A word on Canal boats

The boat we hired for the week on the Canal du Midi was only built last season so it's in pretty good shape. Both Julia and yours truly enjoy the odd sail however we are not what you would describe as dyed in the wool yachties. 
So when it comes to our take on a vessels amenities we come from the " I hope this thing is loaded with all the mod cons" type of people.
The positives
It doesn't leak. Unlike previous boats this sucker has all the appropriate power fittings. The heating works . There's plenty of hot water. The steering comes equipped with bow thrusters , an innovation which is a god send when negotiating your way through forty plus locks. The beds are comfortable, if a little,small. There's plenty of storage and the galley is fully equipped . And finally, the dining area is spacious . With these boat you really need to book the six berth variety to accommodate two couples plus their baggage without running short on  space 
The negatives.
Three majors
THE SHOWER, located in the bathroom. When you fire up the shower water goes absolutely everywhere . As the toilet is located within this very small bathroom you have to remember to move the toilet roll into your bedroom prior to firing up the shower head. First time around we must have pumped something like twenty litres of water into our toilet roll. God, what a mess. ( I take the blame for this disaster) . Not wishing to admit being a fool I didn't mention this little episode to Julia. On reflection that was a bit of a mistake as when it came time for Julia's shower she managed to totally destroy the replacement roll. We know have this procedural issue under control .
THE TOILET
There are three major issues at play here.
Lets be frank. These toilets are of a size suited to the bums of small children , dwarves or anorexics. It's just not physically possible for a normal limbed person to be able to do their business without being painfully aware that this whole "toilet thing" is a bit of a mission.
The flushing process. This is not your press and flush Deal. That would be way too easy. No, this is your hand pump in action . I won't go into all the gory details suffice to say that the energy required to pump this toilet "solids free" is akin to the effort required to cut down a small stand of trees with a blunt hack saw. I'm not kidding. This is very strenuous stuff. To be honest the whole process puts one right off any thoughts relating to bowel movements.
And the final issue is the question of when does one flush. Just bear in mind there are no holding tanks on this vessel. All waste is discharged directly into the canal. That's OK if you are motoring along by yourself. However if you are berthed in a fully booked marina it's a very tricky call when it comes to the question of when to get down and dirty with the flush pump.
Guys, it's a yucky business all round.
LACK OF FREE WIFI
Getting WiFi in these parts is a nightmare. Unlike virtually all other  European countries, France just isn't geared up to the sale of Pay As You Go WiFi connections. The fall back position is that you then have to rely on free WiFi Hot Spots , and guess what, these hot spots are thin on the ground. Today for example we are staying outside a rather substantial village called Bram. And is there just one single Wifi post within the village. Answer. No!
This whole thing is very frustrating , particularly as both John Cockcroft and myself need to keep wired in for business reasons.
SUMMARY
This boat thing is good for say seven to ten days. Longer than that and in my opinion the whole experience would turn to custard 
As to the question of comparing our three canal adventures over these last four years I would say that our ten day stint on the Saone River (by Dijon) back in 2008 would have to come out on top. Few locks (which we were able  to operate with ease) and lots of bars and restaurants en route, in combination with great scenery.
The 2010 circuit of the greater Manchester area (The Cheshire Ring) was a pretty  wild experience. Something like a hundred locks, some that were beasts to operate. Looooong tunnels that were great for the stress levels, scenery that was ...........interesting. On the upside the nightly pub life was fantastic.
This time around we have flash boat, all locks are operated by a full time Lock Keeper, so the whole experience is relatively painless. However what we miss are the nightly drinks and dinners in local,establishments. With the exception of Carcassonne all our overnight locations have been devoid of nightlife so we have been forced to eat in. That said, the Canal du Midi is a stunningly beautiful area. 
If you want to experience this type of short holiday , I suggest you take a serious look at what LeBoat.com has to offer on the Saone River.

Cheers