Day 1:
Okay – we’ve arrived at Argens-Minervois and had the introductory tour of our sparkling new Penichette Evolution from Locaboat and now it’s time for a little test drive around the marina!
Marty is a little nervous because our boat doesn’t have a scratch on it and some of the others in the yard have more than a few. On the other hand though, the sides of every boat are very well protected with inflated bolsters so that’s a relief! It is our personal challenge to return the Gardouche in pristine condition!
Our technician advised us to get on “the road” as the canals close down at 7pm and it was already 4pm, so that’s what we did. We struck our first lock within 3 minutes of leaving the marina and had a moment of panic, but aced it with the help of a slightly grumpy French lock keeper who must see the worst of the inexperienced travellers, being the first lock on the canal after Argens depot!
We decided to head for Ventenac-en-Minervois to overnight before the curfew and one of the first villages passed was little Roubia. Just after the next village Paraza, was an exciting moment crossing a canal bridge that crosses the small River Répudre and where you are looking down from a suspended bridge to the valley and river below – it’s quite unreal and an absolute feat of engineering genius given the era in which it was built.
After tying up for the night we had the chance to test drive the kitchen facilities. With the convection hob and oven, and a great range of kitchen equipment, it was just like cooking at home and while there was only 2 of us, it would easily have coped with cooking for 4. Fresh mushroom omelettes and salad washed down by some leftover Medoc from Bordeaux was just what the doctor ordered! The bedding is all supplied and the fitted sheets, pillows and duvets made making the bed at night simple. After folding down the dining table, it was a matter of pulling out a spring-loaded base and “voila” – instant bedtime! If there had been 4 of us, there was the option for another double bed at the front of the boat, so would easily have coped with a small family or two couples.
The beauty of sleeping on a canal boat (as opposed to a yacht) is that there is no tidal movement and no waves, so a good night sleep is pretty much guaranteed. We certainly had a great sleep and couldn’t wait to head off the next day…
Day 2:
As it was Sunday, the only thing we heard in the morning was the Ventenac church bells. A quick walk around the town showed that everyone was either at said church or still in bed, so we got prepared to “cast off”.
Next stop was the small but important town of Le Somail. The approach is quite dramatic as you pass under a picturesque bridge with a peek of the Palm trees on the other side of the bridge. Lining the sides of the river are clusters of pretty little restaurants and cafes and there were quite a few canal boats of varying sizes moored there, as well as some of the very popular “hotel barges” which can accommodate larger groups and where you have a skipper, small staff and meals are provided. They tend to operate more in the high season, so were probably moored for some maintenance or downtime.
On the Canal du Midi (and probably other canals in France) the locks close down for lunch between 12.00pm and 1.00pm, so you need to plan your lock transit activity around this time. We decided to head along to the Port La Robine and lunch at the start of the series of 7 almost continuous locks that are the final stretch before the Moussoulens Gate. Lunch in the sun on the deck was followed by a flurry of activity after the lock-keepers returned from their “dejeuner”.
This stretch of locks is the perfect place to become expert at the lock operation procedure (which is actually quite simple). I grabbed the cycle off the boat and cycled the short distance to the operation console and pushed the button to ready the lock, while Marty waited for the “green” light. When the gates opened and the light went green, he manoeuvred into the lock and moored to the side, while throwing the forward and aft ropes to me to hold. Once in position, you push the next button which starts the slow release (or fill depending on which direction you are going) of water from the lock. When your lock is at the same level as the waterway you are heading for, your gates will automatically open, at which point the ropes are thrown back on board. Normally if you have only been through one lock, the land operator (me) will board the boat again after the lock, but as we had another 6 to go, I chose to ride the bike between the first 5 – which was a bit of fun.
At each lock, there is a lock-keepers residence which is usually a quaint older cottage but sometimes at the larger locks, maybe a larger building that is not usually occupied. All of the lock buildings have a painted sign about their door which gives you your elevation and the distance between the beginning and end of the canal. This would have been very useful in the days before Google! While we didn’t see any of the lock-keepers, there is a bell which can be used to summon them for help or in the event of any problems. I believe they are more visible in the Summer months when there are many more craft on the canal and so they supervise each lock operation.
The last lock in this series, at Sallèlles-d’Aude – is in a very pretty little village and was a particularly deep one so took a while to fill. After this last bit of excitement for the day, we decided to pass through the Moussoulens Gate, where the River Aude joins the canal, to head for Narbonne for the night.
Coming up…arriving in Narbonne and then heading for the coast in our next blog!
Heaps of safe parking is available for customers at a relatively reasonable day rate and we had pre-booked bicycles for the boat and wifi to make sure every angle was covered on the journey. After a bit of paperwork and formality, we were given a guided tour of our brand new little Penichette. Being brand new, we were lucky to have such luxuries as a convection hob and gas oven, wifi, pump heating, a great bathroom and for the blokes – front and rear bow thrusters and 360degree joystick for use at low revs! Did I mention the stylish decor and lovely front and rear deck facilities (sadly we didn’t see too much good weather).
Also on offer in the afternoon was a 2-hour specialist onboard wine tasting experience with the in-house Sommelier, Nico which included a full tutorial on wine appreciation and a blind tasting session to see how well you had been listening. While exceptionally popular with other guests who firmly recommended it, we decided to get some exercise for the day.
Bordeaux is a fascinating port city on the Garonne River and now one of my most favourite of all European cities. The architecture is comparable to the grandeur of Paris (without the crowds), it is flat and easy to get around, has brilliant city transport, great restaurants and fantastic shopping down the 1.2km Rue St Catherine. Add to that the sublime and extensive surrounding wine region, the beautiful beaches and coastline and the proximity to Paris, this has to be one of the best regions and cities to live in.
It’s known for its Gothic Cathédrale Saint-André, the 18-19th-century mansions which all sprang up as a result of the flourishing wine trade and notable museums such as the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Bordeaux and the Musée d’Aquitaine which we visited. Public gardens line the curving river quays which become a hub of activity and family gatherings on the weekends. The grand Place de la Bourse, centered on the Three Graces fountain, overlooks the Miroir d’Eau reflecting pool and there are some pretty spectacular town gates as well, the Porte de la Grosse Cloche and Porte-Cailhau. The city has embraced modern architecture and sculpture and it seems to sit quite comfortably alongside its historical counterparts. Particularly popular are the Halles of Baclan, an open plan foodmarket and cluster of restaurants, right next to La Cité du Vin.
First stop is the 
Next the very popular 
Lastly and before heading back to the River Royale for lunch, is the new but popular artisan chocolate shop 
A short stroll down Quai to the evocative and stunning building that is 
There is no doubt that this is the way young people prefer to learn, but me – I’m still a bit old-fashioned and found the jostling, slightly inconsiderate crowd who linger and hog some of the displays a bit annoying.
As this is the last night of our river cruise itinerary, the Captain and crew have a treat in store with farewell cocktails and a special gala dinner, so we don our glad rags and head on up to the lounge.
Sarah skillfully negotiated for bread, cheese, strawberries and chocolate with the local stallholders and the cheese man nearly got the better of her!
They began their conversion to organic in 2017 but because of constraints put on them by the bank, have had to put the Chateau restoration on hold for a time. The forest that was growing in and around the main buildings have been cleared and they are only inhabiting the old ex-implement wing to the left at present in the hope to one day return the Chateau to its former glory and according to the early century photographs they have.
Currently selling 2/3 of their Merlot crop to the local co-operative for cash-flow, from the remaining 1/3, they produce their current 3 Boutinet wines – the one we will be trying today is the Clairet de Boutinet. Nathalie had to twist Jerome’s arm to get him to agree to the modern and stylish label she helped design on the Clairet bottle, especially as labelling of Bordeaux wines seems to follow a more traditional path.
According to the programme, today’s line-up includes the ancient towns of Blaye, Bourg and Libourne – all important wine transportation or trading towns, and we are in luck because it’s market day in Blaye (pronounced Bly). We are out of luck with the weather though as its really raining and windy. Not daunted, we are handed umbrellas by the ship crew and head off.
Walking over to the UNESCO Citadel of Blaye, our lovely guide Sarah re-enacted the particularly advanced defence aspects of the fortress. This town was a disputed hotspot over hundreds of years and was destroyed by Protestant forces in the late 16th century. After the damaging years of the wars of religion, Louis XIII repaired the fortress and started installing a modern defence system which included the groundbreaking “star-shaped” battlements that changed the outcomes of battle sieges to come.
Back to the ship for a dry-off and we set sail to Bourg, a town with a sleepy feel to it (maybe it was the French 2 hour lunch hour) but we were still entranced by one of the tales attached to the town and now responsible for the famous “Fig of Bourg”.
Legend has it that when Louis XIV visited the town with his mother in 1650, he was too small to pick a fig he saw hanging from a tree. A passing Monk lifted him up to get it but was later arrested for touching the King which was strictly forbidden. The Queen later pardoned the Monk and in memory of this event, the locals make a delicacy of a fig wrapped in chocolate and called the ‘King’s delight’. Sold at the 
A final vineyard and tasting for the day was to be had at the prestigious Medoc vineyard of 
Our first day of introductions to the diverse wine districts of Bordeaux. It was Sauternes today – the sweet white wines of Southern Bordeaux, traditionally considered a dessert wine, the industry is keen to display how versatile these wines really are.
Chateau La Tour Blanche was prestigiously ranked a ‘Premier Cru’ or ‘first growth’ in 1855 and when its last owner died in 1907, he bequeathed the estate to the French government on the proviso that they set up and ran a practical, non-fee wine school for budding viticulturists. The unique microclimate and a nifty little fungus called botrytis cinerea conspire to turn some of the bunch’s fruit into highly sugar concentrated, crystallised fruits which in turn contribute to the unique fruity and spicy character of Sauternes. Served chilled they are a delicious aperitif but also pair well with many other foods – as we were to later learn.
It’s a bit of a grey day in Bordeaux but that was all forgotten when we crossed the Quay des Chartrons and stepped aboard the 
