Down by the riverside
Discover the countryside from the water
Let yourself be carried away by a different pace, floating down the river. The Garonne and its lateral Canal offer you a different way to travel, and the chance to admire the landscapes from the drift of a barge.Sit back and let time go be, taking full advantage of every port of call, of the rise and fall of every lock. Stroll along the towpaths, in the shade of their century-old trees, where every stop becomes an unforgettable moment.
The Garonne
Just before it flows into the Garonne Valley, it reaches out to join hands with yhe waters of the Baïse and the Lot, two rivers which make the Garonne that superb, unpredictable old man which one minute rushes past in a welter of waves then next rolls gently and peacefully along. From Tonneins, standing loftily over it, to Meilhan- sur-Garonne which bids it farewell on its way to the Atlantic, it flows, winds, burbles and nouriches the hearts and minds of the people on its alluvial plains, a living land of welcome.
The Garonne Canal
The Lateral Canal of the Garonne, built in the 19th century, crosses four counties between Toulouse and the little town of Castets-en-Dorthe in the Gironde. With its big brother, the Canal du Midi, it forms the Canal des Deux Mers, a remarkable waterway connecting the Mediterranean to the Atlantic. It has enabled sailors in the past and numerous pleasure-boaters in the present day to avoid the Bay of Biscay and the Straits of Gibraltar. Over its total lengh of 193km, its 53 locks handle a difference in hevel of 128 mètres. Take advantage of its banks shaded by century-old plane trees to appreciate, on foot or on a mountain bike, all the beauty of the Garonne Valley. Or maybe come and discover this haven of peace by hiring a boat, or by sailing down the river on a barge.
