We have always dreamed of taking a barge through the canals of the South of France. I remember reading a travel book when I was young about a couple who barged their way through Europe and I’ve had that on my bucket list ever since. When we had the opportunity to drive our own houseboat on the Rideau Canal last summer in Canada, we made a point to put Europe on our travel itinerary next. So when Le Boat asked if we wanted to self-drive a boat and cruise the Canal du Midi this summer, our answer was a resounding, yes!
Cruise the Canal du Midi Tips and Advice
Since we had already taken two Le Boat cruises in Canada, we felt like seasoned experts upon arrival at the Le Boat headquarters in Homps located 90 minutes south of Toulouse. We whizzed through our 40-minute boat introduction and set off for our 6-day cruise down the famous canal.
You don’t need any boating experience to drive a Le Boat houseboat. When you arrive at the marina, a representative will walk you through the boat’s controls and show you how to drive it. There are limiters on the speed so you can only cruise at a maximum of 10km per hour and there are plenty of bumpers on the boat to keep you from crashing into the canal walls.
Transfer from Toulouse to Homps
Le Boat’s Canal du Midi headquarters are located in Homps which is a 90-minute drive from the airport. Le Boat arranges transfers and airport pick-ups to take you from Toulouse to Homps, and they do so in style.
My brother and sister-in-law met us for this trip, so after spending 2 days in Toulouse, we went back to the airport to meet them and our drive to take the transfer to our embarkation point.
Homps, France
Homps is the jumping-off point for Le Boat Vacations along the canal and it is here that we recommend spending at least a day to get everything in order for your cruise. There are plenty of restaurants along the canal and there are several hotels and apartment rentals. Homps has been catering to Canal du Midi barges for years and is the perfect place for dining, shopping for supplies and relaxing.
Taking our private transfer from the Toulouse airport, we arrived at the beautiful Jardin d’Homps BnB in the village just a short walk from the Canal du Midi. This lovely property is set in a quiet tree-covered courtyard with a swimming pool, terrace, and delicious breakfast.
It was then off to our first night of dining on this historic waterway at En Bonne Compagnie. This lovely tavern had a fantastic…
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