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Let yourself be inspired
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Our canal boats
Our canal boats
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River Trips the blog
Suggested cruising options Bellegarde*
A boating holiday under the southern sun
Bellegarde
174
KM31h00
** All prices are calculated on the basis of a two day weekend in low season.
Description of
the boating holiday
Hire a canal boat for cruising on the Etang de Thau and Canal du Midi
This one-way week long boating holiday sees you cruise in the heart of the sunny Camargue taking in sights ranging from historic fortified cities such as Aigues-Mortes to the wild countryside landscapes such as those that surround the large Etang de Thau lake. Enjoy lazy afternoons at Mediterranean beaches and sample some of the region’s cuisine such as ‘tielles de Sète’ (a spicy octopus pie), ‘Vin de Sable’ (sand-grown wines made from Grenache grapes), Camargue style rice and ‘fougasses d’Aigues-Mortes’ (a brioche type cake).
From the Nicols base at Bellegarde you can travel by canal boat the entire length of the Canal du Rhône à Sète, meandering through the heart of the beautiful Camargue and alongside the sun-drenched beaches of the Mediterranean.
Aigues-Mortes: walk around the 13th century ramparts and five towers, Museum of history and archaeology, Church of Notre-Dame
Grau du Roi: beaches, Seaquarium, Maritime Museum, Palais de la Mer leisure centre, Les Salins du Midi salt pans
Carnon-Plage: sand dunes beach
Palavas les Flots: Albert Dubout comedy museum, steam train museum, Festivals in the summer, famous Languedoc games such as boat-jousting, casino
Villeneuve-les-Maguelone: 9km of beaches, scenic tourist train route, Abbey of Maguelonne, Roman cathedral, Old streets
Frontignan: walks through the surrounding vineyards, 7km of beaches, St Paul fortified church, Museum of local history
Sète: Richelieu citadel, International Museum of Modest Arts, Espace Georges-Brassens, Audio-guided tours in the city, famous Languedoc games such as boat-jousting
Bouzigues: capital of oyster and mussel production, museum about shellfish of the region, boat trips to the oyster beds
Mèze: Penitents chapel, Château de Girard, Visit of oyster bed by boat, beaches, le Dinosaures Parc museum
Marseillan: Guided tours of the wine cellars including the famous Noilly Prat (vermouth), shuttlebus to the beach
Agde: a unique round lock, Agde museum, Cap d’Agde beaches (4km away)
Vias: Wine tasting, church of St. John the Baptist, Vias beach (1km away), Europark (the biggest indoor fairground in France)
Port Cassafières: Ranch les Gaillardels for horse riding, wetland walks, access to Portiragnes beaches (4km away), Azimut Adventures for tree climbing and canyoning
Béziers: Beziers canal bridge – worth it for the view!, Saint-Nazaire cathedral, arts museum and Biterrois
Fonserannes: “Staircase of 9 locks” a unique site in France, small tourist train to Beziers (summer months)
Colombiers: charming half circle port, old wine cellar
Malpas: Tunnel of Malpas, old pond of Montady (now dried up to an amazing shape), “oppidum d’Ensérunnes”: one of the largest archaeological sites in France; remains of Greek, Roman and Celtic civilization
Argeliers: Castle of the 12th century classified as “historic monument”
Le Somail: Ice house cooler dating back to 1684, "Le Trouve-tout du livre" bookstore and its 50,000 books for sale!
After a week of cruising on the Canal du Rhône à Sète, across the Etang de Thau and finally the Canal du Midi it is time to think about returning your canal boat to the Nicols base at Le Somail.
They tried it and love it
Our other boating holidaysfor you
A dream week in the Camargue
We were able to see so much in just a week of cruising – the charms of the Camargue, the beaches of the Mediterranean and the start of the Canal du Midi as we got to Le Somail. A fantastic boating holiday!
Félicie and José, Guebwiller