Suggested cruising options Somail*

Explore France’s Cathar country

Le Somail: iconic stone bridge, cooling house dating back to 1684, impressive book store with 50,000 works for sale!
Ventenac-en-Minervois: set on a hill top with stunning views, cellar visits to the wine grower Château de Ventenac-en-Minervois

Paraza: 17th century castle, Répudre Canal Bridge - the oldest in France (1km away)

Roubia: beautiful village built around a castle, Moulin de la Restanque for gourmet olive oils
Argens-Minervois: beautiful village built around a 14th century castle, wine tours at the Musée de la Vigne et du Vin in Lézignan-Corbières (5km away)

Homps: short walk to Lake Jouarres for swimming, windsurfing, canoeing and fishing

La Redorte: remarkable stone arches built in 1693 to prevent flooding

Puichéric: impressive unique lock by Joël Barthès, pretty castle of Puichéri, Romanesque church, Minervois vineyards

Marseillette: rice growing Marseillette pond, Chappe tower

Trèbes: Saint-Etienne church (14th century), swimming pool, La Rode canal bridge, Orbiel canal bridge, impressive staircase of three locks, waterside restaurants

Carcassonne: Medieval city with ramparts 3km in length and 52 towers. UNESCO World Heritage Site, many events – markets, festivals etc.

Villesèquelande: Ormeau de Sully (famous 16th century tree with a 6m circumference) Sainte-Marie church

Bram: circular village built around the castle and 13th century church

Villepinte: 12th century church, 16th century village, beautiful aqueduct

Castelnaudary: Grand Bassin (largest body of open water along the Canal du Midi at 7 hectares), Saint-Michel Church College (13th century), Cugarel Mill, city of the famous Cassoulet dish

Segala: known as the country of 100 valleys, NOT pottery dating from 1820 (open Mon– Fri and by appointment on weekends)

Seuil de Naurouze: Highest point of Canal du Midi (190m), waters of the Black Mountains,  watershed where water one side flows to the Atlantic and the other side flows to the Mediterranean, hikes in the hills of Lauragais

Port Lauragais: Avignonet Lauragais (2km away), old tower (1606), church and restored water mill, wines of Fronton, Maison de la Haute-Garonne for stocking up on regional specialities

On reaching Port Lauragais your boating holiday on the Canal du Midi has come to an end. You can return your canal boat to the Nicols base.