Boat hire on the Canal du Midi

Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site, the Canal du Midi is also one of the world’s most famous locations for boating holidays. Canal du Midi boat hire customers come back here year after year – they know there’s so much to explore, it’s hard to know which way to steer to take it all in! The Citadel of Carcassonne, a journey into history Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site, this amazing fortress stands guard beside the River Aude, with two thousand years of conquests and crusades echoing inside its walls. The best time to see it is arriving in your Pénichette® or self-drive boat at sunset, when the stones take on a fiery glow – a breathtaking sight! Petite Camargue, wildly beautiful and delicate. Following the Rhone canal and the Mediterranean, the land of the Petite Camargue is revealed, and with it, a nature that has never lost its rights. The Etang de Thau, head for a huge natural spectacle As you approach the Etang de Thau, your boat gives you access to the largest stretch of water in the region. Especially famous for oyster farming, this unspoiled natural area has an incredible diversity of species, which you can discover as you glide through the water.

Another must-see historical site along the Canal du Midi is the city of Narbonne. Sitting on the last leg of the canal, only a few miles from the Mediterranean coast, the city was historically a bustling port. Yet the city is most renowned for being the first Roman settlement outside of Italy and it is this that makes it an attractive site for any culture or history buff. What really stands out as one of Narbonne’s shining features is the city’s preserved and well-restored medieval quarter. Taking centre place in the quarter is the Cathédral St-Jus and is also one of the tallest cathedrals in all of southern France. The Pont des Marchands also makes the city of Narbonne famous. This Roman-built bridge is one of only three of this kind in all of France and is recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Whether you simply enjoy the town from the comfort of the barge or get out and explore by foot, there is so much to see in the city of Narbonne that you are sure not to be disappointed.

Located in the south of France, the Canal du Midi has gone from one of the most impressive civil engineering projects of the early modern period to a UNESCO sight of extreme beauty. The best way to see this remarkable feat of construction and navigate the 150 miles of waterways on a Canal du Midi boat holiday. The canal’s route winds from the city of Toulouse in the country’s Occitanie region down through to the Mediterranean coastal lagoon region of Étang de Thau. Although you can travel from either destination to the other, the most popular and practical route is to start in the city of Toulouse. Before you hire your own Canal du Midi boat, a tour of the canal’s starting city Toulouse, is not to be missed. Sights such as the Basilica of Saint Sernin, one of the grandest churches in France and the Musée des Augustins, a fine art museum that is up there with some of the best in Europe. Once you have taken in the city’s many sights, secure your canal boat hire and begin your journey southwards down the Canal du Midi. With the majority of Riverly hires starting from Toulouse, the city is a hub for canal boat hire in France.

As the Canal du Midi route winds to a close, spirits may be low as your France Canal du Midi cruise holiday is nearly over, yet the jaw-dropping views of the Mediterranean Sea will put a smile back on your face. The coastal lagoon region of Étang de Thau is the final stop off on the long canal route and what an ending it is. The awe-inspiring coastline of the Mediterranean makes a change from the freshwater of the canal and is the perfect excuse to go for a swim or a little sunbathing on the sun-soaked beaches. What really makes this area something special is the large stretch of lagoons that straddles the coast and inland of the region. The lagoons are not only a source of incredible natural beauty but are also home to some of France’s most celebrated seafood, including the much-loved Bouzigues Oysters. Completing the Canal du Midi from Toulouse to Étang de Thau doesn’t mean your French canal holidays have to end right there. There are multiple routes to take, whether it’s branching out onto one of the many other canals in the area or venturing onto other major French attractions such as Montpellier or Nîmes.

The medieval sites don’t simply end with Carcassonne; a little further down the Canal du Midi is the medieval village of Minerve. Set atop a rocky outcrop, the village is a vision of extreme natural beauty as well as being a site of historical significance. This famed settlement has the gruesome title of being the sight of one of the bloodiest sieges of the 13th century, Albigensian Crusade. The remains of a 13th-century castle and defences still remain in the village, intertwined with many buildings and homes – all of this gives Minerve a unique air of being the quintessential medieval village of southern France. Those with a little more time in the Minerve area should venture up the rocky outcrop and to the Pont Naturel de Minerve. This natural bridge of rock creates an otherworldly range of caves, caverns and watering holes. This area of natural beauty overlooks the village and provides breathtaking views of the settlement below. Hiking up to the Pont Naturel de Minerve will give boaters a welcome change from the water and provide a chance to stretch their legs with a sun-soaked hike.

As well as the numerous historic destinations along the Canal du Midi, barge cruises themselves offer their very own historic spots on the canal itself. Nowhere is this more evident than at the locks of Fonserannes. Located near the town of Béziers, the locks of Fonserannes consists of eight oval-shaped locks and nine different gates – a marvel of engineering and beauty. These staircase locks, as they are known, are one set of over sixty historic locks that make up the many miles of the Canal du Midi. While you don’t exactly need a special license to operate these locks, you may have to rely on the help of friendly locals to help you out and as historic locks, you need to take extra care. The extra care is also needed at this point of the canal because of its much shallower depth, limiting boaters to 3mph. The locks of Fonserannes are also home to traditional buildings such as stables and the former lock keepers house.