Agen to Meilhan+

Sep 11

After Angie's short trip to England (and not even a pack of cheddar to show for it given it was Easyjet sans suitcase) we pushed off to the West.  A bit overcast so the photos of the ecluses and aqueduct will have to wait for the return trip.

We got into the Serignac wharf and spent a couple of days idling, a nice village.

Serignac church - with twisted tower

Serignac - Angie still eyeing up winter boltholes

Sneering at Kes

Rather than hog the free elec/water we moved on towards Buzet, crossing the River Baise which is 'navigable' - perhaps next year - though rumour has it four barges are trapped by lack of water..

Baise aqueduct

River Baise

We green banked at Buzet - the Port seemed to have semi-closed for the Winter and it definitely felt a bit gloomy for a winter mooring. On tick over we continued on to L'Mas de Agenais where we squeezed onto a good mooring with a Kiwi/Aussie couple on 'Somewhere (a nice Delta barge) in time for the start of the Rugby World Cup. After a few pleasant evenings agreeing the deficiencies of Northern Hemisphere rugby (over a beer or three) we left during the rugby interval (only 3 days to survive).

Then it was Meilhan sur Garonne, full again so we greenbanked alongside 'Ailsa', another Sagar who we hadn't seen since Strasbourg. All the shops were on top of the hill so re-provisioning was carried out with much moaning (especially when on the first trip all the shops were shut).  Angie is wearing a NZ Rugby shirt and is being chatted up by all the local men (they just want the shirt :)

Meilhan port

After much too-ing and fro-ing (and advice from the local bargees) we decided not to continue to Castets at the end of the Canal (3 hours motoring) as the general consensus was it was both a grotty piece of canal and mooring was poor so we continued on for a few bridges to a turning point and did a 180 deg turn towards the East.  Perhaps the obvious onset of Autumn decided us. Next target is Carcassonne.

Castelsarrasin to Agen

Sep 11

We seem to have spent a lot of time covering not a lot of ground over the past two weeks.  From Castelsarrasin we were on fresh ground, we stopped at a canalside service station and Peter refuelled by jerrican (360 litres in the sun which was a good mornings work) and then we pottered off to Moissac going over the River Tarn (a big river) on a suitably big aqueduct.

River Tarn aqueduct

River Tarn

Moissac was an attractive town which would make a good wintering spot if it wasn't the most expensive spot along the Garonne.

Moissac

Moissac Port

River Tarn moorings

Before everyone complains about the excessive number of pictures of ecluses and Ports - firstly after a month or so it all blurs so a picture helps identify places names and secondly, I wish I had had photos of some of the ports before having to decide on wintering spots (so this is a service to our bargee followers) - the defence rests.

Moissac is mainly famous for its Abbey and Cloisters (not sure the Cloisters are better than Salisbury though)..

Autumn is here with the plane trees shedding their leaves and the ground covered with conkers around the horse chestnuts.  The weather is mostly hot with the occasional violent thunderstorm to lessen the humidity.

Moissac lift bridge

In Malause we donated a surplus UK size spanner to a French couple fixing a problem with their ex UK hire boat - which turned into a fun evening on their boat swapping stories in franglais - a mutual interest in birds they had some stunning photos, but too much whisky and wine consumed as usual in these events enlivened by  'discussion' over the merits of NZ wine vs French plonk.

This part of the Canal de Garonne is less manicured than the Midi and quite attractive.

The next stop, Valence d'Agen, was another nice mooring, luckily with a barge we can moor to higher walls than most, so we had lots of room and just managed to reach electricity and water points. A booming little town with a good market and three old wash houses.  Given most of them were still in use well into the last century, one wonders what the English equivalent was - or did English reserve mean knickers etc weren't washed publically in a communal spot?

Valence d'Agen wash house

Finally into Agen - the least attractive spot so far but on a main line train station as Angie needed to get back to the UK for a few days.  Not sure train/bus/plane/hire car is better than driving back the whole way.

Agen port

We found a green bank mooring and Peter was left to shop, cook, wash and iron for 5 days (Angie thinks it is a good refresher in appreciating her usual efforts) - unfortunately there wasn't a Pizzeria/Bar/Restaurant within easy walking distance.  Judging by the performance Kes put on when Angie arrived back, Peter wasn't even an adequate dog sitter/walker. A big mistake by Peter as he rashly got Angie 'Sky Movies' to balance out his Sports packages (something to do do with the Rugby World Cup). Now she is so busy catching up with rubbish films that she has missed, the wheelhouse hasn't been polished for a week!!

Toulouse to Castelsarrasin

Aug 11

Off from Toulouse along the last few km of the Canal du Midi heading west on a beautiful morning.  The first few ecluses through Toulouse central are centrally controlled so mind in neutral, waving to the commuters at the Gare du Central.

Toulouse central

Going underground

Then into the Port de L'Embouchure where the Canal de Garonne starts.  A very boring long straight run through industry, paralleled by the railway and only 'enlivened' by every second ecluse double red lighting and holding us up - in the end a long run to Grisolles. Back to rural living which Kes approved of - we could have done without the passing TGV's though which kept us awake.

Montech has a Pente d'eau for peniches paralleling the chain of five locks (built in 1974)  - we never saw it in action so still don't really know quite how it works.

Montech

Pente d'eau

We decided against an overnight stop on this prison pontoon.

Then into Castelsarrasin on a Thursday in time for the market - one of the biggest and most active we have seen.  A nice little port and at 5€ a night good value.

Castelsarrasin

To our surprise, our newly married son had decided to drive down to see us (with wife and parents) so firstly a hasty internet shopping spree so he could bring all the heavy goods with him (hull paint for the Spring repaint job, a deck wash pump etc) and then reversing our steps back to Toulouse to meet up.Three days later Sylvianne at Port St Sauveur seemed pleased to see us again, so we tucked onto the end of a pontoon and looked for a car parking slot!

Port St Sauveur

Toulouse at night - almost upright

After four days eating too much, sweltering at night and tripping over each other (Kotare isn't really designed for 6 adults) the visitors departed and it was back to Castelsarrasin again - where we once again managed to sneak in just as a hotel barge pulled out.  Good planning as TV viewing is essential at the weekends now that the rugby season is getting serious. Peter has printed out the Rugby World Cup programme and has started  wearing All Black shirts.  This is 'rugby country' - all the bars have it on - and the French agree that the final should be NZ vs France (the only teams with 'style').

Pommies invading the world

The temperature is climbing steadily a deg or so a day - Saturday is forecast for 39 degC so if the rugby gets exciting and the beer doesn't do its job the air con might get switched on for the first time.

Castelnaudary to Toulouse

Jun 11

Actually it should be back and forward to Castelnaudary, then to the UK, then Toulouse.  After a quick recce of Castelnaudary we pushed off to the west killing time.  We turned around just beyond Le Segala - a tight squeeze in a stream entrance that was actually 'the Parting of the Waters' ie the Midi watershed.

a typical Midi ecluse

A slightly underpowered peniche

Then we pottered back, getting to Castelnaudary again in mid July.

Angela's sister and brother in law drove down from Bonn to dogsit Kes - a fairly arduous trek that was much appreciated. The guilt was enhanced by the onset of intermittent rain for 10 days.

Angie and Vanessa

Then it was a weeks trip back to the UK for our son's wedding - the first time Peter has worn a tie for about seven years.  Several beers later and suitcases full of shopping it was time for Heathrow.

Once back, it was a few days relaxing in Castelnaudary and Angie's first proper meal out since April - quel horreur!

Castelnaudary Grand Bassin

Castelnaudary Port/Petit Bassin

The tourist season has started - Brit motorists blocking our access.

As an aside, never send two sisters out together or they frequent dodgy looking streets and partake of strong drink, even Kes is hiding his face.

We went to the 'night market' which wasn't particularly special, but was enlivened by a good trad jazz band - so we retreated to the wheelhouse with a few bottles of wine and some good cheese, listened to the music and solved the problems of the world.

Night market

An afternoon's romp to Villeneuve le Comptal  (10km round trip sans Peter) in one of the fine patches. The message has finally sunk in that Angie's average 10 km a day with Kes is keeping her in better trim than my internet surfing.

Villeneuve le Comptal

Castelnaudary Windmill

The changeable weather was giving us good sunsets.

Coypu have become endemic.

To blow away the cobwebs we then had a days canal outing to (you guessed) Le Segala.

New deckcrew

Then the family departed for the Black Forest to finish their holiday and we went to Le Segala again - same old locks but now the holidays have started they are all manned by attractive female university students which improves the scenery.

Nice ecluse steps dated 1766

Still raining, so a short hop next into Port Lauragais where we moored against the restaurant balcony.

Voila, the sun finally came out and we pushed on.  The first automated locks for months but badly designed as a crew member has to go ashore to activate them - I wouldn't want to cruise single handed. Another Thomas Jefferson plaque at an ecluse - what happened to Franco-American amity (must be de Gaulle's fault).

Then it was into Toulouse (St Sauveur) and the end of the Canal du Midi - La Capitaine did a superb job reversing around boats into a difficult temporary berth. Peter then retired to the sofa while the distaff side got on with the washing and cleaning, Kes made friends with a cat on the adjacent boat.

Toulouse Cathedral

It is strange seeing all the street signs in two languages - French and Langue d'Oc (aka Spanish)