Sunbury
In a day or so, we will be back in Auxonne getting ready for what we hope will be achieving the destination we had in mind when we started off cursing ten years ago – reaching the Canal du Midi. As we bought Neo Vita in North Holland, we had a reasonable distance to cover. A few of our fast-moving friends have done the trip in a single season. It will have taken us ten. At one stage, we had a pretty firm intention to be down on the Midi in 2020 – so we are at least five years behind schedule. Canal closures, COVID, recovery and overplating have all taken their toll. We are well positioned on good full rivers to at least make the trip down. The rest will be mostly in the lap of the (rain) gods.
Our route will take us downstream on the River Saône to where it joins the mighty River Rhône in France’s second city, Lyon. Then down the Rhône, up the Petit Rhone and along the Canal du Rhône à Sète, through the Etang de Thau, which is essentially part of the Mediterranean sea, and enter the Canal du Midi at Agde. During the season we intend to cruise the length of the Midi to Toulouse and then winter in Moissac which will mean some travel down the Canal latèral à la Garonne. Without backtracking or side trips, this will be a 900 km cruise with over 110 locks
If we could pick any place where the seed of the dream of this lifestyle took began germinating, it was at Port Lauragais, so that will be the place for special celebrations.
6 Responses
It will be a trip worth waiting for hope and l you got through the airport with no excess luggage 😳😳. I am sure wherever you go it will be an adventure you won’t forget. Safe travels through those 110 locks and Lisette you will be very fit when you get back while Ian stays dry😁😁
All going well so far Mary, Catharina is in good shape. The only hitch on the way here was that stupid me had booked our trains a day early.Duh. Easy and quick fix so it didn’t delay us and the cost was not great.
Hahaha. “cursing” is what we often do…
Sorry to have missed you; I’m in Paris now flying back to the US tomorrow but I hope you can keep us current on your trip this year.
I will try Don. As I plan to use your blog, I might end up putting some comments in there as we move along. That would be ironic – updating your blog while not making new entries in ours!
Wow! What a trip that will be, Ian. I’m too lily-livered to contemplate the Rhône in anything other than ideal conditions, so I’ll be hoping for updates this year. Please will you post photos now and then?
Guilt me incessantly Val – it might work. Nothing else has done over the past few year. Keep at me!