Welcome on board! Embark for a moment of slow tourism, to the rhythm of the locks. The Canal du Midi, a jewel of the World Heritage List, was inaugurated in 1681 and runs for 240 km in Occitania. It stretches from Toulouse to Sète and to the Mediterranean Sea, offering boaters a very charming route. While visiting the Canal du Midi by boat, you will cross engineering structures, vineyards, mountains, villages and cities with a rich heritage. Along the water, the landscapes take on a particular relief giving a soothing atmosphere that you will enjoy along the banks.
Rent a boat on the Canal du Midi
Several possibilities are available to you if you wish to rent a boat on the Canal du Midi. Organize your cruise with or without a captain, for a few hours, a weekend, a week or more, for two people or a family. You can choose between houseboats, motorboats, boats without a license, and even electric boats. With a houseboat, you will be able to sail freely and stop at your leisure to visit the most beautiful sites on your way. Approach a picnic area or a natural wilderness area, eat a cassoulet in Castelnaudary, visit the medieval quarter of Carcassonne and then taste tielles in Sète.
When is the best time to discover the Canal du Midi by boat?
The Canal du Midi is open to river navigation all year round, with rare exceptions. It is therefore possible to rent a boat and sail all year round. In addition, the south of France enjoys a favorable climate all year round with a lot of sunshine. However, winter is the harshest season with temperatures around 8°C. Indeed, the weather is generally mild, mostly sunny, rarely rainy. However, the ideal time to discover the Canal du Midi by boat is during spring (from the end of April), summer, but also the beginning of autumn.
What to do with a boat on the Canal du Midi?
Take a boat trip down the Canal du Midi and follow an itinerary rich in history and heritage, starting with the engineering structures of the canal itself (400 in total!), but also the locks, including the jewel of the 9 staircase locks of Fonserannes. At Béziers, bridges, aqueducts, sills, and tunnels are to be discovered. On your itinerary, you may pass over the Orb bridge-canal (Béziers), one of the largest bridge-canals in France with 240 m long and 28 m high. Moor your boat at the port of Carcassonne to discover the city with the Saint-Nazaire basilica, the Comtal castle and the Narbonnaise gate. You will also be able to enjoy the famous cassoulet of Castelnaudary, the garlic soup of Béziers, the bouillabaisse of Sète and the oysters of the Thau pond, all washed down with Languedoc wines.
What are the ports to cast off and sail on the Canal du Midi?
You can pick up your rental boat at any of the ports along the Canal du Midi. There is Agde, on the Mediterranean Sea. You will be impressed by its Greek city and enjoy the many summer activities of Cap d'Agde. The village of Capestang also has a lot of charm with its collegiate church Saint-Etienne or the castle of the archbishops of Narbonne. Le Somail is one of the most popular ports to start a tour of the Canal du Midi by boat. It is a good choice to start your river trip with the opportunity of a boat rental at the best price. Homps is also a good place to start or stop. There are many producers of great wines. The marina of Trèbes is also very charming. Finally, don't miss Bram and its circular village.
