The Canal du Midi in Carcassonne

The Canal du Midi, classified by UNESCO, crosses all of Carcassonne. Do not miss this historic site if you are on vacation in the region. Take a boat, bike or walk along its historic shores.

A popular attraction for holidaymakers from Languedoc-Roussillon, the Occitanie region and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the historic Canal du Midi was built in the 17th century to connect the Atlantic to the Mediterranean.

The beautiful tree-lined canal is now used for boating holidays and has become a real draw for nature and history lovers. You can take a boat trip on the canal. An incredibly relaxing destination even in peak tourist season, you'll find plenty of authentic French restaurants and an abundance of wine tasting opportunities along the canal. The Canal du Midi passes through many charming villages in the region. If you are staying in one of our vacation villas near the Canal du Midi, be sure to spend at least one day exploring the canal, by boat, bike or on foot.

What are locks for?

The locks are used to level the water level of the Canal to allow boats to navigate easily. The locks work like dams by retaining water and releasing it little by little, thus allowing all boats to cross the different water levels.

240 km of waterways

The canal extends over 240km of waterway and bears witness to both a technical prowess and also a work of art. It was formerly used for the transport of goods and people, it is now frequented by many boaters and tourists and crosses the heart of the city of Carcassonne.

To know about the Canal du Midi

- 350 structures: 63 locks, 126 bridges, 55 aqueducts, 7 canal bridges.

- The waters come from the Montagne Noire (Saint-Ferréol and Lampy basins) which descend via the rigole de la Montagne to the threshold of Naurouze. - The canal connects Toulouse to Bordeaux, thus forming the Canal des deux mers (240 kilometers 10 to 20 meters and 2 meters deep). - Built according to the plans of Pierre-Paul Riquet.