The Canal du Midi is the oldest waterway still in operation. It was imagined and designed by the engineer Pierre Paul Riquet during the reign of Louis XIV . It is 240 km between Toulouse and the Etang de Thau and continues for 190 km to the Garonne where it changes its name to "the Garonne canal" or "Canal of the two seas". The Canal du Midi is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The construction of the Canal began in 1661 and the prime contractor employs 12,000 men in order to complete the construction. Twenty years later, the first part between Etang de Thau and Toulouse is completed. The idea is to join the Atlantic to the Mediterranean .
Locks, bridges, tunnels are built to avoid merchant ships the grand tour of the Iberian Peninsula through the Strait of Gibraltar.
Pierre Paul Riquet will not see his work completed so the second part of the Canal will not be effective until 1856 . From then on, a commercial activity took off considerably in the transport of wood salt and wine mainly.
Since the early 1980s, commercial traffic has ceased and the Canal is used today only by boaters . It allows boatmen to go from one sea to the other and a towpath along its length is taken by walkers and bicycles .
Several companies also rent barges or river boats tourists wishing to get to know a part of the south of France by sailing quietly along the water.
This magnificent masterpiece designed and imagined by engineer Pierre-Paul Riquet is a dream and many of us want to visit it from the water. Note that it is not necessary to have a boat or a permit to visit it. If you have little time, it is possible to rent a barge in one of the many bases provided for this purpose. It is possible to rent a barge, for a weekend, a week, two weeks or longer.
The best months to visit for the Canal du Midi are those of May, June, September and October . Not only are there fewer people, but the temperatures are mild and prices for boat rentals are cheaper than in the middle of summer . You can, of course, also rent a barge without a license in July or August if you wish, but you must plan ahead, as these weeks are the most in demand.
To rent a boat, you should know that the river license is not mandatory , because it is the lessor who is responsible for his boats. The length of the barges does not generally exceed 15 meters and it is possible to rent a boat without a license for two to twelve people .
It is very pleasant to travel either as a couple or with two or three couples. With several, the costs will be shared, because a boat rental is quite expensive. Count between 1,000 and 3,000 euros the week on average except July and August. Then you have to add the price of the nights in the ports, the fuel and some extras such as a barbecue, a parasol, bicycles, etc. (which are not included in the basic rental price).
The most magnificent part of the Canal du Midi is located between Castelnaudary and Béziers . If you want to travel it without coming and going, it is possible, because the rental companies plan to pick you up and bring you back to your vehicle. In this case, you will have to pay a supplement.
To have the best of stays on a barge without a license to navigate the Canal du Midi, you must:
Wherever you live, you can reach Toulouse . From this magnificent city, you can discover the Canal du Midi day after day. The places are all superb and rural. You can also make a stop at the edge of the canal in a permitted place or in ports to have water electricity and often toilets as additional comfort for sums around 10 to 15 euros per night all inclusive.
You can stay a few days to discover some remarkable villages such as:Le Sommail, Colombiers, Bram, Port-Lauragais, Argens-Minervois, Homps and many more. Works on the Canal are incredible like the scale of the nine locks of Fonseranes near Béziers or the Naurouze threshold not far from Villefranche-de-Lauragais. This threshold is materialized to indicate the "Watershed on one side, the waters of the rivers flow towards the Atlantic Ocean and on the other, they join the Mediterranean. Do not miss to visit the medieval city of Carcassonne and its numerous ramparts restored by Viollet-le-Duc.
The Canal du Midi is located in the south of France. It crosses part of the vineyards of Minervois and Corbières . You can organize an almost obligatory stop to go to a wine tasting . All along the Canal du Midi, you will also find small restaurant terraces in the shade of age-old plane trees . Again, enjoy life and stop for a few hours or an evening to enjoy a wonderful meal by the water in an idyllic setting.
If it's hot, you'll want to swim. Only, you are on a Canal and not at sea. Swimming will therefore be impossible! Well, no, don't worry, there is an exception. Indeed, the only possible tolerance is to go to the Étang de Thau and reach Marseillan, Mèze, Bouzigues or even Balaruc . You have the right to sail on this saltwater pond, because there is a derogation to sail on it with a barge without a licence. You will be able to swim in clear, clean and warm water in summer. However, follow the rules which have been sent to you by your lessor on this subject. The crossing of the pond must be done in the best possible conditions and on days when the weather is good. On windy days, crossing is prohibited. Find out before leaving the Canal du Midi to go to the pond. In any case, if you can cross the Etang de Thau, you must take the river channel or go to the ports without crossing the shellfish growing areas which are strictly prohibited .
The walking speed of your barge is limited to 8 km on the Canal du Midi (and other canals in France) in order to preserve the banks . If you are approaching structures such as a bridge, a canal bridge, a port or a halt, for example, you must reduce your speed to 3 km/h as well as when you pass another boat. Be aware that if you do not follow these rules, the navigation service officers may issue you a report .
There are also rules of courtesy which are essentially:
Naming here, all the works and places to visit the Canal du Midi or nearby is impossible because the site is so rich. Discover this magical place at your own pace and don't forget the evening aperitif under the plane trees accompanied by the sweet sound of cicadas. Are you convinced? So enjoy your boat and all the comfort it brings you and have a good holiday!
