A 34km day with a very high probability of rain, and according to the forecast, the possibility for torrential rain after 4pm. The forecast was correct. There was heavy rain as I reached halfway, which lasted an hour and torrential rain at 4.45pm. Whilst I walked through the rain around lunch time, luckily I was sitting in a cafe, when the torrential rain came.
It had been a long day walking mostly along open stretches of the canal bordering vineyards. The tracks were primarily dirt/stone tracks, in most places wide enough for a walker and cyclist. However, there were some stretches that were barely wider than a cycle wheel, and as these were soaked after the rain and resulted in wet shoes.
It is Sunday and was on my way relatively early. The restaurant come supermarket I had eaten last night was open, and I bought some bread and ham for lunch. I passed the Chateau du Paraza, before passing a very sleepy Paraza with its colourful houses along the canal. I continued through the open landscape passing Ventenac-en-Minervois, and its chateau. The weather was cloudy and rain hung in the air, but so far it was dry and I was making good progress.
I continued towards the next village, Le Somail.
Le Somail grew up around a stone-arched bridge, le Pont de St-Marcel, built in the 17th century across the canal. Built as a “service station” for the canal, a former grain store (converted in the 18th century into a chapel) and an inn where the postal-barge running between Toulouse to Agde would change its horses, stand at either side of the bridge and the canal. The old three-storey inn, also housed the head of the canal division, and there was a bedroom for a warden, as well as a space under the stairs used as a prison cell. On the ground floor, there was a vast salt storehouse.
A couple of kilometers after Le Somail, the Canal du Midi crosses the Cesse river. As well as an aqueduct over the river, there is a port, a water inlet feeding the canal and a spillway to counter flooding. The vegetation in this area also takes on a certain Mediterranean appearance, with umbrella pines and oaks. The aqueduct was the largest in Europe well into the 19th century.
Slightly further downstream, another canal joins the Canal du Midi. The Canal de la Robine (or Canal de la Robine de Narbonne), links the Aude river to the Mediterranean Sea. The Canal de Jonction links the Canal de la Robine to the Canal du Midi. Both the Canal de Jonction and Canal de la Robine form a side branch of the Canal du Midi.
Just after the junction, there was a straight stretch of the canal with large pines and oaks. Just as I came to the end of the stretch, the rain started. Initially thanks to the trees I only needed am umbrella, but out in the open again, I scrambled to get the cover over my pack, rain trousers (rolled up to my knees) and my cape on. Together with the umbrella, I stayed relatively dry until the rain lightened after about an hour.
I passed a group of fishermen quickly packing away their stuff, and cyclists under cover of a tree. I had planned to stop and eat lunch around the time it started to rain, but one of the most irritating things about this walk is the lack of benches to take a break. I had a stand up lunch of bread and ham which I had purchased when leaving Roubia, once the rain stopped.
I still had 10km to walk before making it to today’s destination, Capestang. The canal was built on a balcony here, and follows the contour of the landscape, making 3 or 4 swings before reaching the town. Elevated, and walking through open countryside, there were many nice views across the wet lands below, across grapevines and towards villages. It would have been nice to cut a straight line through them, saving 3-4 kms, but instead I followed the swings in the canal. A barge sailed past, it is great to see them sailing the canal. I almost feel that it should only be them, and not all the smaller boats that dominate the canal.
The village of Capestang is well-known for its collegiate church and château built by the archbishops of Narbonne, and it is at the northern tip of the wetlands bearing the same name (caput estang in Occitan dialect). The church and chateau dominate the landscape and can be easily seen from afar.
I arrived at 4pm, 45 minutes too early to go to the B&B (chambre d’hote) I was staying. So I made my way to the square next to the church and packed my rain gear away. It got darker so I retreated to one of the bars on the square, just in time, as the torrential downpour started pretty much as I sat down. A couple of Italian cyclists arrived after a few minutes, totally drenched.
At 5pm, when the sun was again shining, I made my way to the B&B, only to be told that they couldn’t serve the dinner I had ordered. Luckily the local bistro was open and I had an excellent black bottom pizza.