Bertie the Brown Birch Bolet - Diary entry No.8

Bertie the brown birch bolet

There are three essentials for life; light, warmth and moisture. To date Bertie and his friends have have an abundance of all three, however as every day passes Winter approaches, and with it the end of the fruiting of the bolet mushrooms.

It was a cold night and morning for the inhabitants of the forest. I arrived at Bertie's secret location just before 9a.m. and the air temperature was 4 degrees Celsius. Despite the cloud cover there was a bite to the air and some ice had formed on the ground. The maximum and minimum air temperature values for the last 24 hours were 10.2 and 0.8 degrees Celsius. The barograph also dropped steadily through the night and is currently at 1005 millibars.

Bertie did not exhibit too much growth over the last 24 hours and his measurements are as follows: the cap measures 48mm in diameter and he is 60mm tall. Big Ben is still growing but the temperature values must be having an effect at this stage. His measurements are as follows: the cap measures 33mm in diameter and he is 57mm tall.

Big Ben the brown birch bolet

Unfortunately, I must break off Bertie the brown birch bolet's diary because like Bertie I require the three essentials, light, warmth and moisture. I am en route to Sardinia, and thereafter to Mallorca, where I may catch up with some of Bertie's boletaceae cousins. There is currently a plan in place to coax Corinne into visiting Bertie and Big Ben at least once over the coming days, and if this can be achieved we may have a few more entries in Bertie's diary. I am also keen to recover the expensive research equipment from the birch forest!!

Bertie the Brown Birch Bolet - Diary entry No.7

I awoke this morning with some intrepidation because the temperatures dropped overnight and a frost was forecasted. As I paced my way along the grass lane approaching the birch forest there were patches of frost visible where the sun's warmth had not extended.

After a number of complicated inter company loans, which are currently being investigated by the financial regulator, this research has been advanced a modest sum for the purpose of placing state of the art, highly sensitive, digital equipment in the forest. This should enable me to record the maximum and minimum temperatures recorded over the last 24 hours.

Bertie the brown birch bolet

At Bertie's secret location there was no evidence of frost, and the state of the art equipment gave an air temperature of 4.1 degrees Celsius; it was approximately 8.40 a.m. and the daytime temperature should rise by the afternoon. The maximum and minimum temperatures recorded for the last 24 hours were 14.1 and 2.1 degrees Celsius. The barograph is stable at 1012 millibars and it would appear that the weather will only get colder as the high pressure strenghtens making its presence felt.

Bertie's stalk is not in good condition, and this fact along with the cooler temperatures, must be hampering growth. Bertie's cap now measures 47mm in diameter and he is approximately 62mm tall. Other similar medium size birch bolets are exhibiting signs of being sensitive to the frost and their caps are starting to become soft and soggy. Corinne has been speculating that Bertie is a product of the good times and as such has not got what it takes to make it through the current challenging times. Let us hope that she is not correct in this view and that he does not fade away at the first sign of a chill.

Not far away Big Ben the brown birch bolet is developing well. His cap measures 33mm in diameter and he is already 47mm high. He is clearly a different variety of birch bolet as he has a thick fleshy stalk and small deep dark brown cap covering it.

Big Ben the brown birch bolet

Bertie the Brown Birch Bolet - Diary entry No.6

Bertie the brown birch bolet

It was quite chilly this morning when we got to Bertie's secret location at about 11.30a.m. He was basking in the bright sunshine, but the air temperature was a crisp 11.7 degrees Celsius. I brought a thermometer and have left it in the forest in an attempt to check the temperature range during the day and night.

Bertie is still growing but not a great rate. I fear the damage to his stalk may have caused irreparable damage but I shall continue to monitor his progress. The measurements are as follows; the cap measures in 40mm diameter and he is about 62mm tall.

There was a great spurt of growth in the mushrooms of the various forests over the last day or so. We managed to fill two small boxes as we searched carefully along the forests edge, and a few meters inside the perimeter where the sunlight's influence can still be felt. Among the ferns and birch stumps I managed to find an absolute monster of a birch bolet with a cap measuring just over 150mm in diameter. I do not believe Bertie will achieve this size. He currently has a narrow stalk which I have observed on a number of medium size birch bolets. Some of these smaller varieties do not grow to a great size but develop a swollen convex cap with nutty brown colouring.

Corinne with Il Mostro the brown birch bolet

Not far from Bertie I have discovered "Big Ben", a birch bolet which is very young, but is already 30mm in diameter and just over 30mm tall. He is not disimilar in shape to a penny bun bolet at this stage. The fleshy stalk is quite broad and in excess of 25mm in diameter, even though Big Ben has only just worked his way through the mossy glade. The thich stalk and deep brown colouring of the stalk do suggest that he may belong to a variety of birch bolet that will grow to a significant size.

Big Ben the brown birch bolet

Bertie the Brown Birch Bolet - Diary entry No.5

Bertie the brown birch bolet

Sunday was a glorious day with bright blue skies and very few showers. The storms have moved on and the barograph has been steady at 1013 millibars. The clear skies and high pressure herald a cooler period ahead, and winter is visible in the opalescent sky this evening.

Bertie's location is no longer secret. I have breached protocols and Corrine is now enrolled on the "Bertie Protection Program" and has acted as my secretary noting the measurements I take. Unfortunately, she loves the wild mushroom risotto and her allegiance may be closer to the pot than the in depth important research being carried out.

We arrived at Bertie's secret location around 11 a.m. this morning and took the required measurements. Time was short because we had plans to go to the Virginia Pumpkin Festival. The good news is that Bertie keeps on growing despite the odd attack of the thuggish slugs. The stalk has been chewed up on a number of occasions but the cap is till in the relatively good shape. The measurements taken today demonstrate the good progress made thus far, and are as follows: the cap measures 37mm in diameter and he is 55mm tall.

The sunlight shone warmly on the birch forest floor, the bright golden and ochre yellow leaves, and the rich verdant moss. New mushrooms continue to grow and the forest is a wealth of life; pheasants and plump pigeons beat their wings heavily suddenly taking flight as we approached the edge of the forest.

Birch set against the blue sky

The forecast for the coming days is for cool daytime temperatures and it will be interesting to observe Bertie's growth during this period, although it must be said that the damage to the stalk is somewhat worrying.

Bertie the Brown Birch Bolet - Diary entry No.4

Bertie the brown birch bolet

The MET office a severe weather warning for today, and it certainly was windy. The rain also fell quite heavily for a period, but by late afternoon the situation was improving and will continue to improve overnight. The air temperature probably averaged out at 13 degrees Celsius and overall it was not a bad day for Bertie. The barograph did not fall below 1011 and has been rising since 1600 hrs.

Once again I braved the conditions early this morning, and after visiting a local orchard to inspect and collect some apples, I made my way to Bertie's secret location at about 9a.m. The weather was certainly not improving at this time and hence the light and conditions were very poor for photography. Unfortunately, the above photograph is the best I could manage.

Bertie continues to grow and now measures as follows: the cap is 32mm in diameter and he is now approximately 50mm tall. There appears to be no evidence of further attacks from slugs and hopefully this state of affairs lasts for a few days.

I inspected Gerry and Martin, and discovered that they were starting to become soft. With omelette on the menu for tomorrow morning, it seemed a shame to neglect them, and leave them to their fate. With very little encouragement, I carefully cut them just above the root and they have recently been brushed down and sliced carefully, fried in butter, and await the beaten eggs. Gerry's cap was 115mm in diameter and Martin's cap was 110mm in diameter. They were both approximately 135mm tall. May they both rest in peace.

Gerry the brown birch bolet in his prime

Bertie the Brown Birch Bolet - Diary entry No.3

Yesterday's bad weather came as quickly as it arrived and the barograph rose sharply yesterday evening to its current reading of 1018 millibars. The cloud cleared away during the night and the air temperature dropped. A crisp and bright dawn brought forth people wearing their winter overcoats, hats and gloves as they made their way to work.

Bertie the brown birch bolet

The weather remains unsettled, and another low pressure system is expected to pass to the north west of Ireland early tomorrow morning bringing very strong winds with it. I believe Bertie should survive this weather without too much difficulty, however next week sees the establishment of a large high pressure system off the west coast of Ireland. From Tuesday the weather may be sunny and bright but northerly winds could bring the first morning frosts, and effectively bring Bertie's budding career to a premature end.

I reached Bertie at his secret location at about 1300 hours. The sunlight was warm and pleasant in comparison to yesterday, and consequently the flash was not required to photograph Bertie. Over the past 22 hours Bertie has continued to grow and a good rate; the cap now measures 28mm in diameter and he is about 45mm tall. The condition of the cap is not as good as it was, because there is evidence of slugs feeding on the rim of the cap. They were not present during my measurement and examination, and hopefully they will not return.

For some unknown reason, I always believed that these mushrooms grew quite quickly. From the measurements taken to date it is becoming clear that a time lapse camera will not be necessary for this exciting research, and I should be able to monitor most of Bertie's life as he slowly develops into a king of the colourful birch forest floor.

Unfortunately, we have no data on Maurice today. Further announcements will be made as the facts become clear, and following a thorough investigation, which is currently underway, it is intended that a full report will be made available to the public.

As Bertie is developing at a slower rate than I expected, I have decided to introduce to the study a number of more mature bolet specimens. Gerry and Martin are almost fully developed and I found them about 60 meters from Bertie. Both Gerry and Martin have not had it easy and show signs of being attacked by slugs. They have done well to survive thus far and the flesh of both their caps remains firm. Gerry measures as follows: cap110mm in diameter and 135mm tall. Martin, the smaller of the two, and less than a meter from Gerry, measures as follows: cap 105mm in diameter and 115mm tall.

The firm flesh of the cap suggests that a bolet is still growing and alive. Once the flesh becomes soggy and soft, and the pores below the cap become dark and waterlogged. From this point on the bolet begins to decompose and eventually fades away into the forest floor from whence it came.

Gerry the brown birch bolet

Martin is less presentable than Gerry and will not qualify for any catwalk work in the near future. I believe he may be the weak link in this research project, and at the first sign of deterioration I shall ready him for the pot!

Bertie the Brown Birch Bolet - Diary entry No.2

It would have been nice to have a strict starting point for this experiment, however the bolets are not abundant and often quite difficult to find. I have often paced my way slowly through a forest oblivious and unaware of some quite large bolets, but for some reason as you work your way back you surprisingly find them close to your trail, and often wonder why you did not see them earlier. Their subtle colouring is part of the problem, and they readily blend into the leafy forest floor. Furthermore, it is often the case that once you find one you see a few more because your eyes become adjusted and in tune to the colouring.

Bertie the brown birch bolet

As predicted the barograph began its sharp decline with the arrival of the weather front from about 21.30 yesterday evening; it currently reads 1000 millibars. The thick cloudcover keeps temperatures quite mild. There has not been too much rain in the vicinity of the birch forest, and despite two hours of rain this afternoon the ground was not waterlogged. Hence, I believe growing conditions should remain quite good.

The strong south westerly wind could be a factor in Bertie's development as the southerly aspect of the forest is somewhat exposed to this wind direction, but as yet the wind has had no adverse effect. I reached Bertie today at about 1500, an hour long hike from where I live. He appears to be doing well and unharmed. He has grown a little; the cap now measures 22mm in diameter and he is about 40mm high.

Slugs are in the vicinity which could be a problem for Bertie; I discovered another birch bolet closeby, which had been eaten into and was not in a healthy state. I noted this afternoon that Bertie is not without friends. About two meters away I found his brother who is a little more developed; the cap measures 27mm in diameter, and he is about 50mm high. To avoid confusion I have named him "Maurice". Maurice may become important if Bertie is assassinated by the slugs, nameless thugs who appear to have annexed land to the south and in doing so have attacked another bolet.

For now Bertie survives. But for how long? Can he avoid being consumed by the slugs? Will Maurice be the ultimate survivor in these tense and pressurised times?

leccinum oxydabile

While making my way home, I had a short foray into another forest where I had found a few good specimens on previous occasions. This short diversion yielded results, and within a very short space of time I came across a young oxidised birch bolet or leccinum oxydabile. Unfortunately this guy and his friend had also come to the attention of the slugs!

Cross section of the leccinum oxydabile revealing the rich white flesh of the stalk and cap and subtle colouring of the pores beneath the cap.

Diary of a Brown Birch Bolet - Leccinum Scaber

Autumn brings great visible change in Ireland as the leaves of the many deciduous trees turn from green to orange, red and yellow ochres bringing great colour to the countryside. Although we did not have too many hot days this Summer, the temperatures begin to steadily decline from late September in tandem with the reduction in daylight hours; sunrise is just after 7 a.m. and sunset at about 18.15. With thick cloud cover the daylight hours can be shortened dramatically.

As the leaves begin to fall, and the average temperature declines, the ground becomes wet and mosses and all kinds of mushrooms begin to thrive in a rich environment. For the last four weeks I have tramped through a number of small birch forests, enduring the thorny briers and heavy undergrowth as I went. I was attempting to find mushrooms from the Boletaceae family, many of which are edible.

It is important from the outset to state that mushrooms and fungi look great, and add colour and interest to the forest floor at this time of year. I have gone mushroom hunting with friends on a number of occasions and have a familiarity with a number of varieties. However, I am not an expert and as such I will not pick, touch or eat anything I have not identified with absolute certainty. That is the golden rule.

My interests were aroused when a friend had been on an organised mushroom hunt in Wicklow and had found quite a few bolets. This spurred me on to check out some woods nearby and see if I could find some bolets locally without having to travel to Wicklow. We were quite lucky and found two types of edible birch bolet; the leccinum scaber and leccinum aurantiacus.

A magnificent oxidised birch bolet or leccinum oxybile discovered on mossy ground in an open area of a birch forest

Since then Corrine and myself have worked through a number of small woods every weekend and have found a number of locations where the mushrooms tend to grow. I have always associated the bolet with damp mossy spaces. From previous mushroom hunts I never considered "aspect", and invariably we found our mushrooms on the southern edge of the forests growing in mossy areas with a little protective cover from briers or the odd fern. This is probably because these areas benefit from the warmth of direct sunlight encouraging growth.

It was also interesting to see that they are quite solitary fungi, and will not be found in close proximity to other mushrooms. This is rather convenient because I would not be confident picking and eating a bolet that was growing close to a mushroom from the russulacaeae family for fear there might be some cross contamination.

We did a quick sweep of the woods on Saturday and collected enough mushrooms for a risotto and a lasagne; they taste very good and are well worth the effort. I did another sweep of the woods this afternoon and collected four good specimens and also spotted a few young bolets in the woods. I found one very small mushroom at about 16.30 and decided to leave it in its mossy tuft as an experiment and to answer a few questions that were on my mind. How quickly do they grow? How does the stem and cap develop? How long does it take to grow to full size?

The distinctive brown cap of a young bolet in the moss to the left of the coin

This could be a very short experiment, and indeed one of the shortest diaries ever kept, but I think it is worth the effort. The bolet is about a day old at a guess, and from the photograph you will note the deep nutty brown cap is just a little smaller than a 5 cent coin. It is difficult to be certain about the variety of bolet at this early stage but identification should become more definite over he next day or so. From the colouring of the cap at present it appears to be a boletus scaber.

These mushrooms are quite sensitive to cold temperatures. Consequently, if there is a cold snap in the next few days the experiment might be brought to an abrupt end. Another real threat to the experiment is the fact that slugs feed upon the bolet mushroom and it is entirely conceivable that the mushroom [yet to be named] may be eaten within a day or so. In the interests of science, I have not taken any measures to protect, interfere with, or assist the development of the little bolet. I am satisfied to let nature take its course, and hopefully nobody will find the little guy and chop him up for an omelette.

Having checked the projected weather forecasts for the next 7 days, temperatures will only begin to drop on Monday morning where just before dawn temperatures are predicted to be in the region of 6 degrees Celsius. Tuesday and Wednesday have been forecasted to have similar temperatures, so I am hopeful the diary might last into next week.

Over the last two days the mushroom has broken through the mossy cover; a period where daytime temperatures have been in the region of 14 degrees Celsius or slightly more where there was direct sunlight. Last night temperatures dropped to 8 degrees Celsius, however tonight and tomorrow morning should be warmer as a front comes in bringing with it thicker cloudcover and wind. As I have stated the last two days have been quite stable with nice weather and good spells of sunshine. The barometric pressure has also risen from 1010 to 1018 over the period, however I believe this will begin to drop quite soon.

After very little thought, (basically the time it has taken to type the last paragraph) I have decided to call this brown birch bolet "Bertie". I am due to go away on the 28th of October, and hopefully by that stage some of the questions will be answered and Bertie's fate will be known. I hope you will take an interest in Bertie and monitor his progress over the next few days.

A cruise on the Saone and Canal du Rhone au Rhin

Sunrise on the river Saone just north of St-Jean-de-Losne

On Friday 19th September we arrived at Dole where Corinne had chartered a boat for the weekend. For the next three days we were going to be travelling on the Canal du Rhone au Rhin and venturing onto the river Saone. The boatspeed is limited and can only be described as leisurely, primarily to preserve the banks of the canals and to prevent incidents in the vacinity of the locks. As a result the distance we were going to be able to cover was restricted. However, visits to a number of small villages and towns along the canal and the Saone were possible.

The weather in France had not been reliable prior to the trip and we were quite lucky with the conditions, with clear blue skies throughout. This was possibly the last weekend where a trip on the canals would have been comfortable without using the onboard heating, because Autumn was clearly upon us and there was a noticeable chill in the air at night.

Autumn images

Having done a few trips on Irish canals a few years ago, I was not new to the experience, however having said this the French canals are different. The waterways appear to be wider and many of the locks are automated and extremely easy to use. Many villages have small docks where you can pull in and stay for a few hours or overnight, which is a convenient alternative to mooring up alongside a canal or riverbank overnight, as navigation by night is not allowed on the canals or rivers in France

The canals and locks create a great panorama with mature trees and a beautiful countryside surrounds you en route. Many beautiful houses and idyllic farms have been built along the canals over the years, and among them and worthy or mention are the lock keepers houses. Some have what appears to be a millrace to one side and a number also have small pools or a harbour for docking and turning.


We spent our first night docked at a small village called L'Abergement. Initial attempts to use the gas powered twin burner stove resulted in minor synges an burns, but finally a simple meal of fondue fresh bread and cold meats were washed down with a Cotes du Jura chardonnay.

We rose with the sun on Saturday morning, and it was not difficult to seek out the local boulangerie; the few inhabitants of the village that were on the move by foot, bicycle or car were all converging on the same point, and it seemed ludicrous to go against the grain at this early hour. My insticts and expectations were not disappointed and after coffee and some excellent croissants, with fresh bread and honey we were set up for the day. We cast off our lines and began our passage for the river Saone and the first town St-Jean-de-Losne.

St-Jean-de-Losne

Exiting the Canal du Rhone au Rhin you access the broad river Saone with low clay banks, and with it begin a brief excursion into Burgundy. Everything changes including the air you breath and smell, and the colours you see; the countryside is much flatter, the buildings are quite different with more brick employed in their construction, and the cattle were made up largely of a mixture of charolais and limousin varieties with very few montbelliard to be seen.

St-Jean-de-Losne is about 45 minutes downstream after exiting the canal system. It is not a large town but it is positioned on a major crossroads in canal and river terms. From this point you can access the Canal du Bourgogne the city of Dijon and onwards, or the south. Map of the French Canal System.

As I have indicated, St-Jean-de-Losne is now small and sleepy, and it is clear that this was not always the case because the town is dominated by a large marina basin where both leisure and commercial canal barges are tied up, and a number of boatyards and slipways would suggest that this area saw substantial commercial traffic in the past.

Barges at a slipway and yard at St-Jean-de-Losne

Auxonne is an hour and a half upstream and is accessed via a spur canal which cuts a corner off the route taken by the river Saone. Arriving from the south, your first view of the town is the fortifications and walls which you will eventually dock beside. Auxonne was a frontier town in the 17th century and as such was well fortified, being walled with ramparts, ditches, demi-lunes, tenailles, contre-gardes and redoubts beyond the walls. These works were commenced under the supervision of Francois de la Motte Villebret, Comte D'Aspermont and were continued after his death by Sebastien Le Prestre, Marquis le Vauban. The latter was responsible for some noteworthy buildings in Auxonne during this period; the Arsenal, which manufactured of cannon and munitions, was constructed in 1674, and the Caserne, a soldiers barracks, was constructed in 1688.

One of the entrances to the Arsenal designed by Vauban

The Comte D'Asperment's Porte Royale is an elegant structure and had iis insparation in the Italian classical tradition; the central gatehouse being akin to a triumphal arch. The two flanking pavillions give the overall design a strength and symmetry while also providing a means of access to the battlements.

The Porte Royale designed by Comte D'Asperment

Only in a number of places has the modern Burgundian town of Auxonne breached the perimeter walls where they still are standing. While the walls today are only partially preserved, they remain impressive and one gets an insight into the extent of the formidable defences that were originally constructed.

Auxonne is dominated by the church of Notre Dame. The south trancept is the oldest part dating to the 12th century with further works taking place during the 13th and 14th centuries. The grand portal was finally added in 1516 and is richly decorated with niches containing statues of the saints.

Detail of the Porch of the church of Notre Dame at Auxonne

As a second lieutenant and student at the Artillery School, Napoleon Bonaparte was based at Auxonne from 1788 to 1791. In 1857 the town's inahbitants erected a statue sculpted by Jouffroy to Bonaparte which is situated in the square in front of the Hotel de Ville and beside the Church of Notre Dame. The ground floor of the Chateau Louis XI is devoted to a collection of artifacts and some personal belongings of Napoleon; a number of sculptures, prints, swords and cabinets displaying a Sevres dinner service. Almost hidden away in a corner of the room can be found a glass cabinet, which contains possibly one of the more interesting exhibits on display. Inside is the solemn plaster death mask of Napoleon, which may be one of the plaster casts produced by Dr Francesco Antommarchi.

Statue of Napoleon at Auxoone

Napoleon Museum at Auxonne

After a good lunch prepared on board we lounged on the afterdeck in the warm afternoon sun enjoying the river life, and later went for a wander through the laneways and streets of Auxonne. We decided to depart around 6 p.m. after purchasing fresh supplies, and made our way through the lock and basin en route for the Saone. There was no chance of making St-Jean-de-Losne in daylight so we pulled into the rivers edge and tied the boat up for the night.

Parked on the riverbank, dinner was a grand affair with scallops, pasta and a salad. A simple plate of cheese closed the proceedings. The night was still and cloudless, and not a sound was to be heard from the slow moving river as it slipped past us. The countryside awoke gently just before dawn, and a gentle breeze edged its way downstream. As the sun reached above the trees it gave life to the river and the fish began to turn and roll in the surface of the water beside the boat.

Leaving Auxonne en route to the Saone

We decided to get some fresh bread from the small Sunday market at St-Jean-de-Losne, and also took the opportunity to look at the entrance and basin surrounding the Canal du Bourgogne. This was impressive very neat and well laid out. Time was not on our side, as we were due back in Dole by 5 p.m. for the handover of the boat. Once again we cast off our lines and made our way back to the Canal du Rhone au Rhin and the nine locks that separated us from Dole.

Along the way we shared the locks with another barge with seven Swiss guys on board. They had been released by their respective families and allowed to travel to France for a trip on the canals, where they presumably ate very well. We had a pleasant surprise however when we discovered they had provisioned the barge with wines from the Marcy vineyard at Saint-Prex. At least two of the guys were winemakers and we sampled two of their excellent wines as we travelled along. Arriving at Dole roughly on time we bid our farewells to our Swiss friends and brought Corinne's brother, sister-in-law and niece for a short spin on the boat.


It is my experience that your memories of a trip can fade quite quickly. The travel experience today is often rushed and difficult to absorb and appreciate. There is a certain irresistable natural inclination to relax that goes hand in hand with the pace of lfe while travelling on a canal. I like to think that this is something to do with the fact that canals were the first super highways of a Europe, and often better developed than the contemporary roads. They were initially constructed for transporting heavy goods and raw materials for industries that may have thoroughly disappeared today.

French canal development began in the 17th century, and the two canals I mention here commenced construction in the 18th century and became operational in the early 19th century. The main attraction for us today is that these canals take routes that motorways cannot. Motorways are a purely utilitarian and "a" to "b" experience, operating in a epoque where time is of the essence, and routes often block out views as they cut through towns or hillsides to shorten the route or prevent distraction. Travelling along the canals offers the senses the complete opposite. Canals may not always be direct, but they are often set into idyllic landscapes or sublime river systems, where motorways and modern roads do not exist or rarely venture. You immediately feel as if you have been cast off into another world. You cannot but appreciate the beautiful countryside, the blue flash of a kingfisher, or the easy and relaxed conversation of fellow travelers. For many years the canal network has blended into and been lost in the countryside, but the redevelopment and upgrading of the canal networks has brought about their recovery, and with it the rediscovery of a world lost in time.

Sunset on the river Saone just north of St-Jean-de-Losne