The Canal du Midi, entirely hand-dug and hailed as an engineering marvel on completion in 1681, offers a refreshing alternate take on French travel: a bikeable path through the towns and ...

With a Canal du Midi boat hire, you'll be free to savour the slow and easy pace of travel past lush vineyards in the heart of the Languedoc wine region. There’s heaps to see and do too whether ...

The Canal du Midi is still in operation with characteristics essentially unchanged since its creation. The numerous modifications that it has undergone over the centuries (initial adaptation to the ...

Almost every time we drove our 15 metre canal boat into one of the small oval locks on France’s Canal du Midi, we drew a crowd. It could be our audience was made up of engineering fans there to ...

Locaboat canal boats, in France. Locaboat canal boats, in France. Amelia Romanos moors her self-drive canal boat in the smallest villages along Canal du Midi and mingles with the locals.

More than 320 structures are dotted along the Canal du Midi, including 40 aqueducts, 90 locks, many feeder canals and France's first subterranean water tunnel.

Pic: Contributed Le Boat (leboat.co.uk; 02392 801125) operates on the Canal Du Midi from the last week in March to October 31. seven-night self catered stay: £158-789 pp.