Dan Chase Posted November 25, 2009 Share Posted November 25, 2009 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Judith Posted November 25, 2009 Share Posted November 25, 2009 Do you want self-drive, or the pleasure of being "driven" ie "a cruise". Both available, but might help recommendations if we know which you want. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarkkent Posted November 25, 2009 Share Posted November 25, 2009 The British firm Hoseasons rents self-drive cruisers on the Canal du Midi and the Canal Lateral de la Garonne. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nomoss Posted November 25, 2009 Share Posted November 25, 2009 The Midi is overcrowded in summer. If you want a relaxing holiday without queueing half every day at locks, try another canal.Or stay between Roubia and Beziers where there are no locks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Judith Posted November 25, 2009 Share Posted November 25, 2009 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) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buelligan Posted November 25, 2009 Share Posted November 25, 2009 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] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JandM Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 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! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.