Hi Folks – It’s time to think about going to France in September of 2016. I know it seems early but the good boats fill up over a year in advance so it is time to start planning our schedule. We’ve picked out a few dates to have some general info meetings about our next canal…
Category: trips
Bailly Lapierre Wine Cave on the Nivernais
On one of the very hottest days on the Nivernais we were lucky to be close to the Bailly Lapierre “Crémant de Bourgogne” Wine Cave – literally in a cave! (Click here to see maps.) We parked our boat on the bank of the canal and hiked up (yes, UP, UP, and more UP) to the…
Friday Video Diversion
Sometimes the weekend can’t come soon enough. Maybe you need a little diversion before getting to today’s task. As a balm to your week long blues I offer you two funny wine videos from Paso Robles that were submitted to Wine Spectators Yearly Video Contest. These are clever and fun and wine geeky. Maybe you should enjoy a…
A typical day on the Canal du Midi
What do you do on a canal boat vacation? Here are a few things that fill a typical day on the canal. The mornings in mid September were cool but not cold and the days warmed wonderfully. Only on one day did we have wind, overcast skies and a bit of rain. Cool nights lead…
Unlocking the Canal du Midi
If you plan on renting a boat on a French canal you’ll have the clear through some locks. Don’t worry it’s easy. Here we clear a double lock on the Canal du Midi in mid September 2011.
Navigating the Locks on the Canal du Midi
If you rent a canal boat you will, most likely, have to go through a lock. At first this might seem scary. I’m sure most people have never entered a lock on a boat that they are operating. I’m not sure I had even seen a lock in operation before. I knew how they worked…
Trains, Planes and Narbonne
If you plan on renting a canal boat in France the first thing to consider is where in France you wish to travel. France has nine major cruising areas that cover much of the country. They all take you through fabulous wine country except in Brittany where they specialize in hard cider and in Charente…
Riding to the Top of the Eiffel Tower
Walking to the top of the Eiffel Tower is no longer possible. This creates long line at the entrance – but the trip to the top is easy and well worth the wait.
Two Days in Paris – Part II
Staying up as long as possible, pushing yourself past the point of exhaustion, and only succumbing to sleep when it’s bedtime locally, rewards the international traveler with a great night’s sleep and a fresh, clear-eyed approach to the following day. Paris was awake, it was Saturday and we had a full day to spend in…
Two Days in Paris – Part I
Paris was our entry point to the south of France. We were here to go from airplane to train. But it’s Paris. We needed to spend at least a little time in the city of light. The plan was simple – we arrived early Friday morning, stay awake all day, then spend Saturday touring something…