Day Eight: Friday, October 10th On the Canal du Midi

We are continuing our return trip. We are operating the boat around 07:45 and heading upstream of course. We arrive at Argens Minvervois at 08:45 and moor at the canal lock. We are through the single lock at 09:25 and I needed to walk to the lock keeper's office to roust him to get outside. This guy has an attitude that we encountered two days before. Anyways, it is a sunny day with gust of wind. No other boats on the canal this morning as yet. Given we are going upstream it is a different lock experience as the lock is filling upwards. This requires me to walk along the lock up top and keep the ropes to slide around the next lock stanchion. We needed to wait for a super long luxury canal boat. This boat has a private skipper, chef, navigator, server as well as a large jacuzzi tub on its front deck.  They have a separate Mercedes van and driver as well. Posh!

Another breezy day, but blue skies. The expected high is 24 degrees. This whole trip feels like the summer time except at night when the chill sets in. We have luck with us this morning as we make it to the Homps Le Boat terminus just before 12 noon and the lock keeper lets us in. Very few spots at Le Boat! Al reverses into a spot and tonight we will have electricity and water connections! Our plan is to spend two nights here although staff at Le Boat indicated they have about twelve boats being returned the next day. Not sure what will happen, but they said "we will find a solution".  


One of the many friendly and helpful lock keepers. The device he is handling controls the locks and the water surge. 



One of the reasons the lock keepers will wait for more boats before they flood each lock is due to a drought in the area. Losing valuable water every time they fill the lock. 




Once we are moored in Homps, Lana and I decide to head across the canal and get lunch at Les Tunnellers Restaurant Le Vignerons. It was recommended by the Le Boat staff. The place is super busy. We managed to get a table (Table #32) in the shade. The servers were pretty busy so our order took a while to arrive. Basically it arrived at 13:00. Huge group of French people at the table next to us with two two German shepherds. Menu has a special for the day, but we go with our own choices. Total for lunch + 40Euros inclusive of a Badoit one liter water. Unfortunately and not uncommon in France is some of our lunch neighbours were smokers. 


Online pic of Les Tunnellers - Restaurant Le Vignerons. Yes, we ate in the garden area. 



Yup, I am a sucker for cassoulet! This was titled Cassoulet Artisanal (600 g) for 21Euro. This has a baked crispy top! Delicious!



Lana's order of Foie Gras Maison @ 16Euro. The foie gras was spectacular! 



After a delicious lunch, we meet up with Al and Pat. We need more groceries so we all walk to a U Store about ten minutes from the restaurant. Huge store and a good score as we have supplies for the next few days. Back to the boat and Al and I volunteer to take the bikes with our laundry to a laundromat located at Olonzac that Lana found online as our best option for doing laundry mid trip. It is called Olonzac Laverie Automatique. About a ten minute ride navigating using our iPhone Google Maps while we cycle and carry a laundry bag. Total distance = 2.7 kms. It is another hot day at around 26 degrees. 


Online pic Olonzac Laverie Automatique. 




Boulanger (Artisan Boulanger) located in Olonzac. No way we can ride past a bakery and not go inside to sample and buy French pastries!



A Viennoise Chocolat. Another delicious French pastry and yes, I bought some pastries for the others. 



All went well with the laundry. We figured out the washer and dryer machines and neatly packed for the return ride back to the boat. Total ride = 8.54 kms and we returned to the boat around 17:00. We decided for the remainder of our canal trip to eat dinner on the boat. We had another awesome meal on our boat. Grilled up top with lots of vegetables, some bread and duck we purchased at the U Store. We drank the bottle of Viognier Al bought the day before and it worked well with the varied dinner. Beautiful up top taking in the setting sun and at 19:15 still some sun and around 21 degrees. Slight chill in the air. Sounds of birds and other vessels in the area. Plan is to go for a walk in town. Good walk and it gets dark before 20:00.


Our boat moored and waiting for a lock to open. 



Fairly typical lock keepers building. 


This is how close the boats fit inside the lock and they try to line up everyone to fill the space. Hey watch our boat! 









These sunsets on the canal are spectacular!




Total steps for today = 9,600
Plus, bike ride of 8.5 kms. 

Yup, another fine day on the canal!!!





Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Day Sixteen: Saturday, October 18th Dijon -> Paris

Image
We are both up early although another night/morning of loud voices from the street below. Did quite a lot of cleanup per our host's instructions. Good weather forecast for Paris. Lana has figured out the best way of getting from our train stop in Paris to the airport and our hotel in Terminal 2. Dijon has been enjoyable and interesting with lots to do over our short time here. Our train departs at 09:06 and yes I double-checked the time!  😏 We haul our heavier suitcases to the train station and the place is packed with fellow travellers. Track 1 is our train to Paris Gare de Lyon station. Our train is late and the area around the train is packed with fellow passengers. We are onto Car 16 and one of the first people on board which means getting our luggage in a secure spot close to the door on the first level. We are in upper deck seats with a table and facing the correct direction. Train car is full and free WIFI is available. Plus, you can easily charge your phone. We are schedul...
Read more

Day Two: Saturday, October 4th Barcelona

Image
We head downstairs for our free buffet breakfast in the hotel courtesy of Lana's status with Marriot hotels. Pretty great selection inclusive of champagne, hot/cold items, pastries, fruit and a number of healthy choices.  Our first destination for today is Torre Glòries being the third tallest structure in the city. We were thinking of an Uber, but it would be a twenty minute wait. Took a taxi for 12 Euros instead of waiting. The building is 144 metres high with 34 floors up and 4 below. Outside shell (facade) of windows. Very much a cultural icon in the city. 4500 LED lights are used at night time. Has been described as "a geyser sprouting from the sea". Aluminum and glass on the outside and alters colours based on the season of the year. 16 million colours. Computer controlled sequences at Christmas.  We relax on a bench at street level. Many bike tours, bus tour groups in the plaza. Music being played by a guy sitting at an organ. Gentle breeze and slightly overcast....
Read more

Day Four: Monday, October 6th Carcassonne -> Trèbes (Le Boat)

Image
The main purpose of our European trip was renting a Le Boat for cruising Canal du Midi for seven days. Our good friends Al and Pat were keen as well.  Lana and I had good sleeps and awoke around 08:30, although Lana still enjoying relaxing in bed. Trèbes is about a twelve minute drive east and around 7.7 kms from Carcassonne. Very sunny today with an expected high of 22 degrees. No buffet breakfast today!  I check the dryer and our clothes are still damp so re-start another cycle and hope they dry before we leave. For breakfast I have a French pastry purchased yesterday and a banana. Breakfast of champions! Our big challenge is how to get to the  Trèbes Le Boat hub on the canal? Options are an Uber X at 45Euro, taxi at 29Euro or take public transit such as a bus for 1.20 Euro each. Our host is helpful and confirms where we will find a bus stop back down the main street of Carcassonne. There is a kind of schedule but it's difficult to read. I phone Don at Trèbes Le Boat ...
Read more