Boating New Zealand — February 2018

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issues was a show-stopper, so the sale was completed

and Neil was the proud new owner.

An interesting aspect of the sale was that every

domestic item had been removed, so the broker took

Neil to a giant Carrefour store and they returned with a

van load of galley equipment, bedding and tools.

Suitably supplied, we headed off down the coast

for 25nm before entering Canal de la Robine at Port la

Nouvelle. From this point on the living was easy. After

paying a modest fee to the VNF, the French Waterways

Authority, use of the French canal system was free,

including the locks, aqueducts, and mooring on the

canal path. The cost is €118 (NZ$197) for a month or

€285 (NZ$475) for a year.

We then spent a very pleasant two weeks cruising

up the Canal de la Robine, mooring in the picturesque

medieval town of Narbonne, then joining the Canal du

Midi travelling through 140 locks and approximately

300km to Castelssarasin, via beautiful countryside and

historic towns such as Carcassone, Castelnaudary and

Toulouse, then onto the Canal de Garonne.

The French canals are a superb way to enjoy the

TOP LEFT

Approaching Le

Somail on the

Canal du Midi.

TOP Moderato in

the water for the

first time.

ABOVE The proud

new owner in his

element.

LEFT Moderato

has a generous

interior volume.