From Siobhan
Carcassonne
Excellent Port -showers, washing machines. Stephanie at Captainerie very friendly and helpful
She recommended Chez Fred near Captainerie -didn’t try it
and L’ Adelaide at La Cite – was great – good not stunning food and lovely atmosphere -reasonable prices
We moored below lock – nicer than in port
30 mins walk to Cite. Can take Petit Train
Trebes
Le Moulin looked good – reasonable prices and Menu = lovely setting but didn’t try it
Nice mooring on hard quay – look carefully and you will find free water just beside the first restaurant on quay
Marvellous erudite young man does daily explications in 3 languages in the Church – which has interesting roof paintings
Good Brocante shop on canal side – obvious as you come in on canal from Carcassonne
Marseillette
Diabolical locking up to Marseillette – 2 hours wait for the triple lock
Brilliant run down from Carcassonne to Homps – luck of the draw I suppose
Trees gone so a rather depressing place to stop tho good Boulangerie in main street and interesting tower to walk around
La Redorte
Delightful stopping place, Free wifi in the tourist office on the Quay Everything upgraded since last visit
Brilliant boulangerie in town – 5 mins walk – supermarket further along main rd- very good and quite walkable. Charcuterie and Artisan Butcher – Depot de Pain on Mondays
Free and open all hours douche and WC on Quay – very clean- tho WC a squat
Restaurant on Quay – Monty Pythonesque experience = awful service and very average food’
Other restaurant closed
Homps
Lac de Jourarres – a short dedicated bike/walk track from the Hire boat base
Restaurant there beautiful setting = terrace on lake front – food fine
Good supermarket a short walk from port
First night free elec and water – give over your passport for the privilege! Watch that not Sunday as Captainerie not open Sundays
Free wifi in Captainerie
En Bonne Compagnie – we had lunch there and it was great
Ventenac en Minervois
great quay – no facilities – wine chateau on quay – good tastings and interesting visit to wine production area in the chateau
Le Somail
Barge sells groceries
Old bookshop
Very pretty mooring
Port Mineverois
Lovely stopping place – cheerful little cafe on Quay does tapas, frites etc – delivered to boat!
Cheap local wines to take out or drink there
they advertise WC and douche and water tho haven’t tried it
Brilliant swimming hole in Cesse River – track down from port. Walk under the aqueduct for best swimming spot and look out for the horses who come to cool down!
Nice walking track up to sleepy little village -Mirepessiet starts behind restaurant
Side canal La Robine branches off here
Heavily locked – best to have a biker who sets locks for the boat – self operated and don’t seem to close for lunch break
Moor at Empare lock for visit to Amphoralis – cross railway track and you are there – very impressive museum/archeological site where amphora made by the Romans to export wine to Italy
Sallees d’Aude
Pretty little port – free water/ no electricity
2 good boulangeries – the furthest one has magnificent cakes
good little superette and nice Square
Has Vide Greniers regularly
Narbonne
Great stop. 1 euro bus to beaches – our favourite Gruissan Plage (30 mins) -stay on bus until terminus and walk short distance to lovely beach among traditional fishermen’s cottages on stilts with La Clape (limestone hills heavily planted in vineyards) as background
Narbonne Plage – typical resort – loud, busy, bars, music – beach lovely (40 mins)
Tourist Office by Captainerie – free wifi Captainere hard to find – down stairs by carpark near lock
Big supermarket out of town – can go by boat and moor close – walk along a short earth track to cross road. Bricomarche there too
Second hand clothes market every Tues – can be fun
Very historic – Horreum good to visit, cathedral, archbishops palace etc
Great shopping – including the covered archway of the Via Dominita which you go under in boat
Section of Via Dominita exposed in main square
We like to moor in center opposite Les Halles – a glorious covered market open every day
Chez Bebelle – tourist attraction in market – he cooks steaks etc and has a showman routine – need to book for lunch
Nice restaurant recommended by Captainerie -unpretentious fresh food -just across road -starts with B but can’t remember name
Showers at Captainierie – state of the art – self cleaning – you can only use them when Capt there tho
Can go on to Port La Nouvelle – dreary mooring tho others recommend above the last lock before the town
A wild beach a short bike ride away or you can walk thru town to typical beach resort
Best fresh fish – buy from boats
Porte La Robine
Awful but only place where you can buy diesel on the Quay until Le Boat at Port Cassifieries – at exorbitant price of course!
Argeliers
Le chat qui Peche – is said to be good – haven’t tried it
La Croisade
Lovely mooring on bank below La Croisade restaurant – we have had good meals there
Run by Bruno and a succession of male partners – Bruno ebullient host
Winery quaint – old couple and you ring the bell to be let in.
He chalks up the prices of your purchases on a wine barrel
Capestang
Market in town square Wed and Sun- lovely atmospheric
Chateau – medieval paintings on walls- very good exposition
Delightful sunset visit to Church tower – guided
Shady places to have coffee and watch the passing throngs in market square, big supermarket and bricolage at foot of town on main road =walkable
Fantastic dedicated bike track follows old railway for 12 kms almost to Puissergiers – a hill town with castle at top
restaurants average – do good bois au feu steak and frites in square
Poihles
Sleepy village best restaurant we have found on the Midi – Tour Sarrasin right above Quay
Les Plantanes recommended but havent’ tried it – run by a kiwi/french couple
Elec and water for a fee and short term
Good little Epicerie – She has bread but best to pre order the night before
Interesting  cave just along Quay – bio wines huge selection of local wines
Plain food but good – all veg from their garden
We had a cote de boeuf for 35 euros for both of us – never seen so much meat – both couldn’t eat meat for days after! But it was great!
Oppidum d’Enserme
A stiff walk from the Malpas tunnel but well worth it – very impressive early Celtic settlement =well preserved and well presented incl a good museum in the archeologists house
Colombiers
Stern on moorings – first night free – water and elec
Showers at Hire Boat base
Au Lavoir – very good food – we have eaten there several times – always impressive
47 euro menu – 5 courses incl extensive local cheeseboard or lunch cheaper of course and a good carte
Fonserranes Staircase
Down
8.30 to 9.30 and  13:00 to 13.30
Up 10 to 12.15 and 16:00 to 18:15
Be prepared to wait!
Beziers
Now elec and water available on Quay – “Lock Kippers†and House of the Boatman…why do they never ask an English speaker for a translation!
Exorbitant – 22 euros for one night
You can still moor further along the Quay for free
They provide a watchman and big dog overnight…there have been problems there in past
They act as a Tourist Office too
Stiff walk to town uphill tho a dedicated walking track to Gare – stairs on left of tunnel as you exit it – sordid but preferable to playing dodgems with the cars – then underground tunnel under main rd and lovely walk thru the Poets Garden
Can get bus at Port tho long way around up to town
Very good supermarket in the Polygone – just to left of Quay – all the paris shops too if you are so inclined
Villeneuve de Beziers
Nice tie up thru the lock – no water and elec?
Tourist office is an old wooden boat moored there
Vias
A favourite stopping place for us. 1km dedicated bike track to beach in one direction and about 1km walk/bike in the other along a quiet road which tunnels under motorway to the circulade town in the other
Cheap big supermarket and good bike shop for parts
A few moorings have power/water – free as long as you like
Tourist Office on road to beach
Vias town – good restaurant Le Vieux Logis at top of town – old Archbishops palace complete with secret tunnel
Market day the whole town is full of stalls – the town square has small market every day incl good oysters
Bus at top of town Number 5 to Pezenas – (30 mins) a very touristy and beautiful hill town – center for Arts and Crafts – lots of local artisans selling work, famous for Moliere having lived there and specialises in his plays
On main road between Gare Routier and where the bus comes in theres a huge array of Antiquities/Brocantes shops
Agde – The Black Pearl
Round lock with 3 exits
great mooring tucked in front of lock on bank if its free otherwise mooring this side a bit seedy
Choice of beaches – we like the Grau or you can take a bus to Cap d’Agde- brilliant museum there with some exquisite old pieces and the biggest nude beach in Europe complete with own supermarket etc should you feel so inclined……
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