Route description, from east to west
PK 0.0 Toulouse, junction with the Canal du Midi at port de l’Embouchure, and junction with the Canal de Brienne, bridge, see plan of Toulouse
The basin off which runs the short Canal de Brienne, down to the Garonne and (b) into which connects the Canal de Garonne and the Canal du Midi. Terrific white marble bas-relief plaque – the Mediterranean and the Atlantic personified together with canal building cherubs busy with picks and shovels. The turn between the two canals is quite tight; you might want to go further into the basin and take a wider approach. There are quayside moorings here, but it is bounded by busy roads.
PK 0-PK 4 – A relatively unattractive stretch, with the A62 autoroute on one side and commerce on the other. Also, the giant new Toulouse Rugby Stadium. A new swing footbridge at PK 1 cuts across the canal on match days to allow fans to access, then leave, the stadium. At PK 4 is a watersports school – watch out for children having fun in canoes and dinghies!
PK 0.2 Former oil terminal, quay r/b, residential barge moorings
PK 1.4 Road bridge (avenue d’Elche)
PK 2.5 Bridge (Ginestous)
PK 2.6 Footbridge (Béziat)
PK 3.5 Basin
PK 3.9 Lock 1 (Lalande), bridge, basin u/s
PK 4.1 Bridge (motorway spur)
PK 4.5 Motorway bridge (A620, Toulouse ring road)
PK 4- PK 11 – The canal increases in attractiveness although the railway line is hard-by on the eastern side; there are large marshalling yards and a giant storage area.
PK 5.1 Bridge (Ruppé)
PK 6.5 Lock 2 (Lacourtensourt), bridge
PK 7.6 Lock 3 (Fenouillet), bridge
PK 8.5 Bridge
PK 8.6 Bridge (Latournelle)
PK 11.4 Lock 4 (Lespinasse), bridge
The canal gradually becomes more rural, more leafy…
PK 11.6 Bridge (D63)
PK 13.3 Lock 5 (Bordeneuve)
PK 15.2 Lock 6 (Saint-Jory), bridge, village 200m r/b
PK 18.3 Bridge (Pont de l’Hers)
PK 18.4 Hers aqueduct
Just before the lock, the canal crosses the River Hers in a double bend; pretty lock cottage.
PK 18.5 Lock 7 (Hers)
PK 19.4 Lock 8 (Castelnau), bridge, village 1000m r/b
PK 21.1 Bridge (Bordeneuve)
PK 22.5 Lock 9 (Embalens), bridge
PK 23.7 Bridge (Saint-Rustice)
PK 24.9 Pompignan bridge, small village r/b over railway
PK 25.9 Bridge (Grisolles)
PK 26.7 Grisolles bridge (Laroque), basin u/s l/b, water, village 500m l/b
PK 27.6 Bridge (D813)
PK 28.0 Bridge (Saint-Jean)
PK 29.4 Bridge (Villelongue)
PK 31.1 Dieupentale bridge, quay d/s l/b, village 500m l/b
Possible bankside mooring on east bank, but railway line is very close… then considerably more rural, passing through the Forest of Montech – a number of possible bankside moorings and the railway line moves away to the east, heading for Montauban.
PK 33.4 Bridge (Bessens)
PK 34.4 Bridge (Lapeyrière)
PK 35.4 Bridge (Montbéqui)
PK 36.6 Bridge (Montbartier)
PK 38.2 Bridge (Le Tourret)
PK 39.3 Bridge (Forêt), Montech forest r/b
PK 41.0 Lock 10 (Lavache), bridge
PK 42.7 Montech bridge, basin d/s l/b, mooring for 20 boats, night €3, water €2, electricity €2, capitainerie with showers €2, restaurant, village 500m
Port de Plaisance with capitainerie on the west (town) side ; additional ‘quayside’ moorings a little further, close by the lock, but watch for depth and obstructions. Possible over-wintering location. A small and unpretentious market town with lots of facilities and the imposing brick church of Notre Dame de la Visitation (completed early 16th c). The main supermarket is a short distance east across the bridge, on the other side of the canal.
PK 43.0 Junction with the Montauban branch, r/b, and with the water slope entrance
See foot of page for description of the charming branch canal down to Montauban and the navigable river Tarn. The water slope has been closed for many years, and its restoration is delayed because of the very considerable cost, more than €4 million. When restored, it will be adapted so that plaisanciers can use it, but some boaters will prefer the charming old 30m locks.
PK 43.1 Lock 11 (Montech), entrance to branch serving former paper mills d/s l/b, quay, slipway
This extraordinary site, an improbable location for a former paper mill (closed in 1968) has seen modest development as a complementary mooring for Montech, along with a slipway. Photo shows the entrance under the towpath bridge.
PK 43.8 Lock 12 (Peyrets), bridge, level with upstream end of water slope
PK 44.2 Lock 13 (Pellaborie), level with bottom of water slope
PK 44.6 Lock 14 (Escudiés)
PK 45.3 Lock 15 (Pommiès), bridge
PK 45.4 Junction with water slope downstream approach canal, r/b
PK 47.0 Bridge (Escatalens)
PK 47.5 Lock 16 (Escatalens), bridge
PK 49.2 Saint-Porquier bridge, village 600m l/b
Excellent grassy banks to moor to all along the north-west side, between PK 48 and PK 52. Here the village has provided a good timber pontoon adjacent to pleasant gardens.
PK 49.8 Bridge (Lavilledieu)
PK 50.6 Bridge (Saint-André)
PK 51.9 Lock 17 (Saint-Martin), bridge
PK 52.6 Bridge (Danton)
PK 53.5 Railway bridge
PK 53.7 Bridge (Gaillau)
PK 55.4 Lock 18 (Prades)
PK 56.0 Bridge (Briqueterie)
PK 56.3 Footbridge
PK 56.4 Castelsarrasin basin, Jacques-Yves Cousteau harbour and Le Boat hire base, capacity 40 boats, night €5, fuel (possible delivery), water, electricity, shower, repairs, restaurant, town centre 200m l/b
Another excellent, straightforward, French small town – a full range of facilities, a good port de plaisance . Also a popular boatyard (chantier fluvial) run by Véronique and Bernard. Bernard’s crane can lift you out, he can provide welding and other metalwork services, and he has a large ‘hangar’ for winter storage. Railway station with connections to Toulouse and Bordeaux.
PK 56.6 Bridge (Castelsarrasin)
PK 57.5 Bridge (Gandalou)
PK 57.6 Lock 19 (Castelsarrasin)
PK 58.2 Motorway bridge (A62)
PK 58.6 Bridge (Saint-Jean-des-Vignes)
PK 59.0 Lock 20 (Saint-Jean-des-Vignes)
PK 59.1 Bridge
PK 59.4 Lock 21 (Verriès), bridge
PK 59.9 Lock 22 (Artel)
PK 60.5 Bridge (Caussade)
PK 62.2 Tarn aqueduct (length 356m)
Impressive brick-arched aqueduct (pont-canal) over the River Tarn – next to the rebuilt railway bridge; the original was swept away in the terrible flood of 1930 that also caused destruction in both Moissac and Montauban.
PK 62.6 Lock 23 (Cacor)
PK 63.2 Lock 24 (Grégonne)
PK 63.8 Lock 25 (Moissac)
PK 63.9 Junction with locks down to the Tarn l/b (extensive reservoir, but heavily silted, Tarn navigable 7.5km upstream to Sainte-Livrade)
PK 64.1 Moissac basin, port de plaisance, 40 berths, night €6, diesel, water, electricity, showers €2.10, pump-out, wifi, town centre 300m
The port de plaisance is many people’s favourite places. ‘Port Moissac’, run by Jim and Sandra.
The town is very old, has a beautiful Romanesque abbey church and cloister, a lovely brick road bridge over the River Tarn (the ‘Pont Napoléon’, although having promised it to the town, he didn’t actually get round to delivering it before fate intervened), large local market on Saturdays and Sunday mornings also famed for Chasselas dessert grapes; also an unremarked suburb of small villas rebuilt following the 1930 flood destruction in authentic Art Deco styles.
The canal runs straight through the centre of the town; swing bridge (écluse hours, hoot to open) half way along.
River Tarn, Moissac: Highly recommended. Descend a two-chamber lock by Moissac’s port de plaisance, down to the Tarn and the town’s river quay (water and electricity). From there one can cruise downstream to the wide ‘lake’ junction with the river Garonne and then cruise a short distance up the Garonne. There are significant shallows to avoid, but also safe channels and beautiful safe anchorages. Alternatively, one can cruise up the Tarn, currently as far as the first disusued écluse but there are firm plans to reopen the upstream route through to Montauban.
Information about the projected ‘Tarn Ring’ connecting Moissac and Montauban.
PK 64.2 Bridge (Marronniers)
PK 64.4 Swing bridge (Saint-Jacques)
PK 64.5 Footbridge, quay d/s r/b
PK 64.6 Bridge (Sainte-Catherine)
PK 65.0 Bridge (Saint-Martin)
PK 67.4 Lock 26 (Espagnette), bridge
PK 69.2 Suspension bridge (Coudol)
PK 71.2 Lock 27 (Petit-Bezy), bridge
PK 73.1 New road bridge (D26b)
PK 73.6 Bridge (Malause), pontoon for 7 boats, night €3.50, water, electricity, restaurant
Small timber pontoons overlooking the Garonne, water and electricity available
PK 74.6 Bridge (Palor)
PK 75.0 Industrial quay, turning basin
PK 76.2 Bridge (Capitaine)
PK 76.9 Lock 28 (Braguel)
PK 77.6 Pommevic bridge, mooring for 3 boats, water, village 400m r/b
Village pontoon with water and electricity available.
PK 81.1 Bridge
PK 78.5 Lock 29 (Pommevic)
PK 79.1 Bridge (Gauge)
PK 80.3 Lock 30 (Valence d’Agen)
PK 81.0 Bridge (Auvillar)
PK 81.1 Bridge (D953)
PK 81.5 Valence d’Agen bridge, basin and pontoon moorings for 10 boats u/s r/b, night €6.50, water, electricity, slipway, town centre 400m
The village is very pleasant, with a much-photographed circular open-air wash-house. Opposite the PdP is a remarkable C19th abattoir (now an activities centre) complete with bull’s head sculptures. The PdP itself was a bit tatty but recently improved, with both finger pontoon and alongside moorings.
PK 83.0 Bridge (Roux), D813
PK 83.1 Railway bridge (main line Toulouse-Bordeaux)
PK 83.8 Bridge (Coupet)
PK 84.6 Golfech bridge
Village moorings by the bridge, electricity and water may be available.
PK 85.4 Barguelonne aqueduct
PK 85.5 Bridge (Barguelonne)
PK 86.7 Lock 31 (Lamagistère), bridge, water
PK 87.5 Lamagistère quay l/b
This is a terrific place to moor up, alongside the bank, under the trees, but there are other spots shown in the photos right: (i) above the écluse and (ii) by the ‘Blue Lake’ (the Lac Bleu de Bergon) upstream of the lock at PK 86. The romantic hill-top village of Clermont Soubiran overlooks the canal. Head south from the canal and one comes to the quite stunning village of Lamagistère itself, on the banks of the Garonne. Elegant buildings date back to the time (pre-canal) when the extensive stone quays (essentially now left high and dry by a profound change in river level) saw 4500 vessels tie up each year, receiving and discharging cargoes of grain, wine and fruit. Glorious.
PK 87.7 Bridge (Lasparières)
PK 88.5 Bridge (Saint-Pierre)
PK 90.3 Bridge (Laspeyres), D813
PK 91.8 Bridge (Durou)
PK 93.6 Lock 32 (Noble), bridge
PK 94.7 Bridge (Guillemis)
PK 95.6 Bridge (Carrère)
PK 96.7 Lock 33 (Saint-Christophe), bridge
PK 97.6 Bridge (Sauveterre)
PK 98.4 Turning basin
PK 98.8 Bridge (Ostende or Lafox)
PK 99.4 Séoune aqueduct
PK 99.8 Bridge (Lascarbonnières)
PK 100.8 Bridge (Saint-Marcel)
PK 101.5 Private quays l/b
PK 101.7 Boé boat moorings for 10 boats r/b, night €3, water €2.80, electricity €2.80, shower €1.50
Above, the Port de plaisance ‘de Boé’ with fairly short finger pontoons, water and electricity, by a country park. Possibly more preferable are the informal bankside moorings between PK 102 and PK 103 – a tree-lined canal avenue with timber edgings and a small inlet at PK 102 itself, north of the bridge. Intermarché supermarket near PK 103.
PK 102.0 Bridge (Pourret), private quay d/s l/b
PK 103.6 Bridge (Coupat), D813, basin u/s
PK 104.5 Boé oil terminal, quays l/b
PK 104.8 Bridge (Laborde)
PK 105.6 Railway bridge
PK 105.9 Bridge (Cahors), D656
PK 106.3 Footbridge
PK 107.0 Bridge (Villeneuve), basin d/s
PK 107.1 Agen basin, boat harbour and Locaboat hire base l/b, night €13.50, diesel, water, electricity, showers, crane 10t, restaurant, town centre 400m over railway
Pros and Cons. A large town – famous for plums and prunes – with lots of facilities, including a main-line railway station close to the port de plaisance, itself located in a harbour basin. The Port de plaisance is basically a clean and well-resourced hire boat base (fuel may be available). Or there are bollards on the (opposite) north side, grass, hillside and pleasant suburban surroundings. But, the Port de plaisance is surrounded by busy roads that are especially noisy first thing in the morning. The town is not especially attractive. Other moorings at PK 105, on new bollards.
PK 107.6 Bridge (Courpian)
PK 107.8 Moorings along quay l/b (private boat club)
PK 108.5 Bridge (Saint-Georges), D813
PK 108.6 Railway underbridge
PK 108.9 Agen aqueduct over the Garonne (length 539m)
River crossing and descent. The impressive pont-canal over the River Garonne (the longest masonry aqueduct constructed in France) leads to a flight of four 3m-3.5m deep écluses. They are very easy ‘going down’. Going up, the highest is especially difficult due to the extreme force with which the incoming water enters the chamber. Do not moor at the front near the gates, even if this might upset a boat behind trying to use the lock with you. Allow 45 minutes to pass through the four locks, which close 30 minutes early.
PK 109.3 Lock 34 (Agen), bridge
PK 109.7 Lock 35 (Mariannettes)
PK 110.1 Lock 36 (Chabrières)
PK 110.5 Lock 37 (Rosette), bridge
This first/last écluse of the four is by a sharp turn and by the closed-off former branch that allowed descent to the river. This écluse has a strong sideways overflow current immediately outside.
PK 110.6 Former junction with feeder canal l/b (infilled)
PK 111.3 Bridge (Fressonis)
PK 113.5 Bridge (Nodigier)
PK 115.3 Bridge (Colomay), quay d/s r/b
PK 116.8 Bridge (Plaisance)
PK 118.1 Bridge (Chicot)
PK 119.1 Sérignac-sur-Garonne bridge, basin d/s r/b, 10 berths, night €3, water €2.80, electricity €2.80, shower €1.50, slipway, restaurant, village 500m l/b
A delightful mooring: timber quayside with water and electricity, pleasant walks along the grassy canalside dykes. The historic ‘bastide’ small village has a small supermarket, a restaurant, a good pizza bar, an ancient church with a twisted spire, and an excellent tourist office.
PK 120.0 Pipeline crossing
PK 121.1 Bridge (Madone)
PK 122.5 Bridge (Frèche)
PK 123.9 Bridge (Lapougniane)
PK 124.4 Bridge (Pages)
PK 125.1 Lock 38 (Auvignon), bridge, basin d/s r/b, Bruche 1500m l/b
PK 126.6 Bridge (Saint-Martin)
PK 127.6 Bridge (Thomas)
PK 128.8 Bridge (Castelviel), disused
PK 129.7 Bridge (Feugarolles), basin u/s r/b (disused)
PK 129.8 Feugarolles boat moorings l/b, village 1000m
PK 130.4 Railway bridge
PK 130.7 Bridge (Thouars)
PK 132.0 Baïse aqueduct
PK 132.2 Lock 39 (Baïse)
PK 132.4 Lock 40 (Lardaret), bridge
PK 135.2 Junction with canalised river Baïse via double staircase lock (descente en Baïse) r/b
The double-chamber écluse provides access from the canal down on to the River Baise. From that point one can head upstream along the Baise. Alternatively, one can head downstream to join and then cross the River Garonne; and then join and head upstream along the River Lot.
PK 135.4 Buzet-sur-Baïse boat harbour and Aquitaine Navigation hire base r/b, 10 berths, night €8, water, electricity, showers, slipway, repairs, restaurant
The double-chamber écluse provides access from the canal down on to the River Baise. From that point one can head upstream along the Baise. Alternatively, one can head downstream to join and then cross the River Garonne; and then join and head upstream along the River Lot.
PK 135.7 Bridge (Buzet-sur-Baïse), basin with moorings d/s r/b, village 700m l/b
PK 137.5 Bridge (Burrenque)
PK 138.4 Bridge (Doux)
PK 139.7 Bridge (D8 Damazan bypass)
PK 139.9 Damazan bridge, basin d/s r/b, 10 berths, slipway, restaurant, village l/b
Small Halte.
PK 141.9 Bridge (Lompian)
PK 142.8 Lock 41 (Berry), bridge
PK 143.6 Bridge (Maurin)
PK 144.3 Bridge (Vigneau)
PK 145.2 Bridge (Monheurt)
PK 146.2 Bridge (Lafallotte)
PK 147.5 Lock 42 (Gaule), bridge
PK 148.4 Bridge (Labarthe), Villeton, quay for 20 boats d/s r/b, water, electricity, shower, restaurant, Tonneins 4500m
Halte with new timber quayside, water and electricity by the Mairie
PK 150.2 Lock 43 (Gaulette), bridge
PK 151.1 Bridge (Jeanserre)
PK 152.2 Lagruère bridge (Ladonne) u/s r/b, water, electricity and shower, restaurant, village l/b
Small Halte
PK 153.3 Bridge (Lagruère)
PK 155.4 Le Mas d’Agenais bridge, quay and Le Boat hire base d/s l/b, night €6.50, water, electricity, shower, pump-out, restaurant, village l/b
Halte with water and electricity. Hire boat base
PK 155.8 Lock 44 (Mas d’Agenais), bridge
PK 156.8 Bridge (Larriveau)
PK 158.6 Bridge (Larroque)
PK 160.3 Caumont-sur-Garonne bridge, quay for 2 boats d/s r/b, water €2, electricity €2, pump-out, village l/b
PK 161.2 Bridge (Église de Fourques)
PK 162.2 Fourques-sur-Garonne bridge, Émeraude Navigation hire base, mooring for 5 boats, night €5, water, electricity, shower, slipway, crane 10t, repairs, village l/b
PK 163.6 Bridge (Marescot)
PK 164.4 Bridge (Sables), quay u/s r/b, Marmande 5000m r/b
Pont des Sables – Halte and Emeraude Navigation hire boat base.
PK 165.6 Avance aqueduct
PK 165.7 Lock 45 (Avance), bridge
PK 166.1 Railway bridge
PK 166.5 Bridge (Laronquière)
PK 167.4 Bridge (Rayne)
PK 168.4 Bridge (Baradat)
PK 169.2 Marcellus bridge, village 1000m l/b
PK 170.4 Bridge (Campot)
PK 170.9 Lock 46 (Bernès), bridge, quay d/s r/b
PK 171.7 Bridge (Tersac)
PK 172.5 Bridge (Cantis)
PK 173.4 Lock 47 (Gravières), bridge
PK 175.2 Meilhan-sur-Garonne bridge, Minervois Cruisers hire base and basin with mooring for 8 boats d/s r/b, night €7, water €3, electricity, slipway, wifi, restaurant, village 400m l/b
A beautiful leafy location for this Halte, set under a hillside from the top of which (‘le Tertre’) are extensive views over the neighbouring river Garonne, where swimming is possible. Bar/restaurant adjacent.
PK 176.5 Bridge (Pimayne)
PK 177.7 Bridge (Lisos)
PK 179.0 Hure bridge, village l/b
PK 179.6 Bridge (Julian)
PK 180.8 Lock 48 (Auriole), bridge
PK 181.3 Bridge (Tartifume)
PK 182.1 Fontet boat harbour in basin l/b, pontoon moorings for 10 boats, night €10, water, electricity, showers €1, La Réole 2500m r/b
A harbour Port de plaisance entered from the canal – weed has been much in evidence on summer visits. Beach and swimming pool. Museum of models made from matchsticks!
PK 182.3 Bridge (Berrat)
PK 182.8 Bridge (Fontet)
PK 183.3 Bridge (D9 Fontet bypass)
PK 183.5 Lock 49 (Fontet), bridge
PK 184.3 Bridge (Loupiac)
PK 185.5 Bridge (Gravilla)
PK 186.6 Bridge (Puybarban)
PK 187.6 Lock 50 (Bassanne), bridge
PK 188.7 Bridge (Castillon)
PK 189.5 Bridge (Noël)
PK 190.3 Bridge (Hillon)
PK 191.3 Bridge (Mazerac)
PK 192.0 Lock 51 (Mazerac), bridge
A popular port de plaisance has recently been developed in the basin above écluse 52 ‘des Gares’. Moorings are ‘Mediterranean’ end-to with pick-up buoys that are difficult to pick up.
PK 192.7 Lock 52 (Gares), footbridge
PK 193.0 Castets-en-Dorthe basin, moorings, night €12.30, water, electricity, shower, slipway, restaurant, village l/b
PK 193.3 Lock 53 (Castets), double lock down to Garonne
PK 193.6 Junction with river Garonne, see plan.
Canal de Brienne
Not navigable by plaisancier
PK 0.0 Junction with main line at Toulouse, Port de l’Embouchure (PK 0), bridge (Ponts Jumeaux)
PK 0.1 Footbridge
PK 0.5 Footbridge
PK 0.9 Bridge (avenue Paul Séjourné)
PK 1.1 Bridge
PK 1.5 Lock (Saint-Pierre), bridge
PK 1.6 Junction with Garonne, navigable upstream 5 km but authorisation required (not normally given to private craft)
Montauban branch – see separate page for information about the Canal de Montech and the projected ‘Tarn Ring’
PK 0.0 Junction with main line at Montech (PK 43), bridge
PK 1.1 Bridge (Rat)
PK 2.5 Motorway bridge (A62)
PK 3.4 Lacourt-Saint-Pierre bridge, mooring for 5 boats, night €3, water, electricity, small village l/b
PK 4.5 Lock 1bis (Noalhac)
PK 4.7 Bridge (Noalhac)
PK 5.0 Lock 2bis (Lamothe)
PK 5.4 Lock 3bis (Fisset)
PK 6.2 Lock 4bis (Brétoille)
PK 6.6 Lock 5bis (Mortarieu), bridge
PK 6.9 Lock 6bis (Terrasse)
PK 7.3 Lock 7bis (Rabastens)
PK 7.6 Lock 8bis (Verlhaguet), bridge
PK 9.2 Lock 9bis (Bordebasse), bridge
PK 10.6 Montauban basin, limit of navigation, mooring for 30 boats, capitainerie, night €3, water €2, electricity €1.50, showers €1, town centre 1000m
PK 10.7 Locks 10/11bis, double staircase locks down to river Tarn
PK 10.8 Junction with river Tarn, currently navigable upstream only, 8km to Bressols
Canal Boat Tui 