AUGUST 2016

Some weird and wonderful things passed us by as we sat in Moissac!

A dog trailer!

Even the port Capitaine looks amazed. But it's a thought - spares tool store, wardrobe? The mind positively boggles!

Sad to go, having met many friends, and made new ones, but finally we leave Moissac, passing through the swing bridge, which is very low at 1.6M. This catches out many late arrivals at night, as they dont realise it shuts at 7pm. So they have to moor at an old quay out of town.

We had a very gentle cruise on another hot day, stopping at Pommevic for a night or two.

It wasnt a good idea to stop at Valence d'Agen during August as the port was being used as a stage set for their annual historic tableau complete with fireworks and canon fire! But their security took a very relaxed view of passers-by during the day time, and allowed us to moor while we did some shopping, and cyclists to pass through the stage set, even with children sitting at tables and chairs of the set. It was a very elaborate stage set, and obviously grown over the years. Now looking very professional and authentic. The seating on the opposite side of the canal holds seats for about 1500 people. Quite a spectacle.

Valence d'Agen

Our next mooring was the ideal for us, and what we dreamed of. Behind us was a lake with a good walking surface right around the 1Km circumference.   The only boats moored here were flying British red ensigns!

La Magistere

 This was a dog's paradise. We saw one Newfoundland, and the boat Anna had three Bearded collies! Don't fancy grooming those, especially as the Beardies kept swimming in the canal/lake! A lovely quiet mooring with space for motor homes and parking for walkers.

Our guide book tells us that Agen is the head city of the Lot-et-Garonne department, alway important in the Aquitaine region. Previously it marked the boundary between the lands owned by the King of France and King of England. Now it is more famous for its prunes and rugby team. For sale in the local shops are prunes macerated in alcohol, covered in chocolate or filled with a delicious stuffing!

At Agen we preferred the shade of the trees before the entrance to the main port, where it was in the full sun.

Even so the night time temperatures dont drop much and so more sleepless nights are in store for us. But then we can always relax the next day!

Yet another place we hope to explore more fully as we pass back up the canal, as it was just too hot to wander around the town for long.

Our next stop was Serignac-sur Garonne.

What a surprise we were in for in this little village. The church has a twisted spire, the wooden support of which has burnt down several times. The last time the villagers wanted to just have a normal spire rebuilt, but a society was formed to rebuild again with the twist.

Detail showing the spire construction.

To be on the safe side we booked ahead for a mooring at Buzet-sur-Baise. We thought being so famous for its wine since the Middle Ages, the village would be more impressive, but in fact, it is more of a hamlet with just one grocers and two restaurants. Still it was a pleasant mooring and a popular stop over for a tour of the wine co-operative. Here we met family who visited for the week, and we moved down to Damazan, enjoying their night market, which is held every Tuesday during August.

Food stalls encircled the market place.

Street vendors roamed, while a band played for dancing.

And imrpessive first impression.

Tiny streets, and beamed houses.

 Our next stop was at Villeton where the only mooring available to us meant that a French fisherman had to move away. He was not a happy chappy! Our friends, Sally and Charles, were also moored there and joined us for dinner.

Smiles all round!

There was a lake nearby where Ni, Andy and Marina went to cool off and enjoy the water sport for the day.


Our next stop had arriving at Lagruere just in time for lunch at the quayside restaurant.

Unfortunately no shade, and hottest at 42.5C!!!

Behind the quay there was a charming park waiting to be explored entitled "The Journey of Senses". A very gentle, quiet little place.

Senses to be awakened, touch, scent, listen ......

The Philosophers wall.

Detail.

One side The Park had a walk through the trees, with a fresh water stream, and on the other homes for insects, ponds for aquatic creatures, herb gardens, vegetables, flowers, an observatory hide to watch the wildlife, and illusory images just before you found yourself back into the 'real' world of the tree plantation. This  beautiful project was created and maintained by the local village school. I couldnt resist 'helping' by going back to our boat for scissors and string, to tie up the bent tomato stalks! Hope they dont mind.

Le Mas-d'Argenais was the next port of call with its Romanesque church of St. Vincent in the middle of the town, which houses a crucifixion painting by Rembrandt.

Recently cleaned pristine outer walls of the church.

Old market place.

Gateway to fortified town, not quite sure what the giant sized axe is for, unless its felling giants!

Mas d'Argenais mooring

 We had thought to stop at Meilhan for the next night, but on being told a pop concert was being held at the port decided to green bank a bit further on.

JULY 2016

Montauban port.

 We reached the quiet port of Montauban and stayed for a week enjoying the walks and sights of the town. A lot was happening during that time. It was the final week of the Euro 2016 football tournament, and huge screens were erected in open air spaces for people to come and view the matches. Montauban was also host to a stage of the Tour de France. The shops in the town reflected both these events by decorating their window displays with elaborate relevant objects!

Football TV relay at bar in port.

Pont Neuf dating back to 11th century, now decorated with cyclists shirts!

Cool archways around four sides of the Place National.

 The old town has much to offer with its 11th century buildings and churches. Place National was formally the Royal Square, now a busy thoroughfare in which to sit with a coffee and watch the world go by. The Bishops Palace houses a museum dedicated to the artist Ingres, and the church Saint Jacques is highly decorated with much wall, and ceiling, decorations still in place, and many beautiful paintings adorning its walls.

Montech mooring.

 

L'eglise de la Visitation, Montech

 

The port gardens, and restored houses and church interior made this small town a pleasure to explore.

In contrast to the sight of the disused paper mill, which looks desolate. As does the water slope alongside the five locks, at Montech. First used in 1974 the slope allowed larger commercial traffic to by-pass the locks, but that also is now defunct.  The cost of restoration being debated.

Mooring at Saint Porquier.

Another small village where much care (and money) has been lavished to restore the church and old houses. Here also the community welcome visitors, cyclists and boaters, by creating a well-tended park.

17th July. On an extremely hot day, 35.7C, we make it to Moissac in one leap, passing our friends Serena and Christopher's boat Celestia moored at Castelsarrasin.  We are very tired after the journey as there isnt much shade along this stretch of the canal.

Although we had planned to stay for only a few days we find ourselves extending our visit as there is much to see, and keep us entertained in this small town.  Moissac is at a junction between the Canal du Garonne and river Tarn, and again it is possible to cruise a short stretch of the Tarn. The abbey of Saint Pierre being world famous for its cloisters and Roman style cloisters, which dates from early 12th century, draws many visitors. There are 76 marble columns, with alternating single/double and fine carvings. The porch entrance has intricate carvings portraying Christ and Elders of the Apocalypse. Inside the entrance the entire surface is decoratively painted. Sculptures 'Flight from Egypt'  and 'mise au tombeau' date from 15thC. This town has the added attraction of being on the pilgrim route to Santiago de Compostela.

Moissac, Abbey de Saint Pierre.

We are lucky to get a mooring which has some shade in the afternoons.

Its a very social port and we make new friends.

BBQ at the Capitainerie.

BBQ supper on Bluegum with Lyn & Steve

During the Second World War over 500 Jewish children were sent to Moissac from all over Europe, so that they could be got safely away over the Pyrenees.

Whenever the Nazi troops searched the town, the children had already been scattered around neighbouring villages. Not one of the children were ever discovered, and all got safely away.

Moissac 'Safe House' for Jewish children.

This garden has children 'hidden' amongst the flower beds, echoing events of past history.

Extra solar panels.

All we need now is for them to put into their correct position and connected up!

JUNE 2016

After we left Castelnaudary we stopped at a mooring (PK59) called Le Fort. "It's so beautiful and quiet" everyone told us, just by a lock, with a few passing boats, and the sound of bird song ......   The first afternoon a very elderly man arrived by car, parked up discharged a dog, put his 4 rods by the canal side, settled back into a comfortable chair by the back of his car, got out a radio and proceeded to play pop music very loudly!   The second afternoon, no sign of the fisherman.  "Oh, good" we thought. No such luck. A 4.x4 arrived and disgorged a man in smart plus-fours and checked shirt.  He reached into the back of his vehicle and got out an instrument - a French horn (what else would it have been) and proceeded to march up and down the tow path practising his hunting calls. Apprently there is a different sound for each animal being hunted!

Our next stop was Le Segala where we were told the Not family have been making "cassoles" in their pottery beside the canal since 1820.  Its a big brick oven fired up once a month, and everyone is warned to ensure that the ovens on their boat is big enough to house one before purchasing!

The lock at Renneville offered nothing more than safe mooring tied behind a restaurant peniche.  There was only one stone quay and we left enough space for his nightly return, but we amazed, and entertained at the skippers skill at turning the ship round each night. He did this by tying the front of his boat to a fixture on the lock gate and levering the boat around until the back was in the right position, then he reversed onto his mooring. Very impressive.

A party of school children and their teachers arrived at the lock on bicycles to watch the procedure. I was worried about the childrens safety, and danger of falling into the lock, but there were no dramas, all under control!

Renneville lock

 There was an air of excitement as we reached the highest point along the Canal du Midi.

Col de Naurouze

Situated at 190 metres, Naurouze pass is the watershed between the Atlantic and the Mediterranean. Set in a park of cedar and plane trees with an octagonal basin at its centre. Built in the late 17th century, by Pierre Paul Riquet, in his work with the canal.


At Negra there is a small chapel, inn, and old stables, as this was once a staging post for the passenger boats.  On some of these old passengers boats, the passengers had to disembark at multiply locks taking their luggage with them and join their boats at the end of the descent or ascent!   The angel overlooking the alter is the work of the Polish sculptor Joseph Pyrz.

And so on to Montigiscard, founded in the 13th century by Alphonse de Poitters. There is a Gothic church with a typical Toulouse bell-tower. More and more villages now have the attractive looking 'brick' walls. These arent really bricks but tiles being flatter than bricks, oblong and laid horizontally. Some were rendered to ensure more waterproofing. Much rendering has now fallen away, but several villages are under-going sympathetic restoration.

Montgisard church bell tower

After a beautiful 24Km cruise we arrived in Toulouse, then we had the worst fright of our cruising time, the gear box stuck in 'drive'. As we pulled in to the port, Ni couldn't stop the boat and we were heading straight for a small pontoon end with a barge on the one side and an even more expensive looking yacht on the other. Luckily the bow thruster was working and Ni managed to guide us into the pontoon which took all the force and stopped us. After realising we werent complete put of control idiots, everyone at the port was very helpful and hauled us back to the pontoon which was reserved for us. On investigation Ni found that a metal rod had slipped behind the gear levers hence jamming it.   So that rod, and anything else moveable in the engine compartment has now been removed! Photo shows tiny pontoon end, which took all the force, to the left of red barge Lyneve. The man on Sea Horse was begining to get very worried as we approached, and we're not surprised as there was no way we would have got into the small space 'beside' him! However we seem to have got a way with a black mark from the rubber edging!

Port Saint-Sauveur, Toulouse

So we chose quayside electricity and water as opposed to shade from the trees!
And so we left Toulouse.
 

We 'green banked' the next stop at Fenouillet, which was noisy with the railway track on one side and a factory yard on the other, but at least we had shade under the trees.

After that came Grisolles, not much good mooring available and no water nor electricity available, but a small town with shops.

New market buildings replacing wooden ones which burned down.

19M mooring space at Lacourt Saint Pierre!

Another typical bell tower of the region.

 After that we stopped  to meet up with Nigel Beachem who is going to install a new solar panel system for us. It was a very tight fit to get into the mooring, 19M space with us at 19.95M. Our stern inched in in front of Sirius bow, and bow overlapped the smaller boat in front. As there is not much current along the waterway here it didnt matter at all.

Such a friendly little village, with just a population of 1,104, the school children taking their morning break in the adjacent park under the shade of the trees. Just like it was 50 years ago in the UK.   They were playing a French version of Monopoly.

The branch off the Canal de Garonne, canal de Montech, which had been closed since 1990, has been put back into service and it is now possible to reach the port of Montauban. Although there are 9 locks in 10 Km it was a complete joy. It had straight sided locks with poles which we could put our ropes around, and we were handed electronic 'zappers' which we pointed at the lock gates to operate automatically.  Why cant they ALL be like this?!!! Each lock operation took only about 5 minutes, instead of others taking 15 or 20 minutes.

MAY 2016

We're just ambling along spending a few days, or more, at each stopping place.

The Chateau housing wine co-operative at Ventenac-en-Minervois,

Above the shop there is a museum of wine making.

Its a pity there isnt more space to moor, but we managed to find room and were able to go and buy some of their famous wines! One couple had driven all the way down Paris for the wine, and left with their car full of boxes.

We stopped at Rubia to visit the pretty little village with its concentric streets. Its a well tended hamlet but no facilities for tourists other than the restaurant by the waters edge.

Busy port of Homps

 Here we found the largest hire boat base we've ever encountered. Once a commercial port sending barrels of minervois and corbieres wine to Bordeaux.  It was the most expensive mooring we've had in France at €22.50 per night., and to our embarrassment they only took cash payments.  We didnt have enough and there were no cash points, so they ended up charging for less nights than our visit!

La Redorte

Another little village whose sole industry is wine production. However there are a few shops and a tabac selling The Radio Times!!! Apparently quite a lot of English people have property in the region.

Having spent a day catching up with the paint work, we decided to treat ourselves and lunched the next day at the quay side restaurant. What a lunch, it could have lasted us for a week, and I only ordered a plate of tapas!   Well there was plenty for Tashi to have for her evening meal.

A long walk to the supermarket, but they will deliver to boats if requested.

Our next stop was the tiny village of Marseilette, where sadly the quay is bereft of trees, all felled due to the disease in the plane trees. Currently the tow path is just a mud track, and as rain was forecast we continued just outside of the village and moored by a grassy bank. Having cream carpets inside, dogs and muddy quays dont fill me with enthusiasm.

The guide says that Marsellette is on the limits of the Minervois wine-growing region, and that between there and Puicheric a brackish water pond was drained. Digging of a tunnel mid 19th century filled a like where local farmers to grow different types of rice: long grain for salads and round for risottos.

We walked the village and found a tower

Plaque denoting Claude Chappe as the worlds first inventor of telecommunications!

When we arrived in Trebes we were very disappointed to find no facilities for private boats at all, only services for hire boats. Our guide tells us that the 13th century church is worth visiting with its beautiful oak beams and sculpted figures, but the tourist office informed us that its only open to visitors between June and September, so I guess we'll never know!

We were having trouble with our domestic batteries not holding their charge, so when we got to Carcassonne we had an engineer bring new ones. Unfortunately, as often seems to happen on boats, when one problem is solved another one occurs. It appears that our solar panel control unit didnt like the change in voltage, or from gel to lead acid. Whatever the cause, its stopped working!  So now we have no extra input from our solar panel.

We enjoyed walking around the town, but didnt venture up to the old city wanting to leave places to explore during our winter stay there.

So we gentle ambled on to the little village of Villesequelande. Although I had walked down to the village shop (tabac) with my shopping trolley, they offered to deliver it back to the boat.  Had I known that before I paid I would have bought another box of wine!!!

We phoned ahead to see if it was possible to reserve a space at the port of Bram, because when Nigel came through three years ago with the American barge Vertrouwen, it was dedicated solely to the hire boat company of Nicols.  Now we were pleased to find that the port capitaine organises that some spaces are available for private boats to overnight, and the moorings are shared by several different hire boat companies. Again we find a port run very efficiently by a FEMALE capitaine.  Three cheers for the ladies!

Bram

One of the prettiest moorings we've had this year.  Wished we'd stayed there longer but we had booked into Castelnaudary as we were getting low on food supplies, and the weather forecast for the weekend isn't too good.

Ecluse Geurre, PK 169.5

Here we have views of the snow capped Pyrenees on one side of the canal, and Black Mountains on the other - quite stunning!

Arriving at Castelnaudary we cross the huge basin into the port, and we have to head for the tiny arched bridge in the far corner.

Not sure if they're demolishing or rebuilding this tower!

This town has become famous for its dish of Cassoulet, originally a peasant dish, consisting of pork, duck and a lot of white beans (haricot). According to the guide book it is situated in the region of Lauragais, the name coming from the feudal group that was dominated in the 12th century by the lords of Laurace-le-Grand. It is bordered to the north by the Montagne Noire, the foothills of the Massif Central, and to the south by the hills of Piege, foothills of the Pyrenees. The soil is good for agriculture particularly cereals - wheat, sunflower and rapeseed.  Woad was cultivated, the leaves being processed into shell like shapes (coque) hence the nickname given to the region Pays de Cocagne. It was a very popular dye for its colour and resistance to washing. By the mid-18th century the import of indigo from the far East replaced the use of woad.

This is the watershed between the Mediterranean and the Atlantic.

Friday 27th May was Tashi's 9th birthday, and the good citizens of Castelnaudary hosted a fabulous party in her honour!!! There was la fete des voisins & des plaisanciers, which began at 6pm with wine tasting at the Cave du Canal, and was followed at 7.30pm by an American supper in which we all participated. We were entertained by le groupe eclectique "les trois mousquetone" allant de Nougaro a Marley en passant par Pink Floyd.  Basically we all had a jolly good time!

We had been warned about looking after our livers if staying in Castelnaudary for the winter, now we know why! Think we'll have to stick to no alcohol during the week, only at weekends.