For our final trip in Europe we hired a self-drive boat and cruised the Canal du Midi in the south of France for a week along with six friends (Rachael, Tim, Kelly, Mitch, Emma and Rohan). It was a relaxing but fun week, with lots of stops at quaint little French villages, wine tasting and lock navigating.
We had one night in Carcassonne, where we got to see a pretty sunset from the rampart of the castle.
Carcassonne castle at sunset.
And in daylight.
The castle is huge and has been restored to a high standard. This is a view from a window on one side of the castle looking out to the other side and the surrounding Carcassonne township.
MC, Rach and Kelly outside the castle.
John and MC outside the castle.
The village of Ventenac where we moored for a night. Our boat ("Sartene") is moored up outside the chateau where we indulged in a little wine tasting.
The boat came with bikes so we could explore a little bit further into the countryside. MC sampling grapes from one of the ubiquitous vineyards.
Sadly we were a little too late for the sunflower season - they looked a little sad.
Rach relaxing in the wee pool on the end of the boat.
Too much red wine and good food!
Kelly and Mitch chilling on the front deck.
Pretty bridge.
Rach is the king of the world!
Lock-keepers' sculptures at the Aiguille lock.
Captain Tim and First Mate Rach.
Seven smiling sailors....
... and one scary zombie!!! out for a delicious dinner in Homps.
Captain MC looking on as Rach mans the ropes in a lock.
Captain MC, Tim and Mitch.
"
Le Jonathan"....
... and "
Marie-Claire"! Sadly there was no "
Nadine".
First Mate Mitch and Captain MC.
The girls (MC, Rach, Emma and Kelly) relaxing on the front deck.
Captain Mitch and First Mate John and Kelly, Emma and Rach soaking up the sunshine.
The boys up top.
Pretty house and vineyards along the canal.
Mitch filling up
Sartene with water
The girls relaxing in the pool.
MC, Rach and Kelly in Beziers.
Looking towards the old town in Beziers.
Part of the amazing 5-lock Fonserannes staircase at Beziers. Luckily we didn't have to take the boat through these!
View of Beziers from where we moored the boat.
Captain John driving us through the Malpas Tunnel (the world's first canal tunnel).
Boats moored along the pretty tree-lined canal.
Captain John.
Arriving back to the boat after a spot of wine-tasting. MC's "baby" is actually 10L (for 20 euros!) of red wine from Gimie the local winemaker.
Wine-tasting with Gimie.
Beautiful day for a bikeride.
View from the top of the cathedral in Capestang. You can see the Pyrenees mountains in the background.
Emma, Rohan, John and MC on top of the cathedral.
Rohan, Emma, Kelly, MC, John and Rach at a pretty bridge along the canal.
Captain MC.
We received a lot of attention (and salutes and photos!) from passing boats who found this outfit a great laugh.
Don't tell the rest of the crew that John was driving with his feet.
MC on top deck.
We had one night in Carcassonne, where we got to see a pretty sunset from the rampart of the castle.
Carcassonne castle at sunset.
And in daylight.
The castle is huge and has been restored to a high standard. This is a view from a window on one side of the castle looking out to the other side and the surrounding Carcassonne township.
MC, Rach and Kelly outside the castle.
John and MC outside the castle.
The village of Ventenac where we moored for a night. Our boat ("Sartene") is moored up outside the chateau where we indulged in a little wine tasting.
The boat came with bikes so we could explore a little bit further into the countryside. MC sampling grapes from one of the ubiquitous vineyards.
Sadly we were a little too late for the sunflower season - they looked a little sad.
Rach relaxing in the wee pool on the end of the boat.
Too much red wine and good food!
Kelly and Mitch chilling on the front deck.
Pretty bridge.
Rach is the king of the world!
Lock-keepers' sculptures at the Aiguille lock.
Captain Tim and First Mate Rach.
Seven smiling sailors....
... and one scary zombie!!! out for a delicious dinner in Homps.
Captain MC looking on as Rach mans the ropes in a lock.
Captain MC, Tim and Mitch.
" Le Jonathan"....
... and "Marie-Claire"! Sadly there was no "Nadine".
First Mate Mitch and Captain MC.
The girls (MC, Rach, Emma and Kelly) relaxing on the front deck.
Captain Mitch and First Mate John and Kelly, Emma and Rach soaking up the sunshine.
The boys up top.
Pretty house and vineyards along the canal.
Mitch filling up Sartene with water
The girls relaxing in the pool.
MC, Rach and Kelly in Beziers.
Looking towards the old town in Beziers.
Part of the amazing 5-lock Fonserannes staircase at Beziers. Luckily we didn't have to take the boat through these!
View of Beziers from where we moored the boat.
Captain John driving us through the Malpas Tunnel (the world's first canal tunnel).
Boats moored along the pretty tree-lined canal.
Captain John.
Arriving back to the boat after a spot of wine-tasting. MC's "baby" is actually 10L (for 20 euros!) of red wine from Gimie the local winemaker.
Wine-tasting with Gimie.
Beautiful day for a bikeride.
View from the top of the cathedral in Capestang. You can see the Pyrenees mountains in the background.
Emma, Rohan, John and MC on top of the cathedral.
Rohan, Emma, Kelly, MC, John and Rach at a pretty bridge along the canal.
Captain MC.
We received a lot of attention (and salutes and photos!) from passing boats who found this outfit a great laugh.
Don't tell the rest of the crew that John was driving with his feet.
MC on top deck.
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