Ivan and I decided to travel on Laura our canal boat via the Canal du Rhone au Rhin, which connects the Saone River to the Rhine River in Germany. We won’t be going as far as Germany, as we’ve plenty to see in France but maybe one day. On the way we stopped at possibly the most beautiful place we have seen so far – the township of Dole. Dole is so pretty and is known as “The Petite Venice” because it has a canal right through the centre.
Dole is famous because it was the birthplace of Louis Pasteur. He was a scientist, chemist and physicist who developed vaccines against anthrax and rabies. He also developed the process of pasteurisation which saved the wine and beer industries of France. So here’s cheers to Pasteur! Perhaps I have him to thank for my many hangovers. We visited Louis Pasteur’s home which now houses the museum celebrating his life. It’s right near Dole’s cathedral.
Dole on foot
The best way to get a feel for Dole is by walking around the town. On foot you can experience the fascinating architecture including sneaky passageways and tunnels. We found this little gem called the Passage Raynaud III. Come for a walk with Ivan to discover an old underground washroom.
Dole is like a fairytale
One night I went for a wander near the marina. I walked through the gate in the first photo and discovered the fairytale which is Dole.
Bastille Day – 14 Juillet
We were so fortunate to be in Dole for the 14th July which is Bastille Day. The French don’t call it Bastille Day, they call it 14 Juillet. The celebrations begin on 13th July in the evening and then the 14th July is a public holiday. Ivan moved our boat Laura out of the marina to a place nearby with a great view of the fireworks. We had a party on our boat with Jennifer and Michael, two Aussies from the canal boat Iris and Steve from the UK on his boat Cabrio. The town had a real party atmosphere and we had front row seats!
The fireworks were spectacular.
We ended up spending 4 nights in Dole and loved it. We had parties each night with our canal boat friends, as this life is very social. And to top off our visit, on our last night in Dole we witnessed 14 balloons taking off across the road. Magic!
English 
French