Stretching for 240 languid kilometres between Toulouse and the sultry southern port of Sète, the Canal du Midi is one of the great waterways of southern France. Built in the 17th century and classified as a World Heritage Site since 1996, the canal links the Étang de Thau in the south with the Garonne River in Toulouse. It’s well worth taking a trip upriver to the Musée Canal du Midi , which explores the history of the canal and the life of Paul Riquet among lovely grounds. It’s in the village of St-Ferréol, roughly halfway between Toulouse and Castres along the D2 and D622.
