The Canal du Midi by hire cruiser.
From Toulouse to the Étang de Thau: where to hire, how far a week gets you, how the locks and the Fonserannes staircase work, and this winter's drought closure. Every figure is linked to its source; where sources disagree, the page says so.
- Hire bases
- 8
- from 2 firms
- On Mooch
- 5
- with a trip page
- Boats sleep
- —
- not stated
- Week, 4-berth
- —
- no firm here publishes one
VNF suspended navigation on the whole Canal du Midi, from Toulouse to the Étang de Thau, from 9 November 2026 to save water after this year's drought. The canal's usual maintenance closure runs from January to March; check reopening dates with your hire firm before booking early spring. Source
At a glance
- Length
- 240 km · source
- Locks
- 63 · source
- Lock work
- Light (0.4 locks per mile)
- Hire bases
- 8
- Locks, counted
- 63 lock sites with 92 chambers, counted by Mooch from VNF's 2026 lock table; Le Boat gives 91 locks · source
- Built
- 1667 to 1694 · source
- UNESCO World Heritage
- Since 1996 · source
- Licence
- None for hire boats under 15 m: the hire firm issues a 'carte de plaisance' after a briefing · source
- Speed limit
- 8 km/h · source
- Lock hours (2026 high season)
- 25 March to 25 October, 9:00–12:00 and 13:00–19:00; on request 8:00–9:00, 12:00–13:00 and 19:00–19:30 · source
- Winter maintenance closure
- January to March (5 January to 1 March in 2026) · source
Good for
- No licence needed: hire firms train you and issue a carte de plaisance
- Lock keepers work most locks east of the summit, and Le Boat says there is no charge to use them
- 54 km with no locks between Argens-Minervois and Fonserannes
- VNF calls spring and autumn an ideal time to go
Watch out for
- Closed from 9 November 2026 for drought, with no reopening date published
- Locks open freely only 9:00–12:00 and 13:00–19:00 in high season
- VNF says it is very busy from July to September
- Fonserannes runs on a timetable, and the last boat is taken 25 minutes before it closes
Lock work is locks per mile across the whole canal: under 0.6 light, under 1 moderate, 1 or more heavy.
The short answer
Les Canalous puts it at 42 km, 10 locks and about 6 hours; Le Boat's 3-night version is 40 km, 12 locks and 11 hours.
Les Canalous: 68 km, no locks, about 10 hours, along the long lock-free pound.
Le Boat's 7-night trip is 157.3 km and 63 locks, about 33 hours of cruising. It lists the reverse direction as 165 km.
The route, west to east
From the Port de l'Embouchure in Toulouse the canal climbs to its summit at the Seuil de Naurouze, then drops through Castelnaudary, Carcassonne and the Minervois to Béziers and Agde, ending at the Étang de Thau near Marseillan.
- 1
Toulouse
Kilometre 0 is the Port de l'Embouchure. Boats you drive without a licence may not take the Saint-Pierre lock down to the Garonne.
- 2
Seuil de Naurouze
The summit, on the watershed between the Mediterranean and the Atlantic.
- 3
Castelnaudary
Le Boat's base is on the Grand Bassin. Its trips east start with Saint-Roch, a staircase of four locks.
- 4
Carcassonne
Known for its medieval Cité. The railway bridge at the lock leaves 3.30 m of headroom in the middle of the channel and 2.36–3 m at the sides.
- 5
Trèbes
A three-chamber lock, and Le Boat's 'Carcassonne (Trèbes)' base in the port.
- 6
Homps
A village among the Minervois vineyards and a former wine-trading port, with bases for Le Boat and Les Canalous.
- 7
Argens-Minervois to Fonserannes
About 54 km with no locks, which Le Boat calls the 'big pound'.
- 8
Le Somail
A canalside village with restaurants and an antique bookshop.
- 9
The branch to Narbonne
The Embranchement de la Nouvelle leads south to Narbonne. Le Boat advises care on this section because of algae in the water.
- 10
Capestang
A market town whose stone bridge is one of the lowest on the canal.
- 11
Malpas tunnel
173 m long by Le Boat's figures. VNF requires a long blast on the horn and navigation lights before you enter, as you can't see far ahead.
- 12
Colombiers
A half-moon port a few kilometres west of Béziers, and a Les Canalous base.
- 13
Fonserannes, Béziers
A staircase of 7 locks (9 when built) rising 21 m over 280 m, by VNF's figures. Boats go down and up in timed slots.
- 14
Agde
The round lock has three branches: two on the canal and one to the Hérault. Les Canalous has a base here.
- 15
Étang de Thau
The canal ends at kilometre 240, at the entrance to the lagoon near Marseillan. Crossing it leads to the Canal du Rhône à Sète.
Sources: VNF, Avis à la batellerie n°1 2026, Sud-Ouest, UNESCO World Heritage Centre, Le Boat, Canal du Midi, Le Boat, Castelnaudary to Port Cassafières, Les Canalous, Homps, Les Canalous, Carcassonne, Les Canalous, Colombiers, Les Canalous, Agde, VNF, l'escalier de Neptune
Published routes
Le Boat's and Les Canalous' own published trips. Hours are cruising time. Where Le Boat gives two different figures for the same trip, both are shown.
| Round trip | Distance | Locks | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Les Canalous, Homps to Le Somail and backLes Canalous, Homps | 42 km | 10 | 6 |
| Le Boat, Homps via Le Somail and back (3 nights)Le Boat, Canal du Midi | 40 km | 12 | 11 |
| Les Canalous, Colombiers to Le Somail and backLes Canalous, Colombiers | 68 km | 0 | 10 |
| Les Canalous, Colombiers to Agde, one wayLes Canalous, Colombiers | 31 km | 12 | 8 |
| Les Canalous, Carcassonne to Homps, one wayLes Canalous, Carcassonne | 40 km | 13 | 8 |
| Le Boat, Castelnaudary via Gardouch and back (3 nights)Le Boat, Canal du Midi | 52 km | 18 | 11 |
| Le Boat, Castelnaudary to Trèbes, one way (4 nights)Le Boat, Canal du Midi | 52 km | 31 | 14 |
| Le Boat, Castelnaudary via Carcassonne and back (7 nights)(Le Boat's route suggestions give 104 km for the same trip.)Le Boat, Castelnaudary 7-night itinerary | 80 km | 48 | 21 |
| Les Canalous, Homps to Béziers and backLes Canalous, Homps | 122 km | 8 | 16 |
| Le Boat, Port Cassafières via Narbonne and back (7 nights)(Le Boat gives 27 hrs 45 mins on its itinerary page, and 128 km and 27 hrs in its route suggestions.)Le Boat, Canal du Midi | 144.6 km | 44 | — |
| Le Boat, Castelnaudary to Port Cassafières, one way (7 nights)(Le Boat lists the reverse trip as 165 km.)Le Boat, Castelnaudary to Port Cassafières | 157.3 km | 63 | 33 |
Source: Le Boat, Canal du Midi
Where to hire
8 hire bases from 2 firms, side by side. Filter by what matters to you; each row comes from the firm's own pages, read 4–7 November 2026. For fleet sizes and first-timer help, see each firm in narrowboat hire, compared.
Showing 8 of 8 bases
| Firm and base | Sleeps | Dogs | Fuel included | Short breaks | Week, 4-berth | Links |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Le Boat Castelnaudary On the Grand Bassin, west of Carcassonne. | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not published | Website |
Le Boat Trèbes Sold as 'Carcassonne (Trèbes)'; Le Boat times Carcassonne city at about 3 hours and 7 locks away. | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not published | Website |
Le Boat Homps Port Minervois. | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not published | Website |
Le Boat Port Cassafières, Portiragnes East of Béziers; Le Boat files it under the Camargue but counts it among its four Midi bases. | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not published | Website |
Les Canalous Carcassonne Booking pages in French. | Not stated | €80 per pet, up to 2 per boat (Les Canalous guide, 9 Nov 2026) | Not stated | Not stated | Not published | See it on Mooch |
Les Canalous Homps Booking pages in French. | Not stated | €80 per pet, up to 2 per boat (Les Canalous guide, 9 Nov 2026) | Not stated | Not stated | Not published | See it on Mooch |
Les Canalous Colombiers A few kilometres west of Béziers. Booking pages in French. | Not stated | €80 per pet, up to 2 per boat (Les Canalous guide, 9 Nov 2026) | Not stated | Not stated | Not published | See it on Mooch |
Les Canalous Agde By the round lock. Booking pages in French. | Not stated | €80 per pet, up to 2 per boat (Les Canalous guide, 9 Nov 2026) | Not stated | Not stated | Not published | See it on Mooch |
Worth knowing before you go
The drought closure
VNF suspended navigation on the whole canal from 9 November 2026 to save water, confirmed on 23 October. No reopening date has been published; the usual maintenance closure runs from January to March. Source
Fonserannes runs to a timetable
From 2 May to 30 September boats go down 8:10–9:25 and 13:05–15:20 and up 10:15–12:15 and 16:10–18:40. The last boat is taken 25 minutes before closing. Le Boat allows about 1 hour 30 minutes for the 7 locks. Source
Lunch at the locks
In high season locks open freely 9:00–12:00 and 13:00–19:00; between 12:00 and 13:00 passage is on request only. Source
Mooring
Don't tie up to trees: use a stake driven into the bank. No mooring under bridges, in the channel or on aqueducts, and VNF advises telling the last lock keeper if you plan to stop. Source
Low railway bridge at Carcassonne
3.30 m of headroom in the middle of the channel and 2.36–3 m at the sides. Source
Malpas tunnel
Sound a long blast and show your lights before entering; passage without them is forbidden. Le Boat notes there is no room to pass another boat inside. Source
Life jackets
VNF says wearing a life jacket or buoyancy aid is the skipper's responsibility. Source
Plane trees
Nearly 32,900 of the canal's original 42,000 plane trees have been felled since 2006. Source
Questions
Do you need a licence to hire a boat on the Canal du Midi?
No. Hire boats under 15 m can be skippered without a licence: the hire firm holds a label that lets it issue a 'carte de plaisance' after a briefing and some practice at the helm.
Is the Canal du Midi open?
Not this winter. VNF suspended navigation on the whole canal, from Toulouse to the Étang de Thau, from 9 November 2026 because of drought, and no reopening date has been published. The canal also closes every year between January and March for maintenance.
Who works the locks on the Canal du Midi?
Lock keepers work most of them. Le Boat says most locks are electric and manned, with no charge to use them, and that you'll meet some automatic locks towards Toulouse and Carcassonne.
How far can you get in a week?
Le Boat's 7-night one-way trip from Castelnaudary to Port Cassafières is 157.3 km and 63 locks, about 33 hours of cruising. A 7-night return from Castelnaudary via Carcassonne is 80 km and 48 locks.
Can you take a dog?
Les Canalous takes dogs and other pets for €80 each, up to two per boat. Le Boat says you don't have to leave your dog behind; check its fee when booking.
When is the best time to go?
VNF says the canal is very busy from July to September and calls spring and autumn an ideal time. In 2026 the high season ran from 25 March to 1 November.
More canal guides
How this was put together
Figures come from the Canal & River Trust, the hire firms' own pages and Wikipedia, read on 9 November 2026, and each is linked where it's used. Lock hours and closures change, so check VNF's 2026 notice to boaters for the South-West (French) before you travel. Spotted something wrong? Email hello@moochtravel.com.