EXPLORING EUROPE BY BOAT

In the mid-17th Century a French tax collector Pierre Paul Riquet proposed the construction of "Le Canal des Deux Mers" to link the Atlantic and the Mediterranean. He recognised that the water from the mountain streams could be used to feed a canal system. Work began in 1667 and was completed in 1681, sadly a few months after Riquet's death. However his brainchild was a great success. The Canal Lateral à la Garonne in the west and the Canal du Midi in the east have enabled boats to avoid a long journey around the Iberian Peninsula. For 300 years Le Canal des Deux Mers was used by commercial traffic and is now enjoyed by numerous private and hire craft still using much of the infrastructure built in the 17 century.

We were able to enjoy a 2 week holiday on the Canal du Midi because my sister and brother in law had hired a boat and invited us to join them. We jumped at the chance! Because of the low bridges there was no way we could use our own boat. We were thrilled to be given the opportunity to explore a small part of the Riquet's masterpiece.

After crossing the Channel in "Le Shuttle" Ian and I spent a leisurely few days driving down through France and on Saturday morning we collected Joan and Clive from Montpelier airport. It was an excited foursome who continued the journey to the Port at Colombiers where we were to take over the boat.

WEEK ONE

"Pentolina" a Venus 38 -our home for two weeks

The Saloon	The Galley

First there was some paperwork to complete, insurance to pay for and garaging arranged for the car. We drove the car to a campsite out of the village, where the car was stored under cover. The campsite owner drove us back to the marina. Then we were taken out for a short trip on the boat to receive instruction on how to handle it. Not a major problem though of course a 38ft single engined boat handles and responds in a different manner to our own 34ft twin engined one. Once back in the marina a check was made to confirm that all equipment tallied with the inventory and our clothing and food supplies brought on board and at last we were able to leave to begin our two week cruise.

Our first challenge was to negotiate the Malpas Tunnel, a short distance from the marina. However the visibility through the tunnel was good and so we passed through without incident. We cruised for about 12kms, admiring the canal which was lined with plane trees and numerous yellow irises growing in the water's edge. We found a pleasant mooring at Capestang where we stayed for the night. We had our first walk of our holiday around the village, were deafened by the fire siren, admired the flowers and gardens before walking back along the opposite bank of the canal, over the bridge and back to the boat. A good start!

Approaching the Malpas Tunnel	The Tree-lined Canal

The following morning we awoke to blue skies. After our first breakfast on board we strolled back down into the village again. To our delight the local square was occupied by market stalls. We bought fruit and cheese.

The market at Capestang	Joan and Clive at a cheese stall

Back at the boat we cast off. Just beyond Capestang the canal was very winding - sharp left and right hand bends and also high above the countryside so we could see a long way over the plain - lots of vineyards, of course. Also lots of bird song though the birds were well hidden in the leaves. At one point we were very excited when we spotted an otter-like animal swimming across the canal. Unfortunately it disappeared very quickly.

We stopped at Le Somail for lunch, using the bread and cheese and fruit which we had bought at Capestang market. The mooring displayed a sign reserving it for passenger boats but no one asked us to move- they were probably all having their lunch too. We would have liked to have been able to visit the nearby second hand bookshop but it only opened later in the day. We continued our journey but after 5kms stopped again, tempted by the sight of a chateau by the canal side at Ventenac en Minervois (Minervois is the name of the region). It turned out to be a wine museum and also wine seller. We looked round the interesting museum with its huge wine barrels. Deciding we would like to buy some rose we asked for a taste. The first was not to our liking, but the second was, so we bought a 5 lt box for only 8 euros.

The wine chateau at Ventenac en Minervois

At 5.15 we came to our very first lock - from Colombiers a long clear stretch of nearly 50kms without any locks at all. The Midi locks are challenging. The locks have curved sides with few bollards, so something new for all of us. As recommended in the books Clive got off the boat, walked to the lock to catch our ropes as we came into the lock. We were very delighted that all went well.

A typical Midi Lock

A short while later we moored at Argens-Minervois for the night. It was quite a lively spot, by a playground. At one end a group of men were playing boules, elderly ladies were sitting at a bench chatting. Later in the evening the canal side restaurant was busy, diners eating, chatting and enjoying the warm evening. We ate our evening meal sitting in the cockpit then took a stroll around the village, climbing the hill and completing a circular walk back to the boat.

The next day we were grateful for having a gentle introduction to negotiating a Midi lock. We now had a series of double and triple locks to pass through - and it was windy! Fortunately we passed through the locks as well as under low bridges without any major problems. As we neared La Redorte we passed an impressive spillway (a series of arches) over the little river Argentdouble. This impressive piece of canal architecture was built in 1693 to empty the canal of excess water in time of flood.

A Typical Midi bridge	The La Redorte Spillway

We stopped at Marseillette overnight. The next day we would be limited on how far we could travel as we found ourselves caught up in an industrial dispute between "les fonctionaires" and the French Government. The locks wouldn't be opening. The day was cloudy and windy, but not cold. We decided that we would go as far as we could without going through a lock. Our destination was Trèbes, It proved to be an interesting cruise through the tunnel of trees with hills beyond. We moored downstream of a triple lock. It was very windy walking along the dry sandy track into the village - dust blew up into our eyes. During our stroll around the small town we came across an artists' shop but it seemed to be closed. Clive decided to buy stamps at La Poste. The lady behind the counter explained she couldn't serve him as she was "on grève" !!!!!!. However in compensation, as they walked back to the boat Joan and Clive discovered La Confiture, a small shop which sold an excellent range of homemade jams. They bought Coing (quince) Clive's favourite and Figure (fig). Early evening Joan and I decided to try the artists' shop again. This time we tried the door, it was open. It turned out to be owned by an English couple who had lived in France for many years giving painting lessons and selling examples of their work. We spent a pleasant time looking at their paintings, chatting to the owner and other customers, before buying a couple of prints of the canal.

The following morning at 9.35 we entered the first of the three locks at Trèbes. A pair of elderly Americans chatted to us. They lived in France and were cruising in their barge La Tulipe. We were to see them again - often having an extended "happy hour" C'est La Vie! We didn't stop in the basin in Trèbes, instead carried on, negotiating several more locks and were very excited to spot Carcassonne on the hilltop away from the canal. As we pulled into Carcassonne, initially we stopped at moorings on the right hand side but decided they were still being constructed, so continued under a bridge into a basin below the lock. It was closed for lunch, so we ate ours whilst we waited for the re-opening.

The Fortified town of Carcassonne perched on top of the hill

Getting off the mooring and steering into the lock proved to be quite a challenge because of a strong swirling wind. But eventually we were into the lock, were raised upwards and then cruised into the large mooring basin. The moorings nearest the Capitainerie and the Toilet block were stern to, in the strong wind we decided it was best to use the alongside moorings opposite on the station side. Because Carcassonne is the place most people want to visit, the moorings were expensive -18euros per night. This included electricity but alas, Pentolina was not fitted with mains power. However the basin was in an ideal position, close to restaurants and shops and not too far from the old town and a bonus for Clive, very close to the station and the trains!

Carcassonne - A section of the inner and outer walls	and restaurants inside the walls

We were impatient to visit the old city. Having obtained a street map from a nearby Visitors' kiosk we made our way through the new town to catch the No. 2 bus to take us up the hill to the old medieval fortified city. Carcassonne is magnificent, almost straight out of a fairy story, lots of turrets and battlements. It is ringed by two concentric walls with 52 towers, forming some two miles of battlements. We had a lovely afternoon wandering the cobbled streets and browsing in some stylish tourist shops. It is a magnet for tourists and probably very busy in summer but the old city does have genuine charm.

The next morning, we ate a leisurely breakfast, consuming local fruit, Trèbes jam and the fresh baguettes which Clive had bought from a nearby boulangerie. Delicious! A shopping trip to the Monoprix supermarket followed before we cast off again. We had several locks to pass through and some sharpish bends around Sauzens. This stretch of canal was bounded by woods on both sides, making a pleasant setting, also it was warm and sunny. It was a rather isolated part of the canal, with no towns bank side. The next large town would be Castelnaudery, but we wouldn't be going that far.

Streets in the circular town of Bram

It was quite late by the time we tied up at the Port de Bram for the night. The following morning it was windy but dry. After breakfast we paid our mooring fee then walked towards Bram. It was about a mile along a straight road. In the distance we could see snow covered mountains. Bram is a village built on a circular plan with a 13th century church in the centre. Even walking around gave us a sense of the shape, however we bought postcards which gave an aerial view of it. A lovely place. We spotted several old water pumps and interesting doorways with pots. Returning to the boat we soon set off again. This time returning the way we had come, heading downstream so the locks were easier. As we headed back towards Carcassonne we spotted a long (about 2ft) thin snake swimming across the lake and most exciting of all a turtle/terrapin basking in the sun on a tree root by the edge of the canal. Clive turned the boat around so we could have a closer look. We managed to get fairly near before it slid off the root, at first it went underwater but then re-emerged swam a few strokes before disappearing completely. Wonderful.

A tunnel of plane trees

We arrived back at Carcassonne about 3.30, again it was very windy so once more we moored on the station side of the basin. Not long after we had tied up a long trip boat came through the lock and was attempting to turn around, but the wind caught it and it was swept towards us before the pilot regained control. Ian and Clive helped them tie up.

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