Castelnaudary, Aug. 28-31

 Leaving Toulouse at the usual hour, we spent Tuesday night in the village of Negra. Wednesday morning we were off for another longish day to reach Castelnaudary. I spent several days here in 2022 waiting for the waterways authorities to fix lock that had been sabotaged. Read the entry here.  Tanya spent last winter here so was friends with Odile, the port captain and her assistants, and several others who had overwintered. During my stay in 2022 I had just tied up at the free mooring but this time took full advantage of the facilities for three days, moored right in front of Tanyas boat. Also, we had discovered that the alternator wasn’t the only electrical problem as the batteries that power the house functions (lights, refrigerator, etc.) had failed after 9 years; a very respectable lifespan. A trip to the auto parts store was required and luckily they would be willing to deliver the batteries to the boat and collect the old ones. I really didn’t relish the idea of fetching them by bicycle!

While visiting with Odile in the port office, Tanya met a newspaper reporter that was interested in women on their boats and why they had stayed in Castelnaudary. A couple days later a nice story appeared, complete with photos.

Chores complete and visiting accomplished, Saturday morning we were off. From here on it would be long days and many kilometers traveled until we reached Saint Jean de Losne in Burgundy.

Toulouse, Aug. 23-27

 It’s a two day trip from Castelsarrasin to Toulouse. When Tanya and I visited Toulouse last May before our departures (mine back to the US, hers north to Saint Jean de Losne) we had dined at Fogos, a restaurant she had visited on an earlier visit and really enjoyed. We were determined to eat there again. We arrived late Friday afternoon but as the restaurant is only open Monday through Friday (ah, the French) we would have to wait until Monday evening for our return visit.

In earlier visits to the city I had seen the modern art museum and the Airbus center but Tanya introduced me to La Machine, a theater troop that specializes in fantastic machines and exotic musical instruments in their productions. I’m going to post some pictures of the Minotaur and the spiders that are at the center but I urge you to visit the website (especially “Long Ma” and “Les Mécaniques Savantes” in the “Productions” section) and see some of these fantastic creations and other performances that are featured all over the world. It’s really amazing stuff.

On Sundays, a meal is served with much mechanical help. It really is a performance.

More on the website.

There are regular rides aboard the Minotaur around the facility.

One of the two spiders here.

The machines are all hydraulically controlled

 and there are 10-15 people aboard each one 

to manipulate the legs and other body parts.

The main driver sits right under the head.

Those four seats are for the performers that manipulate the legs on this side as the spider “walks”, one seat for each leg.

More about a performance on the streets of Toulouse.

Meanwhile, on the way to Toulouse we had discovered that the engines alternator had died, no longer charging Oldtimer’s batteries when we were underway. Luckily the nearby auto parts store had a replacement;  that was Monday’s chore. Task completed and a very satisfying dinner consumed, Tuesday morning we were off to our next stop, Castelnaudary, another two days east on the Canal du Midi.

Return to Oldtimer

 When last I wrote, I had just completed an attempt at some maintenance in late fall of 2023. The weather didn’t cooperate so I really didn’t get much done in the three weeks I was in Castelsarrasin but, as I wrote at the time, I did get to eat some great bread and sample more great wines.

It had been five years since the last time Oldtimer was out of the water and the insurance company was requiring a bottom thickness survey to renew the policy. Plus, it was time for new bottom paint so I had made preliminary inquiries with the local boatyard about a haulout in the spring of 2024. Sebastian, the yard manager, said he would be able to lift Oldtimer out of the water even though it was a little over the capacity of the crane. I would have to make sure the water tank was empty.

I returned to France in mid April with big plans for maintenance but again, the weather did not cooperate. It was cold and raining off and on most of the five weeks but luckily turned decent for the week Oldtimer was out of the water. I rented and Air BNB in Castelsarrasin so I wouldn’t have to live aboard while up on the hard and got a good coat of paint on the bottom although it was pouring rain the day Oldtimer went back in the water on April 29.

With plans to return to the US on May 17, I tried to squeeze in some paint and varnish between rain showers when fate intervened. A Dutch cruiser with an American flag pulled in just down the quay. Being the chivalrous person that I am, I went to give a hand with the lines and met the owner, Tanya Binford. She turned out to be a very experienced boater having completed the Great Loop in the US ten years ago singlehanded and writing a book about it. She had moved to France three years before, living aboard in Saint Jean de Losne and had travelled south in late 2023, spending that winter in Castlenaudary on the Canal du Midi in her 11 meter Dream Catcher. We struck up a close friendship and when I mentioned I wanted to move Oldtimer back up to Burgundy, she offered to accompany me on the trip.

We made plans to reunite in Castelsarrasin in mid August to begin the trip and I returned to the US May 17.

I was only home for a week, though, as a friend had offered me a spot on a charter trip from Anacortes, Washington to Ketchican, Alaska during the month of June. (At some point I’ll post some pictures from the Voyage of the Ellie K.)

So Tanya and I reunited in Castelsarrasin August 16 and made preparations to head north. This would be basically be a delivery trip with not a bunch of time for sightseeing as visa requirements would not allow me to remain in France past early November and heading north on the Rhone against the current could be a challenge. Preparations complete, August 22 we set off in the direction of Toulouse. Burgundy here we come!

That’s About It, Folks. October 24-Nov. 14

 I’ve returned to France to do some maintenance and winterize the boat as I didn’t have time for that in July. Plus it gave me an excuse to come back and enjoy more of those delicious baguettes. I’ll be here for three weeks.

I’m not going to make a map this year as it was just backing and forthing on the Canal de Garonne with side trips to Montauban and up the Baise.

But there are numbers-

694 kilometers

240 locks

142 hours underway 

41 travel days

I also think I’m going to put the blog to bed. The boat is for sale and I’m afraid my heart just isn’t in it. I don’t think I’ll be doing again what I did this year. While I did have a good time, it’s just not the kind of cruising I want to do. Barging is a wonderful life and I would dearly love to continue but I’m afraid it’s just not in the cards.

I want to thank you all for following along and your kind and generous comments.

If you know anybody who wants a very nice, comfortable Dutch barge on the French canals…..

Don

Return to Castelsarrasin, July 11-16

 My sister, Melissa (Missy) had been in Paris for several days and was taking the TGV from Paris to Bordeaux. I took the train from Agen and we met up in the train station. Since we only had a couple of hours, there really wouldn’t be time for much sightseeing so we mostly just wandered around the streets near the train station.

The ornate Bordeaux train station and city tram

We did take a stroll through the Basilique St. Michel whose construction started in 1350 and took about 200 years to complete. The church steeple is dwarfed by the nearby Fléche St. Michel, at 375 feet the tallest tower in southern France. Too bad about the scaffolding.

By late afternoon we were back on board, preparing to get underway.

Wednesday we were heading back to Valence d’Agen and after about 5 hours and 3 locks we were tied up in time to take a little stroll through town. It was a rather harrowing trip as there was still alot of debris in the canal, much of it just under water and invisible, so there was a pretty constant banging as branches struck the hull. No damage was done but it sounded like someone striking a drum when we hit something! Valence was very familiar to me now, but it was a beautiful day and the flowers were putting on quite a show. 

Thursday morning it was off to Moissac. I had contacted Anthony, the capitaine, a few days before to make sure there would be a spot for us as it was now high season, the weekend and, with the canal reopened, boats were starting to move around. We were tied up just after lunch so there was plenty of time to revisit the cathedral and cloister, the third time I’d been there this year.

My sister climbs out of the crypt in the church.

We were in no particular hurry as we didn’t need to be in Castelsarrasin until Sunday so we spent Friday just hanging around town, visiting the market and taking in the sights.

Saturday we set off around 11 am. Since it was just 6 k to Castelsarrasin, we motored past and stopped for the night at San Porquier, just 7 k further up the canal. I hadn’t stopped here before but we found a very attractive small village just a short distance away. Since we were tied up by about 3 pm there was plenty of time for a visit.

The church and city hall

A very attractive house that had obviously had some recent maintenance.

Since it was still early in the summer the sunflowers were in full bloom.

It was just a short trip and only two locks back to Castelsarrasin so Sunday morning we set off at the ungodly hour of 11 am and were tied up in Oldtimer’s resting place for the winter about 1 pm.

The flowers in Castelsarrasin were looking pretty nice, too.

Missy was off back to California Monday morning and I really didn’t have any time to mess around as I would be leaving the boat on Wednesday for my flight home Thursday. There was just time to get the laundry done and get things cleaned up before I headed to the train station for the return to Toulouse where Air France would whisk me home.

The plan was to return at the end of October to do a little maintenance and complete the winterization.

Back to Agen, June 29-July 10

Usually the moorings at Sérinac sur Garonne are chock full but with all the canal closures due to the weather, there was plenty of room for us to spend the night.

We were tied up around 3:30 and went for a stroll around the village.

The village church has a very unusual twisted steeple. 

Originally built in the 1060’s,by the mid 16th century the church boasted the twisted tower. Due to a lack of maintenance and a lightning strike in the early 1900’s, the original tower was removed and replaced by a simple four sided tower in 1922. In 1984, a local association was formed to raise money for rebuilding the steeple in its original shape. The new tower was built of laminated wood so it weighed less that half what it would if it was constructed in the original manner. In 1988 the new 16 ton tower was lowered into place. A very large crane was involved.

After a brief stop at the Hotel le Prince Noir for some liquid refreshment, it was off to the local tourist office. We were chatting with the very helpful tourist office lady, telling her our plans (on to Castelsarrasin) when she informed up that the recent storm had downed so many trees across the canal that it would be closed past Agen for at least a week. Plans made in jello, again! 

Friday morning it was off again, just 3 hours and 4 locks to Agen where Jenny and Adrian would be leaving me on Monday. I would then have a week on my own before my sister arrived July 11.

So I had another week to enjoy the wonders of Agen.

One of the first events I attended was an organ concert in the church where I learned what “pulling out all the stops” means. Since the organist was in a loft up above our heads, there was a large video screen in the front of the church so we could watch the performer. It’s a little hard to see in the picture I took of the screen, but all those “stops” are pulled all the way out for the grand finale when the roof is raised. 

I also took a hike up the hill across from town and could look down on the marina where I’d spent quite a bit of time.

I also took a couple of bike rides around town and got a good look at the pont canal that crosses the Garonne both from the river bank and from the canal itself.

After a few days I needed a change of scenery. I had discovered a small park about 2 k’s away from town, no locks in the way and shaded by nice trees with several convenient bollards. Friday morning I threw the lines off and headed up the canal just in time to enjoy another weather event. Heatwaves, thunderstorms, floods, droughts… it was time for an evening hailstorm. Nothing quite like grape-sized hail in a steel box. Luckily the solar panels were ok.

By Tuesday morning I was back in the marina. In the late morning I would take the train to Bordeaux to spend the day with my sister there and then Wednesday, the canal now open, we would head off for Valence and Castelsarrasin.

Escape from Nérac, June 24-29

 So the great cleanup began. 

Both walkways alongside the river through Nérac were now completely covered in mud. I managed to make a path for Carl and Janna to make it to the stairway up to the road so they get their taxi without getting muddy up to their ankles and they departed for Agen by taxi just after noon on Friday. Over the weekend the municipal workers showed up across the river with a big pump and fire hose to begin washing down the walkway.

Monday afternoon my next guests, Jenny and Adrian, arrived. 

The river was closed because of all the debris in the water so we would be enjoying the sights of Nérac for a few days.

I first met Jenny way back in 2009 when she was cruising aboard her English river cruiser Misty Morning. She and her husband Tom had been cruising English waterways and decided they wanted to give the French canals a try. Unfortunately, Tom died suddenly but Jenny carried on with her plans, doing what I am doing this year, arranging for friends to join her for crew. Some years later she met Adrian and they began boating together. After a couple of years they sold Misty Morning and bought Piedaleau, a much larger canal barge. (A link to Jenny’s blog is on the right). Last year they sold the barge but, as true Francophiles, they didn’t want to give up cruising altogether so have been visiting friends around France this year. They will spend a week on Oldtimer, maybe cruising.

I slid across the river while there was a break in the hosing down so they wouldn’t have to carry their luggage down the stairs and then scooted back across the river before we go hosed off too.

That evening we decided to check out an unusual waterside restaurant, La Vert Galant. They advertised 80 different varieties of ice cream. What we didn’t know was that many of the flavors are savory and a scoop is served with every dish. My aperitif was a slightly sparkling dry white wine with foie gras ice cream and my main course came with an ice cream made with roasted bell pepper and the basque spice piment d’espelette. Both were very good!

Tuesday was they day the city was going to start cleaning our side of the river so we again slid across. It turned out Tuesday was also the day the newly washed parking lot was going to be transformed into a producers market with many of the local restaurants, wineries, etc. setting up booths for the evening. There would even be entertainment by the local municipal band. No cooking that night. We enjoyed the bounty of Nérac.

The trip boat captain had told up he thought the river would be open on Wednesday so lat that morning we wandered down to the lock and pushed the button to se if we could activate the lock and leave. The lights indicated the lock was working but nothing happened. I called the service phone number and the person who answered said they were clearing downed trees but would check out the lock “later.” We assumed that meant after lunch so we headed off for lunch and a beer, within sight of the lock. I had just finished my beer when I noticed that the lock was full and the doors were open. Off we went!

Looking back toward Nérac. The lock is 

behind that wall on the right.

You can just see Oldtimer on the left.

We’re across the river to avoid the firehose 

and be closer to dinner.

The sun sets while we wait to see 

if we will be able to proceed in the morning.

We had to work our way around a couple of downed trees and there was a lot of damage to the banks but when we reached the fourth lock about 4:30,  the work boat was tied up in the lock and we couldn’t go any further. We troped to the waiting pontoon, assuming that the crew would be out in the morning and we could proceed. Instead, the captain showed up about an hour later and asked what we were doing there. The river was still closed, he said. We claimed ignorance (not far from the truth) and asked if we would be able to proceed Thursday morning. He said he would have to ask his boss and would see us in the morning.

When the work crew turned up about 8:30 am, the captain told us that his boss said we could proceed but that officially the river was still closed and we would have to do that at our own risk. We happily agreed and set off about 10 am. By 12:30 we were off the river and back onto the Lateral canal headed for our next stop, Serignac-sur-Garonne.