Canal du MIDI…..interesting

[Wansworth]

 

[AntarcticPilot]

My brother (also a forumite) lives near Carcassonne, and we've done a boat trip on the Canal du Midi. It's worth noting that it's very shallow; few of our boats could transit it. But it was an innovative and clever use of the water resources.

 

[PeterWright]

Hi there AP.,

The Canal du Midi is a woderful example of what the UK canal system could have been and shows how a bit of engineering creativity can solve the basic issue with canal building - the water supply system. In the days when it was regularly dredged, 2m draft was no problem, but dredging of canals is yet another victim of over enthusiastic green policies.

In my youth I heard repeatedly that our UK canals were the first so inevitably smaller and less ambitious than those in Europe, so I was surprised in my twenties to learn that the Duke of Bridgewater visited the already built Canal du Midi to learn about canal building before embarking on his exttensive UK canal building programme. What a shame he didn't copy their scale and left us with the narrow boat system which ws of use for such a short period.

I haven't been to Carcasonne since the 1980's, when I was living and working in Catalunya, but was surprised to find even then that the older folk of the town spoke Catalan between themselves. Is that still so, or has the language died out there?

Peter.

 

[AntarcticPilot]

Hi there AP.,

The Canal du Midi is a woderful example of what the UK canal system could have been and shows how a bit of engineering creativity can solve the basic issue with canal building - the water supply system. In the days when it was regularly dredged, 2m draft was no problem, but dredging of canals is yet another victim of over enthusiastic green policies.

In my youth I heard repeatedly that our UK canals were the first so inevitably smaller and less ambitious than those in Europe, so I was surprised in my twenties to learn that the Duke of Bridgewater visited the already built Canal du Midi to learn about canal building before embarking on his exttensive UK canal building programme. What a shame he didn't copy their scale and left us with the narrow boat system which ws of use for such a short period.

I haven't been to Carcasonne since the 1980's, when I was living and working in Catalunya, but was surprised to find even then that the older folk of the town spoke Catalan between themselves. Is that still so, or has the language died out there?

Peter.

Sorry, I have no idea about the language! My French was ok 56 years ago, but it's more than a bit rusty these days and is of the standard schoolboy variety. My brother and his wife do ok, but it's still "standard" French they speak.

The UK canals were mostly built for a specific purpose - bringing bulk goods like coal from source to market. They were entirely private enterprises, so they were built to be suitable for the purpose they were built for.

Basically, as soon as trains came along, canals couldn't compete. Railways are cheaper to build, faster and have greater carrying capacity.

 

[ChromeDome]

I've been on canals in quite a few countries. Not the Canal du Midi but the Canal du Nivernais in France which worked fine but was utterly boring.

Been to the Netherlands (Friesland) a couple of times and was impressed, definitely a place we'll visit again.

The Göta Canal that runs through Sweden is also an astonishing piece of work.

If interested, you can read about it here

 

[snowleopard]

Been to the Netherlands (Friesland) a couple of times and was impressed, definitely a place we'll visit again.

Agree 110%. A weird experience to enter from the sea and lock down into the canals. The "Standing mast route" can take you from Rotterdam to the German border and the only charges are a few euros for lifting bridges.

 

[ChromeDome]

We loved the way the old goods-delivery routes from city to city allowed us to literally go from one townhall square to the next, supermarkets with boat parking, super friendly people and 30.000+ berths to stay overnight - for free! Shore power at cost of course, but else just zero.

 

[Frogmogman]

Nice. Thanks for posting. What a lovely voice the narrator has.

 

[dgadee]

Must have cost a fortune in copyright clearances for the music.

 

[Seastoke]

Has anyone read the book about a canal barge leaving Stone in Staffordshire to Carcassonne , they even crossed the Chanel.

 

[mattonthesea]

Basically, as soon as trains came along, canals couldn't compete. Railways are cheaper to build, faster and have greater carrying capacity.

I think they also 'helped' the demise by buying parts of the canal network and increasing charges for their use considerably. Something like that for the Kennet and Avon canal IIRC

 

[DownWest]

The Midi is on my bucket list. Rick Stein's 'Odessy' was great fun.

'Something' Dog to Carcassone was the book.

 

[Bouba]

I’ve been on the DuMidi many time...fabulous place...we even once considered living canalside...looked at many fabulous properties..in the end the Mediterranean won out. Unfortunately the plane trees are all suffering a disease from a bug introduced to France in the American Army ammunition boxes during the First World War...it took a hundred years to make it’s way south....so they are chopping all the trees down. Fortunately we were lucky enough to navigate the duMidi before the trees went...they are such a huge part of the look and charm

 

[Wansworth]

I’ve been on the DuMidi many time...fabulous place...we even once considered living canalside...looked at many fabulous properties..in the end the Mediterranean won out. Unfortunately the plane trees are all suffering a disease from a bug introduced to France in the American Army ammunition boxes during the First World War...it took a hundred years to make it’s way south....so they are chopping all the trees down. Fortunately we were lucky enough to navigate the duMidi before the trees went...they are such a huge part of the look and charm

What a terrible thing

 

[Bouba]

What a terrible thing

Yes...it will be 100 years before it’s as magnificent again.....with the trees and the famous dappled light...you could be anywhere your imagination takes you...without it...there is some of the post industrial bleakness that you find in most canals....but it’s an Industrial Age masterpiece with such exciting things as circular locks

 

[bikedaft]

The Midi is on my bucket list. Rick Stein's 'Odessy' was great fun.

'Something' Dog to Carcassone was the book.

Narrow Dog to Carcassone - great book

 

[Seastoke]

The Midi is on my bucket list. Rick Stein's 'Odessy' was great fun.

'Something' Dog to Carcassone was the book.

Yes he also did a big trip in the states somewhere , but the ironic thing , when back in stone his narrow boat sank.

 

[DownWest]

In the Xmass book gifts, there is 'Shantyboat' A River way of life. By Harland Hubbard,
Account of a couple building a shantyboat near Cincinnati in 1944 and two years later, driffting the 1384 miles to New Orleans on the Ohio and Missouri rivers.
This edition from '77.
Looks to be good.

 

[Bouba]

In the Xmass book gifts, there is 'Shantyboat' A River way of life. By Harland Hubbard,
Account of a couple building a shantyboat near Cincinnati in 1944 and two years later, driffting the 1384 miles to New Orleans on the Ohio and Missouri rivers.
This edition from '77.
Looks to be good.

Did they not know there was a war going on ?