Canal du Midi (Port of Carcassonne)
Canal du Midi
A 17th-century canal linking the Atlantic and the Mediterranean and a UNESCO World Heritage site. You can take a boat through its locks from the Port of Carcassonne.
The Canal du Midi was built under the direction of Pierre-Paul Riquet, opened in 1681, and stretches about 240 km. It was inscribed as a World Heritage site in 1996. The Port of Carcassonne sits right in front of the train station and offers 1–2 hour sightseeing cruises, where you can experience the lock system (about €10–15). You can also rent electric boats or bicycles and ride along the towpath beside the canal, with plane trees shading both banks. Book summer cruises in advance. Some of the plane trees along the canal have been felled and replaced due to disease.
Opening hours
Open all day; boat trips approx. Apr–Oct
Nearby sights
- Église Saint-Vincent
- Bastide Saint-Louis
- Cathédrale Saint-Michel de Carcassonne
- Pont Vieux
- Basilica of Saints Nazarius and Celsus
- Château Comtal
- Cité de Carcassonne
- Les Lices