Beziers: 43°19’48.1″N 3°11’50.7″E to Villeneuve les Beziers: 43°19’02.6″N 3°16’52.3″E
We got up early this morning to take the 7 step locks down to the next level of the canal.
PHOTO SHOWING THE VIEW FROM THE TOP OF THE 7 LOCK STAIRCASE
PHOTO SHOWING THE VIEW UP THE 7 STAIRCASE (COPIED FROM INTERNET SOURCE)
There were only 3 boats waiting to go down (including us) so we all fit into the same lock and descended together. The entire process took less than an hour. The group of locks would lower us a total of 71 feet (21.5 meters) over a distance of 300 meters.
GRAPHIC SHOWING STAIRCASE LOCK ARRANGEMENT COPIED FROM WIKIPEDIA
PHOTO SHOWING REPLICA OF GREEK ROWING SHIP AT LOCKS TAKEN IN 1992 COPIED FROM WIKIPEDIA – THESE GUYS MUST HAVE BEEN TOUGH!
Once we reached the bottom lock we turned to starboard & headed along the Canal du Midi for a few hundred meters & then we tied the boat up there while we headed off on a tour of the city of Beziers.
We started our tour on the local train! It must be very popular because every time it went by it was full of people – le cash cow!
The train took us through several interesting parts of the city & then dropped people off near the city center where you could explore on foot for awhile & then re-board for a ride back to the starting point.
PHOTO SHOWING CITY ROUNDABOUT
We had some great views of the old city buildings and parks on our way to the drop off point.
After we disembarked we went to the local market to pick up some fruit & vegetables & then Barb & Bruce headed off in one direction & Cath & I in another – ready to meet up again at the “train station”.
PHOTO CATH & BRUCE SHOPPING AT THE MARKET
Beziers has a very nice park in the city center with a very wide & long boulevard between two streets. This area is very much like La Rambla in Barcelona. While we were there the park area was full of vendors selling crafts, souvenirs, small antiques, etc. There were also several cafes in the park & on the streets on each side of the park.
PHOTO SHOWING CITY BOULEVARD PARK
Cath & I stopped for a rest, a coffee & a crepe at a small cafe in an adjacent park. This park was interesting because it was full of giant oversized flowers that would light up at night.
PHOTO OF FLOWER PARK
A few minutes later Barb & Bruce found us & also stopped for a drink & a Nutella crepe.
PHOTO OF BARB & BRUCE ENJOYING THEIR CREPES
PHOTO SHOWING MURAL PAINTED ON THE END OF A BUILDING
We wandered back to our train station & waited to re-board. Many more interesting sights to see on the way back.
PHOTO SHOWING DANCERS IN THE FOUNTAIN
Beziers was a ver interesting & attractive city. We would have loved to stay longer but we needed to be moving on. We cast off around 3:00pm & arrived at Villeneuve les Beziers around 6:30pm. The section of the town near the canal was very old & well maintained. We would explore a bit more tomorrow.
Cheers!