One of Europe's oldest arteries, the Canal du Midi is a marvel of 17th-century engineering, chiselled through the heart of France to link the Atlantic with the Med. Travelling by boat, enjoying the peace, the snail-like pace, the food, wine and southern French countryside, offers a far more intimate experience than touring by car. 
Recommended tour operator: Hoseasons
Hoseasons says
You don’t need any nautical know-how to get behind the wheel of your own boat. The Canal du Midi has a speed limit of 8km per hour, so the pace is sedate as you chug gently through the countryside, navigating the occasional lock.
The canal passes close to the famed wine regions of Minervois and Cabardes and through the walled medieval city of Carcassonne. Beyond long lines of plane trees – which provide welcome shade in summer – you’ll pass vineyards, historic churches and fields of sunflowers.
With your boat moored, you can cycle along the tow paths to local villages and stock up on provisions. In the evenings, as the soft light plays on the water, you can enjoy simple meals on deck or venture ashore for a candlelit menu gourmande in a waterside bistro.
All our boats on the Canal du Midi have spacious interiors, tasteful furnishings and comfortable bathroom and kitchen facilities. Some have en-suite bathrooms, air conditioning and dual steering – so you can navigate from either indoors or outdoors.
Hoseasons has the widest choice of self-catering boating holidays on the canals and waterways of Europe, with more than 1,000 self-drive boats from a choice of 47 start points on the waterways of France, Italy, Germany, Holland, Belgium and Ireland.
Click here for prices and more about boating holidays on the Canal du Midi
