Who nicked the plugs

[Jonzjob]

OK someone own up. Who's got the plugs from the Canal du Midi just outside Carcassonne and the lake at St Ferriolle?

We often go for a walk along the canal between Trebbe and Carcassonne, lovely walk, but some rotten sod has knicked the plug and it's empty! I don't know what's happened to the fish either. Our local Intermarché don't seem to have any extra fish on the counter? I must say that the road bridge/viaduct where it crosses the river Fresquel is quite impressive, especially as it was built over 400 years ago. None of the modern red French hole filled bricks there. We were told that they had to empty the canal every now and again because the boat users don't bother emptying the loos in the proper places, but just dump it overboard. If this were the case an you tried swimming would it be for real or would you just be going through the motions?

We went for a ride out to the lake at St Ferriolle today and bugerigar me that's empty too. We saw it in Feb. and it was lovely with water in it, but empty it is really impressive, deep to in the middle. If they are going to have it full again for the start of the season then someone is going to be busy with his bucket. You can walk down to , what would be, about 100 feet deep and still be on a beach. Gets a bit muddy further down though. There are a few very sad looking sailing dingies tied up where the water should come to. Opertunists perhapse?

If you get the chance then I would recomend a look. It only happens about every ten years and as that is also over 400 years old who knows? (good grief, that makes it older than me!!!)

John.

[IAN_S]

We have two lakes near us , one large, one small, and both are part of the general water supply system and usually lose all their water about this time of the year, where to who knows!

This year the smaller one is still full despite a very dry summer. I do wonder where the fish go, I suppose down the plug hole with the water?

[Piprob]

I'm sure we'll visit Ian's lakes, but we'll miss John's motionless basin - a mixed blessing.

In the lea of the Pyrenees, especially heading up the valley from Axat, the rivers were in full spate early in the year. Never seen them that high before and, amazingly, they seem to attract white water rafters throughout the year. Higher up, massive hydro pipes collect and funnel the water to a generator. Its one of those ironies that the cost of very green hydro-electricty is some rather unpicturesque engineering; impressive though.

I wonder what this winter will bring, and how much variation we will find in the seasonal patterns of the Haut Valley.

[edyth]

We live in Puichéric, a village east of Trèbes and often walk along the banks of the Canal du Midi. We noticed the level of the canal had dropped considerably 2 or 3 weeks ago and on investigation we found that 3 of the locks west from us were closed, dried out and were having maintenance work done on them. We haven't looked further west than that. We assumed the low level of water near us was a result of the locks being drained and closed for repair. Its interesting to read about John's section of the canal and the lakes. 

Edith

[Tom]

It has been drained for essential repairs, and is due to reopen on 20th December. Don't worry the fishies are being looked after.

There's some info about it here:

http://www.midi-life.com/News/canal_du_midi_closed_for%20_repairs.htm

[edyth]

Thanks for that Stereotype.

What a great site for information on the Aude

[Jonzjob]

I've been in touch with the guy on the Midi-Life site about books on the Canal and he recommended a couple of books, one in French and one in English, from Amazon. I agree, the site is really good. Lodesa info...

Le canal du Midi et Pierre-Paul Riquet: Histoire du Canal royal en Languedoc
~Jacques Morand Edisud
And The Canal Du Midi: An Introduction
Andrew Smyth
Calypso Press (UK)

We are trying to find out a lot more on the Canal and this could really help.

John.

[Jonzjob]

We had a walk along the canal today by Pont Rouge, just west of Carcassonne, near Intermarché.

They've found at least one of the plugs because there's water in one stretch now! We were fascinated by the way the canal has been built. How did they manage to find such a flat route 300 years ago? Perhaps they had oil powered lazer levels that no-one knew about? It certainly was an incredible feat. We didn't realise how deep it is either, about 15 feet in most parts! A lot of that cut through rock too.

John (very impressed!)

[Quillan]

I can only assume that canals are the same in France as in the UK.

The plugs are often use in the 'closed' season to drain the canal for work on thngs such a locks. The high side of the lock normally has vertical slits in to which planks can be placed to dam it back (in the UK you normally find them stored round the side of the lock somewhere). The plug is then removed on the lower side of the cnala and the water drained. When the plugs are put back a special type of clay is used to make the seal although I expect they use more modern equivelents these days.

As to the lake, I cannot answer unless it's for maintanance.

[Jonzjob]

Hi Chris,

If you look at the site the Steriotype posted it gives some good info. It is for repair work. The canal is suposed to be finished today, but I can't remember when the lake will be done by. When we had a walk round it last it was more like a rockyole than a Ferriole. Much deeper than we had imagined too.

We were watching some workmen the other day at the bottom of an empty lock. One of them was using a mains power angle grinder. It was plugged into the mains supply at the side of the lock and there was no transformer. He was stood up to his ankles in water!!! He was grinding away at the concrete at the bottom of where the lock gate closed and sometimes the disk was in the water. He probably puts an electric fire in his bath water to keep him warm? I can't remember the last time I ever saw anything so stupid!

John.

 

[Quillan]

Thats what I like about France, the choice to be stupid. If he wants to kill himself it's up to him. No government busybody telling him not to be stupid.

[BJSLIV]

I've been a bit concerned lately at signs of safety awareness in France: hazard warnings, ear protectors etc. Its not what we came to France for! Whatever next! soon they will be banning the trailing cables at markets , and who knows the next  thing will be hand rails at ancient monuments.

[SaligoBay]

[quote]Thats what I like about France, the choice to be stupid. If he wants to kill himself it's up to him. No government busybody telling him not to be stupid.[/quote]

So true.  I mean, imagine if Claude François had never tried to change that bulb while he was in his bath, eh?   Doesn't bear thinking about. 

I can listen to Cloclo, but watching him just gives me the creeps.  Those lips - beurk! 

[opas]

and what if they realy get up to speed and put seat belts on the Maternelle school bus.......will the  little darlings use them as intended or hang one another with them? Mrs O

[Piprob]

... ... or what if someone suddenly discovered that selling meat, fish, and fish in open air markets was a clear contravention of EU hygiene regulations.