Security and Safety on the Canal du Midi

[JustinC]

Afternoon,

We´re thinking of taking ourselves off to do the Canal du Midi and Canal du Garonne from Apr-Sept this year, travelling with 2 small children (2.5 and 1yrs).

Some sites and books say there is a degree of crime, with thieves hopping on whilst you´re distracted going through locks, and stealing things.

Has anyone had any good / bad experiences of this, or are they isolated cases ?

Thanks

Justin

 

[gruntle]

Never done the midi, but we have done calais to port st louis and back, and didnt have any personal experience of crime. We did come across a couple who had had their boat broken into in Avignon, with the resultining loss of a camera, but that's about it.

France has its share of petty crime in the built up areas, but in more rural areas you shouldnt have too much trouble, providing you take the usual precautions

 

[Grehan]

Security on the French Canals

Let's deal with the bad news first.
The Canal du Midi, in the Season (July and August) is pretty full of hire boats, with inexperienced folk aboard, enjoying themselves and not thinking too much about security. Plenty of open hatches while people go off shopping or sightseeing. That's a bit of a target for any opportunistic thief. Thefts result, it's inevitable.

The good news is that such incidents are quite rare, all things considered. If you're streetwise, don't advertise the valuable delights you have on board and lock up then you won't be a target. Personally, we've never had any trouble during just about 5 years of French waterways liveaboarding. I've never heard of theft at locks - I guess it's possible.

The Canal de Garonne is a very different animal from the Midi. Quieter and nicer in almost every respect although it's not a World Heritage Site and the canal route is not as picturesquely twisty. And safer, too.

As in any situation one must keep one's wits about one. Mooring up in the middle of a town or village on a Fete or Foire weekend will mean it's possible you'll be noticed by young lads out for a laugh on a Friday or Saturday night. It happens. So don't.

With a bit of common sense applied, you'll have a very peaceful and enjoyable experience. The French love small kiddiwinks almost as much as small dogs. Have a great time!

[Edit]
Avignon is a highly popular tourist destination and therefore a scally attraction. The town quayside is very public and this therefore is one particular place where we are very careful. It's an obvious potential exception to what I say above. Nevertheless, we've had two or three great stays there - a unique place.

 

[Saint Louis]

We have been operating on the Canal Garonne for the past seven seasons. I am reasonably security minded, I don't take silly risks partly because we operate a professional boat and we like / need to act professionally. Touch wood, we have never had a problem. But - I have never heard of any theft problem experienced by other boats - even those who leave their wheelhouse open in a busy port, laptop inside, while they go shopping.
Security risks are more to do with idiot boat drivers, and that is not just the hire boats, it includes privately owned boats of all nationalities.