15th June – 22nd June 2018 Our trip from Marseillette to PK116 outside Trébes was gentle and meandering, passing by Millegrand and Millepetit on the way. 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 engravedContinue reading “Trebes tranquility to Castel musique”
Tag Archives: Piper barge
Back on the Midi with Stu
8th – 14th June 2018 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 restaurantsContinue reading “Back on the Midi with Stu”
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! So let’s put that right. Narbonne is key. A mixture of Romans digging a channel to connect Narbonne to theContinue reading “Up the Jonction”
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, runningContinue reading “Canal de Robine – the start of the return”
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,Continue reading “Semaine Trois”
And then we had visitors!
During the summer Calliope enjoyed becoming a hotel boat! From mid June to mid August we had friends and family aboard for 30 days out of 60 days, and felt quite dazed as a consequence! It was lovely; our plan when buying the boat was that it would be a pleasant place for people toContinue reading “And then we had visitors!”
Short Stretches – Montech, Montauban and our first 10kms of le Tarn.
It was so great to have some of the family with us for the 9 locks, 1 overnight stop, and 10 kilometres of l’embranchement (canal) de Montech. It also gave us the chance to drop down onto the Tarn and experience some river boating – in all weathers as you will discover. On the returnContinue reading “Short Stretches – Montech, Montauban and our first 10kms of le Tarn.”
Our grande finale on Canal de Garonne
Text in italics is from Captain Stu – I take no responsibility! After a great weekend in Agen we left on a grey day, heading for the viaduct. At the bridge we saw two spots of red – one each side. On the right was the expected red lock light; on the left was the red of aContinue reading “Our grande finale on Canal de Garonne”
Heading l’Oeust from Moissac to Agen – Canal de Garonne part 3
Leaving Moissac, and the operator of the swing bridge spies us out of her little green window, sopping the traffic for Calliope to glide through. First three kilometres alongside le Tarn, then a huge widening of the river waters as le Tarn joins la Garonne. The Garonne continues next to the canal for another five kilometres,Continue reading “Heading l’Oeust from Moissac to Agen – Canal de Garonne part 3”
Stowaways – Canal de Garonne part 2
When I got back to Grisolles from my weekend in the UK I was in the company of our friend Hilary – first guest of 2017. What I had not realised is that there were two additional ‘passengers’, who emerged to take the sun on day two! They were welcome to join us on the twoContinue reading “Stowaways – Canal de Garonne part 2”
goodshipcalliope 