Monday 15 August - Caumont, cycle to Meilhan, moor near Le Mas d'Agenais

Next morning, we continued west. Our intention was to get to Meilhan (where we knew some people on the wide-body narrow boat "Body & Soul"), but we realised that time was going to be short. So when we got to Caumont-sur-Garonne, which had a wide turning circle, we made a spontaneous decision and turned Kanumbra 180degrees and tied up to the dock.

Another bargee came to talk with us and let us know that free water was available (at least from one of the taps on the dock!), so we pulled the hose out and proceeded to fill our water tank which was starting to get down a bit low. There were lots of campervans and families at the dock, but it all looked pretty safe and secure.

At this point, we decided to jump on our bikes and ride to and from Meilhan. Since cycling was much quicker than barging, we could get there and back that afternoon by bike, but we could never manage it in Kanumbra. So off we went, leaving Kanumbra in Caumont.

This is one of the nicest things about barging in France. The freedom to just jump on the bike and explore (without the need for bike helmets!). Even though you're going faster than the barge, it's a lot easier to stop and observe things up close along the way.

When we got to Meilhan, we realised the ride had been worthwhile. The port was bustling with barges, and we found a nice restaurant for lunch overlooking the Garonne River. Even though it was after the 1400h closing time for lunches, the chef made us each a huge salad. After lunch, we went down to the river and spent a while skipping stones over the calm waters. But I couldn't help thinking, after seeing the peniche at St Leger, of what the river would look like in full flood.

The town of Meilhan is situated on top of a hill, with the canal wedged between the town and the river. So we rode up the hill on our bikes to check out the town. It had lots of style, with grand buildings like the church interspersed with quaint old farmhouses. Rita was also impressed with the piscine.

On the edge of town is a lookout with fantastic views over the canal, the river and the valley.

On getting back to Caumont, we decided to go back to our peaceful spot outside Le Mas d'Agenais for the night.