Day Four Aboard Tamaris, Tuesday, September 20, 2005 |
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From Argens-Minervois to Puicheric -
16 km/5 locks (3 were doubles) |
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We left Argens-Minervois about 9:15 AM and encountered significant back- ups (bouchons in French) at all the locks – sometimes waiting two full iterations/cycles before we could enter. At our first lock, we met two very hungry dogs that truly enjoyed the dog treats we had brought along. |
 We patiently wait our turn in the lock. |
This trip was characterized by travel a little way, wait, wait, wait, go through a lock. Travel a little way, wait, wait, wait, go through a lock. Waiting was not all that bad, we met other boaters, compared notes, and suddenly realized we had succumbed to canal time. |
 He looks meaner than he was; but he enjoyed our dog treats. |
We stopped for lunch at La Redorte on the quay and filled up with water. At the restaurant right on the quay, Mike says he had the best pate he’s ever had! We left La Redorte about 3:45 PM, we had to wait for the supermarket in town to open at 3 so we could replace our broken corkscrew. |
 Many of the boats along the canal are the permanent or winter residences of folks who have adopted the canal way of life. |
| We waited a very long time at the next lock; but, luckily it had gotten warmer and we all changed into our shorts for the very first time! After taking about 2 hours and covering only 4 km, we stopped at the bridge at PK 135 and walked the 1 km into Puicheric, a quaint, medieval village with a state of the art wine cooperative in the shadow of a church tower and the last remains of an 11th century chateau (burned down by the Black Prince in the 14th century). We passed through field after field of grape vines, many laden with bunches of grapes glistening in the late afternoon sun. Many of the fields were still being harvested, with machinery and carts whizzing up and down the rows, and back and forth to the cooperative. |  Grapes basking in the afternoon sun near Puicheric, while harvesters and carts buzz in the next field. |
We returned to the boat after a tour of the village’s narrow winding streets for wine and dinner aboard– compliments of Chef Mikey. |
 Harvesters and carts getting their daily bath - after toiling in the vineyards all day. |
On to Day 5