Licence-free boats on the Canal du Midi

Peace and wonder top the agenda for a waterway cruise from Homps

While you’re wait­ing to pick up your licence-free boat and fol­low our train­ing ses­sion on how to steer it, vis­it the charm­ing vil­lage of Homps. It lies at the heart of the Min­er­vois wine region and is full of trea­sures, such as Saint Amand church, the con­struc­tion of which began in the 12th cen­tu­ry. As you stroll through the vil­lage, you’ll dis­cov­er ruins attest­ing to the pres­ence of the Hos­pi­tallers of Saint John of Jerusalem in the region. Before embark­ing on your house­boat, you can also enjoy a refresh­ing break by head­ing to the nau­ti­cal base on Jouar­res lake.

You’ll then be able to take to the water and expe­ri­ence the joys of water­way tourism. You’ll nav­i­gate the Canal du Midi, a work of human genius by Baron Riquet. This canal, which fea­tures on the UNESCO World Her­itage list, takes in breath-tak­ing and unique land­scapes and you trav­el through a diverse range of terroirs.

From the locks to the emblematic sites of the south, an unforgettable cruise awaits

You’ll mar­vel at the var­i­ous locks you trav­el through dur­ing your trip. Whether man­u­al or auto­mat­ic, they’re very much part of the charm of water­way tourism, and every lock on the Canal du Midi is a ver­i­ta­ble work of art to be explored. Fol­low your house­boat along the tow­paths on foot or by bike or moor up and make the most of your cruise to dis­cov­er the region’s emblem­at­ic sites. The town of Agde, with its round lock, is an absolute must, along with the medieval city of Car­cas­sonne, with its series of for­ti­fi­ca­tions that are one-of-a-kind in Europe. You’ll also enjoy vis­it­ing the many local mar­kets in the vil­lages or get­ting lost in the vine­yards and orchards that are so numer­ous in the south of France. And if you have more time, don’t hes­i­tate to head for the ‘Pink City’. The jour­ney to Toulouse will prove enchant­i­ng, tak­ing you through unique landscapes.