Canal Du Midi
The adventure begins! On saturday afternoon we took a taxi to Negre, to where the Locoboats base is, and where we would pick up our canal boat and venture down the canal for a week, ending in Argens the following saturday.
We spent most of the afternoon waiting for our boat 'Preuilly' to be serviced and cleaned. It is the cheapest and most basic boat you can hire. Its like a caravan that floats on water. There is a double bed for mum and dad, plus a poor excuse for single bed. There is a tiny bathroom with a toilet and a shower, plus a kitchen with a table that folds down into another double bed. That is where I have been sleeping - furtherest away from mum and dad. We hired a bike for the week. Its lime green with a basket and a bell that rattles. Its got lots of gears too. A huge step up from my dutch bicycle. I went for a quick ride while waiting, and discovered that there are bicycle paths down the canal - no doubt the whole way. Just when we had enough of the midges biting us, our boat was ready late in the afternoon. We were given a brief introduction and then set off! The boat travels at a steady 8km per hour. Our first Lock was exciting, but very stressful. It took me a while to figure out the purpose of Locks - but they actually make a canal a canal by blocking the water at intervals, instead of it rapidly flowing down towards the sea. Locks build up water depth to allow calmness and boats to travel through, and create an esculator type system towards the sea. When you enter a lock, the gates open and close and you have to hold your boat steady against walls with ropes while the water levels go up or down.
Our schedule each day was fairly similar. Rise and Shine, then spend a few hours putting along the canal, going in and out of locks, which take up most of the time. Then we would find somewhere to moor each evening, and explore random little villages. And I cooked dinner each night! Its been so nice being able to cook for more than one person. Some days I chose to bicycle the whole way instead. This proved to be good exercise, and a good way to get away from mum and dad for a while. I also like biking because it gave me a good chance to enjoy the nature and landscape more. I could go at my own pace (far ahead of the boat) and top whenever I liked to take photos. The landscape was pretty constant - lush green grass and chestnuts bordering the canal, and then golden fields of wheat or other cops, with farmhouses dotted here and there, ending with the hills in the distance. Some days I biked up to 20km. When I wasnt biking, I was soaking up the sunshine on the front of the boat and reading books. I think I got through 4 or 5 books in a week.
On our first night we moored at Gardouch. I cant remember this being a very exciting place.I remember wandering around the canal and the village, where we met some australians on another boat. The village was pretty dead because everyone was shut inside.
On Sunday night we moored at Castlenaudry. This was a lovely place. On the monday morning we explored all the markets in the hot sun. Not a very great market, compared to Florence anyway. But great for food - especially breads and cheeses.
On Monday night we moored at Port De Bram. We walked into the town of Bram at night. Nothing there - the most ghostly town so far. Probably because of the huge sewerage issues.
On Tuesday night we moored at Carcasonne. Fantastic Place. It was exciting being in a big town again, after all the little random villages. I was dissapointed though, because there was no H&M. On Wednesday morning we explored the city, both the new city and the old medieval city that lives up on a hill. Its a giant castle,partly ruined. But its walls surround the coolest little city inside. There were lots of touristy shops and cafes and even houses up there. I loved it, I couldnt tear myself away from the shops.
On Wednesday night we moored at Trebes. Interesting little town. Mum and I could not find a laundry though. After some family domestics, mum and I wandered the town and came across a random little music festival that was happening. We sat and listened to some music for a while.
On Thursday nigth we moored in La Redorte. Not much to this town either. Mum dubbed me on the back of her bicycle to the supermarket which was pretty scary. We lost the bell off the bike, and during the night some mysterious person thieved off with our bike lock as well.
This evening, friday evening, we made it to our final destination in Argens. It is nice to be at the end of the trip. I dont think I could have handled another night being crammed in the boat with hot temperatures. This evening we cleaned the boat until it was sparkling. Tomorrow we will wave our boat goodbye, and we plan to catch a taxi to Narbonne, where we will await a train for our next destination.
We spent most of the afternoon waiting for our boat 'Preuilly' to be serviced and cleaned. It is the cheapest and most basic boat you can hire. Its like a caravan that floats on water. There is a double bed for mum and dad, plus a poor excuse for single bed. There is a tiny bathroom with a toilet and a shower, plus a kitchen with a table that folds down into another double bed. That is where I have been sleeping - furtherest away from mum and dad. We hired a bike for the week. Its lime green with a basket and a bell that rattles. Its got lots of gears too. A huge step up from my dutch bicycle. I went for a quick ride while waiting, and discovered that there are bicycle paths down the canal - no doubt the whole way. Just when we had enough of the midges biting us, our boat was ready late in the afternoon. We were given a brief introduction and then set off! The boat travels at a steady 8km per hour. Our first Lock was exciting, but very stressful. It took me a while to figure out the purpose of Locks - but they actually make a canal a canal by blocking the water at intervals, instead of it rapidly flowing down towards the sea. Locks build up water depth to allow calmness and boats to travel through, and create an esculator type system towards the sea. When you enter a lock, the gates open and close and you have to hold your boat steady against walls with ropes while the water levels go up or down.
Our schedule each day was fairly similar. Rise and Shine, then spend a few hours putting along the canal, going in and out of locks, which take up most of the time. Then we would find somewhere to moor each evening, and explore random little villages. And I cooked dinner each night! Its been so nice being able to cook for more than one person. Some days I chose to bicycle the whole way instead. This proved to be good exercise, and a good way to get away from mum and dad for a while. I also like biking because it gave me a good chance to enjoy the nature and landscape more. I could go at my own pace (far ahead of the boat) and top whenever I liked to take photos. The landscape was pretty constant - lush green grass and chestnuts bordering the canal, and then golden fields of wheat or other cops, with farmhouses dotted here and there, ending with the hills in the distance. Some days I biked up to 20km. When I wasnt biking, I was soaking up the sunshine on the front of the boat and reading books. I think I got through 4 or 5 books in a week.
On our first night we moored at Gardouch. I cant remember this being a very exciting place.I remember wandering around the canal and the village, where we met some australians on another boat. The village was pretty dead because everyone was shut inside.
On Sunday night we moored at Castlenaudry. This was a lovely place. On the monday morning we explored all the markets in the hot sun. Not a very great market, compared to Florence anyway. But great for food - especially breads and cheeses.
On Monday night we moored at Port De Bram. We walked into the town of Bram at night. Nothing there - the most ghostly town so far. Probably because of the huge sewerage issues.
On Tuesday night we moored at Carcasonne. Fantastic Place. It was exciting being in a big town again, after all the little random villages. I was dissapointed though, because there was no H&M. On Wednesday morning we explored the city, both the new city and the old medieval city that lives up on a hill. Its a giant castle,partly ruined. But its walls surround the coolest little city inside. There were lots of touristy shops and cafes and even houses up there. I loved it, I couldnt tear myself away from the shops.
On Wednesday night we moored at Trebes. Interesting little town. Mum and I could not find a laundry though. After some family domestics, mum and I wandered the town and came across a random little music festival that was happening. We sat and listened to some music for a while.
On Thursday nigth we moored in La Redorte. Not much to this town either. Mum dubbed me on the back of her bicycle to the supermarket which was pretty scary. We lost the bell off the bike, and during the night some mysterious person thieved off with our bike lock as well.
This evening, friday evening, we made it to our final destination in Argens. It is nice to be at the end of the trip. I dont think I could have handled another night being crammed in the boat with hot temperatures. This evening we cleaned the boat until it was sparkling. Tomorrow we will wave our boat goodbye, and we plan to catch a taxi to Narbonne, where we will await a train for our next destination.
posted by simone marie at 5:02 AM
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