Toulouse- Cycling Canal Du Midi

The Garonne river at Toulouse

Augustine Monastery Galley

Toulouse, a University city in the Midi-Pyrenees, is not among the most attractive of cities in Europe and yet it is still a place to see. Many travellers do not include Toulouse in their travel plans as some think it has little new to offer travellers. The galleries, although they carry an above average collection of works, do not house any particularly famous pieces. Though beautiful and impressive it lacks anything that is internationally renown, either historically are architecturally, that would draw travellers from overseas. The main reason which Rob read, and ultimately choose Toulouse as a travel destination, was its location along the UNESCO world heritage site  'Canal du Midi’.

At the Gallery

Triple play

Across the street from Toulouse’s main train station Toulouse-Matabiau, Rob and Beth rented bicycles at Le Velo Sentimental shop. They were offered the option of renting bikes at the rate of 10€ apiece per day, or taking up a membership at the shop for 15€ after which bikes would cost 5€ per week. For four days use, the recommended membership proved to be the sweeter deal. This became more apparent when the rode away for four days with 2 new bikes for only 25€ total! Sweet! The canal’s southward route was easily accessed from the Velo shop, and on a cool sunny Friday at noon, it was the starting point from which Rob and Beth headed out on their ride.

Le Capitale 

The canal is a structural feat of human development and stretches for 240 km south from the Atlantic Ocean passing through Toulouse heading all the way to the Mediterranean Sea. Along its banks mature linden trees border an asphalt path the runs along the canal as it follows a silhouetted path of its mother river, the Garonne.  As in Toulouse, the canal sometimes feeds into the Garonne before setting back out on a course of its own. At its greatest width Rob could throw a stone across it, yet the bottom was never visible due to the eutrophic algae-rich water. At times they cycled past parked riverboats, many of which were converted industrial boats and are used as vacation get-a-ways or, in some cases, as permanent residences.

Canal du Midi

At the canal’s start, Rob and Beth cycled out of the city core passing by apartment buildings that lined the canal and intermittent makeshift huts housing homeless neighbours on its banks. As they cycled for 15 km in one direction, they passed riverboat marinas, suburbs with sports and industrial parks, and eventually passed into French rural farmland. Along the way they were amazed by some of the canal’s engineering. A few times they realized the path they were cycling on was actually lower than the water in the canal while at other times they glanced below to see that the trail and the canal passed over a busy highway on a trough bridge. As they rode in the countryside they could anticipate the route of the canal by looking to the towering linden trees which formed a domino line along the canal’s meandering course.

Le Mirage

Beth tires all the ride

After about an hour of cycling Beth called out to Rob, “Please stop at the next bench.  I’d like to stretch my muscles and walk around a bit.”

Within a few short minutes they pulled off to the side of the path, sat on the bench that was located just before a slight rise in the path, and stretched out their sore back muscles.  As they chatted, Beth asked as she looked around at farmland which seemed to stretch on forever, “What is the plan for lunch?  I’m getting hungry.”

Canal-side Cafe

“The next time we see a town, we’ll pull off the trail and find someplace.” Rob replied somewhat hopefully.

They set off again and rode up to the top of the little hill and looked in surprise at a quaint café set along the canal which seemingly appeared out of nowhere.  Within a minute they were comfortably settled at a table, sitting in the sun, pondering over the menu.

Help yourself

“I feel like we have just entered a mirage.  This place is beautiful.”

“Move slowly for fear that it might disappear…”

Help yourself

After ordering their lunch Rob and Beth asked the server for a half bottle of wine. 

“Do you know how the wine list works?” he inquired.

Crossing a Canal Bridge

“Yes.  I saw that wines were colour-coded for price… For a half bottle yellow is 6.50€, green 7.00€, etc…”

“True.  Now follow me to choose the wine.” 

Inside the café he waved his hands toward a wine fridge, “The white wines are in there and the red one here.” he said pointing to a shelf full of bottles.  “Here are a couple of glasses.  Help yourself to taste the wines.”

“Really?” they asked incredulously.

“Yes. And when you select one take a full bottle outside and try to drink half.”

Lamb Shanks

The Main Courses

Rob and Beth devoured the escargot they ordered as an appetizer.  The white wine was a perfect accompaniment and was refreshing as they sat in the warm sun.

The server brought their main plates placing the salmon in front of Beth and the lamb in front of Rob. 

“Bon appetite.  Enjoy the salmon and the lamb shanks.”

 “Lamb shanks…” they muttered and were both soon lost in a memory…

In 1997 the Alan Manor restaurant, a three-storey brownstone heritage home in old Sandwich town, was run by a Turkish family. The atmosphere of the Manor in the 1990’s was as elegant as the finely prepared dishes that it served. In those days the restaurant catered to an upscale clientele and would often draw customers from across the boarder.  The son-in-law Alin, a British man of Indian descent, was a host extraordinaire with a manner that made people feel welcome. In addition to his warm personality customers appreciated his extensive knowledge of wine and food. 

One evening Rob and Beth brought Rob’s parents to the Manor for dinner. Bob, a Ford Motor Company blue collar worker who was boisterous and jovial, would inadvertently draw attention to himself during public situations such as eating in a fine dining restaurant. On that day Bob, Rob’s father, ordered the special of that night – lamb shanks. As the evening wore on, all the people sitting near them understood how much Bob enjoyed the restaurant and its food because of his animated manner.  Rob later quietly thanked the host Alin for his fine service who graciously waived off Rob’s apology for having such a loud table.

A couple of months later, Rob phoned the Alan Manor to make the reservations for his father’s birthday dinner and remarked how much his father enjoyed the lamb.  Alin, remembering Rob and his father, assured Rob that he was looking forward to seeing him again.

After arriving at the restaurant, Alin led the four to a table and handed them each a menu. Bob, who looked morose since lamb shanks were not on the menu, was interrupted by Alin who took away his menu and informed him that, “I’ve taken care of you already.”

When dinner was served, to his utmost pleasure, Bob was once again served lamb shanks. When he finished serving the plates, Alin excused himself to take orders from the American couple sitting at an adjacent table who were glancing at the heaping plate of lamb shanks that Bob was now devouring with gusto. They overheard the woman say “I don’t see lamb on the menu but that looks very good.  I’ll have the lamb shanks as well.”

“I’m sorry madam, that is not an option.  That man is a special customer and we only prepared the one serving for him.”…

“Is everything OK?” their Toulouse server inquired with concern, bringing both Beth and Rob, who both sat with reddened eyes back to the present. 

“Oh yes.  Everything is fine.” they said wiping away the tears that trickled down their cheeks.  As the server walked away they regarded each other only then realizing that they both had been lost in the same memory and started to laugh awkwardly as they looked around at other customers.

“It was so good that Alin made him feel special and appreciated his joie de vive.” they agreed and continued to reminisce as they finished their meals.

Awkward

Boat Camping?

As they cycled along the Midi Du Canal the path periodically led under overpasses to avoid traffic. Within the city limits under most of these overpasses homeless people had set up sleeping quarters that ranged from a telltale pile of bedding to full mattresses and tents.  Because of the level of sophistication of some of the shelters, Beth and Rob assumed that they were home to the crowd that seemed to embrace the Bohemian lifestyle that populated Toulouse, rather than the more destitute homeless.  Fortunately most of the shelters were located on the side the canal opposite of the trail which was logical as frequent foot traffic would not be possible otherwise. 

Bohemian Lifestyle or Homeless?

On one occasion when passing under an overpass they quickly realized that a young man was stretched out in a sleeping bag almost completely obstructing the path.  He was lying down conversing with a women sitting comfortably beside him.  The couple took no notice of either Rob or Beth as they were forced to stop and awkwardly walk their bikes through the narrow gap left between the foot of his sleeping bag and the edge of the canal. 

As they struggled up the hill in order to emerge from this underpass they discovered yet another obstacle.  A man and his two mastiffs were blocking the narrow path and the gate beyond him.  As he threw pieces of raw meat at his dogs, first Rob then Beth attempted to pass by. Rob was more assertive than Beth as he nudged one of the feeding dogs out of the way as he rode past.  Beth, left on her own to negotiate the tangle of legs, jaws, and flying meat, was a bit more cautious as she was worried any act of assertion by her would be considered by the unleashed dogs as a threat to their food.  As she looked up to see Rob cycling away in the distance she lamented society’s general loss of chivalry.