Drives like pig

Shopping was the start to the day. We tried the local market which proved to be a rather paltry six or eight stalls. We got some apples. The nearby cheese shop was an entirely different proposition – a good French cheese shop is proof that there is a god in his heaven. We got goats cheese, un crotin de chevignol, a local cheese as an experiment, and a hard cheese. We were tempted by a seething mass of Gorgonzola at the back of the shop, but it seriously looked like it was alive.

The purpose of Carcassonne was not, however, buying food. It was to visit the Citadel with its famous walls. I was, admittedly, ambivalent about this as it all seems a bit Disney. But this visit I realised it was more authentic than I had previously thought, and it is undeniably pretty. We walked the ramparts which offer stunning views of the surrounding landscape.

It had become quite cold on the ramparts so a lunch inside back at the main square was welcome.

All of that meant that we didn’t unmoor until nearly 3pm. We were then delayed while waiting for another boat to make a complex mess of mooring. We’ve learnt that any activity on the canal is a spectator sport. People in other boats, people on bridges, people on tow-paths – everyone taking videos and judging. The boat making a mess had a great many people visibly laughing, including the lock keeper who gave a very galic shrug and through her laughter said ‘thank god they are the port captain’s problem, not mine’.

Once again motoring down the canal was a joy. Navigating the locks is a lot of fun and there’s usually time to exchange pleasantries with the lock keeper and other boats. The one little fly in our ointment is that the boat, as Peter explained to one of the lock keepers, steers like a pig. And it’s true, it’s incredibly difficult to keep number 48 on a path. The slightest breath of air or eddy sends it careening for the bank, so constant attention is required. Basically we are using a patented method of never turning the wheel, just using the impellers to change direction. In fact if the boat didn’t have impellers our view is we’d still be turning in circles in Castelnaudary.

After a few hours driving today we have moored on the bank in the midst of some vineyards. All that shopping at the beginning of the day now comes into its own as we’re self-sufficient – at least in cheese and wine.