goodshipcalliope

“Je veux montant s’il vous plait”

Avignon to Lyon – 5 days ascending the Rhône

August 15th to 20th

Feeling confident about diminishing wind and current speeds, and not too much in the way of Meteo alarms we set off from Avignon. There is always a little bit of apprehension about the Rhône for us. There are not that many places to moor, the Mistral wind can appear from nowhere, and a couple of thunderstorms in the catchment area can suddenly change the flow against us. So we are always cautious.

Just round the corner was our first lock of the trip – Avignon. As we approached each lock we made the obligatory VHF radio or phone call to say we were on our way and wanted to ‘ascend’ – “je veux montant s’il vous plait.”

We discovered just how much wind was still blowing when we exited the lock to a 60 degree windsock!

But all was well and we made good time upstream, passing by the old tower opposite Roquemaure where we had moored two years ago on our way south.

Onwards and upwards, through the 8.6m Caderousse lock, a baby compared to what was ahead, although it has to be said that I look a bit worried! Actually I was just squinting into the selfie camera!

11kms on was our hoped for base for the night – the delightful Saint-Etienne-Des-Sorts, another of our downstream stop overs. Tension was reduced as we rounded the bend and saw that the pontoon was free!

Before long, not only were we moored up, but also our friend Rheinhard from Avignon who was single-handedly cruising upstream. He moored alongside, came to supper, and enjoyed the glow of the evening sun on the village and the cliff on rive gauche.

Rheinhard’s cruiser

Old lock ironmongery

Rheinhard dwarfed by the lock

Next day, almost in tandem, we and Rheinhard set off for the massive Bollène lock – 22.5m – the big and beautiful one!

The scenery changed to a far more vertiginous look, and I added to my collection of ‘old towers and castles of the Rhône valley’.

We went up past Montelimar (of nougat fame) to look for a mooring for the night. We decided to try the little marina at Cruas, having been told that they would accommodate a 20m barge if we asked nicely, which I did in my best French.

It was a bit interesting to get in with a lively flow and breeze, but once in we were made very welcome and had a very safe and pleasant berth for the night.

Next morning the wind had definitely dropped, as certified by the steam coming out of the local nuclear power station cooling towers confirming a Beaufort scale 0 !

We had the Logistic-Neuf lock just round the bend – a mere 11m, and which has suitably wine-stained coloured edges.

Then on up the river another 50+kms looking for somewhere for the night. We asked at Valence if they had room for us, but sadly no, so on to Tournon where we moored up on a nice new pontoon.

Tournon is an interesting little town; we managed a quick look round, a visit to the wine cave (€2.50 a litre for very nice rosé in an empty plastic water bottle), and a back street pizza (with a very nice jug of rosé).

Passing by Andance

The vineyards are everywhere

3344C2FC-EF76-475E-BF02-551B173950A2 — Moored at Ampuis

Next day, Saturday, was to be our last full day and night on the Rhône, and a full day it was of over 50kms and 2 locks that took us up past some beautiful scenery, vineyards and towns, ending up at Ampuis.

Ampuis was everything we had hoped for from a Rhône mooring – superb views, great swimming, blue skies. I was happy crew!

We were moored just below the lock at Tournons, and on quite a busy commercial route, as proven by the wonderful working peniches powerfully passing by (most of them unbothered by the implications of a Plymsoll line . . . ).

And as we enjoyed the Tournon rosé on the back deck the Captain was a contented man, watching the sun go down over a peaceful river – our last evening on Le Rhône.

We awoke to another glorious day, passing by the sparkling brown roof of the Ampuis chateau, and cruising on to the first lock of the day, and waiting for a giant, gigantic, commercial barge to emerge. (Two 80 metre gas barges pushed by a shove tug – you can just make it out to the left of our mast.) I love to see the waterways still in use for transport – so much cleaner and more efficient and smoother than road transport.

As we moved north towards Lyon I started what might be a new series – ‘views from the galley window’ – not sure if I will manage to keep it up!

Then at last we reached our final écluse of the Rhône – Pierre Bénite – on the outskirts of Lyon. Made it – in good time, and with new friends and new tales to tell.

So there we were in the port at Lyon (actually on the Saône not the Rhône) in amongst the bright lights, shops, bars, restaurants and nightlife! Whoa, this is different! We gave ourselves a day off for rest and recuperation, stocking up on vittles, a walk round town and a beer on the quay before we began to think about our next chapter: the river trip up the Saône.

Leaving the South behind

August 1st to 11th

Canal du Rhðne à Sète, Petit Rhðne, and the start of Le Rhðne

1st – 4th still at la Peyrade

We started August where we finished July – la Peyrade – and settled in with a live-aboard community, cycling back and forth to the Intermarché supermarket and the Brico. Stewart fitted grill vents above and below the fridge to help it breathe; I generally pottered. (I’m good at that!)

And our new friends were not all human or canine – a preying mantis took a fancy to Stewart’s bike, but we persuaded him off before he took a trip with us!

And snails made long journeys to the ends of grassy stems to wave hello.

We had hopes of the new batteries arriving on Friday 3rd, but no delivery email arrived so we went out for the day on our bikes to Balaruc-les-Bains, a fascinating village opposite Sète.

The footbath at the old spa, contact 46 degrees!

Lovely art deco fountain

Stu ersting in the garden shade

Another swim for Lesley

Moules frites, yum yum

It has been famous since Roman times for its thermal springs, and has a spa history up to the present day. It was a very hot and tiring (for us) cycle ride, but drinks, a good meal and a swim/paddle in the Med made up for it all.

3C01E4E1-1F42-447F-BAD6-27F756A11039 — Last evening at le Peyrade

One more evening and day at la Peyrade saw us waving goodbye to our new friends Christian and rasta Anna and her three dogs as they sailed off into the Étang de Thau to test her yacht prior to a voyage to Greece.

5th – 7th back at Frontignan

Next day, Sunday, we moved the 2 kilometres back to Frontignan canal port where our new batteries were due to arrive at the tourist office next day.

We set to work to remove the six old batteries, each weighing 60kgms, from behind the stairs in the engine room. Two oldies with a combined age of 136 managed to do this in a 32 degree day, with the help of strategically placed lanyards, lots of rests and lots of water!

We celebrated with a beer in the square under the plane trees followed by a demi-pizza and salad each – a menu combination we both approve of.

Whilst we waited for the new batteries to reach us we watched the comings and goings of all the craft going under the lift-bridge that only opens for a few minutes three times a day. It is always an interesting spectacle, as some boats do not understand the procedure of allowing downstream boats to come under the bridge first!

One of the best sights however was not a boat going under the bridge, but a boat that arrived with swimmer power!

The foreboding

The actuality

We had a powerful thunder and lightning rain storm while we waited – much needed refreshment form the 33 degree temperatures!

Over the next few days I managed to see the old batteries to a scrap metal yard, have them collected, and, with the help of some French boating friends, we got the new batteries to the boat.

Time for another celebration – this time a beer under the plane trees followed by a Vietnamese meal!

Stewart and I reversed the procedure for removing the batteries, and again using the lanyards lowered them all into place. Before long my Chief Electrical Engineer (Stewart again!) had wired them up, and at the 1pm opening of the Frontignan lift-bridge we were off east ……

….. past the pretty wooden sail boats we had been moored next to on the quay.

8th one night near Pavalas-des-Flots

Our travels along this section of the Canal du Rhône à Sète were picturesque, cruising along a canal that has been built in the middle of a series of lagoons, with flying flamingoes, wonderful ‘waterscapes’, fisherman’s shacks, and no locks to divert us.

4CC08C92-1C8A-4458-BB7A-6528E2F1BCB4 — The hoped for mooring, until we came adrift

We had hoped to moor up near the old cathedral on an island at Maguelone, but it was too busy so we continued for a while and found a perfect wild mooring. We tied up to two posts, plus two of our stakes, and settled down to a gentle afternoon and evening – until a commercial barge, travelling very slowly and considerately, came by and pulled out our stakes and the two permanent posts! Whoops!

So onward another kilometre to the outskirts of Pavalas-des-Flots where there were some proper bollards for the night! (Certainly not pretty enough to photograph though).

9th -10th close to Gallician

Another days cruising, past the giant ‘doors where the canal crosses the river Lez, brought us up to the outskirts of Gallician where there is a small port, but, from a distance, it looked full.

And then we suddenly saw a short section of sturdy wooden fencing right on the canal bank, and perfect for mooring! Our luck was in.

We arrived just as a downpour began, washing all the dust and salt water from Calliope’s decks. (Photo taken next morning). By the time the skies had cleared I had managed to check the configuration of the new batteries to our monitoring systems, and convinced myself they were correct (thank you MasterVolt Support and all the Piper Barge Owners who advised me).

Time for another celebratory drink.

And another glorious, slightly stormy, sunset.

We thought we would stay just the one night, but the flow on the Rhône had increased because of major thunderstorms to the north so we stayed a second, with the open Petit Camargue the other side of the canal and interesting bird life coming and going. We saw king fishers, bee eaters, purple herons, stilts and night herons too, plus many we could not identify.

11th – a night on a very high wall at Arles

With the flow on the Rhône decreasing we set off through the St Giles lock onto the Petit Rhône, hoping to moor just at the end where it meets the mighty Big Rhône, but that was taken so moved out onto Le Rhône itself and went to look for a mooring suggested to us by Swiss boating friends Alfred and Heidi down in Arles.

Our three pronged mooring!

CAtaon surveys the river at Arles

We found it, tied up, and decided to go and look at the old town across the river. It all looked beautiful, and I knew it had a Van Gogh history. However as we set off we were concerned to see a potential ‘ne’er-do-well’ watching the barge, so cut our visit rather short.

Musical square in Arles

Part of the Van Gogh trail

Nonetheless it is an attractive town, worth a proper visit I think. And all turned out to be fine on Calliope.

As the sun dropped in the sky, Arles appeared to float in the golden light – gently psychedelic.

12th – 14th – a longer than expected stay in Avignon

So we begin our trip north on the Rhône, initially still in the South, from Arles to Avignon.

We began to pass the varied forms of energy generation on the Rhône, including wind and water in various forms.

View down to Calliope

Ancient waterwheel in Rue de Teinctures

Trying to make up for lost time due to the battery renewal and Rhône flow we thought we would just have one night at Avignon. We planned to make the most of it, with a climb up to the gardens above the river, then a saunter through the touristy areas around the ostentatious papal palaces, and a pleasant explore of some of the quieter narrow streets.

Surprise surprise we ended up in a square (actually a triangle) under plane trees with a beer!

Next day we discovered that over the next 48 hours there were to be thunderstorms and a mistral wind, so plans were changed and we stayed on, at great expense, for a further 2 nights.

The first of these took on a musical tine when our new friend Rheinhard, from a boat that had been travelling with us, came round with a litre of good red wine and his guitar. Stewart soon dug out his steel guitar and I was the total appreciative audience! The rain came down and the lightning lit up the skies; we were snug with our music and wine., and ended up with rainbows and sunsets.

Stu and I further explored Avignon on our third, windy, day there, including one of the best Les Halles indoor markets I have found.

I managed to spend a few euros on some interesting food before we left! Sadly I did not buy Porchetta, but got some good rillettes de porc, some very good cooked tongue,and a delicious Saint Jacques scallops) dish, at a high cost.

Then, with all forecasts for wind, flow and sun in our favour, we began the real trip northwards, leaving Avignon and its famous bridge behind us.

Juillet sur le Midi and la mer

I planned not to do a blog for a while, but the temptation to share some of the things we have seen and done proves too great.

To be precise, 25 days were spent on the Midi, 1 on the Hérault, and 5 on the Canal du Rhône à Sète, which connects to the Mediterannean all over the place, so is sort of the sea. Also crossing the Étang de Thau is definitely a sea crossing, even if only two hours!

We have moved on from Castelnaudary, where I had rejoined Stewart after my week in the UK. The simple way to show it is with a copy of our calendar as I enter our mooring place for each night.

Although I realise you only see part of the longer named locations! Ah well, sorry. I’ll explain.

We left Castelnaudary on 30 June and after a relatively calm descent through various locks and a very shady lunch time stop we came to St-Sernin where we stayed the night. Despite my desire to desist from taking photos, the light and the shapes drew me in, so here are a few.

St Sernin écluse

Lock workings

The Long view

Calliope peacefully moored

Door with character

Pink in the evening

Red in the evening

We travelled 5 kilometres and 5 locks next day in order to spend a night near Villepinte,

then on for a night at Villeséquelande ….. well it was supposed to be there, but when some (pleasant) local youths came to fish, drink, listen to music, and then collect wood for a bonfire we decided to just move a kilometre to a more peaceful night time mooring for old folk!

next morning, bright and sunny, we moved on to Carcassonne. The heavens smiled on us and a rare free mooring above the lock, long enough for a 20m barge, appeared to port.

What happened next is a minor happy blur of barbecued lamb, rosé, melon, salad and bonhomie. Somehow within minutes we had been invited aboard Escapade for lunch, taken food and drink contributions, helped in the kitchen, and sat around on the top deck making merry. Thank you David and Evelyn.

That evening we still managed to get to the Irish Bar to watch England in the quarter finals of the World Cup v Columbia, and, even more unlikely, managed to get going again next day – but only after Evelyn sold me her bike for a bargain price. More thanks due.

it was a week of lucky moorings. After leaving Carcassonne we initially made slow progress, queuing with other boats over the lunch hour for the double+single locks at Fresquel. The consequence of this was that we arrived at one of our favourite places, Villedubert lock, at a convenient time to stop.

The lock keeper said we could moor up below the lock, just beyond the waiting pontoon for boats going up. Ah, peace. Just so lovely all evening ……

….. until first one holiday boat arrived to spend the night – then a hotel barge came in for the night – then a second holiday boat ……. and in the morning, before we had even had breakfast a further two boats arrived to join the queue ‘going up’.

We made a quick escape and still in travelling mode we went for another one night stand, this time at Marseillett. Lo and behold, the wooden pontoon mooring we had hoped for was free.

This mooring is next to a canal-side gite and it was not long until we had made friends with the English couple staying there.

Their recommendation for the local vignonier led firstly to us making a trip to buy a case of rosé, secondly to sharing some of said rosé with our new friends, and thirdly to them coming aboard for a cruise down the canal next morning!

So after another beautiful evening on the canal, we were off, with the addition of Arabella, Ian and Charley the dog for the first few kilometres.

I don’t know which god we had pleased but s/he was smiling on us again. We came round the final bend into La Redorte to see the end of the wooden quay free and waiting for us. This meant a happy two days, encompassing the France quarter-final in the bar and the England quarter-final on the boat, utilising a Heath Robinson-esque assembly of wires, electronics and books to get sufficient reception for the best part of the match – we won!

Our social life continued to be busy with the arrival of Tesserae and an invitation to celebrate the victory with them. Thank you – lovely evening.

Carrying on downstream on 8th July we planned a stop in the countryside just below Ognon lock and ‘garden’, preferably in the shade because of the extreme heat (which continued for the rest of the month!).

We had something of a wait at both Ognon, and the previous lock, Homps, due to a large number of holiday ‘bumper boats’, many of whose helmsmen (and women) were very much learning the ropes! Éclusier’s lunch hour intervened, holding up six or seven boats at each lock – but the young éclusier at the double Ognon lock was keen to get down to ‘no waiting boats’ and had us passing one on its way up in between the two locks as we went down! Good man!

There is an artist based at the lock who has many of his vibrantly coloured sculptures watching from vantage points around the lock! It makes for a slightly bizarre but interesting experience.

Our mooring was in the shade, and allowed me one of my canal-dips. I cannot resist when it is so hot!

And afterwards a pre-dinner drink on the deck, watching the passing boats negotiate each other with varying degrees of chaos!

Stewart meanwhile was irritated by flies; I discovered on the internet that various herbs keep them at bay, so a small defensive wall of basil and rosemary was built, and seemed to work!

Next days cruise included going round the hairpin bend of the Pont-canal de Répudre, one of Riquet’s earliest and bravest pieces of canal architecture.

(Check out Paul Riquet on the internet – astonishing engineering 150 years before Isambard Kingdom Brunel was born>)

On then to Le Somail – we like this little hamlet. This time the ‘fig tree’ mooring was taken, but we had been told we could just squeeze in beyond the hotel barge mooring – told by a boat that is a few foot shorter than Calliope. We hung over into the ‘no parking zone by a metre and waited to see what happened.

What happened was Algeria! Luckily the captain was gracious and said that a metre here or there was no problem. Phew!

We spent two nights at le Somail, both with startling colours in the sky and on the boat – I’d vowed to take on more photos here, but these colours just draw me in.

The following morning lit up another palette of colours, this time reflected n the water. After a quick photoshoot including a view of the ‘other side’ of the famous le Somail bridge, we left for a dalliance on Canal de Jonction for reasons that will become apparent. We turned off the Midi and went down through 5 locks to Salleles d’Aude, mooring up as before near ……… the Domaine de 7 écluse cave!

Before long we had completed a re-stock of our favourite red and rosé wine boxes, plus a few bottles!

This photo is just part of the special purchase.

That evening was the hour of England’s finest football hour for many a year – reading the semi-final of the World Cup. We invited friends Carol and Martin to a quick early supper, then down to the bar to cheer our team on – sadly not to victory.

This was definitely only to be a one night side-stop so next morning Stewart, with great skill, turned the 20m that is Calliope around in the winding hole at Salleles. I was proud! Then back up the straight 3 kilometres and 5 locks that is the Canal de Jonction.

Just below the Midi, there was another shady mooring waiting for us for a night. (It doesn’t look so shady in the photo, but it shaded over beautifully.) A few natural moments here – a cicada, hardly visible on a tree trunk (one among many thousands that were ‘singing’); part of a fir cone; the fruit of an unknown tree; a sunset.

Moving on on Friday we re-joined the Midi, turning east this time. Once more we sought a shady rural spot to hide from the blazing sun (temperatures in the mid to high thirties every day), but the hoped for spots were either taken, or not shady. We ended up in full sun near Pont Malvies in amongst quite a row of live-aboards.

There was quite a breeze, and with our various covers over windows and hatches we were fine. A walk in the cooler evening air resulted in watching the sunset through the reeds.

But next day, with even higher temperatures predicted, we decided to find a cooler spot. First we cycled to Capestang for stores – sounds simple enough – a 12 minute ride according to Google maps. But we decided to go along the (extremely bendy) canal bank, rather than down the straight road! After an hour cycling, much in full sun and on hard baked bumpy tracks, we found Intermarché, but lacked the will of the energy to cycle back!

We bought Coke and sandwiches, found a shady spot, and took a rest. Then, fortified, we began the ride back, still on the canal bank because Stewart had a plan! We had passed a super shady spot on our way and by cycling back to that point Stewart could leave me and the shopping while he went to fetch the boat!

Great plan – worked a treat, especially for me with an hour to sit in the shade with my toes in the water! And nice for Stu too, who found two Azure-winged Magpie feathers on his ride.

And when he arrived back with Calliope and we had an afternoon, evening and 2 nights there. Our only disturbances were ‘bumper boats’ that chose not to slow down past moored boats and threatened to pull out mooring pins out. However nothing amiss occurred.

Now came time to pass under Capestang bridge. For those who do not know, this is often referred to as the lowest bridge on Canal du Midi – it is true in part. It has particularly low shoulders, making the edges of wheelhouse roofs vulnerable.

Stewart was keen to know just how much space we had, so armed with tape measure and camera I attempted to take photos as we passed through! We had had ideas of mooring in Capestang, but no room at the port so we continued to second choice Poilhés – and I am glad we had that choice forced upon us!

What a lovely little village. It was a recommendation from our mates Carol and Martin, and justly so. I cannot describe the pure visual delights of the sun moving across the old stone walls.

34BFC2CF-4771-4365-AACF-36DEDCB31207 — Poilhes mooring

We were joined by other friends for lunch at the slightly funky Les Plantanes for very delicious food on one day, and stayed on for another two nights just because we liked it – oh and to use up time before our booked mooring at Béziers; more of that to come.

With two nights to fill before Béziers we aimed for Colombiers, going through the Malpas tunnel along the way.

We were hoping for a 20m space, but none appeared. As we were leaving the village past a row of long-term moorings a very helpful Frenchman appeared from his cruiser to let us know that there was a space we could use a little further along!

We found it, half hidden amongst the reeds, and a very fine space it was.

And so it was we spent two nights at Colombiers. This is yet another fascinating and scenic village, steeped in history.

There were insects and flowers to enjoy too – apparently the largest wasp in France, but not dangerous to humans. Certainly we escaped unharmed..

Early start, for us

The narrow section

Top of Fonseranes locks

Part way down

Unused lock at the bottom

Then finally the short stretch into Béziers, along the narrowed canal, then down the 9 écluses de Fonserannes and into the port.

(Our resident raconteur makes light of the Bezier locks; it’s a spurs earning achievement – especially going up ’em!)

We had booked for two nights, but stayed for three, fitting in a good look round the old city, the servicing of our central heating boiler (ironic in such heat), and a new bottle of gas thanks to new friends George and Pam on the boat next door who had a car.

They also saved me a cycle ride to the Brico for necessary timber to mend the parasol – I was all ready to go when George found a suitable piece of wood down below.

We took walks along the river Orb in evening and morning light …

… and a lively evening drinking and talking with George and Pam, plus Lee and Kristie from the cruiser next door.

There were colours and shadows drawing the eye and the camera all around the port. Maybe it was the time of the year, but the sun light was painting such beautiful pictures everywhere I looked!

After three good days in Béziers it was time to move along the canal, stopping first at the next village, Villeneuve-les-Béziers, meeting up again with good friends Martin and Carol; Martin had somehow managed to keep us a mooring place on the quay in the shade! Marvellous man.

We only stopped for the one night – have I mentioned our batteries yet? A series of misadventures, including two winters where, for different reasons, we lost shore power and drained the batteries, has resulted in us suddenly losing voltage on our domestic battery bank – fridge (with cold beer in it), freezer, air con, water pumps, lights …. computer recharge! So we had to urgently get new batteries. A series of enquiries anded up with us ordering them to arrive in Frontignan and we were now heading that way.

Vias mooring

Vias neighbours

Vias swim

Our journey took us to Vias for one night, where a 5 minute cycle ride brings you to the Med and a nice evening swim!

Pont de trois yeux

Aude round lock adding boats from the Herald

Then an early, short, journey along to Agde round lock, where we spent two hours queuing, going through, and leaving. This round lock has three entrances, and once we were in with three other boats, the lock emptied enough to open the gates to the lower Hérault connection in order for three small boats to join us, then filled up again so that we could all go off East. We were largest, so first in and last out, allowing Stewart to manoeuvre us 180 degrees to moor and then 180 degrees to leave! Takes a while!

We were soon away from the other boats, turning up the beautiful Hérault.

There was an idea to moor at the pontoon at Bessan, but it was ‘taken’ by three boats we know from the Canal de Garonne. Not to worry – there are plenty of trees to moor under and tie up to, and we found our spot.

A dinghy of two friends turned up from Bessan inviting us to join them for supper, but we absolutely could not get ashore, even trying the ladder into the water, which was far far to deep!

We had a relaxed evening, in our different ways. I swam in the cool extremely clear water – some of the softest I have ever found. Stu found that crosswords (not sure if he was completing them or creating them) and red wine was just as soothing.

I think this is where we picked up a mysterious friend, initially thought to be a grasshopper, but that idea discarded as he (or she) did not have the right back legs, or wings. Various species were suggested by friends on Facebook, the closest, in looks, being a weta from New Zealand!

Leaving the river behind

Last Midi lock

Then the mission to Frontignan continued, out of the river, and along the final stretch of the Midi and –

– across the Étang de Thau. Note I’m the helmsman across the Étang, which is a little more like open sea and totally loved by me. (Dancing a hornpipe on the inside!) (Doing a crossword by t’other)

We arrived in Frontignan on Friday, were blessed by just a perfect mooring place including electricity, and settled in. Amongst the angst of getting batteries ordered and delivered (can’t be done until Monday) we enjoyed the town, as we had done before.

Frontignan is the Muscat capital of the world, so after a Muscat in the square we went for a pizza, where we had a free Muscat! Next morning dawned with blue skies, sun and reflections.

Saucisson stall

Muscat producer

Oysters

Tasting session – Muscat and oysters

It was market day, and not only that, I noticed that there was the annual Muscat festival taking place within the market! We headed off there for fresh stores and Muscat tasting. I bought a tasting session to combine Muscat and food – first with oysters (a dry one), then with chèvre, goats cheese (a sweet one) and finally with chocolate ( a densely sweet and aged one – sounds like me, ha ha). It was a very good experience, one to be repeated.

The old town is a maze of the narrowest streets ever, with interesting views round each twist.

Stu strides out

Shallowest salt pan

just a nice view

oyster beds

old weir (I think)

flamingos

Sunday morning we went for a walk around the old salt pans before it got too hot. The flooded pans are full of flamingos, waders, gulls and various fish.

Then, on Sunday evening, a treat. I lived in a fishing village in Malta as a child. Every year the statue would be taken from the church and paraded along the quay, then a fiesta would ensue. This was a smaller version of the same idea. The Frontignan church has as its saint St Paul, who, traditional has it, was shipwrecked in Malta. So one way and another I felt an affinity, even though not religious.

St Paul, made of wood, arrives back

A traditional welcome

The band of oboe, drums and banjo

The little wooden statue of St Paul was taken from the church in the morning in a little boat full of gladioli. This boat was taken by boat to the sea, and he spent the day at the seaside, bringing blessings to the fishermen who still work the area, plus all us other mariners. In the evening he returned and was met by a small band of musicians, some traditional dancers, and a crowd of people.

326795CE-238F-475A-A5A5-6D2320DCCC2E — St Paul arrives back at the church

We paraded Paul through the narrow streets and back to his church, where after a short service and some traditional singing – we all drank Muscat out of plastic cups! And we ate little ‘barque’ (boat) shaped biscuits.

Next day, our three allowed days n Frontignan being up, we came out of town a couple of kilometres and moored up opposite old fisherman’s cottages (now mostly holiday homes), to await battery arrival.

Looked like we might be here awhile, so we got the bikes out and started to explore. We went to the Brico, (bought a tough sack trolley for moving batteries) the Intermarché, and, more interestingly, to Sète. It was a bit of an inferno adventure. It was very hot, Stewart ad a puncture on the way; I set off into town with his front wheel, got a new inner tube fitted, and set off back – only to miss him, cycle far further than necessary in midday sun, while he was half carrying a unicycle bicycle and getting just as hot and bothered!

Looking across towards Canal de la Peyrade

Octopus fountain in town hall square

Beautiful old bollard

Street art

Sheltering form the sun under a bridge

Once we met up, all was well. We had lunch in the town hall square, where a fabulous tenor popped out of a bar to sing Opera (capital O) to us all. Then a walk round town and a visit to the gallery of Contemporary Art before a slow cycle back.

A swim in the salty water of the canal (which also has the small tides of the Med to take us up and down) helped cool me down and the final day of July was spent happily on the back deck waiting for our cabin to cool down from its 32 degrees.

Every finger crossed that our batteries arrive soon and we can switch the air con on from time to time!è

Trebes tranquility to Castel musique

15th June – 22nd June 2018

6DBCAECE-B13E-4903-B66F-BFF9D5FA21FB — Millegrand bridge

Our trip from Marseillette to PK116 outside Trébes was gentle and meandering, passing by Millegrand and Millepetit on the way.

Millepetit

Cales St Julia

The bend outside Millepetit

Just outside Millepetit is a steepish bend. In the past the big barges had to be ‘roped’ round these bends and the evidence – a stone pillar engraved with deep rope marks, still stands as evidence of this practise.

We came up through the Trébes trio of locks just before lunchtime and moored up opposite the swans nest to eat before pottering on to PK116.

We had two nights at one of our top ten favourite moorings, outside Trebes. There is always a mother nature surprise here – this time, on our arrival evening, an iridescent blue beetle.

On Saturday we walked to Intermarche, for vittles and to try to find parts for, or a new, bike pump. We did manage all of these tasks, although the subsequent work on my bike uncovered a perished tyre that no amount of pumping could restore! (Note to self – look out for a bike shop).

There was also the opportunity to inspect the damage done to us by careless holiday boats in locks over the past few days – work to add to the maintenance schedule for Stewart.

Later that day we were joined in our solitude by a family fishing expedition by the bridge, and then the skipper of MicMac appeared, cycling up from Trèbes to invite us for a beer – an invitation that was postponed until Carcassonne.

I went for one of my PK116 nature rambles; a few of my flora and fauna discoveries here.

And the day ended with another glass of wine on the back deck and a glorious sky.

While we were at the mooring we got the stern cabin prepared for our impending guests – grand daughter Hannah and friend Emily.

Sunday dawned bright and beautiful.

Before we moved on, I walked into the town for bread. The colours and shadows of Trebes, were wonderful!

Waiting at Villedubert

Villedubert spillway

One more bridge!

It was a pleasant cruise to Carcassonne, passing through Villedubert écluse, one of our favourites, and past some glorious stonework.

After some ‘fountainous’ locks we arrived in time for lunch. just outside the town, and moved onto our mooring by the bridge early afternoon. It was fun watching the crazy movements of holiday boats coming and going through Carcassonne lock. while we waited for our guests.

Hannah and Emily arrived as planned on the Navette from the airport, delivered directly opposite the mooring at the station! We had delicious pizza on board to end our day.

Monday was hot hot hot. We took a walk to a boulangerie to buy a croissant breakfast for the guests, and left them to explore the town’s narrow streets and little squares.

We met up again for lunch, trying the ‘Au lard et au Cochon’ (very nice). It is on a small street off the square, very typical French, lovely salad starters and huge plates of meat!

Pont vieux

Over the Aude

View of the battlements

After a much needed siesta we all walked up through the town, over the old bridge to le Cité, finding numerous photogenic views.

It is impossible to over emphasise the stunning angles, shadows and shapes of this place! Apologies for the enthusiastic amateur camerawoman’s efforts.

It was hot; it was uphill. We were glad of a sit down!

Those who have been to Carcassonne this year will know that large swathes of the ancient city have been painted yellow!

It looks like vandalism on the old stones, but in fact is art. Get yourself to Porte L’Aude and stand in a particular spot … suddenly all is revealed! And it is all painted to tin foil that can be peeled off to allow the city its dignity back.

In the meantime MicMac had arrived, bringing the total of Piper barges in a row to three.

Stewart and I had an extremely pleasant beerhour on MicMac while the girls continued their exploration of the city, then off to Irish Bar to watch England in the World Cup (they won).

On Tuesday we were due to move on, so we made a quick trip to Les Halles, the market in square, a boucherie and a boulangerie, to give ‘les filles Anglaise’ a taste of French food retailing. By 9.30 we had cast off, were safely through Carcassonne lock and out into the country.

Our new crew sun bathed, helped at big locks, and became galley slaves, press ganged into service!

Calliope moored at Villséquelande, another of our favourite moorings. My it was hot! In typical fashion I dipped toes into the canal after sweaty walk to the shop and a sweatier still stagger back with wine boxes.

We had an enjoyable evening mostly on the back deck, with the girls staying through the late night cool air well after Stu and I retired to our cabin.

Hannah, recognising the good evening light, stout with her camera and Emily to record some moments of their holiday. I simply took photos from the barge! (Hannah got the better shots).

Next day we moved on to a rural mooring near Villepinte – lovely. The young crew searched for river to cool in, but ended up paddling in canal.

That evening was designed to be our card school – Poo Face and Twenty-One. Someone must have won – but rosé obscures the memory! (The skipper won …..)

I was up before the Captain – a rarity – and scrambles ashore to take a few ‘morning light’ photos for a change.

Then on we went for the major trip to Castelnaudary, with 15 locks including double, triple, and even quadruple. The crew were pressed into service once more and proved themselves great matelots in the making, even washing down the deck when we arrived.

So, we tied up at the port, hot! There was disappointment all round that piscine was closed until July. How crazy is that in this hot weather?

However, undaunted, the crew explored town, then met Stu and I for drinks and pizza before the 21st June music fest got underway.

H and E in festival mood

Carousel horse gallops the sky

pink clouds over Cstelnaudary

Older residents come out to look

We three females went up to the two squares in town with music – very lively, all ages, great fun. It felt safe so I returned to the boat and let the teenagers alone.

Friday – time for Hannah and Emily to leave. 😕 me too. What with finding a means to reach Carcassonne during a rail strike, packing, feeding/watering plants, checking fire extinguishers, and getting lunch it was not long before I was hugging Stu goodbye and off on a bus with Hann&Em.

Another week away from Calliope for me, and enforced port time for Stu. The saga continues a week from now!

Back on the Midi with Stu

8th – 14th June 2018

The Mammoth book warehouse

Captain’s breakfast

Captain’s lunch

Last episode I left us at Le Somail, with the huge ancient bookshop, brebis (sheep milk) ice cream, and mooring under the fig trees, shady enough to eat outside on the warm summer days.

We also ate at one of the local restaurants – great pizza, mine with duck and foie gras!

The skies, especially at sunset, just encouraged amateur photography!

On our last evening I cycled down to St-Marcel-sue-Aude where they were due to burn Joan of Arc – if I read the leaflet right. Unfortunately I was there a day early and all the merriment, food, music and burning was to be 24 hours later – so I cycled back.

Through the bridge

Looking back at La Somail bridge

Could it get any better than La Somail? Let’s go see – actually we had to go see, because we are on our way to Carcassonne to meet grand daughter and friend from the airport on 17 June – so onwards and westwards we go.

Day one’s mini voyage was the 6kms to Ventenac-en-Minervois where we found the same mooring below the bridge that we enjoyed two years ago.

After an hour repotting herbs that had been refusing to grow happily …..

… we went for a stroll round the village, ending in the excellent wine cave on the quay, filled in the afternoon. A game of Scrabble (I nearly won) provided the evening’s mental challenge, and so to bed.

Day two was to have been 24 kms to Homps, but after 10kms and one lock (rather cosily shared with a ‘bumper boat’ and a yacht, we found an empty stretch of moorings below the castle at Argens-Minervois.

We stopped for lunch, stopped for an explore, stopped for supper, and then stopped overnight!

The village has many ancient aspects, a few of which are shown here, regrettably not on the best day for photographic light. We now know, for next time, there is an epicèrie, several bars and restaurants, some wine caves, and a short walk to a bridge over the river Aude.

There’s also a fine example of a well-cum-pump, probably used to bring water up for cattle to drink.

I maybe should have mentioned the hairpin canal bend going over the Répudre aqueduct – a lovely line of stone wall, always difficult to catch right on film!

B1EB84A0-3625-4DE4-AE94-9D216E60F07D — Moored up in Homps

Onto Monday – a wet day, made wetter by the number of locks to negotiate. We still made it to Homps, and our previous mooring, by lunchtime, and it was not long after this that the sun came out.

22657DDE-B474-4884-8E35-68786068F520 — Homps blue passerelle – as Calliope left next day

We took a walk over the blue passerelle, up the track to the lake, where I inspected the ‘beach’ that could provide a swimming place for visiting grand daughters.

647CB9C1-96E7-4778-A201-F7E229A1F527 — Here comes Safran

Not long after we came back a bike skidded to a halt next to Calliope, and we at last met in person Andy and Jayne of Safran, another Piper boat. Seeing a mooring just ahead of us he ‘veloed’ back to his boat and gracefully progressed into port. We were able to enjoy a few glasses of wine with them later.

Next day we were off again, running ahead of the rain to reach La Redorte without getting wet! It was a great day for barging.

Just outside the village is the lovely Argentdouble aqueduct; I got a slightly better photos this tie as the skies had cleared.

7B23C84A-238D-4E4B-BFD4-D4C66292CBC0 — Calliope meets Tesserae at La Redorte

It was to be another Piper meeting day, this time with David and Louisa on Tesserae, who kindly moved up to make space for us. The two barges rested stern to stern for two nights, whilst those on board made better introductions over wine, then a meal at the quay side restaurant. (I do like he go-faster stripe along the rubbing strake; might have to get the masking tape out this coming back-end.)

My evening walk at La Redorte resulted in a couple of unusual images ….

Then moving on again, slowly towards Carcassonne. It was definitely slower than planned! The three double and one triple locks all had queues, and we had to share locks on almost every occasion – this proving easier sometimes than on others! (Indeed …..)

Puicheric lock

Waiting our turn

At the first lock, Puichéric, we waited for a hotel barge to go up and two boats to come down – a beautiful place to wait, with the village church in the distance.

We ended up sharing the lock with a couple of holiday boats – nice friendly people, doing their best to manoeuvre round us with bow thrusters, stern thrusters and, worst of all, boat hook thrusters!

Later, at St Martin écluse a long queue began to develop, right on lunch time when the locks close for an hour. If you’re not in a rush, and you already have food aboard, its a pleasant place to eat and wait.

By the time we came through the last, triple, lock we had had enough boating for one day, so we were extremely pleased to find a rural mooring, spotted a few weeks ago, empty and just waiting for us.

After supper I took a walk ……

… and the Captain had a quiet time with his little black book.

A lovely sky, light until nearly 10pm, finished the day, and another week.

Up the Jonction

I didn’t do my research properly for the blog going down to Port de la Nouvelle. I regret that I used the names Canal de la Robine and Embranchement de Nouvelle interchangeably and incorrectly!

9E22BBC1-52C6-4DCD-A1BF-B4224D466B8B — Calliope moored at Quai Victor Hugo, Narbonne

So let’s put that right. Narbonne is key. A mixture of Romans digging a channel to connect Narbonne to the sea, and a need for water from the Aude for Narbonne during the Middle Ages resulted in what became the canal de la Robine. A further 5 kms was required to link this, north of the Aude, to the Canal du Midi. When this was built it was named Canal de Jonction. The two together are known as the Nouvelle branch, or Embranchement de La Nouvelle.

Moulin de Gua

Calliope before the mill

Gua paserelle

Green spider on board

When I returned from the Greek wedding Stewart and Calliope were still at Gua lock and mill, north of Narbonne, so we still had 8 kms of Canal de Robine before the Aude crossing and into Canal du Jonction.

D2D3E55F-2C35-45B8-837B-98E9F6DCCB56 — Stu preparing Calliope to leave Gua

We accomplished this easily in a short morning’s cruise, arriving in Sallèles-d’Aude in time for lunch.

On the way we saw several Azure Winged Magpies -sensational, unexpected, thrilling! But no chance of a photo, so bird book must suffice.

Heading onto L’Aude through Moussoulens flood gates

Out on L’Aude, past the weir

Canal de Jonction turning!

Into Canal de Jonction

The crossing of the Aude, past the weir, upstream, and a sharp right turn into the Canal de Jonction had the usual frisson and gentle tension of the unusual, with all going well. We are now truly ‘up the Junction’.

Coming into Gailhousty

Gailhousty steps

The Gailhousty drydock

More steps

Then Gailhousty lock, with its dry dock to the side of the mostly unused lower lock, and it’s maddeningly scenic steps, plants, angles.

Coming into Salleles lock

Its quite a bog lock!

Big enough for this working barge

We moored up in Sallèles-d”Aude for a couple of days, allowing time for a restock at the 7 Écluses wine cave, rekindling of friendships on Papyrus and Escapade, and a bird watching walk back down to the river.

The lock at Sallèles is quite deep – deeper than it says in the navigation book – and deep enough to have, and need, poles down the side of the lock walls for batteliers to slide their ropes up and down.

swallow

rested lark

nightingale

Once more we did not manage to photograph anything exciting, but I will share with you my shadowy images of crested lark, swallow and nightingale!

Captain Stu was able to take in the full extent of L’Aude weir from the firm footing of a salmon jump grid!

On the second evening it began to rain, and rain, and pour with rain. This did not dim the night-time lighting of our neighbours boat!

By next morning the skies had cleared and we steamed off for our final 4 kms of the Jonction. It is a very straight stretch, pleasant, and with 5 self-operated locks – all very similar except the last one, Cesse, which has there only operations bourne of its kind I have seen!

Our final excitement was seeing a HUGE barge reversing through the little bridge we were aiming for, where Midi and Jonction meet. Luckily he was a skilful skipper with a boat load of school kids, and manoeuvred in to moor on the bank and let us past.

Under the bridge at Cesse lock

The Midi, left and right

Then good-bye Jonction – we have reached the junction with the Midi, and a wide sweeping turn to starboard took us on our way.

Of course I should be ending this chapter now, with the end of the Jonction, but to finish the week off I will just let you know that we had a hectic half hour wiggling round two bends that included a narrow bridge, a narrow aqueduct, lots of moored boats, two big barges coming towards us, and two relatively idiotic holiday boats in front of us. Captain Calm negotiated all.

The bridge, from Calliope wheelhouse

Calliope, from the bridge

The view astern

We moored up 3 kilometres further on, at La Somail, and settled down to finish our week in a delightful mooring just below the famous bridge.

The weather moved from sun to storm and back again over the next few hours, the bridge transformed against the skies.

Another wonderful week, and plenty more to come.

Canal de Robine – the start of the return

Saturday in Port-la Nouvelle was like Friday but better, and interesting!

We even had steak haché and frites cooked for us by the crew!

Our mooring seemed to have gate-crashed a pompier (fire and rescue service) training weekend and we enjoyed watching about 25 young people climbing in and out of wet suits, running by and swimming in the canal, kilometres at a time, jumping off bridges etc.

Typical road

Passerelle over entrance to étang

Fisherman’s shack on edge of étang

The commercial port

Typical road

Passerelle over entrance to étang

The commercial port

Looking down at our mooring

Looking out over the étang

What with that and food shopping we passed an entertaing morning, and after lunch, with the sun blazing in the blue sky, we went for a walk round town before heading for the beach.

The Med felt cold, but we persevered and conditioned ourselves enough for a mini-dip. Somehow feeling cold on the outside demanded feeling cold on the inside, so we repaired to an ice cream parlour, where the cream comes from cows on a farm at the foot of the Pyrenees. A framboise sorbet v vanilla ice cream war began.

Back on board Stu and I sat back to watch the gathering clouds while our supper was cooked, expecting a downpour, but none came. All credit to Keeva for the photo.

S and L take in the view

Fisherman’s shack on edge of étang

Just a nice green boat

Sunday morning was another opportunity for Captain and First Mate to view more of Port-la-Nouvelle and it’s étangs from the various bridge vantage points.

Another sunny beach afternoon was planned but a trio of French strikes, starting with air-traffic control, conspired against us. On the way to the beach Keeva received a text to say their flight home on Tuesday was cancelled and another flight must be booked. Thence began a frustrating couple of hours for the wee bairn trying to get through to Ryanair. Eventually a flight could be booked for Wednesday – but the rail strike of that day meant that they could not get to the airport! So Monday was booked, the very next day, cutting the holiday short. 😢

So let’s make the final day as French as poss, starting with a breakfast trip to the boulangerie.

Next a walk to ‘la gare’ and a trip to Carcassonne via Narbonne.

I managed to organise a two hour gap at Carcassonne- long enough for a good ‘menu du jour’ lunch in the square before waving them off on the airport shuttle bus.

Swinging round in the fishing port

Round we go

Back into the canal, heading north

That left Stu and I to make the trip back up the Robine alone. We made way next morning, passing first into the fishing port in order to turn round, and then back into the canal.

We did not get far. After a kilometre, just as we reached the first lock and Stu was moving into the bank to put me ashore, the VNF van with a frantic lock keeper rushed up. With much waving of arms, shouting of “non, fermé, graves” we picked up that the lock was shut for a grave reason. We provided sellotape for his hand written sign to be affixed to the lock operations box, and settled down to an enforced 24 hour stop at Isle St Lucie, along with its ravenous mosquitoes!

Now those of you who can count will know that we have only met a duo of French strikes so far, and later that day the meaning of ‘graves’, or as it turned out, ‘gréves’, became apparent. It means strike – a lock keepers strike!

But it gave Stu and I the opportunity for a good long walk out amongst the old salt pans to the ruined buildings (one an old gun emplacement) where the étang meets the Med. And another paddling opportunity for me!

3D269729-B5C0-43AD-ACB7-1FBEC66C8FE6 — Ready and waiting for Isle St Lucie lock to open

A night behind nets kept us safe from bites and at 9am next morning we were ready for Philipe, our new friend the éclusier, to arrive and switch on the lock mechanism. For a while it seemed that the fates were against us, when the lock filling stopped part way through – but a few hefty well placed jumps on the lock gates got things in motion.

Morning on the Robine

Between the étangs

Hidden purple heron

Visible purple grasses

The cruise up was as beautiful as the cruise down. There can be few stretches of canal as stunning as this on a blue sky day.

We were in a bit of a rush to get to Narbonne by midday, where we had set up a lunch date with friends. We kind of made it, to the outskirts, by midday, but it was closer to 1230 by the time we found Stu’s chosen mooring by the theatre. Our friends were undeterred, and a really good lunch ensued at the old mill restaurant by the Gua écluse. This was followed by Calliope coffee time.

Market Day at Quai Victor Hugo

Basil leads the way

Narbonne lock

The bridges of Narbonne

After one night tied up outside the theatre, Captain’s expected mooring of choice for a few days, he decided it was a bit more lively than required so we drew in our lines, moved through the centre of a busy market-day Narbonne, up the bright flowery lock, under some interesting bridges, and around to moor above Gua.

Ah, peace and relative tranquility!

Next day was Friday – 5 weeks of the season beneath our life-belts already! Also the day I fell ill for a few days, then flew to Greece for a week to go to a wedding’ leaving Captain Stu crewless for 7 days …….. blog to continue on my (healthy) return.

Canal de la Robine – to the end!

aka Embranchment de la Nouvelle

May 11 – 18 2018

A week of city-scape, landscape, sea scape and port, as we moved the 35 kilometres from the junction with the Midi, through Sallèles-d’Aude and Narbonne, to Port de la Nouvelle, picking up two visitors and lots of mosquito bites along the way.

Looking back, it had been very very windy for over two weeks – force 7 to 8 most days. The locals say they’ve never known anything like it. Exhilarating, but not much fun for persuading large barges into small oval locks, although with super Stu at the helm all has been accomplished without mishap.

So we began with a strenuous voyage (ha ha) of 3 kilometres, filling and emptying the 5 locks as we went, all under blue skies.

We moored up under palm trees in Sallèles-d’Aude with the front wheelhouse window down, and feeling all set for summer!

From 1730 onwards we noticed something strange going on in the building next to our mooring. Cars drew up, people walked up, disappeared into the basement …… and reappeared with strange plastic containers full of red liquid – even children and dogs!

Aah, good, we have unknowingly moored next to a wine cave! We are now the proud owners of a rosé and a rouge BIB (bag in box) – 5L for €10 and tastes very good, plus my latest aperitif – Andréa”

We awoke in Sallèles-d’Aude on Saturday May 12th – ME Awareness Day and all of the Millions Missing events around the world. Our daughter Hollie is one of the millions missing due to ME, so we played our small part by placing shoes with a message outside our boat for the day.

There was time to take a few photos of the interesting passerelle (footbridge) and the local muscovy ducks, and to visit our neighbours who are bravely doing up a huge old barge, with no previous experience of boats, carpentry or engineering!

We went to sleep with rain clouds collecting until we had an absolute downpour overnight.

Next day dawned a bit better and we set off for a more exciting trip than anticipated. After the heavy rain (7” collected in our bucket!) we set off into the lock at the bottom of the port with our friends Ian and Jill who had arrived on their boat Jazz the previous afternoon, and descended over 4m.

The gates opened, out went Ian and Gill – and as we set off to to follow the huge gates started to close on us. Hard astern saved us from getting severely pincered, and several blasts on hooter eventually raised the red faced éclusier who re-opened the gates for us.

Then in the beautiful Gailhousty lock, with its cleverly designed dry dock, Stewart’s rope got caught on the bollard; eventually he had to undo it aboard and throw it up onto the side, where, luckily, another boater waiting to come up noticed and threw it back on board.

After Gailhousty you are out on l’Aude river, with this fun little crossing to do.

After joining the swollen rushing Aude for a few hundred yards we followed Jazz towards the calm safety of the canal on the other side we were somewhat distressed to see the huge canal flood doors closed against us!

Another éclusier asleep on the job suddenly jumped into action as we bore down (in full reverse) on Ian performing heroic acts of helmsmanship to maintain his position as the gates slowly opened.

Such excitement almost made us stop outside of Narbonne for a beak, but after lunch at Gua, on the outskirts of the city, we felt emboldened and carried on through the lower and lower bridges to the centre.

Merchants Bridge, the last one after the Narbonne lock, is certainly one of the lowest Calliope has encountered, ‘mais pas de promblème’! I’m getting the hang of this language at last.

We found a pleasant mooring just behind Jazz and settled down for a few days.

Next day we collected the hire car and then collected Keeva and Will from Carcassonne airport. Out to an interesting pizza place for supper!

Yes, windy!

Keeva as Vitruvian Woman

The abbey

Powder store gardens

Next day we four had fun on a gale force day in Narbonne. It is an interesting, and in parts lovely, city – the indoor market, right on the canal side, has far too many delicious and tempting food stuffs.

And by night, time to learn some new card games, this one’s polite name being ‘Poo Face”

Leaving Narbonne

Moored at Mandirac

On Wednesday we left Narbonne in better weather than we found it and took the barge 8 kms down to Mandirac lock – an out on the middle of nowhere kind of mooring – great contrast to Narbonne.

High jinx at Mandirac

exploring

last barque de patron

The young ones and I went for an exploratory walk, hoping to find our first étang, but it had been drained for agriculture! However we did find the last surviving barque de patron which is being done up near Mandirac.

Talking of old boats, right next to us was Pytheas – Greek geographer and explorer, no more …..

Thursday, and moving on southwards again. The accoutrements of summer surround me at last as the wind drops; early sun on the water, holiday makers on the fore deck, herb garden, geraniums and a parasol waiting to go up!

As the land strip for the canal narrows between Étang de l’Ayrolles and Étang de Bages the trip takes on a surreal feel, moving on water between waters.

Beng a Nature Girl I’d been looking forward to Isle St Lucie – a small island nature reserve surrounded by the canal and a big étang or lagoon. One of its ‘attractions’ is being left entirely natural – including the marauding mosquitos, and although we were warned about them and had sprayed ourselves to excess, we turned out to be easy prey. Keeva managed 52 bites, Will about 24 and another few dozen between Stu and I!!

Stu leads the way

Keeva and Will take in the view

Keeva finds a photographic grasshopper

The flamingo hunt

Pretty flamingo!

There they are

Stu takes a rest

flower of the isle

This did not deter us from a flamingo hunt on the isle, including going where no man should! Strange but true, the only flamingoes we found were white!

Cairn

Sluice

Gateway to nowhere

Driftwood tepee

We found the Med

That evening, and next morning, various of our party walked the mile across the étang dykes to reach the sea, with many stunning shapes and colours along the way.

Calliope at rest

Morning heron

Towards the etang

Next morning was just so beautiful I almost forgave the mosquitoes!

We had just 3 kilometres and one lock to our final destination, so that won’t take long will it? Into the lock, start our descent of 0.8m. Hardly a troublesome distance, until the lock mechanism jams in some way and we are stuck! A phone call to the éclusiers soon has us fixed and on our way ……

….. down a rather reedy stretch!

Nonetheless we cruised gently on to Port-la-Nouvelle, trying out a couple of moorings (one had us aground) before settling just before the bridge at the end of the canal.

It may not be the most scenic of our moorings, but is generally quiet (especially at the weekend), very handy to the town and beach, and we quite like it!

It also has better reception for video phone calls home than when we are out in the wilds of nature!

More about Port-la-Nouvelle next week, including combatting the mosquitoes!

Semaine Trois

Will we, won’t we, windy, windy, windy.

Deciding when to leave Marseillette is a wind blown decision – waiting for the gusts and gales to diminish so that our progress on down the canal is more enjoyable.

Eventually on Friday, mid morning, the leaves are rustling less and the Red Ensign drops below 90 degrees, so we cast off, although I still needed to travel with plaits so that I could see the way ahead!

We have half an eye on what other boaters are on the move in the hope of having locks to ourselves – not because we are greedy – just makes it easier and quicker. So having glided into the first lock and hearing the gates close behind us we are a little surprised when they reopen – and another boat appears around the bend to join us.

It turned out to be a group of 6 Australians on holiday – lovely people and good at handling their boat, so all proceeded pleasantly through the next few locks, in company with them.

But we did meet less able boaters, including coming upon a luckless family with papa aboard, mama and children in the bank, and the boat across the canal! All was sorted eventually.

We reached the inevitable 12 o’clock-lunch-lock-down at l’Aiguille and enjoyed a blue-sky break before continuing on towards La Redorte – long stretches where ‘the plane trees were gone but the roots linger on.,

Our luck was in – the best mooring in town, for us, was empty and we were soon tied up ready to enjoy a sunny sheltered few days.

La Redorte is a nicer village than expected – lots of narrow curvy streets up a hill, a chateau, a church, a good boulanegrie and boucherie ……..

… and a bar on the quay!

Calliope through La Redorte bridge

Poppy trio

A glimpse of morning sun

We stayed 3 night at La Redorte, allowing me time for an early sun photo once the weather improved.

Eventually we set out for the wonderfully named Homps, which I now know was a major trade crossroads for tin and wine, dating back to Roman times, and also having a strong connection in the 12th century to the Knight Templars (later of Malta).

Our route took us past the stunning stonework of the Argentdouble épanchoir, where water can overflow from the canal into the river below when necessary. Then we went over the Argentdouble aqueduct, before passing a buoyancy defying concrete boat. (The Captain has explained the physics of it – so I kind of understand!)

Judicious messaging ahead to friends on ‘Tell Us Tomorrow’ let us know that there was a mooring on the quay in Homps if we were quick! We settled in gently, put the washing out to dry in the continuing wind and went for a walk round the village.

Given my love of Malta I very much enjoyed the centuries long links that Homps has to the island. the Knights Templar’s 12th century stronghold has all but disappeared now, but a few craggy remains are resplendent with the Knights Cross, which it seems to me has transmogrified into the Cathar’s cross.

We were spooked, then amused, by crackly broken music emerging from the village loudspeaker system. This turned out to be the prelude to something more sombre and serious – the village’s commemoration of VE Day – Victory in Europe Day, when La France, so long an occupied nation, was at last freed.

Quite a few villagers turned out to march along the quay behind flag-bearing veterans, then to the church to give thanks.

a picolo picket of rose

Bon appetit

That evening we went out for a beer with ‘Tell Us Tomorrow’. This slid imperceptibly (almost) into a decision to dine together at the restaurant no more than 10 yards from Calliope. Delightful, ending up with more wine and a chocolate course on board! Chin chin!

Ecluse d’Ognon

Aqueduc d’Ognon

Ecluse de gard d’Ognon

The next day was still windy – really windy* – but we cracked on down towards our planned destination of Narbonne. The Ognon trio is interesting – a double lock into a right hand bend over an aqueduct and immediately through and under a very narrow ‘écluse de garde’ – or means of closing off the canal in times of flood or emergency. *40/50 mph they reckoned on t’web, and they weren’t exaggerating . . .

We waited for the lock in the company of a journeying snail, reminding us that some creatures travel even slower than us, every day. Hmm, lunch for some over here . .

Rounding a more comfortable bend we saw a wild mooring that seemed just accessible – Bassanel. Good – time for lunch.

Captain and crew decided that a walk ashore was required and we set off up through woods (nice flowers) and down again, back to a tightrope walk entry to the barge!

After a quiet night in the wilds we awoke to a seemingly calmer brighter day. A patch of poppies on the other bank suggested that all was good in the natural world and a sure sign that we should journey on.

With the sun before us and the rocky hill of yesterday’s walk behind us we felt on top of a blowy world.

Pechlaurier double lock

We found ourselves accompanied by creatures once more at the next lock, herded through the double by an enthusiastic collie who was bent on ensuring we could not dodge to either side and get away! He saw us off downstream very efficiently.

Argens-Minervois

Ventenac chateau and wine barge

On past Argens-Minervois with its chateau on a hill, Roubia, and then a pit stop at Paraza for bread before going towards Ventenac.

The lock at Argens is the last one for over 58kms. Just as well because our kindness in allowing two holiday boats to go down in the lock before us led to over an hour waiting. The éclusier hoped to fill the ascending lock with three boats, but one that she had spotted distant over the plain failed to materialise. In reality we are so lucky to be retired, with all the time in the world to enjoy where we are while we are there; holidaymakers are always in such a rush . . . .

Going into Pont-canal de Repudre

Coming out of it

Just past Paraza is the first ‘pong-canal’ built in France in 1676. It was built by the famous creator of the Canal du Midi, Paul Riquet, who stayed at the chateau on Paraza during the construction. Its hard to get a good photo as you go over it on a hairpin bend.

Finally, 17 kms on, we got to La Somail hoping for a mooring. Our hopes were dashed as the entire port and quay were jam packed with boats and we realised it was lunch time on a sunny French public holiday. On we went.

I had decided not to take many photos that day, but this section of our trip includes a real mix of ancient bridges, so they had to be snapped up – sorry!

So at about 1.30pm, after a long day for us of four and a half hours travelling (old retirees that we are), we arrived at Port la Robine where the canal to Narbonne leads off from the Canal du Midi.

And we were so lucky – the little mooring area before the first lock was full, so we tied up in the wide mouth of the junction and found ourselves in the perfect spot – for the next fifteen and a half hours.

We had our own little patch of flowers and a bar across the bridge – a heavenly sunny evening.

Fifteen and a half hours later, at 4am, the tranquility was broken as the factory across the canal started up its machinery after the holiday! But a rude awakening led to a lovely morning view from the wheelhouse.

We climbed the bridge to look at our voyage for the day, down the Canal de Robine towards Narbonne – another week was about to begin.

21 kms, Carcassonne to Marseillette

April 27 – May 4

After three nights in the middle of town we were straining at the tow ropes to be out in the country again. After a rapid excursion into town for bread and tomatoes we left Carcassonne, on a grey but warm day, heading for a rural mooring outside Trèbes.

At the first lock, St-Jean, we caught up with a large holiday boat that was having problems mooring up to wait it’s turn descending, so we slowed down, backed up, and hovered.

Rusting and resting

Approaching Fresquel double lock

Pont-Canal du Fresquel

It was a pleasant place to be stuck, and for the rest of the morning, through the three Fresquel locks and on towards l’Évëque we proceeded slowly, enjoying the scenery.

Passing ships

Looking down the Fresquel 3

We had a ‘first’ between the Fresquel ‘simple et double’ locks, passing an ascending boat in the holding pound in between.

The l’Évëque écluse has interestingly large shoulders! Stu says it’s because the lock has been lengthened and that was the original place for the gates. Expect he’s right!

We arrived at Villedubert at noon, so ‘moored by the Aude’ for lunch.

The Aude at Villedubert lock

High flying heron

Unfortunately although l’Aude is just a few yards away it is difficult to see – just a glimpse! Also glimpsed a heron atop some conifers, ‘tho’ a bit distant for clarity.

But there were lovely irises to photograph. And a tiny frog climbing up the lock wall.

DFB16AC2-24CA-47CC-8516-B746CF81C98F — Our mooring, PK116

We carried on another two kilometres to our planned mooring, only to find friends on Jazz had got there first! However around the bend were a row of sturdy mooring posts near a bridge. We tied up, waiting for the shade of the newly planted plane trees, and got ready for a very blowy night.

That evening we ventured the kilometre into town, becoming overawed over the Aude, for a couple of beers and a pizza – only we didn’t find the pizza! So supper aboard.

Next day was forecast heavy rain so I took a quick and pleasant walk into town for bread before the wetness set in! A lovely Spring morning walk.

Later the rain, and wind, arrived, but cleared for my afternoon tea break, and for sunset.

Stores were running low, so an excursion to the supermarket was planned, with bikes, panders, basket and rucksacks!

On our return we had visitors. Can corn buntings and ducks sense new food supplies?

Our flexible plan had been to leave next day, but we discovered that next day was May 1st, and whilst French éclusiers would not be dancing round maypoles, they do expect a day off, so no lock operations.

Lovely; we could settle down to another pleasant 24 hours at PK116, beginning with a falling sun illuminating our bridge.

Its such a lovely bridge that I’m including more photos!

Going out to listen to birdsong, and trying to see an elusive nightingale, I came upon a riot of wild flowers, including, maybe, a marsh orchid.

Next day being a public holiday, next best thing to a Sunday, a full English seemed to be in order – with Spam, not bacon!

To work it off, after a decent spell comatose, we walked into Trèbes through the grapevine fields, with the church tower our landmark in the distance.

And then for our last evening at PK116 we enjoyed a Stewart style tapas supper with accompanying sunset.

Then next day, Wednesday (I lose track and have to check on the calendar!) we carried on eastwards on the Midi, firstly over the aqueduct and into Trebes.

As we approached the lock we saw Jazz moored up waiting to go down the treble and went in behind her – or tried to, but a gust of wind caught the wheelhouse, pushing Calliope lengthways across the canal! No time for photos as the Captain reassesses the manoeuvre, aligns us in a hovering position on the other bank, and we await our calm entry into the lock.

We went down the three locks in tandem with Jazz, a refined gentle experience!

Then on down stream through a pretty portion of the Midi, with Spring greenery and flowers all around us.

We arrived at Marseillette at lunch time, moored up behind Jazz, and stayed three nights!

This was less to do with the delights of the village, although it is ok with its tower and art deco bridge rails, and more to do with the gale force westerly winds that blew and blew and blew.

Each day I found us a delicacy at the boulangeries (here a salmon and spinach crocque, whilst Stewart had a more traditional crocque madame) …….

….. and each day we walked round a different aspect of Marseillette, culminating in the final day with a look at our first lock for the morrow.

Week 3 begins in the morning ……