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À BORD d'ACCORD
La Deuxième Partie
Octobre 2011 - Toulouse!
. Arriving in Toulouse, we were beginning to wonder if we'd taken a wrong turn and entered the storm sewer! . At the moment of this photo, I was asking Nancy if she could see a lock ahead? (I couldn't see it, I was too busy taking photos.)
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Saturday October 1 - Yet another sunny day!
11:00 AM - Dep Saint-Jory
11:45 AM - Finally into Lock #6
after waiting for VNF guy to come
from Toulouse to fix stuck lock!
3:00 PM - Arr "Pk 0" - end of the
Canal de Garonne, start of the Canal du Midi
4:30 PM - Arr Toulouse - downtown
Port Saint Sauveur marina
The arrival into Toulouse from the west is quite
dramatic. First the tunnel and junction with the
Canal du Midi, then a series of three deep locks
the last of which brings you right up in front of
the Toulouse Train Station - the Gare Matabiau.
Toulouse is an excellent place to hang out for a few days.
On the first Sunday of each month, all the museums are open
for free! There are hundreds of restaurants with outdoor
tables within walking distance of our Port St. Sauveur
marina. The weather continues to be perfect - we are not
suffering!
Arriving in Toulouse... "Nancy, are you getting this picture?"
In Toulouse, the Port de l'Embouchure. This is the junction of the Canal de Garonne with the Canal du Midi.
The third lock at the start of the Canal du Midi is the deepest -
but it is automated and it fills from the bottom, so is very docile.
It also has floating bollards. There was actually no need to put
Nancy ashore ahead of this lock, but I did it anyway - it made for
a fun picture! (See photo at right.)
We were quite surprised to rise up from the bottom of that deep lock and find ourselves in front of the train station!
This park is a short walk from our Port St. Saveur base.
The Pont Neuf over the River Garonne. This bridge, built in 1632,
replaced several earlier attempts which were washed out by floods.
(Mouseover this photo to see a man standing in one of the holes!)
The restaurants in Toulouse are quite amazing!
Check out: Nos Suggestions du jour: Le Cassoulet
Toulousain, Le Magret de Canard perigourdine, Le
Confit de Canard au four, Les Aiguilletes de
Canard aux peches, Les Tournados de Veau aux
cepes, Le Tournedos Rossini, L'entrecote au foie
gras, Les Cotellets d'Angneau, etc. And that's only
the first eight lines of 20!
At left: Amarok/Accord docked
in front of the Capitainerie at
Port Saint Sauveur marina in
downtown Toulouse.
Candlelight dinner on the aft deck at Port Saint Sauveur. No restaurant in Toulouse has a better view!
We stopped for tea at the Salon de Thé at one of the
many museums which were open free on the first
Sunday of the month. (Tea was not, however, free.)
Mouse-over...