Our 4-day cruise on the Canal du Midi

A boating vacation with Emerald Star is the perfect opportunity for the whole family to spend time together! Regardless of age, a boating vacation is perfect for taking some time out and sharing precious moments together. The Canal du Midi is one of the top destinations where you’ll cruise through sun-soaked landscapes amidst fields and vineyards, as well as stunning medieval villages and towns.

Marianne and her family, based in France, embarked on a 4-day cruise from Castelnaudary – we want you to be inspired by their family boating experience. Read on to find out more.

4-day Canal du Midi cruise details:

Marianne and her family followed our “Castelnaudary Return short break” recommended route for their 4-day boating vacation on the Canal du Midi. It includes: 

• 11 hours of cruising
• 52km cruised
• 18 locks
• 3 nights on board

More Canal du Midi Cruise itineraries and recommended routes

How was your 4-day cruise on the Canal du Midi?

We have just returned from our long weekend and we can’t wait to go again! We loved the experience from start to finish.

Check-in at the base went very smoothly; we were greeted by the friendly Emerald Star team and quickly boarded our boat, the Grand Classique. On the Grand Bassin of Castelnaudary, where the base is located, we were taught how to drive the boat, perform maneuvers, and more. We all had the opportunity to test it out and ask any questions we had. We then departed from Castelnaudary towards Toulouse, a quieter route.

Passing through our first bridges was quite enjoyable and amusing, and as we gained confidence, we let ourselves glide along the water and worked together as a team.

This boating vacation is accessible to all: on board our boat, we had the whole family of all different ages, from teenagers to grandparents.

It was fabulous being able to share these special moments all together!

We see that your dog was also part of the adventure!

Thanks to Le Boat, you don’t have to leave your furry companion behind! We chose to bring our little dog Luna, a Yorkshire Terrier.

The team in Castelnaudary even provided a life jacket for her – absolutely adorable! It helped us feel more confident, and we were able to let her wander around the boat with peace of mind.

Everything went smoothly: she was very intrigued at first and then spent her days watching boats and ducks in the Canal du Midi.

It was perfect to be able to bring Luna, our dog, on vacation with us!

Discover our dog-friendly boating vacation recommendations!

Who was the Captain during your 4-day cruise?

While we did have a designated captain, everyone took turns, and the whole family had a go at driving the boat! It was impressive to steer such a large boat, but at the same time, it was so easy!

You quickly understand how it works and gain confidence: it’s great fun!

While on board, we worked together as a team, driving the boat, enjoying the scenery, and traveling through the locks together.

A canal cruise is a very laid-back experience that allows you to spend time together, be active, and discover beautiful places.

Did you stop to visit any places along the way?

Yes, we stopped to see the Seuil de Naurouze, the highest point of the Canal du Midi (it culminates at 193m)! It’s where water flows down from the Montagnes Noires (Black Mountains) and joins the canal to provide its water.

We recommend mooring the boat (be careful, using mooring posts and not tying around trees!) and then exploring on foot: there are information boards to find out more about its heritage and history.

How would you describe your experience of cruising the Canal du Midi?

It was a complete mix – calming, adventurous, and relaxing all in one fantastic vacation. Passing through the locks made the journey exciting and made us work together; everyone had a role to play: getting out to operate the automatic locks, holding the ropes, maneuvering the boat… We also took leisure breaks to take short naps and read a book on the upper deck of the boat, shaded by the plane trees.

We also used our bikes to explore the surroundings!

How did you spend your evenings?

After the locks closed, we continued navigating for a while to find the perfect spot to moor for the evening: we found nice, quiet spots to enjoy the sunset.

We enjoyed a drink on board while the sun set, and could hear the birds singing in the trees.

In summary?

In summary, we would say: a memorable long weekend! And we can’t wait to do it all again soon!

Thank you, Le Boat!