Two blog posts in one day? What blasphemy is this? Just me trying to catch up on my backlog, of course. I've got a ways to go...but this post is one I knew I had to get to. Why? What's so important about a canal, you might ask?
Built in the 1600's, the Canal du Midi stretches 240 kilometers from Toulouse to the coast of southern France. Along with a smaller canal (the Canal de Garonne), it connects the Atlantic to the Mediterranean through France. Why is this important? Well, it was a very strategic shortcut at the time. The voyage at that time sailing around the country took a full month, and passed by not-always-friendly Spain. It was a massive project at the time and even today is considered a major, impressive feat of engineering! With 91 locks along its length, some having to even use a staircase effect to get boats up and over hills, it is world-famous and even is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
So, why do we care? Well, some bright soul decided to add pedestrian trails - along its entire length. (Well, actually they're technically tow paths where people used to tug boats along, but never midn that!) With my curious penchant for bipedal locomotion on the crappiest bicycles I can find, decided that now was the time to do it. I had wanted to make the trek from Montpellier to bike part of it the first time I was studying in France, but alas, I never got around to it. In a way, this feels like some personal achievement and a culmination of some tiny life goal - another little 'X' off the bucket list, if you will. (I don't actually have a bucket list, but if I do, this was a good one). Note: I wasn't crazy enough to try to bike all of the canal, as that would be more than my poor bike (an old, noisy piece of crap, but functional), legs, and time could afford. However, since the Tour de France was passing not too far from where I lived just the day before, I felt this was the perfect time to resurrect this little old dream of mine and take a day ride.
In short, it was magnificent. I did 50 kilometers along the canal itself, 70 total if you include backtracking to the train station and actually getting to and from the canal from the outskirts of town where I live. It's pretty much a straight shot, tree-shaded and flat for most of the way (it gets hilly later on). Since it was mid-afternoon and really hot, I hopped a train once I got out to where I wanted to be. I would have liked to go a little farther (to a village called Castelnaudary), but didn't start quite early enough. I decided that I had a great ride and to quit while I was ahead. Here's a map, because who doesn't love maps?
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| I started at the top left, and got down to a little past Port-Lauragais. About halfway between Toulouse and Carcassonne! (Not bad, eh?) |
Anyway, it was a day well spent, and I biked those last few miles from the Toulouse train station quite sore, but went to sleep happy that night. Here are some neat photos from the trip:
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| The canal near Toulouse. Basically miles on end of nothing but beautiful green. |
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| The canal is also home to many pleasure boats. You can usually see people lazing about on or below deck. It's really the life. |
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| If I get a boat (one day...), I'll be decorating it as flamboyantly as this. |
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| Just outside of Toulouse - everyone sleepin' late on a Sunday. |
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| Just some more of the canal...much farther out, though! Love the reflections on the water. |
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| The day was perfect - hot and sunny, but the shade trees kept me cool. |
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| Every lock (écluse) along the canal, tended by an éclusier to let the boats through, has a sign like this letting you know how far since the last one and how far to the next. |
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| Once I got far enough out, fellow cyclists were few and far between. It was very peaceful. |
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| Lookin' rough. |
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| Another rest house by the second-to-last lock on my journey. |
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| Stopping to watch a boat squeeze through. It's quite a fun process! |
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| One last photo before it's time to head back. |
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| Had to leave the canal and bike a mile to get to this tiny town of Avignonet. |
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| Lil' lonely, this train stop...but allowed me and my bike to ride home in comfort :) |
That's all for the canal du midi adventure! Hope you enjoyed, and I'll be writing more soon. Until next time!
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