South of France boating holidays on the Canal du Midi
Midi - The Golden South
The famous Canal du Midi, home to one of our best loved cruising locations, links the Aquitaine region to the sunny Mediterranean.
The Midi offers an ever-changing spectacle of landscapes - sunburnt hills, vineyards, orchards, ancient cities and waterside villages. The bright sunlight gives them a vivid colour immortalized by generations of painters.
The Canal du Midi, now a World Heritage Site, is the oldest artificial waterway in Europe still following its original course.
View South of France boat bases and routes
Completed in 1681, it is the work of an extraordinary man, Pierre Paul Riquet.
With its unusual oval locks, bridges and aqueducts, the canal is as beautiful today as it was centuries ago.
From our bases on the Canal du Midi you have a wide variety of one-way and out and back routes covering the length of the canali.
At Malpas go through the world’s oldest canal tunnel whilst other highlights include the romantic medieval walled city of Carcassonne and the lovely village of Le Somail. The seven lock staircase at Fonserannes near Beziers is a fascinating experience.
The people of the Midi are welcoming and helpful and willdelight in helping you sample the famous local wine of Minervoisand Corbieres together with some fine local cuisine.
On a Midi cruise you can sample Cassoulet, a local speciality made from beans, pork, goose, and sausages.
Memories of this fabulous tree-lined route will remain with you forever.