From Trèbes to Homps and back..via Carcassonne!!!

The weather forecasts were variable as the time for departure, courtesy of RyanAir, grew nearer. Would it be very wet, grey, cold and miserable, or the much better option and not the BBC choice… fine, warm and sunny.. how can all the forecasts be so different?

Being the eternal optimist I looked on the preferred bright side and put my bets on sun prevailing over rain.. I won, not completely.. rain won out on one day, but in general, the weather was far better than most of the forecasts!

The RyanAir flight left on time, (bonus) and, would you believe, arrived early.
Check, or no check in, we managed to get through without donating a brass cent to the coffers of said airline, and were speedily met and whisked away to the boats at Trebes within moments of disembarkation. All very efficient!

Moreover, on arrival at Trebes, the sun shone fiercely and the temperatures had climbed by at least 10 degrees. Once the boys from Le Boat had been dragged away from Le Dejeuner, we were sorted and aboard. Apart from one small snag; the Bank Holiday the following day, (1st May; we should have guessed the locks would be closed and all the keepers, les eclusiers, on “vacances”) we were very happy campers. Maybe that should be boaters..??

By early afternoon we were off, making our way west towards Carcassonne, with the intention of staying over the bank holiday in the town to explore the Castle, Old Town etc. Good decision as the forecast was bad for the following day.

As if cast back in time, both boats quickly lapsed into the habits rapidly and thoroughly learned from the previous years experiences. Namely, sit back, with glass vino or other cold libation, watch the scenery pass by at a leisurely 5 knots and RELAaaaax.

Nigel was given the task of identifying appropriate restaurants along the way.. a responsibility  which he took most extremely seriously, and delivered said eating establishments very well indeed. Within a short while all was peace and well with the world.

Our stay in Carcassonne for the day was fortuitous as rain, wind and a 15 degree drop in temperature would have rendered idyllic motoring on the canal quite impossible. Instead we played the real tourist and ate, shopped and eventually dropped, discovering the beautiful Old City and Old Town of Carcassonne. Our chilled bones were revived by, I think, best part of Stanley’s bottle of Irish, (and I don’t mean coffee!)

We continued day by sunny day thereafter poodling along this beautiful waterway, with very little of a stressful nature on our minds, except where to get the morning croissants and next bottle of local vino! The remainder of our time afloat was beneath sunny skies and the rain held off until Monday afternoon as we were returning the boat to Trebes. What perfect timing, non?

Avi and I spent a further 3 days in the Midi staying in a charming B & B in a tiny vinery village, exploring the magnificent Chateaux (castles) du Pays Cathare, many of which are perched thousands of feet above sea level on mountain tops. How did they build them there?

Our grateful thanks go to Stanley for organising the trip, the most amiable companions and blissfully warm weather, (well mostly!)

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