On to Castelnaudary and Toulouse.
Tuesday 15 May. Under way from Villesequelande at 10:15. Weather showery at first then cleared. Moored for lunch just past the lock at Bram at 12:30. Moored for night near St-Martin-Lalande at 16:40. 21 km covered plus 7 single locks. One of these locks had the strange name of La Criminelle. The agriculture is now 100% wheatfields, not large by USA or Australian standards but quite impressive.
Location for St-Martin-Lalande. N43º18.755’ E001º57.465’ Altitude 172 metres.
Wednesday 16 May. Morning raining with heavy overcast. Under way 10:00 and moored at Castelnaudary at 12:20. Only 6 km run but 6 locks, including 3 singles, a triple, and a staircase of 4 locks leading to the large basin at Castelnaudary. We enquired at the Crown Blue Line base before we found the good mooring past the first bridge on the north side. We were at last able to find an Internet Café where we could upload blog postings covering the trip as far as Narbonne. Castelnaudary seemed like a nice town and we all had cassoulet for dinner as it terms itself the “Cassoulet capitale”.
Location for Castelnaudary. N43º18.755’ E001º57.465’ Altitude 172 metres.
Thursday 17 May. Ascension day so virtually no shopping in Castelnaudary. (Third fete day in less than 3 weeks!) Topped up water and under way at 10:30. Weather drizzle with moderate westerly wind. Traveled 11 km with 5 locks, including a double and a triple staircases. Berthed at La Segala at 14:45 for the night. Small village which had been a canal port for the large brickworks nearby. After dinner on board we invaded the local bar and chatted up the locals as well as the Brits off another canal boat. Interesting evening.
Location for La Segala. N43º20.467’ E001º50.129’ Altitude 193 meters.
Note. Since La Segala is the same level as the highest point of the canal at Naurouze, the altitude should be 190 meters.
Friday 18 May. Terry had to ride 2 km to nearby village of La Bastide d’Anjou for the bread. Under way 10:30. Stopped at Naurouze to view the water works constructed by Pierre Paul Riquet to feed water from the Black Mountain to the Canal du Midi. Weather cool and misty rain. We had a lunch stop at 12:30 and moored at Gardouch for the night at 15.13. Weather cleared during the afternoon with a few patches of sun. 15 km run with 4 locks including a double. The locks are now descending which tends to be quicker than going up.
Location for Gardouch. N43º23.476’ E001º41.521’ Altitude 193 meters.
Saturday 19 May. Under way at 9:30. Weather calm, overcast but warming up. Moored for lunch at Montgiscard. Indicated altitude now 160 metres. Under way again 14:00 with weather deteriorating to steady rain. We were keen to locate a supermarket as we had been unable stock up at Castelnaudary due to Ascension day. However the market and nearby mooring which had been described to us in some detail was not to be found and likewise the mooring spot with full facilities at Castanet, which looked like it was only a toilet block for cyclists. So we pressed on in the rain to Port Sud at Ramonville-St-Agne on the outskirts of Toulouse. This is a marina and housing development a little like Gulf Harbour in Auckland. We reported into the Capitainerie, a lady in a raised control tower, and were allocated a visitor’s berth with power, water etc. While everything was wet Denis took the opportunity of giving Winifred an external scrub down.
As we had to dine out we asked the Capitaine of the port to find and book a restaurant (with some difficuloty, being Saturday night) and taxi. We got dressed up and were duly delivered to the vast dining room of a local hotel where there was only one other table occupied. Then commenced what can only be described as a “Fawlty Towers” experience. Terry and Ann ordered main courses only, which were promptly delivered to the table while Denis and Judy waited for their entrée which arrived about 15 minutes later. There was then a further wait before Denis and Judy’s mains arrived, even though Judy had ordered the same main as Ann. No Michelin stars for this outfit!
The same taxi arrived to take us back to the boat, which was lucky because we had left an umbrella in the back seat!
Location for Port Sud. N43º32.489’ E001º29.418’ Altitude 159 meters.
Sunday 20 May. The morning was clear and calm at first but a fresh breeze and cloud built from the SE. Under way at 10:15 as we were expected at Toulouse before 12:00. The canal passed through the suburbs of Toulouse with many people out jogging and cycling along the tow path. There was also an almost continuous row of barges and house boats along the eastern bank making navigation difficult. The most exciting moment was when we rounded a bend into a narrow aqueduct to find a large excursion barge halfway across and we had to make a quick reverse dive for the starboard bank. (“Winifred” doesn’t like doing anything quickly or in straight lines! and Judy says she likes ti ‘go for a swim’ every so often!)
We eventually arrived at Port St Sauveur and moored temporarily on the eastern wall of the basin while Judy and Ann found the Capitainerie and we moved to a marina berth with full facilities where we planned to spend the next 3-5 days.
Location for Toulouse. Port St Sauveur. N43º35.754’ E001º27.369’ Altitude 159 meters.