the shape. We did worry a bit when we saw All Nerves because we depend on these big guys to be calm and confident. Betty Boop is one of our favourites. We have come across Canberra and Sydney and the names of most of our daughters and grand- daughters (the boys miss out).

Barging is a family affair and we often see play equipment on the deck, wheelhouses full of greenery and a man and a woman, old, middle aged or increasingly quite young, working as a couple on the ropes, cleaning decks and sharing the driving, so we will end our list with: Together. 

A common sight. One barge pushing another. These are the smallest commercial barges on the system. Each 390tonnes. Sometimes they will split up on a small canal and the husband takes one, the wife the other.