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You have lots of choices!
We have now done this twice. Our first trip was on the Canal Latéral à la Loire from Briare to Decize.
Our second trip was on the Canal du Midi from Port Cassafieres (just east of Briare) to Castelnaudary. But when you start looking into this you realize that France has many canals.
The Canal du Midi is the most popular route, but that's both good and bad. It's good because it's popular for a reason — fantastic scenery, plenty of interesting sights and great places to stop along the way. The down side is the popularity itself. I would think that it could be rather crowded during the high season. The Canal du Midi has a lot of locks, so even when traffic is relatively low you spent quite a bit of time on some days just going through locks. If you have to wait for boats ahead of you to clear the lock, it can take quite a while.
Another consideration is the lock design. The locks in the Canal Latéral à la Loire are rectangular, and so you can simply pilot the boat into the lock and have at least one person step off onto one of the ladders in the canal walls to climb up and handle ropes.
However, the locks in the Canal du Midi are oval. While there are still ladders in the canal walls, you cannot step onto them off the boat. You must put at least one person ashore before entering the lock so they can run ahead and handle the ropes. The Canal du Midi also has a larger number of locks as shown below.
I am very happy to have done both of these trips, and I feel that we were fortunate in the order in which we did them. If you are considering your first canal boat trip, I would strongly advise that you carefully consider the number of locks and distance per day when planning your trip. On our first trip we went through 23 locks during the week. On the second trip we went through 20 locks on the last day alone. We would have felt rather overwhelmed if that had been our first canal trip.
Canal atlases such as the following are extremely useful references if you can find them. These have nicely detailed maps of the canal itself showing the location and height of locks, nearby roads and towns, and even locations of restaurants, grocery stores, water supply, fuel, waste pumping, and more:
Navicarte Carte-Guide de Navigation Fluviale
Éditions Grafocarte
125 rue Jean-Jacques Rousseau
BP 40
92132 Issy-Les-Moulineaux
http://www.grafocarte.fr/
ISBN for Canal du Midi, volume 11 in this series, is
2-916919-09-0 and 978-2-916919-09-6.
I purchased this at Stanford's in London:
http://www.stanfords.co.uk/
Guide Fluvial
Éditions du Briel
11400 Castelnaudary
ISBN for Bourgogne and Nivernais,
volume 2 in this other series, is
2-913120-00-8.
Below are logs of our two trips. Note that there may be multiple systems of kilometer measurement along the canal with differing start points, I have used what was used in the canal atlases mentioned above. Entirely different kilometerage systems are used for both canals in the book Inland Waterways of France by E.E. Benest, first published in 1956, 3rd edition in 1971.
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Canal Latéral à la Loire
from Briare
south (ascending)
to Decize
130 kilometers, 23 locks, 54.2 meter elevation gain |
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| Day | km | Location | Elevation Gain | Total Elevation | Notes |
| 1 | 198.0 | Briare | — | 0 m | Start. You are promised that your boat will be available by 1600, but it may be available earlier, maybe around 1300-1400, if it was clean after the previous rental. |
| 197.5 | Briare | — | 0 m | You cross the Briare Canal Bridge, built in 1820-1838 to carry the canal across the Loire River. | |
| 184.4 | Beaulieu | — | 0 m | Stopped for the night at
Beaulieu, a small town with one
restaurant on the central square. 13.6 km, no locks or elevation gain. |
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| Day | km | Location | Elevation Gain | Total Elevation | Notes |
| 2 | 184.4 | Beaulieu | — | 0 m | Start of day 2. |
| 182.4 | Lock #38 | 2.10 m | 2.10 m | — | |
| 180.5 | Belleville-sur-Loire and Lock #37 | 2.00 m | 4.10 m | Explored Belleville-sur-Loire on foot before going through the lock as it was closed when we arrived. | |
| 174.5 | les Houards and Lock #36 | 1.80 m | 5.90 m | ||
| 169.6 | Lock #35 | 2.10 m | 8.00 m | ||
| 165.6 | Lock #34 | 3.00 m | 11.00 m | ||
| 159.5 | St-Thibault | — | 11.00 m | Stopped for the night at
St-Thibault, a relatively larger town
paired with St-Satur across the canal
with several restaurants. 24.9 km, 5 locks, 11.0 meter elevation gain |
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| Day | km | Location | Elevation Gain | Total Elevation | Notes |
| 3 | 159.5 | St-Thibault | — | 11.00 m | Start of day 3. |
| 156.2 | Lock #33 | 3.80 m | 14.80 m | ||
| 150.9 | Lock #32 | 1.70 m | 16.50 m | ||
| 146.0 | Lock #31 | 2.00 m | 18.50 m | ||
| 143.1 | Herry | — | 18.50 m | Stopped for the night at
Herry, a nice small town overlooking
the canal. 16.4 km, 3 locks, 8.5 meter elevation gain. |
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| Day | km | Location | Elevation Gain | Total Elevation | Notes |
| 4 | 143.1 | Herry | — | 18.50 m | Start of day 4. |
| 143.0 | Lock #30 | 2.70 m | 21.20 m | ||
| 135.6 | Lock #29 | 2.00 m | 23.20 m | ||
| 133.0 | Lock #28 | 2.60 m | 25.80 m | ||
| 128.4 | Lock #27 | 2.5 m | 28.30 m | ||
| 125.8 | Lock #26 | 2.5 m | 30.80 m | ||
| 125.5 | Lock #25 | 2.5 m | 33.30 m | ||
| 125.0 | Marseilles-lès-Aubigny | — | 33.30 m | Had considered stopping for the night at Marseilles-lès-Aubigny but continued on as it was full and rather industrial. | |
| 120.1 | Cours-les-Barres | — | 33.30 m | Stopped for the night at
Cours-les-Barres, a much better
place to stay than
Marseilles-lès-Aubigny.
Another small town overlooking the
canal with one restaurant. 23.0 km, 6 locks, 14.8 meter elevation gain |
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| Day | km | Location | Elevation Gain | Total Elevation | Notes |
| 5 | 120.1 | Cours-les-Barres | — | 33.30 m | Start of day 5. |
| 118.5 | les Mahauts | — | 33.30 m | Continue straight ahead, not taking the embranchement de Givry to the left leading down to the Loire. | |
| 116.1 | Lock #24 | 1.4 m | 34.70 m | There is no Lock #23. | |
| 111.5 | Pont des Caillettes | — | 34.70 m | Turn about 45° to left rather than continuing straight into unmaintained old branch of the canal. | |
| 110.5 | Pont des Caillettes | — | 34.70 m | Tied up and got a great meal at the old Inn here. | |
| 110.4 | Locks #21-22 | 9.20 m | 43.90 m | Double lock, both rather high. | |
| 110.1 | Pont-canal du Guétin | — | 43.90 m | Cross the Allier River, a tributary of the Loire, on a Guétin Canal Bridge. Immediately beyond, through km 109, carefully stay within the channel marked with buoys to avoid shallows. | |
| 102.2 | Plagny | — | 43.90 m | Stopped for the night at
Plagny.
Walk north just over one kilometer
along the N7 to find a large
supermarket.
Continue north on N7 into St-Antoine
and toward Nevers to find a pharmacy
and pretty much anything else you
might need. 17.9 km, 3 locks, 10.6 meter elevation gain |
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| Day | km | Location | Elevation Gain | Total Elevation | Notes |
| 6 | 102.2 | Plagny | — | 43.90 m | Start of day 6. |
| 100.3 | — | 43.90 m | Continue straight ahead, not taking the embranchement de Nevers to the left leading down to the Loire. | ||
| 93.3 | Chevenon | — | 43.90 m | Walked into the small town of Chevenon. Got lunch at the cafe, saw the chateau. | |
| 89.5 | Lock #20 | 1.20 m | 45.10 m | ||
| 85.7 | Lock #19 | 3.90 m | 49.00 m | ||
| 80.5 | Fleury-sur-Loire | — | 49.00 m | Stopped for the night at Fleury-sur-Loire. | |
| Day | km | Location | Elevation Gain | Total Elevation | Notes |
| 7 | 80.5 | Fleury-sur-Loire | — | 49.00 m | Start of day 7. |
| 80.4 | Lock #18 | 1.80 | 50.80 m | ||
| 76.0 | Lock #17 | 3.70 | 54.50 m | ||
| 75.0 | Lock #16 | 1.70 | 56.20 m | ||
| 68.4 | Decize | -2.00 | 54.20 m | Turn to left off canal, descending through a lock into a basin that leads, via another lock, toward the Loire River and the Canal du Nivernais. | |
| 68.0 | Decize | 54.20 m | Finished our trip at
Decize. 12.5 km, 3 locks, 5.2 meter net elevation gain |
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Compared to the Canal du Midi, the Canal Latéral à la Loire is more level and so with far fewer locks, and the section we traveled passes through more villages and through fewer larger towns.
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Canal du Midi,
from Port Cassafieres
west (ascending)
to Castelnaudary
157.1 kilometers, 62 locks, 167.56 meter elevation gain |
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| Day | km | Location | Elevation Gain | Total Elevation | Notes |
| 1 | 222.5 | Port Cassafieres | — | 0 m | Start. You are promised that your boat will be available by 1600, but it may be available earlier, maybe around 1300-1400, if it was clean after the previous rental. |
| 218.3 | Lock | 2.23 m | 2.23 m | ||
| 213.8 | Lock | 1.95 m | 4.18 m | ||
| 212.5 | Lock | 2.26 m | 6.44 m | ||
| 209.5 | Béziers | — | 6.44 m | Stopped for the night
at Béziers, just below
the boat basin. 13.0 km, 3 locks, 6.44 meter elevation gain |
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| Day | km | Location | Elevation Gain | Total Elevation | Notes |
| 2 | 209.5 | Béziers | — | 6.44 m | Start of day 2. |
| 208.4 | Lock | 4.24 m | 10.68 m | ||
| 208.0 | Lock | 6.19 m | 16.87 m | ||
| 206.5 | Locks (7) | 13.6 m | 30.47 m | This seven-stage flight of locks is one of the tourist attractions of Béziers. The flight operates going up only for certain hours and going down only for other hours. Make sure you understand the schedule and you get into what will probably be a long line in time to get through by when it shuts down around 1600! If you are traveling to the west, ascending the canal, the next lock is 54 kilometers and about a day and a half away. | |
| 200.5 | Colombiers | — | 30.47 m | Stopped for the night at
Colombiers.
Nice marina at a small town,
with a fancy restaurant, a pizza
place, a patisserie
and a supermarket right at the
marina. 9.0 km, 9 locks (1, 1, 7), 24.03 meter elevation gain |
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| Day | km | Location | Elevation Gain | Total Elevation | Notes |
| 3 | 200.5 | Colombiers | — | 30.47 m | Start of day 3. |
| 194.5 | Poilhes | — | 30.47 m | Stopped to explore the village. | |
| 188.4 | Capestang | — | 30.47 m | Stopped to explore the town, got a late lunch at a pizza place. | |
| 166.0 | le Somail | — | 30.47 m | Stopped for the night
at le Somail.
Very nice small town with one of the
original inns used by travelers in
the early years of the canal.
No supermarket, but there is a market
boat selling food and drinks, open
until about 1700.
A small restaurant and cafe right on
the canal. 34.5 km, no locks or elevation gain |
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| Day | km | Location | Elevation Gain | Total Elevation | Notes |
| 4 | 166.0 | le Somail | — | 30.47 m | Start of day 4. |
| 161.0 | Ventenac en Minervois | — | 30.47 m | Stopped to explore the town, bought wine at the winery. | |
| 152.3 | Lock | 2.41 m | 32.88 m | The first lock after 54 km of flat water. | |
| 149.8 | Locks | 4.63 m | 37.51 m | Two-stage lock | |
| 147.1 | Locks | 5.81 m | 43.32 m | Two-stage lock | |
| 146.4 | Lock | 3.14 m | 46.46 m | ||
| 142.7 | Lock | 3.62 m | 50.08 m | ||
| 139.0 | Laredorte | — | 50.08 m | Stopped for the night at
Laredorte. A nice larger town lying
to one side of the canal,
so you are at its edge rather than
in the center.
Several stores within walking
distance.
A nice restaurant right on
the canal. 27.0 km, 7 locks (1,2,2,1,1), 19.61 meter elevation gain |
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| Day | km | Location | Elevation Gain | Total Elevation | Notes |
| 5 | 139.0 | Laredorte | — | 50.08 m | Start of day 5. |
| 136.4 | Locks | 4.63 m | 54.71 m | Two-stage lock | |
| 133.6 | Locks | 5.47 m | 60.18 m | Two-stage lock | |
| 131.6 | Locks | 5.61 m | 65.79 m | Two-stage lock | |
| 130.4 | Locks | 8.73 m | 74.52 m | Three-stage lock | |
| 127.2 | Lock | 3.70 m | 78.22 m | ||
| 122.4 | Millegrand | — | 78.22 m | Stopped to explore the village | |
| 118.0 | Locks | 7.84 m | 86.06 m | Three-stage lock | |
| 117.5 | Trèbes | — | 86.06 m | Stopped for the night
at Trèbes.
A larger town,
several stores and restaurants. 21.5 km, 13 locks (2,2,2,3,1,3), 35.98 meter elevation gain |
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| Day | km | Location | Elevation Gain | Total Elevation | Notes |
| 6 | 117.5 | Trèbes | — | 86.06 m | Start of day 6. |
| 113.4 | Lock | 2.77 m | 88.83 m | ||
| 112.6 | Lock | 3.24 m | 92.07 m | ||
| 109.0 | Lock | 2.48 m | 94.55 m | ||
| 108.8 | Locks | 6.71 m | 101.26 m | Two-stage lock | |
| 105.6 | Carcassonne | — | 101.26 m | Stopped to get lunch and explore the walled city of Carcassonne, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You need to allow plenty of time to visit Carcassonne, and so you must plan your stops so this day covers relatively little distance. The close spacing of locks on this section of the canal coupled with their limited operating hours requires careful planning. | |
| 105.3 | Lock | 2.66 m | 103.92 m | ||
| 99.9 | Lock | 2.66 m | 106.58 m | ||
| 98.5 | Lock | 3.90 m | 110.48 m | ||
| 98.2 | Locks | 5.82 m | 116.30 m | Two-stage lock | |
| 94.3 | Sauzens | — | 116.30 m | Stopped for the night at
Sauzens.
Just a small village, no market,
store or restaurant. 23.2 km, 10 locks (1,1,1,2,1,1,1,2), 30.24 meter elevation gain |
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| Day | km | Location | Elevation Gain | Total Elevation | Notes |
| 7 | 94.3 | Sauzens | — | 116.30 m | Start of day 7. |
| 93.4 | Lock | 2.47 m | 118.77 m | ||
| 85.9 | Lock | 2.35 m | 121.12 m | ||
| 80.3 | Lock | 3.00 m | 124.12 m | ||
| 79.0 | Lock | 2.14 m | 126.26 m | ||
| 77.4 | Lock | 3.05 m | 129.31 m | ||
| 73.6 | Lock | 3.15 m | 132.46 m | ||
| 72.2 | Lock | 3.52 m | 135.98 m | ||
| 71.7 | Lock | 2.02 m | 138.00 m | ||
| 70.7 | Lock | 2.40 m | 140.40 m | ||
| 69.7 | Lock | 2.48 m | 142.88 m | ||
| 69.1 | Lock | 2.82 m | 145.70 m | ||
| 68.7 | Locks | 7.22 m | 152.92 m | Three-stage lock | |
| 67.1 | Locks | 5.22 m | 158.14 m | Two-stage lock | |
| 65.6 | Locks | 9.42 m | 167.56 m | Four-stage lock | |
| 65.4 | Castelnaudary | — | 167.56 m | Finished our trip at the
large basin at Castelnaudary. 28.7 km, 20 locks (1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,3,2,4), 51.26 meter elevation gain |
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