Le Canal du Midi

OK, right off, I just have to say...renting a penichette to barge a canal is an incredible way to see “profound France.” That’s Lisa’s term for what we experienced on the Canal du Midi and I couldn’t agree more. Usually a week-long vacation goes way too fast. Not this time. Maybe it’s the close quarters, maybe the fact that it’s a working vacation, or maybe that you see so much each day, but whatever it was, experientially it seemed longer than a week. And that’s a good thing. As our photo gallery will show, we covered a lot of ground (or water), visited a bunch of towns and cities, had plenty of time to relax, and our tight little nuclear family grew even tighter with the experience. As a matter of fact, we loved it so much we may continue boating the canal next spring.

We started with a two-leg train trip to Montpellier that took about 4 hours including the layover time in Avignon. Things started a bit rough as our pre-ordered transfer (since we brought Maggie with us) never arrived so we simply grabbed a taxi and were at the Lattes Base 10 minutes later. After checking in, getting our bikes and our pre-ordered groceries, we were given a quick lesson driving the 11 meter-long boat, and sent on our way at about 4 pm. Yikes, I’m the Captain of a big boat that quickly? And the first lock is literally just around the bend. Two other boats left at the same time we did so we all fit into the lock together and it didn’t seem so difficult (We learned later that first lock was an easy, straightforward one.) 45 minutes later we took a left onto the Rhone-Sète Canal and headed east. By chance it was also the day France moved it’s clocks back so we only had about two hours of barging before we had to “park” for the night (boats are not allowed to be driven after dark). The sides of the canal here were very rocky and I found myself panicking to find a decent spot as darkness descended. Without embarrassing myself too badly just let me say that my parking/mooring abilities left a lot of room for improvement.

This part of the Canal is actually semi-industrial and commercially active. It was a bit frightening, to say the least, to see a full-sized tanker ship heading towards us on the narrow canal. Somehow we hugged the bank and were able to pass each other without incident. It was even more frightening when we realized our foolishness in trying to pass one of those big barges. We probably would have both fit side by side, but the big boats create a suck-back action that made our boat, and us, unstable! We gave up that folly and took it slow from there on out. Also, notice in the pictures that beyond the Canal are large étangs, or salt lakes, used for fishing, oyster farming, nature preserves, etc. We arrived in the fortified city of Aigues-Mortes (literally, “dead waters”) after about 90 minutes of boating (8 km/hour is max speed), and loved this medieval port town. It was built in the 13th century by King Louis IX and was the primary departure point for a couple of the Crusades. The tower was also used as a prison for Huguenots. After a relaxed day of sight-seeing and lunch, we got back on the Montgiscard (our boat’s name) and headed back the way we had come.

We cruised into Frontignan the next morning, and had a few hours to sight-see. They have a lift-bridge that only rises three times/day, so we biked around town: saw the old cathedral, tasted the local muscat (too sweet for our tastes), watched the flamingos in the Salines, and bought a few groceries. Knowing we were coming back to Sète for Lisa’s birthday at the end of the trip, we bypassed the city and headed into the very large Étang de Thau. The navigation booklet warns to attempt crossings only when the wind is low usually in the mornings or before dusk. It was about 2 pm and seemed calm so we decided to head for the port of Mèze about a third of the way across the Etang. As a navigation “repère” (tool) we were advised to stay about 100 meters out from the massive oyster beds which we did and had no problems coming into Mèze. However, this was an actual port, not the side of a canal, so I had to actually dock our penichette like a true captain. Even though I had successfully backed into our slip during my lesson, I decided to take the easy route and pull in frontwards. The way I figured it, backing out, into the open waters of the port, is a whole lot easier then backing in to a narrow slip with people watching no less. We paid 11€ for the mooring - typically port slips cost something - but you get services such as water, electric, hot showers!, etc. We headed into the quaint small town, which like so many others was mostly shut down as summer is long gone, followed the steeple to the ubiquitous old cathedral, played shadow games outside the boarded-up chateau, and headed back to port for a delicious meal of oysters, mussels (Irie’s new favorite meal), and a main dish that was a mélange of oysters gratinée, clams gratinée, shrimp and mussels. We and a talkative family from England were the only customers and we had a good time talking about politics, music, France, etc.

The next morning, the boat kept pumping water out of a side hole, and then we ran out of water. Being in port, I hooked up the hose to fill it and the pump started going non-stop. I pulled up the floorboards and could see it gushing in. Crap, what do we do? The woman working at the Port Captainerie called our boat company and they said get yourselves across the Étang du Thau before the winds pick up and we’ll meet you inside the canal near Agde. A bit unnerved to be making this crossing with a leak of some sort we headed out and two hours later arrived at our first of three locks. Most locks are rounded or oval inside (a few are straight) which is easy enough - just wait for the green light and the doors to open, pull in to the right where Irie would throw Mom the rope which she would loop around a mooring and give back to Irie, then I’d put the motor in reverse, quickly go to the back and throw Lisa another rope, then we’d hang on while the lock filled. Our voyage was taking us upstream so the only difficulty was that Irie sometimes couldn’t throw the rope up high enough for Mom to grab it. The third lock going into Agde is unique as it is completely round. We had a good laugh at ourselves...later. Lisa stayed in the boat and after trying to get the rope around the mooring but failing we’d drift into the center of this round lock. I’d have to again try to steer up to the side where Lisa would again not be able to throw the rope up around the mooring. As we were trying for our ?fourth? time to moor, the woman lockmaster opened the gates - the lock was full and out we headed feeling like embarrassed amateurs.

We parked along the canal and made lunch while waiting for our repairman. After finding the leak and fixing it, we refilled our water tanks and were on our way. It is also after leaving the Étang de Thau that one officially enters the Canal du Midi. This is where the Canal becomes tree-lined and absolutely beautiful. While driving the boat could become tedious at times, here the views never ceased, so even if I wasn’t driving I just wanted to stare out the window anyway. Glass-like water mirroring the trees, small picturesque villages with their trademark steeples and Mairies, or even distant views of the snow-capped Pyrenees Mts. As well, a bike path lines at least one side of the Canal throughout. On Day 5, the sun finally reemerged after a few days of cold and gray, so Lisa, Irie and Maggie decided to bike awhile along the Canal while I drove. I ended up getting some exercise too as Irie dropped a glove and I rode back many kilometers before I actually found it.

Backing up, on Night 4 we stayed near the town of Portiragnes and I took a cold windy bike ride down to the beach where I found loads of shells and a wide open beach. Day 5 we crossed the famous Pont-canal which is where the canal actually bridges it’s way across L’Orb River near Béziers. Béziers is one of the oldest cities in France going back about 6500 years, and St. Nazaire had that old feel to it. Again, we were in waiting mode as the Fonserannes Staircase, a literal staircase of 7 locks, didn’t open until 4 pm, so we took a bike ride into this large busy city on a hill which proved très difficile for Irie. She fell and bruised her leg. Lisa felt left out so on our trip through the Staircase of locks Lisa decided to get a matching one. The Fonserannes is also a tourist attraction so we were glad we had already navigated a few locks, what with all the people watching us maneuver. With Irie’s help we worked our way through each lock like the pros that we had now become.

Our 6th night was spent on a scenic bend in the Canal with it as calm as we had seen, thus the potential for a couple of beautiful photos.
Our last day, Halloween, was full of the profound beauty of France that the Canal typifies. Sailing past small villages, with stops at two: the sleepy but very cute town of le Somail where the girls visited a hat museum; and, Ventenac-en-Minervois where we were able to pull up and moor right next to the chateau/winery where we tasted a few wines and bought a couple of bottles to bring home. After all, this whole trip was Lisa’s birthday present, and we tried to make it special by giving her gifts every other day or so to really stretch out the moment. I don't want to speak for her, but I think she had a great week!

We arrived in Argens, our final destination, in late afternoon. Not wanting to sleep docked at the Locaboat base, we crusied past the port a short distance and moored up one last time under the plane trees that line the banks. The town was eerily appropriate for Halloween with the tall buildings of the Argens “skyline” abandoned and falling apart. We asked about “trick-or-treating” and were told the kids all meet at the school at 6:30 and go out together. Sitting on the boat, I noticed three kids in costumes so we quickly locked up and followed them. I think we freaked them out, this english-speaking family following them around so they ran off and ditched us, but in the meantime we stumbled upon a larger group with parents and joined in. Lisa briefly talked en français with one dad, but mostly I think we were a strange occurrence that most will think wasn’t real. Irie noticed that they don’t say “trick-or-treat” but simply “les bonbons”, ie. give us candy, and that they didn’t give out candy bars. All-in-all, a Halloween to remember for its weirdness.

Lisa: Living on a boat for a week is like camping in a floating motor home. It was surreal--there are many spots on the Canal du Midi that feel like the middle of nowhere, but if there is a problem with the boat the fix-it crew is just a phone call and a nearby road away. We even ran into one of our fix-it guys in a small town and nabbed him to look at a minor sink drainage issue. There is also plenty of dirt that accumulates. It’s hard to know how to prepare, how to pack. How cold will it be? Will it rain? We did pretty well but were ready for a washing machine and a real shower by week’s end. And Maggie did great! She loved hanging outside watching life, and the ducks, go by. She also rode on the trains with us, and laid under Rick’s legs calmly. She had one episode of naughtiness: our last lock, we were fully confident in our skills, too confident because we let Maggie run about the boat. We locked up, were level with the sides, Rick was pulling away, I was about to hop on, and Maggie hopped off to sniff the lock-keeper's dog. I gathered up the dog and ran down the path where Rick picked us up. If we're not flailing with ropes we're flailing with dog.

This was a great week. Sublime, and there were several moments of the scenery before me perfectly aligning with the France of my dreams.

les vacances scolaire

It is already time for the first school holiday. As I may have already explained, France has a very sane school calendar with about 2 weeks off every quarter, or every 8 weeks. This results in a summer break of 2 months instead of 3 as in the States. I know as a teacher, I stay fresher with more frequent breaks, and would happily trade our schedule for France's. As would Irie who also loves going to school 2 days on, Weds. off, 2 more days on. She doesn't mind the longer days (that go until 4:30) and calls Weds. her mini-weekend.

Anyway, we leave early tomorrow morning, catching a train to Montpellier. There the Locaboat company will pick us up (Maggie included) and take us to our boat. We will get a lesson concerning all the details of living on a boat for a week, and then we're off! There is no "barging" allowed at night so every night we must find a place to tie up. This can be in a city's port or we can simply tie up along the canal somewhere. Our trip takes us from Lattes (near Montpellier), through the Camargue which is more like a large salty lake divided from the Mediterranean by barrier islands, then into the Canal du Midi to the town of Argens. Here is our circuit. There is a nice photo gallery lower on the page, and there is also a well-done video that gives us a good idea of what we'll experience, which includes passing through 16 locks. Of course, we will post our own pictures and video upon our safe return.

Our last night on the boat is Halloween, which has grown into a popular event here in France, so Irie is bringing a costume, and will trick-or-treat in Argens. That is the plan at least. After we return the penichette, we are off to Sète for 2 nights where we will celebrate Lisa's birthday. Lisa has wanted to do a barge trip like this one for years - long before we ever dreamed of spending a year in France - so this is her birthday present. Bon Anniversaire Honey!

Le Marché Dimanche

The Sunday Market is one of our favorite events of each week here in Fréjus. They have a small market near the boules courts on Tues. and Fri. to replenish fruits and veggies including a few other stalls of stuff, however, these are small potatoes (pun intended) in comparison to the assault on the senses that is the Sunday Market. It runs along the promenade right next to the Sea so on top of all the shopping possibilities, we can see the water, watch the boats, walk in the sand, or even on a hot day, go for a swim. Besides the fruit and veggie stands, there are stalls of olives and provençal herbs,
stalls of provencal fabrics,
stalls of cheese,
meats, fruit de mer (seafood), olive oils, wine and honey, bakery items, clothing (though not of the best quality or styles we would choose), soaps, scarves, flowers, shoes, leather goods, kitchen gear, etc. It is a treasure trove for items we forgot from home, shopping for Lisa's upcoming birthday, something we need for the apt., or just pleasing Irie with something special like the pink rabbit fur scarf she talked us into. However, best of all for the nose and taste buds are the stalls of prepared foods! As I mentioned in a previous post, we make it a habit to buy our lunch at the market, whether we eat it on the beach or, as the weather cools, at home. Each week I've been trying to buy something different to get a taste of the various vendors and the quality of what they cook. Seafood paella, roasted chicken (or any other kind of meat) with potatoes, couscous poulet (chicken), pizza, or sandwiches and other bakery items are some of the delectable choices. My only fear as fall turns to winter (though the weather here is still fantastic with temps in the upper 60s to lower 70s) is will it continue year-round? We sure hope so.

St. Tropez

Last Sunday we borrowed our friend Michelle’s car (in exchange for my giving her cooking lessons), and took a little road trip west on the coast to St. Tropez. Other than our 8-hour bus trip to Monaco, and the 2-day trip Lisa and I took to Nice, we have been pretty homebound since we arrived in Fréjus. Also, in both cases we weren’t responsible for driving so it’s been awhile since I spent much time behind the wheel of a car. My parents were still here so the 5 of us were packed into this typically-European small car, but the 1-hour drive to St. Tropez followed the coast so we rarely lost sight of the Mediterranean, traffic was light, and thus it was a relaxed journey. Once in St. Tropez, finding parking was a bit of a challenge (and quite honestly is the thing I like least about driving in Europe), but we found a parking garage, and were off on foot to explore the ever-popular town.

Trying to find Old Town and the port/harbor area we immediately stumbled upon the boules courts where they were obviously having a tournament of some kind. A big trophy stood on the temporary riser which otherwise was filled with cases of champagne, of which at least half had already been consumed. Good times were being had! Stumbling through narrow streets we followed our noses (think fish and seaweed) to the Harbor where there was yet another big crowd. Turns out they were having a big Porsche rally. We grabbed ice cream cones (the ice cream in Europe is always top notch with loads of flavorful choices) and headed in the opposite direction following the waterfront. The Harbor is fairly quaint, not large, a combination of fishing boats, sailboats, and expensive yachts, and lined with restaurants, small shops and art boutiques. As one walks away from the harbor you will find old ramparts and small beaches with views across St. Tropez Bay towards St. Maxime and the coast we had driven to get here.

Lisa and I stopped here on our last trip to France in 1996, and from our memories the town has become a lot more run-down since then. For such a famous town, and one with high real estate prices, we were surprised at how many waterfront properties were in need of repairs and paint, and a couple even looked completely empty and uninhabitable. We did find the Old Town charming with it’s narrow passageways, small squares, and flower bedecked homes.
The small in-town beaches are not remarkable in any way - no soft sand, no real access for swimming, and a bit dirty. But Irie had fun playing “shipwreck” on the rocks and the water was clear enough to see some small fish and jellyfish. We noticed the old Fort up on the hill so we left my parents seaside to sit and rest while we traipsed up the hill to explore. The views were spectacular on this sunny warm day, and while we never actually went inside, the three of us had fun encircling the outside. Upon showing Irie the moat and the weapon slits we asked what she thought the slits were for and she replied: “flowers?” Oh to be a kid again!

The town’s name comes from an early, semi-legendary martyr named Saint Torpes. The legend states that he was beheaded at Pisa during the reign of Nero, and that his body was placed in a rotten boat with a rooster and a dog who would thusly consume his body to survive. The boat landed at the present-day location of the town with his body still intact. During WWII it was one of the central landing sites for the Allied invasion of southern France leading to its liberation. In the 1950’s, Brigitte Bardot made it the tourist mecca it now is with her films here.

After about 3 hours, we were ready to head back, only to inch along at a snail’s pace. Everyone else decided to leave at 5 pm also, and being only one main road east or west, there was nowhere else to go. Oh well, it’s nice not being in a hurry, and there are worse places to be stuck in traffic. The route takes us past lots of nice-looking beaches and quaint Mediterranean towns. Having also biked in the opposite direction past our neighbor-town of St. Raphael to beautiful small sand-lined bays with clear calm water I would recommend such stops over St. Tropez. But one has to go, to know, and so voilà, there it is.

Irie's School Photos

Nothing to add to this one...

Une autre semaine à Fréjus

We haven't posted for over a week...where does the time go? We've been in Fréjus 6 weeks already as hot summer beach days have turned into the mild pleasant days of autumn. Our adopted city has gone from bustling vacation resort with packed beaches to a quiet town living at regular speed. Some of the beachfront restaurants and boardwalk shops have shuttered for the season, yet most remain open. The beaches are never empty, the retired regulars hang out along the fence near the municipal nautical club which is still very active, and everyday, groups of kids are being taught here how to sail, windsurf and kayak.

We have developed our own regular schedules. Irie has begun to blossom, giving us a kiss and a wave as she heads into her brave new world every morning at 8:30 and again every afternoon at 1:30. We continue to laugh at the crazy crowd of parents who crowd the school gate at the departure times, looking for their little students to appear. Meanwhile Irie knows we'll stand back toward the street where it's less crowded so she comes bounding out with hugs and smiles. On Weds., when there is no school, she usually sits in on my french lesson in the morning (since it's with her french teacher from the school) and in the afternoon she has her piano lesson.

Lisa has quickly developed a tight little group of friends who take her hula class, do an arts and crafts class together, and regularly converse in french and english to the benefit of both. I meet with my own new friend, Florent, on Monday mornings at the local cafe. He speaks better english than I do french, but we both understand the other's language well enough that the conversation can flow easily enough. He is planning a 3-week trip next August that will take them from Seattle to San Diego (with a possible stop at our cabin on Diamond Lake) so that immediately gave us something to discuss. He is also a skiier and I do believe we'll end up on the slopes together this winter. Lisa and I both also take french on Tuesday mornings. Lisa will be starting a more advanced class in another location, which is the right thing for her to do, however, I admit to a little sadness about it. As husband and wife who, at home in our normal routines have our own professions and schedules, sharing time in a stimulating educational setting was a reminder of the learning environment in which we met so many years ago, and I enjoyed it immensely!

We have also had the not-so-regular events that make the time fly by. Our apartment complex held an "end of season" picnic last Saturday which was very fun. It met all the preconceived notions of a long french lunch with multiple courses being served, wine flowing freely, and conversation ranging over the gamut of topics. As the new Americans staying for a year, we were met with much interest and questions, and it was a pleasure to make contacts with our neighbors.

Also, my parents are here after their own huge 35-day tour of 15 European countries. They are staying for 10 days then still have 4 days in Paris after they leave here on Tues. morning. We are trying to keep them busy and fed while maintaining sanity in our small apt. I am most grateful to them for taking care of Irie while letting Lisa and I take a much-needed getaway to Nice. We stayed in a charming hotel minutes walk from the famous rock beaches of Nice, as well as near old-town with the typically-European narrow pedestrian streets lined with restaurants and shops. The dinner our first night, at La Zucca Magica (The Magic Pumpkin), was the best meal I've had since the Queen Mary2 cruise. It's a 4-course vegetarian meal plus dessert and based on the confiance du chef, in other words, every patron is eating the same thing and you don't know what exactly you are eating until it arrives at your table. It was an exceptionally delicious evening!

We see the parents off on Tuesday morning, finish two weeks of school, and it will already be the end of the first quarter...so off on our first vacation. We have rented a peniche, or houseboat, and will spend a week cruising the Camargue and the Canal du Midi due west along the Mediterranean. We will spend Lisa's birthday in Sète, and upon our return, her dear friend Athena will be joining us for 10 days. C'est la vie en France.

Monaco

As I mentioned in my last blog post, we took a bus trip to Monaco this past Sunday. It was put on by the Vous Accueil association and the tickets cost 25€ for us and 10€ for Irie. We were dropped off at the "top" of Monaco (Monaco is a "principality" that is all of .75 square miles, built into the side of a mountain that descends into the sea) at the Jardin Exotique where we started our day. The Grotte (cave) was also in, or rather under, the garden and was used in prehistoric times by different groups of people including the Neanderthals. The Grotte has some nice formations (see pics above) but I was most struck with the difference in how they protect such an edifice. In the U.S., for instance at the Oregon Caves very near our home, they talk of the micro-climate, the unique organisms, and the absolute rules of not touching anything. In The Grotte, we were ducking and weaving through stalagtites and stalagmites and everything seemed very "loose." We, of course, didn't touch anything, but honestly we could have probably carved "Rick ♥'s Lisa" into a formation if we had so desired. Then again, the tour leader was speaking in French so what do I really know?

Monaco is a constitutional monarchy of about 33,000 people. The head of state is Prince Albert II who came to power when his father, Prince Rainer, died in 2005. Many of you will be familiar with Prince Rainer as the husband of Princess Grace, ie. the actress Grace Kelly who died tragically here in a car accident in 1982 (we were glad we didn't have to drive these streets!). Princes Rainer and Albert are, respectively, the 25th and 26th ruling Princes of the Grimaldi family which came to power in 1297 and has ruled ever since. Many are also somewhat familiar with the Monaco Grand Prix, which is considered the most difficult Formula One race on the circuit, and the Monte Carlo Casino (the trinket shops are full of memorabilia of both). Our bus went by the large gardens in front of the Casino, but we didn't even get close enough to take a picture. When we were both in Europe as college students in 1985 we met up in Nice and tried to get into the Casino that day, but wearing shorts and tennis shoes we were laughed away from the entrance. Now we just don't have any interest.

After touring the très impressionnant Jardin (which Lisa described as the ultimate rooftop terrace garden overlooking the entire country) and The Grotte, we took the city bus which wound down through Monte Carlo then back up to Le Rocher (The Rock) where the Palais, Cathédrale, and the Aquarium/Musée Oceanography sit. The building towers impressively on a bluff high above the sea, Jacques Cousteau was it's director for many years, and Irie loved it! We then wound our way through the typically European narrow streets browsing the stores and finding some tasty wood-fired pizza for lunch. The Palais was not nearly as impressive as Versailles, but hey it's not France, it's only surrounded by France, and speaks French, though they do have their own language, Monégasgue. It was a delightful day with the family. Monaco is a very picturesque place, and I learned much more about the place than when I came through as a college student...imagine that!