CANAL DU MIDI GUIDE
Le Pin Sucre
Capestang
Sleeps 8. Garden. Pool
Surrounded by vineyards - walk to restaurant on Canal
Domaine de la Fontaine
Poilhes
Sleeps 6. Swimming Pool.
Walk to restaurant
Belle Roubia, Roubia
Sleeps 10. Swimming Pool.
Walk to restaurant café
L'Enclos, St Valière
Lovely apartments, with swimming pool. Sleeps 2-8
Estival, St Valière
2 rentals + studio, with swimming pool. Sleeps 2-7
Maison D'Etre, Paraza
Village house with Swimming Pool. Sleeps 8.
Charming Village House, Poilhes
Close to restaurants, and Med. Sleeps 4 plus child
Maison Poilhes, Poilhes
Looks onto Canal du Midi, with garden.
Sleeps 4
Domaine St Pierre de Trapel
Carcassonne
Swimming Pool. B & B
Le Gabachou, Bram
2 rentals. Pool.
Garden. Sleeps 4, and 2
Anges Gardiens
Villeneuve les Beziers
Bed and Breakfast
La Folie
Argeliers
Swimming pool, garden
Sleeps 8.
MORE
Canal du Midi house rentals
Canal du Midi Maps
Castenaudary - Carcassonne
Carcassonne - Narbonne - Poilhes
Poilhes - Beziers - Sete
Sete - Aigues Mortes - Saint Gilles
See detail information on Sète to Agde
Be seduced by the Canal du Midi, built from 1666, by up to 12,000 men, crossing rivers, tunnelling through hills, irrigated from the mysterious Montagne Noir, with grace and beauty that lives on to this day. It runs 235 kilometers, requires over 100 locks. It is a love affair of man, nature, and engineering. The canal was created by Riquet, the tax farmer for Languedoc who wanted to join the economies of the Mediterranean to the Atlantic. He sacrificed everything to make sure of its completion - even using his daughters' dowries for the cause.
From the handsome city of Toulouse to the port of Sete, the canal cuts masterfully with grace and physical agility through the Southern France. Villages and towns reaped profit from its golden days, in grand homes, houses, chateaux that brace the waters edge. Now canal boats cruise full of tourists and leisure seekers where king fishers and bright birds sing. Lock keeper houses some still keep the keepers, whilst others have been opened up as restaurants, art galleries, and holiday homes.
TAKE A SHORT TRIP ALONG THE CANAL DU MIDI
Start the Canal du Midi guide at Sete where the canal opens onto the Mediterranean. Then to Agde, with its fortress church, small village streets, past the thriving town of Beziers famous for bullfights in the Summer and its Flower Market, on past to the incredible 13th century Etang de Montady, with nearby Roman oppidum. Squeeze under canal bridges such as at Capestang with its muscular village church, and Sunday market, and stop the night under trees. Then take a side trip, through the 1780's Ecluse de Gailhousty with dry dock, on the Canal de la Robine, to Narbonne with Cathedral, shops, and a huge outdoor Market. Yearning for bathing and beaches? go on to where the canal skirts the Mediterranean.
Back on the Canal du Midi, stop in and taste the wine, as at Ventenac, glide past bluff top villages like Paraza, through graceful locks near Homps and be enchanted by master surrealist wood sculptures near Puicheric.
There are still more wonders and magic at every turn -Carcassonne - the Medieval castle and city featured in many a movie, Castelnaudary where the valley widens, and finally to Toulouse, full of wild exuberance, and colorful nightlife.
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rentals on Canal du Midi
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BOATS FOR SALE
Canal boats
HOMES FOR SALE
Villas on golf course, Beziers
Home Hunters
HF Immo
Hamiltons
Belle Aude
Own Direct
Canal du Midi Properties
RESTAURANTS
La Guingette
Argens
Café du Port
Paraza
La Fourchette Folle
Roubia.
L'Auberge de la Croisade
Port Seriege, near Cruzy
Chez Philippe
Marseillan
Maguelone
Aigues Mortes
Le Moulin de Trebes
Trebes