A friend of mine is a boater and he spent a few seasons on the Canal du Midi and is full of stories about the dangerous incompetence of the hire boaters. The 9 lock rise from Beziers is notorious, it can take two days to get through.

It is very crowded in high season but if you cruise west of Toulouse you can escape them as they don't seem to get up that far.

keep to the Fen Causeway