Canal du Midi
Deep in the heart of the Languedoc an old Amsterdam grain barge christened Anjodi glides through a UNESCO world heritage site, the Canal du Midi. On deck are 7 extremely zenned-out, well-fed passengers and one hilarious skipper, down below is a Michelin starred chef in the making and our lovely, effective and quiet hostess. Our sweet, gregarious, can-do-it-all tour guide is off riding a mountain bike 5 kilometers back to the previous dock to get the gobarging van and pick up fresh baguettes and local cheeses. Onlookers are making “ohhhh” and “ahhhh” sounds while regarding the ship’s shiny new coat of blue and white paint, her well-oiled teak deck, and her sleek lines. My father told me when I moved to France, you should take a barge trip down the Canal du Midi. Though practically in my own backyard, I didn’t quite understand until I was onboard what he meant for me to experience—truly the slow, good life of the south of France. It was a world of it’s own, we had our own rhythm that bowed into the flow of life, into the ebb of the 400 year old canal.
Our charismatic tour guide, a local French beauty drove us to several outings over
the week to local medieval and Roman towns of Carcassone, Narbonne and Minerve. I couldn’t help but take photos of each quaint, rustic French doorway and wood shuttered window. She presented us a short, interesting history lesson about Molière in Pèzenas while we toured the old cobble stone streets, afterwards she offered us espresso and then gave us free time to mosey around the antique shop filled village. I asked her if she knew about the candies and pastries that Pèzenas is famous for and she said, “oh, yes, those delicious handmade hard candies called “Berlingots” and the sweet-meat and spice filled samosa like “Bobbins” that were introduced by the Governor of India in 1768.” She then went to the best pastry shop to acquire Bobbins and Berlingots and offered them to all of us after we did our window shopping.
There were exciting moments of passing through the gargantuan olive-shaped locks with sluices holding back rushing water which when unleashed quickly filled while we were buoyed up to the next level. Our crew displayed tremendous teamwork, our tour guide working the ropes with the skipper securing the 138 ton vessel safely while the onslaught of waters rushed in. We sat on deck sipping gin and tonics enjoying the well-orchestrated show of which our lives depended on. The old metal gates would open and we barged forth onto the calm dark green waters of the canal, where reflections of the canopy of trees collided with gnarly roots reaching into the green murky waters and crystal blue skies like an M.C. Escher puddle reflection.
Wine tastings at local chateaux featured prominently on our itinerary being in the largest wine producing region of France, one that has had vines for millennia. The environs of Narbonne was part of the Roman Legionnaire retirement plan which was better than a time piece: a chunk of land, a handful of vines and a wife was their golden parachute, as long as they produced wines for the troops. One chateau that we visited could trace wine making on their property and in their family for 800 years! Even their family name is a play on the Occitan words for “the wine tasters”. The new generation has insisted on holding onto some ancient techniques like wood presses run by pulleys and metal cogs, and aging their rich reds in giant wood barrels the size of a small house.
The British captain’s last name rang a bell with many of us interested in beer, he is a direct descendant from the inventor of certain Ale. He obliged us happily, procured some unusual brews while we were out touring a medieval city. That evening we did a taste testing with background on different county’s beers and how they are made. I now feel confident enough to try my own beer brewing experiment at home. Learning tid-bits of knowledge like that plus the wonderfully informative wine sessions were what made this cruise even more valuable. A tangible gift rather than a tchotchke trinket to take home.
We rode their bikes, took walks along the tow path, I even steered the Anjodi à la
Rick Stein for a few minutes and appreciated her massive power and sensitive touch for such a big girl. I photographed old stone ruins perched on French hillsides and wild flowers that had sprung up near the shore while all my worries and stresses melted away into the flow of the water. It was as much a healing vacation as well as a wine holiday and boat getaway. It was with tears in my eyes, I walked the plank to disembark, waving goodbye to my ship mates, the ones with whom we shared our secrets under whispering trees deep in the heart of the Languedoc—a place that I happily call home.
The Anjodi is booked through gobarging.com
USA tollfree number 1 800 394 8630
Canadian 1 888 342-1917
visit their website at
www.GoBarging.com
