It’s a good thing I don’t rely on income from the blog to buy groceries because my procrastination would cause starvation!
I have returned to Southern California and Tanya has returned to her boat in southern France, mission accomplished.
Oldtimer is now on the sales pontoon in Saint Jean de Losne and will hopefully find a new owner soon.
The trip to Burgundy turned out to be pure delivery; many kilometers per day and long hours. We didn’t do any sightseeing and on the Rhone we spent the night at lock waiting pontoons, not even in villages. I’m going to post some pictures we took along the way and point you to 2022’s blog for better descriptions of the sights along the Rhone and Canal du Midi. On the way down Cathy Jo and I stopped off at many villages and did alot of sightseeing. It might be worth revisiting. You’ll find the postings 2022 June - September through the links on the right sidebar.
Saturday, August 31 we traveled from Castelnaudary about 7 hours and 13 locks to a stop in Villesqueland in a nice park. After that it was 7 1/2 hours and 12 locks to our next stop near Marseillette; just a bankside mooring. Then another 6 hour day (9 locks) to Ventenac en Minervois where we arrived in plenty of time to visit the nearby wine co-op in the chateau to stock up.
The chateau houses the wine co-op.
This display of “welders art” was at on the the Midi locks.
Beziers was the next stop, about 8 hours along the Canal du Midi. Right before town is the famous Sept Ecluses de Fonserannes, a major tourist attraction.
We’re about halfway through the 6 lock staircase for this picture.
We have quite the audience.
I love this building across the basin from the port in Beziers.
The next day, Thursday, Sept. 5, was the end of the Canal du Midi, 2 hours crossing the Etang de Tau and entering the Canal Rhône a Sète, spending the night in Frontignan.
One of the famous white horses of the Camargue
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We had been keeping an eye on the conditions on the Rhone as we would be traveling against the current on our trip north. Of course, a couple of days before we were supposed to join the river there was a bunch of rain in the north of France and the current took off. Friday evening we found the moorings on the side canal to St. Gilles available so we grabbed one and waited three days for the river to calm down.
Monday morning conditions looking much better so we were off.
Well done Don and Tanya. It is a big trip! It's a shame you didn't get more site seeing in, but needs must. You appear to have had a good time anyway, as did we all on our hire boat, and I am so sorry to have missed you. We spent the night in Castelnaudary behind Tanya's boat, and scraped a few pine needles off! We relly appreciated Tanya's bike, and although we tried to find a home for it with a charity, it didn't work out, and a man took it for his daughter. Don Bestor made use of the lock...lol. All the best for the sale of Oldtimer, and the future xx
ReplyDeleteThanks, Yvonne. I was going to write to find out how your trip went but you've answered it for me! Glad all went well. We'll see what the future holds...
DeleteOh goodness, it's all over now, Don. What a pity your trip was confined to delivering Oldtimer and not relaxing a little more. Will you go back to France at all? I do hope it isn't the last Europe, or we, see of you! Congratulations on accomplishing the journey anyway.
ReplyDeleteWhat happens next depends entirely on if and when Oldtimer sells. If I still own her in the spring I'll be headed over to give her a lick of paint and maybe a little cruise. If she is sold then I have to decide if I want a smaller boat or just, as Ian suggests below, cruise on OPB (other people's boats). I'm sure I will be back to France somehow. Can't give up the good wine and bread!
DeleteHow things change. A while ago, we were planning to use your downstream blog to follow you to the Midi the year after you and Cathy Jo travelled. Here we are now, still to go south and you are back north sadly without Cathy Jo and soon, Oldtimer. Keep us in mind anytime you feel like a ‘tourist cruise’ on Catharina Elisabeth. We’ll hopefully take up your suggestion of rereading the down stream blog next season when we intend/aspire/dream of leaving Auxonne finally to go south. All our best wishes.
ReplyDeleteI will keep the offer in mind, Ian, and thanks. As I said to Val above, I may see you in the spring.
ReplyDeleteAny questions about the trip down just ask. Also, the DBA moorings guide for the trip was very useful.