The Canal du Midi on the water

Of course, you'll need to book your barge well in advance, especially if you're aiming for the high season. Once you're there, you'll need to take your boat in hand and follow an initiation course, which can take two hours or more. Make sure you've mastered the principles just explained, and off you go!

Here's what you need to know: don't exceed 8 km/h, keep your speed below 3 km/h when crossing bridges and keep to the centre of the canal. Keep to the right when passing another boat. You should also bear in mind that it is forbidden to moor your boat to plane trees to avoid spreading the colour canker, a devastating fungus that has been decimating them for several years, to the point where they are now being replaced by oak trees.

We suggest you head east. You'll immediately feel a sense of freedom, exacerbated by the proximity of nature, tranquil and always welcoming.

When a lock is in sight, take care. Reduce your speed to 1 or 2 km/h, 3 maximum. As on the road, the traffic lights must be green before you enter the lock itself. Then two of you swing the ropes to prevent the boat from swinging away when the water rises.

When the lock is full at the second landing, and the doors are open, you can restart the engine and set off again, proud as a frigate's captain.

A captain who has to keep his eyes on the road at all times, which means that he will only be able to take a real holiday during stopovers. Hence the importance of taking turns! Meanwhile, his passengers will be enjoying the good life, on deck on the terrace. Relaxation, naps, snacks, aperitifs, contemplation or meditation, or even reading and observing the river's fauna - the range of zen moments is varied.

Just 13 km from Carcassonne, if you opt for a stopover in Trèbes - a very good choice! If you choose to stop off in Trèbes - a very good choice! - then you know that this is a stop-off point for gourmet delights and historical heritage.

As you approach the town, you'll come across an architectural landmark: the Orbiel canal bridge (or pont-aqueduc). Here, the Canal du Midi passes over this river, which it spans by a few metres thanks to an installation designed by the famous Vauban in the 17th century. In the same area, the Pont de la Rode is an arch spanning the Canal. It has not moved since it was erected in the 17th century, making it a rarity.

Once you're in town, on the canal quay, the restaurant Le Quai (6 bis, avenue Pierre Curie) offers great value for money and southern cuisine. So fasten your moorings securely, using suitable gloves to prevent injury, and let's eat!

At the Port de Plaisance, the Iberian-inspired restaurant Les Vignes de Bacchus is the perfect place to enjoy tapas while sipping a Minervois or a local wine. You can also choose to take a stroll through the historic centre, where you can also enjoy a meal.

On the way out of Trèbes, there is another structure that is well worth a look, as well as being a must-see: the triple lock. This three-basin lock is justified by a difference in level of almost 8 metres. Obviously, this stage of the journey will take a little time, but you're on holiday! The Moulin de Trèbes, on the banks of the canal, offers rich, refined but affordable gourmet cuisine.

Let's cast off and set off again. To port (the Canal du Midi is the southern boundary of the Minervois), the Minervois vineyards stretch as far as the eye can see, in particular the Peyriac hillsides. Passing the Millegrand aqueduct, you can walk along the grounds of Château de Millegrand, one of the largest wine estates in the Languedoc (Minervois and Pays d'Oc). Then you'll pass the Mercier aqueduct to arrive in the Marseillette region. If you'd like to make another stop and add a little festive atmosphere to the silence you've become accustomed to, the Café de la Terrasse regularly offers musical entertainment. Check out its Facebook page for the programme.

A few kilometres away and a few lock passages further on, we suggest you pay close attention to the Aiguille de Puicheric lock, which is unlike any other. It features a bizarre bestiary made of metal and wood, dreamt up by its previous lock keeper, a sculptor in his spare time: pink elephant, placid owls, tuna in search of oxygen, among others, and a mute but sympathetic Georges Brassens.

Now it's on to La Redorte, another opportunity to stretch your legs. Here, the Canal du Midi spans the Argent-Double river on a canal bridge, allowing the river to act as an overflow when the canal is in flood. You can take a look at this oddity and walk across the spillway, which has all the makings of a viaduct. If all this water talk has made you want to take a dip, the Lac de Jouarres is just a few minutes' walk away in Homps.

Surrounded by vineyards and shaded by pines and olive trees, a gravel beach and short greens-style lawns await you for some idleness, on dry land this time. The Nouvelle Guinguette du Lac, with its pleasant wooden terrace, offers traditional cuisine in a bucolic setting overlooking the lake. A lakeside area with inflatable games on the water and paddles, canoes and pedalos for hire, provides the same kind of entertainment as the Lac de Cavayère.

In just one day, you'll already have taken a trip in an unusual way. You can choose to return to port or spend the night on board. To do this, you'll need to moor up in a marina and recharge your batteries.