My View. Let's See Yours

[ingenious]

Congratulations! I remember going up and down the Beziers locks vividly. It’s quite an experience

Ive been down it the other way before - we had a one way hire from Homps to Port Cassafières some years ago.
This was a bit different as going up is harder and it was my own boat which isn't primarily designed for canals. I also wanted to give my recently installed (and very expensive) Dockmate a good test.
As it turned out, they have tons of extra lock keepers at this time of the year (students) and they did all the awkward bit of passing the ropes past the gate bridges. My only real worry was the big Leboat behind me in the locks kept getting perilously close to my props which stick out behind the boat a bit. Going to buy a big sausage fender for the future. Also replace the piece of scaffold plank I have as a fender board with something lighter
Had a very pleasant meal in Colombiers last night and going through the Tunnel de Malpas today which will be another new adventure

 

[kingsebi]

Ive been down it the other way before - we had a one way hire from Homps to Port Cassafières some years ago.
This was a bit different as going up is harder and it was my own boat which isn't primarily designed for canals. I also wanted to give my recently installed (and very expensive) Dockmate a good test.
As it turned out, they have tons of extra lock keepers at this time of the year (students) and they did all the awkward bit of passing the ropes past the gate bridges. My only real worry was the big Leboat behind me in the locks kept getting perilously close to my props which stick out behind the boat a bit. Going to buy a big sausage fender for the future. Also replace the piece of scaffold plank I have as a fender board with something lighter
Had a very pleasant meal in Colombiers last night and going through the Tunnel de Malpas today which will be another new adventure

Sounds great. You are right, going up is always more challenging. And it being your own boat changes everything. Have fun going through the tunnel. I liked Capestang too. Where I bought my first boat. The whole canal really. Beautiful landscape. Take care of the hire boats. Especially when it’s windy. They have no keel, weak motors and often unexperienced and/or drunk crew. Protect your propellers by all means. I had z drives on my boat and they got hit a couple of times.

 

[Bouba]

In a motorway services for lunch on the way to Verona….if I am honest, the food isn’t too bad

 

[Fr J Hackett]

In a motorway services for lunch on the way to Verona….if I am honest, the food isn’t too bad

Look you consider MacDonalds and a Diet Coke fine dining, you are no judge of what's good and bad with regards food.

 

[ingenious]

In a motorway services for lunch on the way to Verona….if I am honest, the food isn’t too bad

Oh, Verona is one of my favourite Italian cities ( Siena being the other).
Are you seeing a concert? Been there twice for very different events - once to see David Gilmour and the other to see Carmen!
Lots of nice restaurants - recommended a place called Fishing Lab for something unusual or Osteria Casa Vino All'onda for great Italian that isn't just pizza and pasta

 

[ingenious]

Sounds great. You are right, going up is always more challenging. And it being your own boat changes everything. Have fun going through the tunnel. I liked Capestang too. Where I bought my first boat. The whole canal really. Beautiful landscape. Take care of the hire boats. Especially when it’s windy. They have no keel, weak motors and often unexperienced and/or drunk crew. Protect your propellers by all means. I had z drives on my boat and they got hit a couple of times.

Yes, we stopped at Capestang last time too. The bridge there is a challenge, I've already got the minimast, radar and aerials down, got some pipe insulation which I'm going to put around the roof handrails and a couple of nylon rods up from the bow rails at the same width and height as the roof. I will go through really slow -it amazes me how the big cruising barges get through!
I know what you mean about the hire boats, particularly the bigger ones. First time we were here we had an English steel longboat and had several incidents where plastic boats hit us. Last time we were in a plastic one but it was small and had thrusters.
Furthest up I've been before is Homps so looking forward to going further, planning on Toulouse where I will be leaving the boat for a couple of weeks and my friend is going home.

 

[kingsebi]

Yes, we stopped at Capestang last time too. The bridge there is a challenge, I've already got the minimast, radar and aerials down, got some pipe insulation which I'm going to put around the roof handrails and a couple of nylon rods up from the bow rails at the same width and height as the roof. I will go through really slow -it amazes me how the big cruising barges get through!
I know what you mean about the hire boats, particularly the bigger ones. First time we were here we had an English steel longboat and had several incidents where plastic boats hit us. Last time we were in a plastic one but it was small and had thrusters.
Furthest up I've been before is Homps so looking forward to going further, planning on Toulouse where I will be leaving the boat for a couple of weeks and my friend is going home.

True, the bridge. I had a small boat so wasn’t a problem. I was always amazed at the barges too. Have a nice trip to Toulouse! Beautiful city.

 

[Bouba]

Oh, Verona is one of my favourite Italian cities ( Siena being the other).
Are you seeing a concert? Been there twice for very different events - once to see David Gilmour and the other to see Carmen!
Lots of nice restaurants - recommended a place called Fishing Lab for something unusual or Osteria Casa Vino All'onda for great Italian that isn't just pizza and pasta

We are there to see Nabucco…and here is proof we are in Italy

 

[ingenious]

We are there to see Nabucco…and here is proof we are in Italy

Oh, that should be fabulous, enjoy. The atmosphere in the arena is incredible. Are you on the stone seats or the flipdown plastic ones? If the stone ones, take or buy a cushion

 

[Fr J Hackett]

I went to watch Aida at Nimes many years ago, it was the hight of summer and even in the evening, certainly for the first hour it was absolutely stifling. Whilst the performance / spectacle was memorable and I have often thought of repeating it I soon remember the torture of sitting in a suit in over 30°C and opt for a performance indoors which nowadays is usually air conditioned.
But I hope Bouba and Ms Bouba have a very pleasant evening, Nabucco is well suited to such a setting.

 

[Bouba]

Oh, that should be fabulous, enjoy. The atmosphere in the arena is incredible. Are you on the stone seats or the flipdown plastic ones? If the stone ones, take or buy a cushion

We are in chairs up front…but we bought gel cushions as well

 

[Fr J Hackett]

We are in chairs up front…but we bought gel cushions as well

Put them in the freezer

 

[Bouba]

We also brought ponchos…some forecasts show rain and an electric storm…others just hot and humid.

 

[ingenious]

I went to watch Aida at Nimes many years ago, it was the hight of summer and even in the evening, certainly for the first hour it was absolutely stifling. Whilst the performance / spectacle was memorable and I have often thought of repeating it I soon remember the torture of sitting in a suit in over 30°C and opt for a performance indoors which nowadays is usually air conditioned.
But I hope Bouba and Ms Bouba have a very pleasant evening, Nabucco is well suited to such a setting.

Yes, it was August and hot when we saw Carmen. Didn't start until 9:00 but it was still 30 degrees and not much lower in the dark when in finished at 1:00. Gilmour was October so nicely cool.
Nimes and Orange are only 1 hour and 1.5 hour from my French house so hope to see some concerts in future. I saw the Cure in Orange way back in the 80s. It was very hot then too.

 

[Fr J Hackett]

Yes, it was August and hot when we saw Carmen. Didn't start until 9:00 but it was still 30 degrees and not much lower in the dark when in finished at 1:00. Gilmour was October so nicely cool.
Nimes and Orange are only 1 hour and 1.5 hour from my French house so hope to see some concerts in future. I saw the Cure in Orange way back in the 80s. It was very hot then too.

We are Just over an hour to the North which is why I periodically think about going back to Nimes for an opera but I really don't do heat very well at all. Today was the first day of full air-conditioning in the house.

 

[ingenious]

True, the bridge. I had a small boat so wasn’t a problem. I was always amazed at the barges too. Have a nice trip to Toulouse! Beautiful city.

Looking forward to it, I've been in an out of Toulouse airport loads of times but never been in the city. The Port De Plaisance seems nice and not expensive so Im leaving the boat there while I go back to the UK for a couple of weeks, spend a week in the city then decide whether to go back down the Midi or go on up to Bordeaux. I have another ex-work friend who lives near there and I have an appointment in Angoulême in September.
The great thing about boating and having no ties is you can change your mind (as we did by coming up the Midi, we were supposed to be going east along the French coast but my guest was suffering a bit in the open sea)

 

[Koeketiene]

Poor girl.
She hasn't got any arms.
And on second look, she's naked too.
Probably because it's hard to get dressed when you haven't got any arms.

 

[ingenious]

Poor girl.
She hasn't got any arms.
And on second look, she's naked too.
Probably because it's hard to get dressed when you haven't got any arms.

View attachment 194759

Mostly 'armless

 

[Bouba]

The weather might spoil the opera….their refund policy is a little harsh….and of course there is the travel and hotel…cross fingers for no rain or storm

 

[kingsebi]

Looking forward to it, I've been in an out of Toulouse airport loads of times but never been in the city. The Port De Plaisance seems nice and not expensive so Im leaving the boat there while I go back to the UK for a couple of weeks, spend a week in the city then decide whether to go back down the Midi or go on up to Bordeaux. I have another ex-work friend who lives near there and I have an appointment in Angoulême in September.
The great thing about boating and having no ties is you can change your mind (as we did by coming up the Midi, we were supposed to be going east along the French coast but my guest was suffering a bit in the open sea)

I agree. Great thing to be able to change your plans. There is a lively music scene in Toulouse too. If you go to Bordeaux you will find that the Canal lateral de la Garonne is much less touristic than the Canal du Midi. Moissac is a nice little town and you can go on the river Tarn. Only a little stretch is navigable but it’s well worth it. Look out for the submerged dam though. And then there are the two rivers Lot and Baise that can be accessed at Buzet. The Baise has limited draft and to get to the Lot you have to navigate on the Garonne and get a pilot. I went there in April with strong currents which was a little scary but I think in summer it should be fine. Both rivers are worth the detour in my opinion.