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Planning a boating holiday on the Canal De Midi - help needed


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Hi Guys & Gals,

I am planning amy French holidays for next year and we are contemplating a boating trip on the canal de midi - has anyone got any reccomendations  for a good company (many seem very pricey) or places I should visit?

I have posted this also in the Holiday section bet figured it would be best to get advice from people who know the area.

Thanks, Dan.

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Having just had a holiday (cruise rather than self drive) on the canal de la Garonne, I found it very interesting (and most relaxing watching someone else navigate the locks - perfectly!) and chose it over the canal du midi, along which I live (almost).  There were some very bad "noddy" boat drivers, as the self-hire ones are called.

The firm called "Le boat" seem to have much of monopoly on the canal du Midi.  (it's the "new" name for a well-known boat hirer, but cannot remember which one)

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If you fly with Ryanair you can get to Carcassonne from a variety of UK airports pretty cheaply.  Stay a night there and visit La Cite [url]http://www.carcassonne.org/carcassonne_EN.nsf/vuetitre/docpgeIntroVisiter[/url] the next day. Then, maybe, get a taxi to Trebes (about 5 minutes) and collect your boat.  I know Le Boat have a base there [url]http://www.leboat.co.uk/bases/france/midi/trbes#[/url] - I've never used them but I've seen a lot of their boats on the water and they all look good from the towpath. Aigues Mortes [url]http://www.ot-aiguesmortes.fr/UK/Monuments.htm[/url] (right at the end of the Canal du Midi) is a really great place to visit.  I think it might take too long to get there from Trebes but, if you fancy a look at the Camargue [url]http://www.languedoc-france.info/07020201_camargue.htm[/url] I know you can get boats there too (there are some on the tourist office site and Le Boat have a depot on the Canal du Rhone nearby).  You could try browsing through Rick Steins' French Odyssey for inspiration. Whatever you decide, I'm sure you'll have a wonderful time![:D]

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  • 2 weeks later...

I had a fortnight's holiday on a Hoseasons hire boat one September a few years back, cruising on the Canal du Midi between Carcassonne and Agde. Thoroughly enjoyed it - even the locks. I would say, though, that to the west of Beziers the canal is bordered by very high banks and you don't get anything of a view unless you stand on the roof of the boat!

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