Firstly I want to say that France is now like many European countries in the grips again of Covid. You have to wear masks everywhere, outside markets, in all shope and offices, going into resturants, when leaving your table to go to the toilet and when you get up to leave.

People wear their masks on their wrists as an extra fashion accessory so you always have one with you. We certainly keep out of anywhere crowded and have avoided the tourist centres of places like Sete. It is the new world and I just hope it is not like this for too many years to come.

the new Kiwi design--------

SO, to the blog, so far we have journeyed a long way in the last 2 weeks,,so far in fact that you can cycle the whole way in about 2 hrs !!! AND all of them without facilities but thats ok as we realise we can go for 2 weeks on our water and we have a generator.

The best bit is they are all FREE..

Agde to just past Frontignan.For those of you who know, Max bought a new bike during lockdown and used it alot around Chichester for all of about 4 weeks, till some nice person with bolt-cutters relieved him of it....... now in France he is not taking any chances!! but 4 locks????

Now we are ready for launch... 2 hours in the water to check she doesn't sink and we are off. Max is extremly happy as the black water pump, the gererater and the engine all started first time.

Finally we leave Allemand and head up the L'Herault River through the old city of Agde to the round lock that will lead us onto The Canal du Midi. All canvas and windows down to get through the gates.

Moored just outside the lock for 4 nights, a total of 6kms away and free (no facities.). we had a lovely spot under trees which we needed as temps soared to 35 Dregees. At least we had endless entertainment from the boat hire base.

We did alot of cycling, about 90kms in 3 days. There is alot to say for e-bikes and I LOVE mine, and I can nearly say I will now follow Max anywhere. 😍😊

We also moved the car from the boat yard to Bezier about 25kms down the canal. This is where we will winter Kiwi Rose this year.

Believe it or not, but the wall of this house is all painted. The French are very good at doing this to help cover the huge concrete bland walls.

Then our next big boat trip was across the Etang de Thau, "the oyster beds of the south."

to the wall outside Sete.(14kms). Spent 3 nights there bobbing about from the continual wake of small pleasure craft and little fishing boats during the day.

But the sea water was lovely for swimming during the hot hot days.

The sea mist came and went quickly but was lovely and earie when it happened at night.

As usual we spent a lot of time people watching. Desite the demise of Max's binoculars😂😅😕

Not sure the right eye peice is meant to swing like that!!!!

Above is what looks like a evening training session for water jousting, being pulled towards each other as if on the boats and trying to lance the other eprson off. Went on for about 2 hours and then as most meetings do, it turned into what we thought was a very long strategy meeting, Ha ha ( with beers of course) 😁😊

On our last night we were seranaded by these boats in the lovely manner of the Sete people.

Hope this video works!!!! If not, pictures below.

We spent 3 nights bobbing on the wall and then set off for Frontignan to get some more water.

This trip was an arduous 4kms. We actually met some other sort of Kiwis, a couple who live half their life in either Australia or NZ, and the rest in EU who got out as soon as NZ opened up, and an english couple who live between Spain, Turkey, their boat and visits to family in UK------ BUT that is it.

The canals are very quiet and even the bumper boats are low in numbers.👍

Of course the crew has to sample the wonderfully cheap wines available here in France.

Managed another 34km cycle for lunch at a charming litttle village back on the E'tang, Bouzigues.

Stayed at Frontignan for 3 nights before heading off to our lovely quiet spot on a wall 6kms from Frontignan in the middle of nowhere where we have been before. It is a 10 min walk or 3 min cycle to the beach, which is not very assessable to cars so relatively quiet.