Walking out of Vitry

There are places we have not been. Through the tower block housing estate is one of them.  So we passed that way on Saturday. It was surprising. A little run down, but also open and not unpleasant. There were some local shops too, including a newsagent, a florist, and of course a baker.
And there was a very nice park to one side.
The park had play areas for children and lots of paved walks through the gardens. But we were first attracted by the high bank that ran along the left side. It looked like a canal, but from memory it was in the wrong place.
The canal is nearby, but this one appeared to head for the centre of town. We climbed the small bank and took a look. There was the canal. And just as it headed for the town it then stopped.
Indeed as we walked along, it became clear that this was just a large 'canal like' holding place for water. Connected to the canal proper by a pipe, there was also a block to stop any boats from using it. In the small inlet that it created before the navigation block, there were some fishermen.
We crossed to the other bank that allowed us to continue along the canal towpath. The canal turned right at this point so we had never seen beyond this point before. It was an easy walk to the lock gates. Just before the lock is a bridge over the river below.

The canal (right) over the river (left). [click image to see in viewer]

You can just see June ahead near the lock entrance.
The canal drops after this to the level of the river but does not join it. Instead it sweeps left then right on its way to Paris. We could have reached the next bend but the rain started just slightly and we took warning. Still, here is the view as far as we got.

Canal view round the first corner. [click image to see in viewer]

Whoever owns the house has a lovely quiet setting. There is much more of this house than is shown in this picture. Far left you can see the old walls of whatever it was that was once there. The canal passes these and swings right again.
But we turned back, passing through the park and the stream that is created from a bleed off the canal waters. We arrived chez nous just in time to avoid the heavier rain that started up.
I think we will be back.

Walking route - red trace.
You can see the 'dead end canal' next to 'Bas Village'.