canal du midi à la chaser Feb 2017

[EX51SSS]

thanks @EX51SSS will try and find something appropriate on our travels, will not be running to a full set though

What about a beautiful bone China mug for the Moho?

 

[hilldweller]

Is that you, Brian, drink driving?

That's my 20 year old daughter. Here..............

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place...b3d5ad8a0fb742d!8m2!3d51.4643412!4d-2.6103777

 

[Riverbankannie]

Oops!

 

[Moodybrook]

mug for the Moho?

Leave him alone, she already has one ! Sorry poor attempt at humour

 

[appydaze]

Rick Stein on BBC 2 right now 10.05 Sunday

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[Teuchter]

Great campsite near the canal at Trebes just South of Carcassonne

Camping Municipal **** - A l'ombre des micocouliers

http://www.audecamping.com/

 

[MicknMew]

Have a great trip and anniversary, David and Bev, doesn't matter
about the weather,as long as you enjoy it. look at it this way, if the sun shines its a bonus. enjoy, and happy 36th anniversary.
We'll be reaching our 47th anniversary this year.
Hope you both have a brilliant holiday.
Mew and Mick

 

[Neilfg]

Congratulations to you both, am looking forward to you documenting the sites you visit and making me restless to get out and about for longer than the odd weekend and it should be warmer than Scotland!

It's such a good idea for a tour, that I have just spent (not wasted) an hour checking out sites and aires along the route of the Canal du Midi, and agree you are going to find sites a bit tricky in Feb, but 2 that came up as being open were http://www.camping-colombiers.com and Link Removed.

 

[DavidG58]

What about a beautiful bone China mug for the Moho?

Last weekend Bev dropped my favourite china mug in the motorhome while we were away

So now we are definitely having china for a present, or at least I am

 

[DavidG58]

Deep into the planning bit now, in as much as we do planning

We leave home on the 7th Feb, drive to Vanbitz to have the auction alarm fitted on the 8th

stop overnight again on the 9th morning we have a visit by the awning people to fix the new awning

full thread on that will follow @laird of Dunstan but when sorted, not really the suppliers fault

drive to ???? either Canterbury P + R to over night, or ......

shall we drive to the chunnel either over night in car park if they will let us in 12 hours early? or take an earlier crossing and stop in France (but this would be very early am arrival in France drive in dark, find aire in dark etc)

Our preference would be to turn up at Chunnel check in for an as yet unbooked 08:00 ish crossing on 10th Feb, have a sleep in car park ready to leave

Then get approx. 300 miles down on the 10th (just over half way to Bordeaux area) 11th down to probably Twin Lakes for a few nights (Bev does like a site and wants to play with the awning and safari room, she can pretend she still has a caravan for a few nights

14th (our anniversary) I know dead romantic me but also so much harder to forget and only one card to buy each year drive on down to night one beside the canal du midi which starts in Toulouse, hopefully an aire with a nice eating option, we are only just starting to explore these options

gentle bumps along the canal, a night at each, takes us to the 18th Feb, somewhere near Sete where will look for another site in the Med sun for 3 nights

setting off homeward on the 21st to be home on Thursday 23rd

I know it is not long enough really, don't need telling again (please) but it is a break away fro home / work / UK winter etc

So still need

an aire 300 miles from Calais heading to Bordeaux

4 aires / villages along the canal from Toulouse - Sete

2 aires on way home 200 mile gaps roughly from Sete although we like La Mailleray and may aim for there on the last night

oh and a vets , if we don't do La Mailleray

and breath

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[MitchandJenny]

Toulouse - Set

Super cave system at Sete, if I have remembered correctly. Prehistoric occupation illustrated and illuminated and all very well done..
Enjoy the trip and I hope the weather is kinder to you than at present across Europe..
Mitch.

 

[klaatu]

It's not long enough, really.


Sorry - seriously, it sounds great, looking forward to the reports. I've done the Canal du Midi and Canal du Rhone a Sete a couple of times on a boat.

 

[chaser]

Deep into the planning bit now, in as much as we do planning

We leave home on the 7th Feb, drive to Vanbitz to have the auction alarm fitted on the 8th

stop overnight again on the 9th morning we have a visit by the awning people to fix the new awning

full thread on that will follow @laird of Dunstan but when sorted, not really the suppliers fault

drive to ???? either Canterbury P + R to over night, or ......

shall we drive to the chunnel either over night in car park if they will let us in 12 hours early? or take an earlier crossing and stop in France (but this would be very early am arrival in France drive in dark, find aire in dark etc)

Our preference would be to turn up at Chunnel check in for an as yet unbooked 08:00 ish crossing on 10th Feb, have a sleep in car park ready to leave

Then get approx. 300 miles down on the 10th (just over half way to Bordeaux area) 11th down to probably Twin Lakes for a few nights (Bev does like a site and wants to play with the awning and safari room, she can pretend she still has a caravan for a few nights

14th (our anniversary) I know dead romantic me but also so much harder to forget and only one card to buy each year drive on down to night one beside the canal du midi which starts in Toulouse, hopefully an aire with a nice eating option, we are only just starting to explore these options

gentle bumps along the canal, a night at each, takes us to the 18th Feb, somewhere near Sete where will look for another site in the Med sun for 3 nights

setting off homeward on the 21st to be home on Thursday 23rd

I know it is not long enough really, don't need telling again (please) but it is a break away fro home / work / UK winter etc

So still need

an aire 300 miles from Calais heading to Bordeaux

4 aires / villages along the canal from Toulouse - Sete

2 aires on way home 200 mile gaps roughly from Sete although we like La Mailleray and may aim for there on the last night

oh and a vets , if we don't do La Mailleray

and breath

Don't want to tell you what to do, but a few ideas for you,if you get to the tunnel at tea time , go over, and stay at cite Europe then you are ready for off the next morning, literly round the corner, and saves a day and the cost of staying this side for a night, and don't like to impose but frankie @yodeli is very welcoming for a night in toulouse, and there is a brilliant aire near sete, right in town .

 

[DavidG58]

thanks @chaser

don't like having too much pressure on meeting booked crossings etc so will probably book for 06:00 - 08:00 and see how early we can get there and get on early

if we can get to Folkestone for tea time we would definitely try to get over that day

thanks for the aire pointers, we were also looking at park4night last night, found La Somail (or something very similar to that), only parking but looks lovely and a restaurant adjacent

we had the pleasure of Frankie's place overnight and for dinner this time last year, still can't spell boeuf bourginion, but it tasted excellent, remember it well @yodeli

 

[yodeli]

boeuf bourginion,

Boeuf Bourguignon ....! But who cares , only the taste matters !!

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[TJBi]

Deep into the planning bit now, in as much as we do planning

We leave home on the 7th Feb, drive to Vanbitz to have the auction alarm fitted on the 8th

stop overnight again on the 9th morning we have a visit by the awning people to fix the new awning

<snip>

drive to ???? either Canterbury P + R to over night, or ......

shall we drive to the chunnel either over night in car park if they will let us in 12 hours early? or take an earlier crossing and stop in France (but this would be very early am arrival in France drive in dark, find aire in dark etc)

<snip>

Then get approx. 300 miles down on the 10th (just over half way to Bordeaux area) 11th down to probably Twin Lakes for a few nights (Bev does like a site and wants to play with the awning and safari room, she can pretend she still has a caravan for a few nights

<snip>

If, as it appears, you are travelling from Taunton to Bordeaux, why not save mileage and kilometrage and cross Poole-Cherbourg?

 

[DavidG58]

If, as it appears, you are travelling from Taunton to Bordeaux, why not save mileage and kilometrage and cross Poole-Cherbourg?

You are totally right on the destination and start point, but we have already got a frequent user chunnel crossing prepaid, plus we have a dog so much prefer the ease of the tunnel

 

[DavidG58]

Thanks @FIDGET picked up Turquant on another thread, looks an ideal (albeit much longer than we normally drive) first overnight aire after Calais, but needs must this trip

 

[Clarky]

Even if you go through the tunnel late the Cite Europe aire would be a good choice.
It's free and very easy to get to from the tunnel, even if it is dark it's all very well lit.
If it helps there is a short video of the route from train to aire on my YouTube channel.


A pleasant aire by the Canal du Midi is at Homps.
It is free but there are no facilities for water or dump. When we were last there earlier this year it looked as though the site may be developed into apartments soon but it may well be open still.
GPS is 43.26886º 2.71732º

 

[FIDGET]

Thanks @FIDGET picked up Turquant on another thread, looks an ideal (albeit much longer than we normally drive) first overnight aire after Calais, but needs must this trip

Hi David,
You may consider Vouvray aire small aire & quite simple/ basic .not too far from the A10

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[chaser]

Even if you go through the tunnel late the Cite Europe aire would be a good choice.
It's free and very easy to get to from the tunnel, even if it is dark it's all very well lit.
If it helps there is a short video of the route from train to aire on my YouTube channel.


A pleasant aire by the Canal du Midi is at Homps.
It is free but there are no facilities for water or dump. When we were last there earlier this year it looked as though the site may be developed into apartments soon but it may well be open still.
GPS is 43.26886º 2.71732º

Personly, I wouldn't dream of stopping on this side when in half an hour you can be set up on the French side for free

 

[DavidG58]

Personly, I wouldn't dream of stopping on this side when in half an hour you can be set up on the French side for free

I do get your point, but no real difference parking at the chunnel terminal car park in Folkstone and waiting there, than crossing and parking at Cite de Europe, or similar surely?

 

[chaser]

I do get your point, but no real difference parking at the chunnel terminal car park in Folkstone and waiting there, than crossing and parking at Cite de Europe, or similar surely?

Don't want to get in discussion about this cause it can go round and round, but if you stay this side you have got to be thinking of getting up to catch the train , which would in my case probably mean I would be waking up every ten mins , but for the sake of half an hour you can be on the other side, no worries, good nights sleep , breakfast in cite Europe if you want, bit of shopping, and away fresh and stocked up

 

[chaser]

I do get your point, but no real difference parking at the chunnel terminal car park in Folkstone and waiting there, than crossing and parking at Cite de Europe, or similar surely?

Saying this if we are over in decent time, we opt for gravelines for the first night, but that is another 20 minutes away, wrong way as well

 

[TJBi]

Even if you go through the tunnel late the Cite Europe aire would be a good choice.
It's free and very easy to get to from the tunnel, even if it is dark it's all very well lit.
If it helps there is a short video of the route from train to aire on my YouTube channel.


A pleasant aire by the Canal du Midi is at Homps.
It is free but there are no facilities for water or dump. When we were last there earlier this year it looked as though the site may be developed into apartments soon but it may well be open still.
GPS is 43.26886º 2.71732º

In addition to the above canalside aire at the port (no services), there is a lakeside aire (no services) also in Homps. Both the above are in the CCI database. There are also a couple more canalside options, in more rural locations, one to the east and the other to the west of the port.
Other possibilities (again no services) are at Montferrand and Le Ségala (43.34107, 1.83493). The former is particularly worthwhile if you are able to take the time to explore the canal infrastructure, being at the highest point on the canal. Met a couple of GB motorhomes there in 2015; they had gone through the Tunnel, overnighted at the Baie de Somme aire (just off the A16) and then driven to Montferrand for their second night (arriving quite late). Apparently two their regular stops on the way to Spain.
Le Ségala has the advantage of a restaurant on the canalside, by the aire, recommended to me by a French camping-cariste; currently unable to connect to the website, but the phone is +33 4 68 60 16 87. https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Resta..._Riquet-Labastide_d_Anjou_Aude_Occitanie.html has reviews up to October 2016 and there is a review in French dated November 2016 on fr.tripadvisor.be . Public toilets by the aire; tap accessible when toilets are open (but don't know whether turned off at this time of year to avoid risk of burst pipes).

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[DavidG58]

Thanks @TJBi very much appreciated

 

[DavidG58]

sometimes fate plays its part, in fact it probably always does, but tonight it has done its bit for our trip and the decision for first French night

went online to book our frequent traveller crossing, initially looking at booking 07:00 on the Friday as we planned to go, on the basis that you can arrive early and be offered alternatives, not really sure how they play if you are late

so with a booking made we could still turn up on Thursday evening and see what options we had

anyway, no such option, fully booked for FT crossings for Friday, nothing till Saturday 14:00, so we have come back to Thursday and are now booked for 19:20 on the Thursday

now just need to make the awning repairs are sorted while stopping at Vanbitz site, alarm will be done on the Wednesday, awning people due on site for 09:00 on Thursday, hopefully 3 hours should easily see that done and demonstrated (fate may sort that as well, if heavy rain or very windy we can not put it up)

then trundle off at a decent pace

in theory 5 hours driving should see it, so leave by 12:00 very latest, Eurotunnel for 17:00 with 100 minutes still to spare if needed somewhere en route

so we will be in France for around 20:00, Cite de Europe it looks like being

 

[chaser]

sometimes fate plays its part, in fact it probably always does, but tonight it has done its bit for our trip and the decision for first French night

went online to book our frequent traveller crossing, initially looking at booking 07:00 on the Friday as we planned to go, on the basis that you can arrive early and be offered alternatives, not really sure how they play if you are late

so with a booking made we could still turn up on Thursday evening and see what options we had

anyway, no such option, fully booked for FT crossings for Friday, nothing till Saturday 14:00, so we have come back to Thursday and are now booked for 19:20 on the Thursday

now just need to make the awning repairs are sorted while stopping at Vanbitz site, alarm will be done on the Wednesday, awning people due on site for 09:00 on Thursday, hopefully 3 hours should easily see that done and demonstrated (fate may sort that as well, if heavy rain or very windy we can not put it up)

then trundle off at a decent pace

View attachment 144281

in theory 5 hours driving should see it, so leave by 12:00 very latest, Eurotunnel for 17:00 with 100 minutes still to spare if needed somewhere en route

so we will be in France for around 20:00, Cite de Europe it looks like being

You couldn't of planned it better

 

[Emmit]

In addition to the above canalside aire at the port (no services), there is a lakeside aire (no services) also in Homps. Both the above are in the CCI database. There are also a couple more canalside options, in more rural locations, one to the east and the other to the west of the port.
Other possibilities (again no services) are at Montferrand and Le Ségala (43.34107, 1.83493). The former is particularly worthwhile if you are able to take the time to explore the canal infrastructure, being at the highest point on the canal. Met a couple of GB motorhomes there in 2015; they had gone through the Tunnel, overnighted at the Baie de Somme aire (just off the A16) and then driven to Montferrand for their second night (arriving quite late). Apparently two their regular stops on the way to Spain.
Le Ségala has the advantage of a restaurant on the canalside, by the aire, recommended to me by a French camping-cariste; currently unable to connect to the website, but the phone is +33 4 68 60 16 87. https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Resta..._Riquet-Labastide_d_Anjou_Aude_Occitanie.html has reviews up to October 2016 and there is a review in French dated November 2016 on fr.tripadvisor.be . Public toilets by the aire; tap accessible when toilets are open (but don't know whether turned off at this time of year to avoid risk of burst pipes).

Called in at La Sigala in November 2016.

The restaurant was closed for holidays, Doh!!! Can only endorse TJB's comments. I'll bet it's gorgeous in summer. With respect, there are services of a type. Behind one of the buildings abutting the canalside road, there are public toilets and, I think a tap.

 

[DavidG58]

Link Removed

some of these look lovely, will be on our list to get to some at least

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