Connoisseur – Boating Holidays in Europe

Destinations – Canal Du Midi


Welcome to Connoisseur's most extensive cruising area. In cruising terms, France has it all - historic canals, impressive engineering, fine food and of course, fine wines. A holiday on the waterways is one of the best ways of making the most of all that France has to offer!

Canal Du Midi

Canal du Midi

Canal du Midi

Bathed in warm sunshine for most of the year, a cruise on the historic Canal du Midi is a perfect choice for experienced and first-time cruisers alike. Cruise from the red-brick city of Toulouse in the West, all the way to the Mediterranean in the South.

Listed by UNESCO as a world heritage site, the Canal du Midi takes you on a wonderful journey through the heart of the gastronomic Languedoc countryside - France's most prolific wine producing region.

Wind your way under the dappled shade of the trees that border the canal, through ancient and modern cities, past pretty waterside villages and neatly planted vineyards.

Suggested Cruises in Canal Du Midi

Short Breaks
  • Duration:
    3 days
    Cruise Type:
    One Way
    Locks:
    24
    Distance:
    53 km
    Trèbes - Castelnaudary
    Make the most of this classic Canal du Midi cruise abd enjoy a sunshine cruise to the lovely town of Castelnaudary via Carcassonne. (minimum of three nights)
Week Breaks
  • Duration:
    7 days
    Cruise Type:
    Round Trip
    Locks:
    56
    Distance:
    192 km
    Homps - Bram - Homps
    From the small port of Homps - once famous for shipping the many barrels of Languuedoc wine onto Bordeaux, head up-stream under the shade of the plane trees to the lovely waterside town of Bram, stopping en route to visit the medieval walled city of Carcassonne.
  • Duration:
    7 days
    Cruise Type:
    One Way
    Locks:
    45
    Distance:
    81 km
    Homps - Castelnaudary
    Take this classic Canal du Midi cruise in sunshine and shade to the lovely town of Castelnaudary. Spend time en route visiting the town of Trèbes, Carcassonne and Bram and savour the slow pace of life along this beautiful section of the canal.
  • Duration:
    7 days
    Cruise Type:
    Round Trip
    Locks:
    8
    Distance:
    125 km
    Homps - Fonsérannes - Homps
    Follow this historic waterway through the stunning vineyards and pretty waterside villages in the Mediterranean sunshine.

    Take the slow lane to heaven and follow Europe's oldest artificial waterway and a marvel of 17th century engineering through the beautiful Languedoc region. Under the welcome shade of the plane trees which line its entire length, the Canal du Midi takes you on a voyage of discovery through the heart of pretty waterside villages and stunning vineyards where row upon row of neatly trained vines ripen in the Mediterranean sunshine.
    Easy Cruising
  • Duration:
    7 days
    Cruise Type:
    Round Trip
    Locks:
    36
    Distance:
    118 km
    Homps - Narbonne - Homps
    Make the most of the Mediterranean sunshine along one of the prettiest sections of the Canal du Midi and the peaceful Canal de la Robine. Vineyards to visit and waterside restaurants en route make this an idyllic cruise and seaside fun can be had on the nearby beaches at Port la Nouvelle.
  • Duration:
    7 days
    Cruise Type:
    One Way
    Locks:
    16
    Distance:
    77 km
    Homps - Port Cassafières
    Set off from the wine centre of Homps and savour the memorable sites and sounds of the Canal du Midi en route to Port Cassafières, situated at the edge of the Camargue and close to lovely beaches.
  • Duration:
    7 days
    Cruise Type:
    Round Trip
    Locks:
    56
    Distance:
    172 km
    Narbonne - Agde - Narbonne
    Cruise along the Mediterranean coast to the edge of the Camargue region, taking in waterside restaurants, pretty villages and stunning scenery, as well as the staircase locks at Fontsérannes, along the way.
  • Duration:
    7 days
    Cruise Type:
    Round Trip
    Locks:
    78
    Distance:
    158 km
    Narbonne - Carcassonne - Narbonne
    Start your holiday in the pretty Roman town of Narbonne and enjoy the scenery of the Canal de la Robine before turning onto the Canal du Midi and heading towards the medieval city of Carcassonne.
  • Duration:
    7 days
    Cruise Type:
    Round Trip
    Locks:
    50
    Distance:
    176 km
    Trèbes - Béziers - Trèbes
    Enjoy the lock free cruising between Argens and Béziers as you pass through the heart of waterside towns and villages to the busy port-town of Béziers, birthplace of Pierre Paul Riquet - father of the Canal du Midi. Experience the staircase locks at Fonsérannes and the oldest canal tunnel at Malpas en route.
  • Duration:
    7 days
    Cruise Type:
    Round Trip
    Locks:
    64
    Distance:
    106 km
    Trèbes - Castelnaudary - Trèbes
    From our base at Trèbes, head west towards the medieval town of Castelnaudary for an authentic meal of Cassoulet before retracting your steps, stopping off en route to try and buy some wine from the many canal-side cellars.
    Culture
  • Duration:
    7 days
    Cruise Type:
    One Way
    Locks:
    29
    Distance:
    69 km
    Trèbes - Narbonne
    A wonderul one week cruise along the Canal du Midi and the Canal de la Robine. Narbonne, with its wonderful Merchant's Bridge is a delightful city to explore and is close to the beaches.
    Culture
Longer Breaks
  • Duration:
    14 days
    Cruise Type:
    Round Trip
    Locks:
    108
    Distance:
    190 km
    Homps - Port Lauragais - Homps
    From the small town of Homps - once important for shipping barrels of Minervois and Corbières onwards to Bordeaux, head upstream on this classic Canal du Midi cruise to Port Lauragais, passing Le Ségala - the canal's summit, en route.
  • Duration:
    14 days
    Cruise Type:
    Round Trip
    Locks:
    128
    Distance:
    238 km
    Narbonne - Castelnaudary - Narbonne
    An ancient Roman town and former thriving sea port, Narbonne is famous for its spectacular Merchant's bridge - one of the few remaining bridges lined with houses and shops. From here, head up-stream past manay delightful villages and vineyards, and the medieval city of Carcassonne, before reaching Castelnaudary.
  • Duration:
    14 days
    Cruise Type:
    Round Trip
    Locks:
    62
    Distance:
    210 km
    Trèbes - Port Cassafières - Trèbes
    From the pretty town of Trèbes, travel through the sun-baked Languedoc countryside to the seaside area of Port Cassafières, gateway to the captivating Camargue.

Bases in this Region


Narbonne
Base manager Nick Fielden welcomes you to Narbonne. Situated on the Canal de la Robine, Narbonne is a perfect place to start your cruising holiday in the Langudeoc. With blue skies above and warm sunshine on your face, you’ll soon discover why this part of France is at its most attractive from the waterside.

Trèbes
Base manager Jean Paul Moise welcomes you to Trebes. Not until you have enjoyed a cruising holiday on the Canal du Midi can you truly say that you understand the simple pleasures of life. Winding its way through the lower plains of the great Languedoc region – the prime wine producing region of France, exploring the Canal du Midi is a must for any lover of food and wine.

Homps
Base manager Donald Macphail welcomes you to Homps. The Canal du Midi makes cruising a perfect holiday at any time of year - the warmth of the Mediterranean sunshine and the dappled shade of the thousands of plane, cypress and pine trees that border its paths will entice you to its waters whatever the season.

Castelnaudary
Base manager Pierre Azeau welcomes you to Castelnaudary. The construction of the Canal du Midi made many changes to the landscape of the town, with mills and buildings sprouting out of the landscape. The Canal heralded a time of unprecedented development, and Castelnaudary grew in accordance. Now home to over 2,000 inhabitants, the town is the capital of Cassoulet – a rich stew made from local ingredients of white beans, pork, goose, duck and sausages.

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