canal du midi

[zaskar]

Good morning chaps/chapesses /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
This is my first visit to the site and as I'm actually a motorhomer and not a boater- please be gentle! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
I'm looking for advise/personal experience of hiring a boat on the Canal Du Midi in Southern France.
Next year I'd like to hire a boat for two weeks with two friends of ours who own a narrow boat on the Macclesfield canal and have plenty of inland waterways experience. Myself and wifey have hired boats on the canals (UK), the Broads and the Thames (honeymoon!) so we have a fair idea of what is expected re behavour/etiquete.
We like the look of the 'plastic tubs' with a sliding centre cockpit and a double berth at each end.
Has anybody done the Canal Du Midi and has advise/tips to offer?
Whats the cost (roughly)
Quality/reliability of boats
Prettiest stretch of canal to do. (We've done Carcassonne with our motorhome and I'd like to show our friends this beautiful place).
Also I'd be pleased to know if I'm actually on the right Forum for this sort of request or if anybody can recomend a more suitable or just alternative popular Forum.
Thanks Guys
Zaskar.

 

[brianhumber]

Midi is used to avoid the long trip va Gib and it is likely a forumnite has also hired a 'plastic tub' as well.

Several accounts on more bargee type web sites if you look on the search engines and follow up the links.

have a good time it is a great area if a trifle sweaty in high summer.

Brian

 

[alan]

Hi,
I go to Castelnaudary (50Km south of Toulouse) for work reasons and there is a largish company that operate out of there. They are called "Crown Blue Lines", just search for then on the web.

I have never tried it, but did look at prices (versus a hotel room) and it was quite expensive as I recall; but for a holiday for six persons it could be reasonable.

Anyway they seem like a big outfit and they are very busy in the summer (German and English mainly); I believe they are now owned by Sunsail.

Good luck,

Alan.

 

[TonyBri]

Almost all of the Midi is great. We did it in October when it was very pleasant (temperature-wise) and slightly less busy. Plenty of companies along its length charter boats - a search should help. Try this lot : http://www.minervoiscruisers.com/english/index.asp
- cant vouch for them but a good website.

One personal favourite was Ventenac en Minervois - has a large winery right by the canal bank. Castelnaudry also excellent.

One thing - the lock keepers will not help you through; they'll only operate the lock - you'll need to land crew to help with moorings. Otherwise they are very friendly.

 

[arTThur]

Hi Zaskar,

I have used Crown Blue Lines at Castelnaudray on the section down to the Carmargue - can thoroughly recommend it. Even if you have toured the area by road, the canal offers a completely different persepctive and is not to be missed. We did a one-way charter and took the train back to our car at the end of 2 weeks.
I think Crown Blue Lines is connected with Blakes somehow, so standards are very much the same as the Broads boats.
I have no idea of current costs, but if you are looking for a relaxing time with lots of long lunches and ambience, just do it!!
Cheers,

 

[tillergirl]

Have a look at this guy's tales of his holidays on the French Canals inc the Midi

http://www.home.zonnet.nl/mouringh.marga/index_eng.htm

 

[zaskar]

morning' matey.
Know what you mean about car touring versus on the canal in this area. From the motorhome point of view, we were slightly disapointed with the area further towards Agde but we could see that from the canal perspective with its tree lined banks, it would probably look a lot more attractive, i just hope that the French aren't as daft in boats as they are in thier cars!
Very much like the sound of a one way trip with a train return to the car and would appreciate further details of your experience.
Just noticed that you're in Cheshire as well.
So are we. We're based near Jodrell Bank / Congleton

 

[davidfox]

Did it many years ago, hired a sliding topped thing from Narbonne area (might have been sete or somewhere) and made it to carcassonne and back easily in a week.

 

[Norman_E]

[ QUOTE ]
Did it many years ago, hired a sliding topped thing from Narbonne area (might have been sete or somewhere) and made it to carcassonne and back easily in a week.

[/ QUOTE ]

That area has a long stretch with no locks, in some parts you would cover less distance in a week. I know the area well by road, and suggest a one way trip to avoid repetition, Castelnaudry to Beziers or reverse would be very good, and possible in a week with visits to places of interest. Do not miss the Oppidum de Enserune (west of Beziers) where there is a unique feature of three tunnels crossing each other beneath a small hill. The canal is the middle tunnel with the later railway tunnel crossing above it. The lowest tunnel is a remarkable ancient drainage tunnel, dug on the orders of a local bishop, to drain a formerly malarial marsh. The view from the oppidum shows the drained area (called the Etang de Malmedy) with its pie slice shaped fields drained to the centre, thence back to the tunnel. You cannot enter the drainage tunnel, but there is a very good visitor center with video of it. If you go east to Agde there is a unique circular lock wth three exits on different levels.

 

[Grehan]

Our website has a fair amount on the Midi.
See Places and Logbooks on the menu, also Learnings.

The canal is wonderful, and we rated the Lateral a la Garonne (beyond Toulouse) even better.

This site - http://www.europeafloat.com/frmi.htm - has links to most of the hirers, including Crown Blue Line who must be the biggest, I think. A bit pricey (we looked at their tariff at Castelnaudary) but the boats are ideal for the canals.

We encountered a fair number of these 'pie dish' "Bumper Boats" during our six weeks time there. Bumper because (a) they have rubber edgings and (b) they bump into you in the locks. We exited the Midi on July 1st in order to avoid Les Vacances and the reported hordes of clueless hire boat holidaymakers. Sorry if that sounds a bit harsh, but we had a grp boat with a mast sticking out fore and aft, that was also our home, and we had had a number of lock 'moments' - and we wanted to be safe, not sorry.

Have a great time!

 

[Spankerwrap]

We did a ten day one way charter with Connoisseur cruises (tied up with Hoseasons) from Beaucaire (fly Ryan air into Nimes) to Homps (return flight out of Carcassone) on a 1140 FB boat (look at their website for details).

Boat ideal for two couples albeit vey basically fitted out. Big draw back were the fridges (2 on board) neither of which seemed to cool inside whilst throwing large mounts of heat into the already hot cabins. Other wise the boat was OK.

Cost was £2080 for mid July booking (just before the kids were let loose from school and canal was quiet. Had to cross a large inland lake during the journey which caused us no problem but could be a worry if the weather is inclement.

If I was to do it again, I think I would miss the first bit from Beaucaire to the inland lake as the salt flats of the Camargue get a little boring. The typical, tree lined sun dappled touristy looking bit is definately from the lake onwards.

It took a while for us to get out of delivery mode and race along each day. Always try to stop for a couple of hours at lunch time to eat as this will tend to slow you down physically and mentally.

Locks are no problem at all. They tend to close for lunch which is not a bad thing as it makes you stop. Try to hire bikes as well as they enable you to see the surrounding countryside and get off the boat for a while.

Was it worth it? Definately if you are looking for a stress free relaxing holiday and to wind down. It is good sitting doing nothing whilst the scenery is moved past you. The only niggle I had was the fact that, between us, we own the thick end of £100,000 worth of boats at home and have spent out over £2000 to hire someone elses! Once I was over that, the holiday was great.

Hope this helps

Steve howard