The Canal du Midi, built in the 17th century and still
considered an engineering marvel, is now used for pleasure boating between
the Atlantic and the Mediterranean; between
Bordeaux and
Sète. In 1999, the
Canal du Midi was added to the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites.
 |
| click to enlarge |
The southeastern part of the canal, between
Toulouse and Marseillan, close
to Sète, 211 km long, was called the
Royal Languedoc Canal. The 200-km
northwestern part, between Toulouse and Castets-en-Dorthe (near Bordeaux)
was called the Garonne Lateral Canal, as it paralleled the Garonne river.
The full length, once completed, was called the Canal des Deux Mers (the
canal of two seas), now known as the Canal du Midi.
The water in the eastern part of the canal is supplied by the Reservoir de
St Ferréol, so the water flows in the canal from near
Castelnaudary east to
the Mediterranean and from Castelnaudary west to Toulouse.
At its most mundane, the Canal du Midi is a lovely, peaceful waterway
winding through the southwest of France. Lined with shady trees and
greenery, the tow paths now for cycling, jogging and leisurely walking,
pleasure boats and narrow canal boats glide through the countryside without
seeming to touch it.
You can find the basins and marinas at the towns and villages the canal
passes through.
From West to East
Sites to see along the 400-km network of canals and waterways are: the canal
itself, locks, canal bridges, canal tunnels, basins and marinas. This is a
list of some of the sites, in order from the northwest (Bordeaux) to the
southeast (Sète). The following part of this page lists the main sites along
the canal, from the northwest to the southeast.
Bordeaux
North of Bordeaux the Garonne flows north through a wide estuary about 90 km
to the Atlantic, between the town of
Royan and the Pointe de Grave.
Southeast it's 50 km of the Garonne river, past Langon, to Castets-en-Dorthe
and the the end of the Canal du Midi.
Castets-en-Dorthe
The little town of Castets-en-Dorthe is the northwestern end of the Canal du
Midi. From here, the canal joins the Garonne river, where travelling further
to the northwest is via the river, past Bordeaux to the Atlantic. To the
southeast, it's the start of a fabulous canal journey across France to the
Mediterranean.
Le Mas-Agenais
This is a picturesque little town, 40 km northwest of
Agen, built on an
ancient Roman site. Its 12th-century Collegial St Vincent contains an
original Rembrandt.
Agen
The town of
Agen, in the Lot-et-Garonne is at a juction of the Canal du Midi
and the Garonne river. An aqueduct-style canal bridge crosses the river
here, and
Agen as its bassin ronde (round basin).
Toulouse
 Toulouse : in the charming Pink City, a visit to St Sernin's Basilica, the
largest romanesque church in France, as well as the 13th century Dominican
monastery, Capitole square and the various 18th century town houses will all
bring its rich past to life.
Villefranche-de-Lauragais
(30 km southeast of Toulouse) In Villefranche de Lauragais, an ancient 12th
century walled town, which recommend you discover by bike, you will admire a
monumental gothic church build in pink stone, with a belfry dating from the
12th century.
Toulouse-Avignonet Cycling
Fifty kms of tow path alongside the canal between Toulouse and
Avignonet-Lauragais are paved, making it a popular place for cycling and
rollerskating.
 Naurouze Pass
This is the highest point on the Canal du Midi with the Obelisque de Riquet
that commemorates the creator of the canal. Just west of here is Port-Lauragais
with a modern marina. The little village of Le Ségala just to the east is a
good place for a restaurant meal.
Castelnaudary
The ancient Cathar town of Castelnaudary has the largest turning basin (Le
grand bassin) of the Canal du Midi, and a pretty set of canal locks. Canal
boats can be rented here. Castelnaudary is the home of cassoulet. In
Castelnaudary you can visit the very old pottery workshops which still do
business.
Carcassonne
The Canal du Midi flows through the center of the town of Carcassonne,
beside the fortified cité. Canal locks and a basin are located in front of
the town's railway station (gare SNCF). Canal boats can be rented for a trip
from
Agde to Carcassonne or from Carcassonne to Agde.
Trèbes
The little town of Trèbes, 7 km east of Carcassonne, is nestled snugly
between the Canal du Midi and the river Aude. There's a small marina here (porte
de plaisance) for the boats cruising the canal.
Homps
From
Homps, where you will admire the castle of the Maltesse Knights, the
Musee traditionnel de la vigne et du vin, the traditional viticulture and
wine museum at Lézignan-Corbière is only a bike-ride away and well worth the
visit.
Le Somail
(10 km northwest of Narbonne) This is a very pretty little hamlet. It's
officially a part of the commune of Saint Nazaire-d'Aude (with a total
population of under a 1000).The key interest for the Canal du Midi here is
the Pont Canal de la Cesse, built by Vauban (the famous builder of French
fortresses) in 1689-1690.
Le Somail has a pretty little stone, hump-back bridge crossing the canal,
the Pont Saint Marcel or Pont Neuf du Somail. Built in 1773, the term "pont
neuf" is quite relative.
Argeliers
Towards Argeliers, the canal is lined with parasol pines and oaks giving it
a very Mediterranean which may entice you to take a few opportune moments to
go sunbathing.
 Narbonne
The Canal du Robine is a branch of the Canal du Midi system. Branching off
west of
Béziers, this canal goes south through the center of Narbonne to the
Mediterranean at
Port-la-Nouvelle.
Capestang
wonderful 13th-century abbey which overlooks the whole countryside. On
entering the port, you will discover a very lively and friendly town whose
life is totally based around the river.
 Malpas Tunnel
Located west of
Béziers, the world's first tunnel for a navigational canal
cuts through the hill of the Oppidum d'Ensérune . The tunnel-canal was built
by Riquet and a local builder.
Colombiers
The village of Colombiers, between the canal tunnel of Malpas and Béziers,
has a marina, allowing canal travellers to stop for a restaurant meal and
other town facilities. Colombiers has a lovely big church renovated in 1869
and an ancient, vaulted wine cellar that's worth seeing.
Fonséranes Locks
 The Ecluses de Fonséranes are a series of 9 locks set end-to-end, changing
the level of the canal 21.5 meters in a length of only 300 m. These locks,
at the southwestern edge of Béziers are connected by 8 short basins, in the
oval shape unique to Ricquet's canal. As a mark of interest of these locks,
they are the third most-visited site in
Languedoc-Roussillon, following the
Pont du Gard and the fortress city of Carcassonne.
Cutting across the hill just behind the locks is a special channel and a
huge engine that controls the relative amount of water between the canal
above the locks and the canal below the locks.
It's a pleasant half-hour walk along the canal from the Fonséranes Locks to
the Béziers Canal Bridge.
 Béziers Canal Bridge
At the edge of Béziers (the home of Riquet), the Canal du Midi crosses over
the top of the river Orb. This 240-m long "aqueduct" bridge was built in
1858, to avoid the problems of connecting the canal with a river that has
extreme and irregular fluctuations.
Béziers-Portiragnes Cycling
About 12 kms of the canal-side path between Béziers and Portiragnes are
paved, for good cycling and rollerskating.
 Round Basin of
Agde
The bassin rond d'Agde, east of Béziers, is the only round lock in the
world. Regulating three waterways, the original lock was enlarged for the
passage of bigger barges.
Pointe des Onglous
This is the point where the Canal du Midi exits into the Bassin de Thau,
between Agde and Sète From here, a series of lagoons and canals becomes the
Canal du Rhône à Sète, allowing waterway travel all the way to Tarascon and
Arles on the Rhône.
Sète
The "modern" Sète was built in the middle of the 17th century by Paul Riquet
so that his Canal du Midi would have a port on the Mediterranean. There were
Romans here, naming this Mons Setius some 17 centuries earlier, and pirates
were ensconced on Mont Saint-Clair in the 16th century. But it was Riquet's
new "Port-Saint-Louis-du-Cap-de-Cette" that became the seaside and canal
town of today.
Canal du Rhône à Sète
From Sète, a series of lagoons and canals becomes the Canal du Rhône à Sète,
allowing waterway travel past
Montpellier to
Aigues-Mortes, and then all the
way to Tarascon and
Arles on the Rhône. |
