30 Degrees and a Stroll Through Time

It’s hard to imagine that we were last here in 2013! It is such a shock to be back in tourist France after the last two weeks in a rural village. It is so beautiful and only 30 degrees! We were able to walk along the canal under the shade of the trees... tempted to do another canal trip.

Our last canal trip was in Wales. We took Mum, who was in her nineties and very spritely. Caleb dropped in on his European gap year and helped us with heavy locks. The locks here are automated, but the boats are big and the locks are deep—very deep. Caleb, what are you doing next year?

Crazy to think the Canal du Midi was dug out by hand back in the 1600s! An amazing project although it pushed its creator to bankruptcy and took 14 years, it was built by the incredible hands of 12,000 men and women.

What makes the Canal du Midi uniquely progressive for its time is that a substantial number of these workers were women. Riquet specifically hired women from the Pyrenees who possessed ancient Roman engineering knowledge of hydraulics and water management.

Even better, Riquet was a remarkably progressive employer. He paid his workers, both men and women (unheard of) flat monthly wages that were still paid out even if they were sick or if the weather was too poor to dig.

Lots of very burnt people loudly enjoying their hire boats on the canal.

Once we’d had our fill of the canal, cafes, and markets, we escaped the crowds for a quiet stroll through the old town. There, we met the artist Kathleen Burlumi. Originally from England, she settled in Trèbes with her husband and young son back in 1989. She took us around to show us the fascinating historical photographs displayed on the ancient stone walls.

I just love how beautifully the French preserve their history, though Kathleen shared that it isn't always easy. She told us about the struggles the local association faced trying to protect some of the old, abandoned houses that were destined to be bulldozed for a car park. In the end, it was only by appealing to the patrimoine (heritage authorities) that they were successfully saved.

It is wonderful to study the old photos—to see how people dressed and the proud, formal poses they struck for the camera. (Check out the wedding photo!)

With fresh baguettes and pains aux raisins in hand, we headed home, winding along the sunflower-lined roads back to Trausse.