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Our waterway cruises Canal du Midi

Hire a licence free boat on the Canal du Midi

From the Camar­gue to the Canal du Midi, via the Etang de Thau, embark on a Mediter­ranean-flavoured cruise in the shade of the plane trees… or under the Camar­gue sun !

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Discover the Canal du Midi by boat

Canal du Midi

From Aquitaine to Camargue, a wide choice of river cruises to satisfy your holidays

From the Canal Latéral de la Garonne to the Rhône-Sète Canal, itineraries abound, allowing everyone to happily indulge in their favourite activities. Under the Mediterranean sun, brighten up your cruise with a cycle ride along the banks of the Canal du Midi. Head for Gascony and your stopping points will be great opportunities to indulge in the pleasures of french gastronomy. Cultural tourism is also on the agenda, as you take your licence-free boat rental through Cathar country or admire a masterpiece of engineering: the Agde round lock.
 

Head South and climb straight aboard for an original holiday with friends or family

Whether you’re looking for a cultural holiday or sporty getaway, a family cruise or boating adventure with friends, Les Canalous will help you organise your fluvial cruise to suit everyone’s preferences. You choose the barge or the boat on which you’ll spend your next trip (from the Premium to the Simply range, you’ll be spoilt for choice), and we’ll help you put together your itinerary. Whether you go for a few days or several weeks, it's up to you to let yourself be guided by a single motto: Head South with Les Canalous!
 

A la carte waterway cruises with our many bases in the South of France

We want you to have total freedom of choice, and therefore offer a variety of waterway bases in the South of France. From Agde to Fourques sur Garonne and Carnon to Carcassonne, set off between Aquitaine and the Camargue and dream up the ideal holiday itinerary for your whole crew with boat hire.
 

Not to be missed

The highlights of the Canal du Midi

So many good reasons to moor up and set off to explore.

The Malpas tunnel

The Malpas tunnel

The Malpas Tunnel is a perfect example of the obstinacy of Pierre-Paul Riquet, the engineer who designed and built the Canal du Midi. At the time, the Ensérune hill in the Hérault region posed a problem for the canal route. The soil was very crumbly, and any construction risked collapsing. It was therefore decided to dig the 173-meter-long canal-tunnel, which features 30 arches to support its structure. Crossing it by boat is always a highlight for yachtsmen. You can also stroll along the towpath, which also passes beneath the tunnel.

Castelnaudary cassoulet

Castelnaudary cassoulet

Stop off at Castelnaudary and sample THE authentic cassoulet. Here, cassoulet is served bubbling hot in its cassole! A taste will give you strength for the rest of the day: legend has it that during a siege of Castelnaudary by the English, famine threatened the inhabitants, who decided to pool what they had left to feed the soldiers protecting the town. Sausages, bacon, beans, pork and leftover meat were simmered in a large pot. The soldiers regained their strength and drove the English out of their lands... all the way to the English Channel!
The city of Carcassonne

The city of Carcassonne

In Cathar country, discover the count's castle and the city walls, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Don't miss out on sampling a traditional cassoulet at one of the city's inns.
The locks at Fonsérannes

The locks at Fonsérannes

The 9 locks at Fonsérannes are in fact a single huge lock with eight basins and nine gates. This lock staircase, unique in its length of 312 metres and its height difference of 21.5 metres, was listed as a historic monument in October 1996, before the Canal du Midi itself was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. As its dimensions did not allow large cargo barges to pass through, a slipway was built in 1984. A little too late, river transport of goods was already in decline, and it closed shortly after it began operating.

Aigues – Mortes

Aigues – Mortes

Stroll through the cobbled streets of the old town and discover the hidden treasures of this medieval city: towers, ramparts, chapels, etc. If you have some time to spare, don't miss La Maison du Grand Site de France de la Camargue Gardoise. You will learn more about the flora and fauna of the Camargue, as well as related activities, as you stroll along a 1.6 km footpath. It is sometimes forgotten that the Camargue is also a land of vineyards: during a stop at one of the wine cellars in Aigues Mortes, you will enjoy tasting the ‘Sable de Camargue’ wines, which have been awarded an IGP designation for their uniqueness.
The herds

The herds

An essential part of your stay in the Camargue, the manade will introduce you to traditional bullfighting and equestrian activities. Camargue and the work of the herdsmen. Some will even offer horse riding excursions or tastings of local produce. Be sure to add this to your to-do list!

Our favourite boats on the Canal du midi

Where to hire your boat And discover the treasures of the region

Mediterranean Sea Thau Lagoon Frontignan Ramonville-Saint-Agne Castelnaudary Port-la-Nouvelle Trèbes Villeneuve-lès-Béziers Capestang Portiragnes Ayguesvives Colombiers Montgiscard Argeliers Avignonet-Lauragais Gardouch Labastide-d'Anjou Villepinte La Redorte Puichéric Toulouse Montpellier Béziers Narbonne Carcassonne Sète Castres Agde

All our bases

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Frequently asked questions

Les Canalous offers a wide range of licence free boats for hire on the Canal du Midi. From small boats for 2 people to larger ones for 12, we also offer 5 different comfort ranges.
The price of your boat hire will also depend on the length of your cruise (weekend, mini-week, week or more) and your departure period. Download our price list, or use our online booking engine to get a precise idea of our rental rates.
Our bases for hire of licence free houseboats on the Canal du Midi are ideally located close to the best points of interest on this legendary canal, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
You can hire a licence free houseboat from our bases in Carcassonne and Homps, in the Aude département (11), and Colombiers and Agde in the Hérault département (34).
The Canal du Midi is connected to the Canal du Rhône à Sète, which runs alongside the Mediterranean Sea and crosses the Camargue Regional Nature Park.
The Canal du Midi is a historic monument in its own right. It has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996. Strictly speaking, there is no one part of the canal that is more beautiful than another, but one thing is certain: depending on the length of your stay, you probably won't be able to cover the whole route. Depending on your preferences, between Carcassonne and Colombiers, you'll find most of the typical structures for which the Canal du Midi is famous. Between Homps and Agde, you'll be cruising through more natural areas. Finally, Agde is on the Mediterranean coast, so you can enjoy the beach while sailing here.
The Canal du Midi passes through a number of typical towns and villages, each more charming than the last. Here's a selection:
In the Aude department :
- Bram, a village built on a circular plan around its 13th-century church.
- Carcassonne, with its magnificent medieval city.
- Trèbes, with its old village well worth a visit.
- Puichéric: a village that has retained its medieval character
- Le Somail: a favourite with yachtsmen, this little hamlet has become a must for holidays on the Canal du Midi.

In the Hérault department :
- Capestang: Its old trading port and old town are well worth a visit.
- Béziers: A town offering a wide variety of sights.
The locks on the Canal du Midi were round when they were built. But following successive renovations, they are no longer necessarily as they were originally. Nevertheless, there are still some remarkable locks, which continue to make the reputation of the Canal du Midi:
- The double lock at Aiguille: This is brought to life by a lock keeper/sculptor who exhibits his sculpted figures made from recycled wood and metal.
- Les écluses de Fonsérannes (The Fonsérannes locks): A scale of 9 successive locks where an incredible atmosphere reigns. Don't miss the water slope, which was intended to replace the 9 locks but was abandoned just 20 years after it was opened, due to a lack of boat traffic at the time of the boom in road transport.
- The round lock at Agde: One of the last round locks on the Canal du Midi. However, it has been modified to accommodate the largest transport boats.
Because we offer you 4 different departure bases on the Canal du Midi, the weekly itineraries are very varied. What's more, you can choose to do either a return trip, turning back halfway along the way, or a one-way trip, with the aim of leaving the boat at another canalous rental base defined at the outset. See our suggested itineraries for each departure base.
There are plenty of ways to cruise the Canal du Midi in a licence free houseboat in 4 days. Here are a few ideas:
Round trip :
- Homps - Carcassonne - Homps
- Homps - Béziers - Homps
- Agde - Capestang - Agde
- Colombiers - Marseillan - Colombiers
One way :
- Carcassonne - Colombiers
- Homps - Agde
You'd be amazed at what a change of scenery a self-drive canal cruise on the Canal du Midi can offer. The Canal du Midi is vast, and we offer four different departure bases, giving you plenty of itinerary options for your boating weekend. In river tourism, nothing is imposed: you can decide for yourself what you want to visit, and even change itinerary along the way. But here are a few ideas:
Round trip:
- Carcassonne - Bram - Carcassonne
- Homps - Le Somail - Homps
- Colombiers - Le Somail - Colombiers
- Agde - Sète - Agde (passing the Etang de Thau)

One-way (in either direction) :
- Carcassonne - Homps
- Agde - Colombiers
Our prices for hire of licence free boats on the Canal du Midi include the cost of the vignette required to pass through the locks. Apart from the cost of hiring the barge and the fuel, there are no navigation costs.
The Canal du Midi, from Toulouse to Agde, is 232 km long and has 89 locks. It takes around fifty hours to sail from one end to the other.
On average, our customers sail for 5 hours a day, the time needed to recharge the boat's batteries, while leaving themselves time to visit the surrounding area.

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