Le Canal du Midi – A DVD-R Video Guide

Publisher: VideoActive, £16.99
Publication Date: 2002

VideoActive produce a range of Guides to the English Canal network in a DVD-R format, and this is their first venture onto the French network. It is clear and competently filmed account of a canal voyage from the Mediterranean at Sete for 250 km and some 65 locks, over the 189m altitude summit level and down to Toulouse.

It was filmed in late September, which suffuses the scenery with a softer more mellow atmosphere than those who cruise the canal in mid summer usually experience. A well balanced blend of navigation and canal technology, with history and tourism makes the Guide of interest to more people than just the canalcoholics.

On-boat cameras capture very well the effect of ‘sailing up a waterfall’ in the filming of the ascent of the spectacular lock staircase at Beziers, and the impact is enhanced by a well recorded soundtrack, although occasional errors in French names in the commentary may jar.

One caution is to note that the material is presented in DVD-R format, and although virtually all modern computers can play this, by no means all commercially available DVD players can. The publishers display lists of those that can and those that cannot, on their web site (www.videoactive.co.uk) and anyone wanting to play this on a DVD player rather than a computer would be well advised to check this first. - RE