Decize and the Canal Lateral de Loire to Nevers.
The afternoon of our arrival in Decize, Judy and Ann took a taxi to the laundry which was on the other side of the Loire. Denis prepared the blog update ready for posting and sorted a lot of photo files. We had a BBQ dinner then Judy and Denis had a walk around town. (Since this is almost the longest day it is light till late.) As we returned to the boat a large cumulus cloud which had been developing started to turn on an amazing lightning display which kept us entertained for an hour or so. The interesting thing was that there was no rain or sound of thunder at all! (We read the next day that a violent storm had struck the town of Nevers destroying a house.)
Tuesday morning was market day in Decize and the market was right next to the boat mooring. Under the avenue of old (1770s) plane trees there were perhaps 100 stalls selling clothing, household goods and food. We did not think the quality and prices of the goods were all that great, although Terry brought a Panama hat for the sunny days ahead (we hope). Judy and Denis walked around town and crossed the Loire Bridge to see the locks which we would take to enter the Canal Lateral la Loire. The Loire was flowing strongly and there was an eddy at the entrance to the lock which was causing problems for the boats entering. We hoped that conditions would be better for our passage the next day. We then found the only public Internet facility in Decize, which turned out to be part of a school, and checked our email and updated the blog. The weather was fine and rather hot for walking about and we had to stop for a refreshing drink or two. We then met Ann and Terry at the supermarket for shopping and carried the supplies back to the boat. We ate out at a Vietnamese restaurant near the moorings in the evening. Another thunder storm was threatening, lots of thunder but little lightning visible and virtually no rain. We sat on the veranda and enjoyed an excellent selection of delicacies, however what was ordered as chicken and cashew nuts was delivered as curried frog’s legs, and when we declined to pay for them Judy had to exercise her strongest French to resolve the problem.
Wednesday 20 June. We watered up and got under way at 9:00. Motored slowly down the Vieille Loire wondering what the river had in store for us. As we turned to port into the river a number of fisherman had to quickly pull their lines in as we had to keep close to the bank out of the current. As it turned out, the conditions seemed somewhat less turbulent than the previous day. We had to hover in the current while another boat came out of the lock, then pulled the rope hanging from an arm over the river before entering the lock without any drama. We emerged into the large basin which is used by Crown Blue Line for its base, then out through the next lock and into the Canal Lateral de la Loire at 10:15. This canal proved to be deeper and wider than the Nivernais so Madame Ashley was somewhat less temperamental and we cruised comfortably under cloudy skies with a light westerly wind and moderate temperatures. The countryside was gently rolling farm land with herds of white Charolais beef cattle and the odd milking herd. We stopped at Fleury-sur-Loire for lunch at 12:30. Took a walk into the village to see the 12th century church (closed for visitors) and the Cyber-Bar-Brasserie.
Under way again at 14:00 and moored for the night at Chevenon, just down stream of the bridge. There is a small village here with a notable Chateau nearby, but in spite of the prominent signs, it remained invisible behind a thick screen of trees and “No Entry” signs; so much for tourism. Excellent BBQ pork chops with all the trimmings for dinner on the after deck. Several other boats moored nearby for the night.
Location for Chevenon. N46º55.553’ E003º14.060’ Altitude 182 metres.
Thursday 21 June. Heavy rain showers in the morning, clearing during breakfast. Under way at 9:00, wind light westerly and cool. Reached branch canal to Nevers at 10:00 but had to wait till 10:30 for lock (Number 20, Verville) to clear. After one more lock, entered 2km canal to the basin at Nevers where we had our pick of berths at the excellently set up new marina. We walked into town, finding our way past the new swimming pool complex which has been built on the site of the lock which used to connect the canal basin to the Loire, then over the bridge with the river flowing swiftly underneath. We lunched at a good café on the town side of the bridge and set out to explore. As usual, the town was dominated by its cathedral, in this case St Cyr. This had passed through many reconstructions since its foundations in medieval times, the most recent after it was accidentally bombed by the RAF in 1944. This destroyed the roof and the windows and uncovered the remains of a font from a very early church. The restoration work is still going on, but the most striking aspect was that the new stained glass windows are the work of a number of modern artists and the place was suffused with richly colored light which gave it a warmth in contrast to the dark and cold interiors of most medieval churches.
Back at the boat we had dinner on board and were able to hear the music from a nearby café as it was “Fete de la Musique” day in France when there is live action at many of the town’s venues.
Location for Nevers. N46º58.733’ E003º10.037’ Altitude 177 metres.

Vermenton and the Canal de Nivernais.
On Saturday 9 June we walked around Auxerre in the morning. It was a very lively scene with a jazz orchestra playing in one square and a marching band in another. All kinds of art and handicrafts were on sale at street stalls as well as in the shops. About midday we four all returned to Francois’ house where we crammed into his Subaru Impressa and headed out to Vermenton. We delivered all the bags and gear to our next boat, the ‘Madame Ashley’, which is almost identical to ‘Winifred’, then said farewell to Francois and started unpacking. At 15:00 the local supermarket opened and within an hour all its stock had been transferred to the Madame Ashley! After putting all that away, and a checkout with Chris from France Fluviale (France Afloat), we finally got under way at 17:45. After 1 lock and about 1 km we moored for the night at Accolay, a small village with power and water on the quay. There was a highly recommended restaurant in the area but we fired up the BBQ and had a very nice dinner of pork chops and all the trimmings. Weather warm, sunny and calm all day.

Location for Vermenton. N47º39.750’ E003º43.632’ Altitude 118 metres.
Location for Accolay. N47º39.717’ E003º42.613’ Altitude 120 metres.
Note. We had actually dropped 2.2metres from Vermenton to Accolay!

Sunday 10 June 2007. Up making coffee at 7:30. Topped up the water and under way at 9:00. Weather warm, sunny and calm. After the first lock we turned south into the Yonne river to start the Canal du Nivernais. After 5 more locks and 10 km of very picturesque river and canal scenery we stopped for lunch at Mailly-la- Ville. With 2 umbrellas shading the table on the after deck it was very pleasant. As soon as the locks started after 13:00 we got under way and continued south past the limestone cliffs of Rochers du Saussois where rock climbers were doing their thing, mooring up for the night at Chatel-Censoir. Total distance for the day 24 km and 12 locks. The canal merged frequently with the beautiful river Yonne with water lilies, swans and even naked bathers! Late in the afternoon thunder clouds built up over the hills bringing a rain shower just as we moored, then again just as we completed our BBQ cooking. The rain cleared the air and left a beautiful calm and quite evening.

Location for Chatel Censoir. N47º31.930’ E003º37.807’ Altitude 139 metres.

Monday 11 June. Morning overcast but calm and not cold. Coffee at 7:00. Terry fetched bread and Judy phoned home. Under way at 9:00 and completed 9km and 5 locks, the last few in heavy rain, mooring at Coulange-sur-Yonne at 11:30 where we retired below to dry out and have lunch. The rain eased and we were under way again at 13:10 for a smooth run to Clamecy. After a further 8.5km and 5 locks we passed under the famous statue of the Flotteur on the bridge and turned hard right to a safe mooring in the small town basin at 15:00. Clamecy was the centre for the trade supplying firewood to Paris by floating rafts of logs down the Yonne to the Seine which persisted until the 1920s. This dangerous work was carried out by the Flotteurs. We located a laundry to do our washing and had a BBQ meal on deck at the end of an eventful day.

Location for Clamecy. N47º27.467’ E003º31.334’ Altitude 168 metres.

Tuesday 12 June. Morning overcast but calm and warm. We watered up and paid €6 for mooring, water and power. Under way at 9:00, beautiful cruising in company with “Modestine” (English couple), covering 14km and 7 locks in 3.5 hours. Stopped for lunch at Asnois at 12:30 while Modestine went on. Under way again at 14:30, weather getting hot! Caught up with Modestine again at Cuzy waiting for and engineer to repair his bow-thruster, what a wimp! Very nice countryside with herds of white Nivernais cattle with calves lying in the long grass. We also saw many delta-jet aircraft, probably French Mirages, flying around at low altitude. Stopped for the night at Monceaux-le-Comte at 16:30. Good mooring with water, but next to large yard with stacks of logs being kept wet with irrigation sprays. There was also a saw-mill a little further down the canal processing oak and elm. A sign said that the water spray prevented damage to the timber by insects and I wondered if this was Dutch elm disease. We checked the nearby village, found the restaurant “Auberge du Centre” and made a reservation. The rest of the village seemed to be dying. On returning to the Madame Ashley we found a young French couple from Paris with a charming 3 year old daughter had moored nearby. We later adjourned to the Auberge du Centre for an excellent meal. The restaurant was very busy and the clients included the Parisians (he in shorts and singlet!). They said later that they would not have expected such a good restaurant this side of Lyon.

Location for Monceaux-le-Compte. N47º19.693’ E003º39.298’ Altitude 183 metres.

Wednesday 13 June. Morning foggy and calm. Under way 9:00. Fog cleared to sunny hot weather. Stopped for lunch at Chitry-les-Mines, a good mooring with a chandlery and café catering to the tour bus trade. After lunch we expected to stop at the Burgundy Cruisers (France Fluvial) base at Marigny-sur-Yonne to report a couple of minor issues with Madame Ashley, but Steve the local rep said he was on his days off and could not do anything for 2 days, a bit disappointing. We pressed on to Sardy-les-Epiry for the night. Nothing much of note at Sardy, with no power, water or shop as described in the guide.

Location for Sardy-les-Epiry. N47º11.769’ E003º41.569’ Altitude 216 metres.

Thursday 14 June. Heavy rain and thunder in early morning. Under way at 9:25 to traverse the famous Sardy lock staircase, 16 locks in 3.2 km. We waited at the first lock, No 16, till 10:35 for a boat coming down the staircase; it must have spent the night at the half way point. We stopped for lunch in lock No 10 at 12:00. Weather misty and wet but not cold. Thick forest all around giving an eerie feeling. Under way again at 13:00, rain increasing constantly until we completed the lock staircase and entered the very narrow and overgrown cutting leading to the 3 tunnels: 212 metres, 268 metres and 758 metres respectively. The tunnels were very misty inside with water pouring down through several ventilation shafts. We finally emerged at the village of Baye and moored at the base of the “Aqua Fluvial” company with power and water. The proprietor made a dinner booking for us at a B&B in the village, with transport laid on. We had a very nice meal with a very hospitable retired couple from Paris. As they had very little English Judy had to translate everything. A great night for only €15 per head including aperitifs and wine!

Location for Baye. N47º1.132’ E003º37.350’ Altitude 260 metres.
Note. This is the highest point on the Canal du Nivernais. There are large lakes here to supply the water required by the operation of the canal locks.

Friday 15 June. Morning calm and overcast. Under way at 9:30. Waited at first lock in down direction, then a further wait at the 2 locks in Bazolles. Arrived at the Chavance locks, a triple staircase followed by a double, in time for lunch at 11:50. The lock keepers will not normally let you in unless you can complete the locks before the official lunch time, 12:00 to 13:00 on the Nivernais. The country was changing with some sheep as well as cattle and and some wheat fields as well. The farms all had large stone barns and farm houses with red tile roofs, the dung piles outside the barns indicating that the cattle were kept indoors during the winter. Under way again at 13:00 and moored at Chatillon-en-Bazois at 16:30. Entering the village there was a stunning view of an old castle tower, part of a large chateau which overlooks the port. Just by the tower the canal took a very sharp turn to the right under a narrow bridge for entry into the lock and then the port. Run for the day, 16km and 14 locks. Shopped for supplies at a good super market.

Location for Chatillon-en-Bazois. N47º02.886’ E003º39.060’ Altitude 242 metres.

Saturday 16 June. Morning clear and sunny. We had a sleep-in till after 8:00, exploring the village and updating the blog from a good cyber-café. (2 postings taking the story as far as Auxerre, €1.00 for 1 hour.) Under way at 13:00, stopping in the first lock to pick up some water, thanks to Ann chatting up the lock keeper and the garrulous Kiwi who was assisting him. The afternoon run was 13.5 km and 6 locks, in fine warm weather. The canal was very twisty and Madame Ashley was difficult to handle at times, especially in the shallow spots, so we had to slow down. We moored for the night just below the lock at Fleury at 16:00. Chatted up an English couple, Roger and Wendy, on the 100 tonne barge Izula which we had seen at Chatillon. They had taken 7 hours to do the trip we had done in 3 hours. (How they had got through the Sady staircase and tunnels I don’t know.) Excellent BBQ pork chops for dinner.

Location for Fleury. N46º59.777’ E003º40.862’ Altitude 227 metres.

Sunday 17 June. Morning fine and sunny but storms forecast for later in afternoon. Under way 8:50 to make a run for Cercy-la-Tour and beat the weather. Stopped for lunch at lock Isenay at 12:20 and under way again at 13:00. Berthed above Cercy lock at 14:20, but later moved down to unoccupied pontoon below the lock. (The other pontoon with power and water was fully occupied.) The rain moved in as predicted but as drizzle rather than a storm. Judy and Denis went exploring and saw the local officials at the Mairie counting the votes in the final elections and also saw the nearby 12th century church and the viewing terrace on the remains of the Tour (tower). On the other side of the canal and the river L’Aron we noted the only signs of life were at the church hall where there were many cars parked. What initially sounded like a sermon turned out to be…Bingo! Run for the day, 22km and 9 locks.

Location for Cercy-la-Tour. N46º52.130’ E003º38.880’ Altitude 201 metres.

Monday 18 June. Morning fine at first but a couple of heavy showers quenched our hopes. However by 9:00 the weather had cleared and we moved up to a space on the pontoon vacated by the barge “Jake” to take on water; under way again at 9:45. Smooth running through beautiful countryside, plenty of trees and hedge-rows with paddocks of cows, sheep and fields of wheat, large barns and farm-houses Weather fine and sunny. Lock-keepers warned that the Loire was closed at Decize and we would have to wait at St Leger-des-Vignes. We stopped for lunch at Champvert, 5km from Decize and spoke to a couple of skippers who were waiting there as they thought there would be many boats at St Leger and good berths would not be available. However we then heard that the Loire had reopened during the morning, and a couple of boats arrived which had come through Decize and they advised that conditions were good, so we got under way at 13:15 and moored up in the old town of Decize on the “Vielle Loire”, a dead branch of the river, with power and water and only a local tour boat for company. The weather was fine and very warm as we settled in for a couple of days rest.

Location for Decize. N46º49.860’ E003º27.768’ Altitude 204 metres.
This marks the end of our traverse of the Canal du Nivernais until we rejoin it at Auxerre on our return trip to Vermenton.

Normandy and Auxerre

Caen, like St Malo, was badly destroyed during the liberation in 1944 but the main historical buildings were restored (apart from a couple which were retained as memorials) and the rest of the city rebuilt in 1950s concrete. The city has an excellent tram and bus service and numerous cafes, bars and restaurants. We stayed at the Hotel Bristol, which seemed to be home base for Americans in town to visit the D-Day beaches. On Tuesday we took the train to Bayeux to view the famous tapestry. This is 70 metres long and 50cm high and is kept behind glass in very low light in a special U shaped room. The visit includes an excellent introductory film and “audio-guide” (‘automatic’, meaning that you had to keep walking, gazing at specific details of the tapestry as you went). We went through the viewing hall twice it was so interesting: William the Conqueror starring in his own blockbuster action adventure/propaganda movie.

On Wednesday, 6 June we took the bus out to the Caen Memorial where we met the driver/guide who took us to a selection of the D-Day beaches. Our fellow minibus passengers were 6 Americans. The weather was cool and misty with a fresh wind blowing in from the Atlantic, kind of appropriate for this event. We could just make out the remains of the “Mulbury” artificial harbour off Arromanches which had been in the British sector. We then visited a German gun battery at Longues where the 4 x 152mm Skoda guns were still in place although very rusted and battered by the bombardment they sustained during the battle.

We arrived at the American war memorial and cemetery by Omaha beach, just as Robert Gates, the US Secretary of Defense was starting his speech, followed by the French and US national anthems. Very moving to hear while surrounded by over 9,300 tombstones. We then visited Omaha beach itself, which would have been nice if the weather had been better, and another German battery at Pointe du Hoc, where 250 US rangers scaled 100 foot cliffs under machine gun fire to silence the guns, only to find that the guns were just wooden telephone poles. Only 90 men survived. Kind of underlined the tragedy of it all. Back at the Caen Memorial we decided to skip the museum tour and headed back into town for lunch and a walk around viewing the Abbaye aux Dames, Chateau de Caen and Abbaye aux Hommes, where William the Conqueror is buried, or at least a thigh bone which could have been his!

The next day we caught a bus which took us on a very interesting tour through the countryside and resort towns such as Houlgate, and Deauville, arriving finally at Honfleur. Honfleur is a very picturesque old port on the south side of the entrance to the Seine. (Le Havre is on the north side.) The basin connects to the sea with a lock and is surrounded by 17^th and 18^th century stone houses which are now mostly cafes, with a few art galleries, antique shops and real estate agents. We trundled our bags over the cobbles to the very nice Hotel Le Cheval Blanc and then explored the town. It was hard to see how all the cafes and restaurants could survive, but apparently Honfleur is a very popular weekend destination for Parisiens. We blundered into a very interesting museum devoted to Eric Sati, the composer, pianist, writer and general eccentric who was born and lived in Honfleur. The museum, located in the house where he was born, is a multi-media experience and quite unique.

Friday, 8 June, we had an early start for our journey to Auxerre which Judy had planned and which tested the French public transport system to the maximum:

Hotel to Honfleur bus terminal by taxi.

Bus to Le Havre over the amazing Pont Normandie suspension bridge.

Train to Rouen, change, train to Paris Gare St Lazare Grandes Lignes

Metro line 14 from Gare St Lazare Metro to Gare de Lyon Metro

Train from Paris Gare de Lyon Grandes Lignes to Laroche-Migennes, change, train to Auxerre

Bus from Auxerre station to centre ville.

All this worked perfectly and we arrived ahead of schedule at about 2:15pm and had lunch at a nice café before we met up with our friend Sylvie around 4:30pm. Terry and Ann arrived an hour or so later, having already unloaded the boating equipment we’d bought (including bike and BBQ) and most of their heavy luggage at the Vermenton base of France Afloat. Soon Francois also arrived home and an animated conversation ensued over aperitifs in their small back yard garden. Sylvie then served a delicious dinner and after a lovely meal and good conversation we all crashed off to bed. Sylvie and Francois’s home is right in downtown Auxerre within a minute’s walk of the medieval streets where the restaurants, art galleries and dress shops are located.

Moissac and Brittany.

We spent a couple of days in Moissac before we handed “Winifred” back to France Fluviale. On the afternoon of our arrival we watched the preparations for a funeral at the Abbaye St Pierre, with 200 or so locals including the Gendarme in full dress uniform and the local cops. The Abbaye dates from 1130 and has a striking tympanum at the entrance. It also has a famous cloister but we never did get to see this.

Another day we followed a walking path from the back of the Abbaye up a hill to an old convent and lookout point with a statue of the Virgin and a great view over the valley of the Tarn and the canal. A little below Moissac the Tarn merges with the Garonne. We almost got lost on this walk but eventually came out at the right spot near the station. The Moissac tourist information office near St Pierre provided a good Internet connection and we were able to bring the Blog up to date.

Eventually on Friday morning, 1 June, we said goodbye to “Winifred” and took the train: first to Argen, then via Bordeaux to Nantes and finally to Rennes. This was a long but interesting trip covering a wide range of geographic regions. At Rennes we stayed at a Kyriad hotel near the station, clean and comfortable with good Internet access via a WiFi access point provided by Orange.

From Rennes we visited St Malo by train the next day. This was a great day trip. St Malo was the centre of the Corsairs, pirates and privateers who for centuries menaced shipping in the English Channel and further afield. It was 80% destroyed during WW2, by the Germans or by the allies, depending on who is telling the story. Lots of tourists, souvenir shops, cafes, museums etc. We walked the ramparts and visited the Fort National which is only accessible at low tide. A large number of ferries service the Channel Islands and the UK from St Malo, with long link-spans to cope with the very large tides. There are also large basins connected to the sea by a lock to service the yachts, fishing boats and cargo vessels.

From Rennes we traveled on Sunday to Mont St Michel, taking a bus from Rennes directly to the Mont itself, traveling along the digue (dyke) at the end. Our hotel, the Mere Poulard, was very close to the city gate so it was easy to get our bags as far as reception where we left them until check-in time and went for lunch and a walk on the ramparts. The tide was so far out the sea was not visible at all, even from the elevation of the high ramparts, and the sand seemed to stretch to the distant headland. Back at the hotel we found that the bags had been moved to the 2^nd floor but we had to get them to the 5^th floor up very narrow stairs. The room was very nice with great views over the digue and the surrounding wetlands. After moving in we continued our exploration of the ramparts, alleys, gardens and belvederes which surround the great abbey itself. We watched the tourists taking guided walks on the sand and mud and a guide demonstrating the effect of the quicksand. We felt we had plenty of experience slopping about in estuaries so we kept our feet dry. Then from the ramparts we watched the tide come in, slowly covering the distant sand banks and then rapidly moving up the channels and over the mud at the foot of the walls. Birds came to feed in the shallows and eels were visible. Back at the hotel we ate sparingly at Mother Poulard’s restaurant where the prices were eye-watering and finished off with a Calvados in the lounge bar. The restaurant and bar are decorated with autographs and endorsements from various famous people who have stayed there in the past, interesting but in the end rather self-serving.

The next morning we took the first tour of the abbey with excellent “audio-guides”. The buildings are truly amazing in scale and complexity, the result of a series of structural failures and re-building over the centuries. We just had time after that to check out of the hotel before catching one of the few buses back to Portorson where we had lunch at a small café with normal prices and waited for several hours for the second train of the day (at 5.50pm) to Caen in Normandy.

The Canal de Garonne.

On Thursday 24 May we departed the marina at Saint Sauveur, Toulouse, just before 10:00am and passed through the 3 locks and under the 14 bridges taking us around the old parts of Toulouse. We then entered the basin at the Port de l’Embouchure where there is a short connecting canal to the Garonne. (When the Canal du Midi was first constructed, small boats navigated up the Garonne from Bordeaux and cargo was transferred to large barges in this basin.) However we turned sharp right into the Canal de Garonne which was constructed 100 years later to allow the large barges to go the whole way. We arrived at the first lock 4km down the canal just at lunch time (12:30) so had to moor up until 1:30pm. During this manoeuvre Terry found he could not engage reverse gear from the outside steering position. Fortunately the inside control still worked and we were able to berth the boat safely and investigate. It looked like the problem was inside the control lever unit and so we called the hire base at Moissac. Ian from the base arrived about 15:00 and removed and dismantled the control. We found a screw had worked loose and jammed the mechanism. (When we arrived at Moissac, Ian said that two other boats of the same type had experienced the same problem since we did!)

We were under way again about 15:45 and negotiated 4 more locks before mooring for the night at the Lespinasse lock near Gangac-sur-Garonne. The canal in this region runs dead straight for many kilometers at a time, with the railway line close by on the eastern side. Our mooring spot coincided with a large shunting yard and we had an old factory on the other side. Not the most idyllic surrounding but we made the most of it with a BBQ tea and tried to ignore the sound of the trains passing in the night.

Location for Lespinasse. N43º42.626’ E001º23.165’ Altitude 135 metres.

The next day, Friday 25 May, we were under way at 9:55 and continued down the long straight stretches of the canal punctuated by locks and small villages. We stopped for lunch at Grisolles where there was supposed to be water available, but the tap was far from the canal – and the moorings, such as they were, were right beside a fertilizer works. So after lunch, with Terry biking for about an hour, we pressed on to Montech where we took a berth at 16:00 with shore power and water.

Location for Montech. N43º57.680’ E001º14.183’ Altitude 111 metres.

Saturday 26 May. Heavy rain and thunder over night with steady rain all morning. (The local papers later reported that 80mm of rain had been recorded in 24 hours.) Everyone slept in till after 9:00, thankful for cozy mooring. During the day we did laundry at the Capitainerie, took a walk to the chain of 5 locks and the “Pente d’Eau” (water slope) which works on parallel with them and is used by large barges. A local restaurant barge runs cruises which go through the locks and back up the Pente d’Eau. Had the weather been better we may have taken a side trip up the Canal de Montech to Montauban, but we decided against it. In the evening we dined at a nearby restaurant which was excellent.

Sunday 27 May. Morning calm but still overcast. After breakfast put on another load of laundry, visited farmers market and explored the town. Under way at 10:00 and negotiated the chain of 5 locks and stopped for lunch at 12:30 near Porquier, 8km and an extra single lock later. Drifting down stream the GPS indicated the current running at about 1.5km/hour. Under way again at 14:00 and berthed at Castelsarrasin at 14:50 with shore power and water on the quay. The basin was very wide and there were two curious small rafts with nesting houses for the ducks moored in the middle. In the evening Denis watched two otters climb out of the canal to graze on the grass on the bank amongst the ducks.

Location for Castelsarrasin. N44º02.394’ E001º06.733’ Altitude 80 metres.

Monday 28 May. Went into ‘centre ville’ in the morning, but it was the Pentecost holiday so most of the shops were shut. In our five weeks on the boat we will have had not only five Sundays when virtually everything is asleep, at least in the non-major cities, but also *four* public holidays – ditto: May 1, Labour Day; May 8, Armistice Day (WWII); May 17, Ascension Day; and May 28, Pentecost!

The weather was still wet and squally – and decidedly cold (11.5 on one thermometer in the town at 10.30am, and felt it) but we were getting ‘cabin fever’, so in the afternoon Denis and Judy took a train to Montauban, a 12 minute ride. Montauban is quite a big town situated on the river Tarn, with some attractive bridges. However like Castelsarrasin it was mostly shut. We found a cozy restaurant/bar open and had a late lunch. After further exploration of the town, which has some nice squares with modern sculpture and fountains, and another with arcades reminiscent of the Place des Vosges in Paris, we took the train back to Castelsarrasin.

Tuesday 29 May. Morning clear and calm after a cold night. Terry cycled off to the Hertz office to arrange an earlier pickup of the car for the next phase of their trip. We were under way at 11:15 and negotiated the first 4 locks in a chain before stopping for lunch within sight of the “Pont Canal” at the entrance to Moissac. We were under way again at 13:45 and berthed in the basin at Moissac at 14:45. This was where we were to hand “Winifred” back to France Fluvial but we had a couple of days in hand. Terry and Ann are now planning to leave by car on Thursday with Denis and Judy leaving by train early Friday morning. In the meantime, Moissac proved to be an interesting town with the river Tarn close to the canal and connected to it by a triple lock. Nice BBQ dinner served on the aft deck: actually warm, dry and calm enough to dine outside!

Location for Moissac. N44º06070’ E001º05.276’ Altitude 80 metres.

Toulouse and Albi.

On Sunday afternoon, our first day on Toulouse, we walked first to the railway station which took longer than we expected as we had got used to the scale of small towns and villages. There we picked up time tables so we could plan a trip to Albi. We then walked back to the main square, the Place de Capitole and the tourist information office, where we picked up the Little Train for an orientation tour of the old part of Toulouse. As usual this was very worthwhile. The views from the banks of the Garonne were the highlight for Denis with a number of graceful stone and brick arched bridges designed to withstand the tremendous floods to which the river is prone. Ann cooked an excellent Cassoulet on board.

The next day, Monday, Judy and Ann visited a hair dressing salon in the morning while the guys did laundry. In the afternoon we located an Internet Café, checked out the shops and explored the town. Toulouse is an interesting town with many ancient buildings, streets of elegant apartments with cast iron balconies and modern infrastructure including a new Metro system. The streets were crowded with lively students and the significant north African population in the city centre seemed to us to be well integrated.

Tuesday we all took the train to Albi, about 1 hour northeast of Toulouse. The weather was fine and warm and we found Albi to be a very beautiful and interesting town. We visited the amazing Cathedral St Cecile, so austere and forbidding on the outside, with sheer brick walls and tower. But on the inside it is decorated with painted ceilings from the renaissance, a huge organ and walls covered with strange geometric frescos. A mediaeval mural either side of the altar depicts the 7 deadly sins on 3 levels, the angels above, humanity in the middle and the sinners getting their just deserts in hell in graphic detail at the bottom. A huge Choir occupying half the floor space consists of intricately gothic carved stone and dozens of polychrome statues of saints, including Judith.

Other visits of interest included a whole museum dedicated to Toulouse Lautrec, who was born nearby, with hundreds of his works well-displayed in a section of the Palace de la Berbie, the fortified building where the bishops of Albi lived. There was also a museum dedicated to the explorer La Perouse, born in Albi, who arrived in Botany Bay just after the First Fleet. His ships were wrecked soon after near present day Vanuatu with the loss of all hands. This museum was on the other side of the river Tarn, which gave us a chance to walk across over two of the bridges giving wonderful views of the old mills.

On Wednesday we did some more sight seeing and shopping, used the Internet Café and cashed some Amex traveler’s cheques which the bank was very unwilling to do in spite of having a sign on the front door stating that they would. Judy had to apply her commercial experience, and her best powers of persuasion, in French.

In the afternoon we had a drink with the New Zealand owners of the Xavierre, a very nice barge moored nearby for some six months, who had just arrived to spend their fourth summer cruising in France. In the evening we dined at “Le Petit Montard”, serving specialties from the Savoy region. This required a little brazier on the table on which we BBQd various meats on top and grilled raclette cheese and potatoes underneath. One of our most memorable meals for our last night in Toulouse.

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.