The Canal du Midi, in the south of France, runs for 240km from the city of Toulouse to Sete, on the Mediterranean and has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The canal opened in 1681 and with a series of more than 100 locks, the building of a bridge at Bezieres and a tunnel through a hillside some 170m long, the canal was an amazing construction in its day. 

A pleasant and relaxing way to travel along the canal is by barge, passing through Castelnaudary, Carcassonne, Trebes, Quarante, Fontcalvy and Enserune. To travel the length of the canal takes around 10 days.

The Canal du Midi is ideal for cycling along its flat pathways in picturesque surroundings; it is very popular to travel the whole length stopping off at various towns along the way or just to make a day of it.