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5 minutes to book. Best day of our entire trip. Everything felt effortless from pickup to sunset.
Marina guide
Douelle — at a glance
30 boats are available to book from Douelle. The most common models are Salsa A (2), Horizon 2 (2), Salsa B (2), Magnifique (2), Horizon 3 (2) — 19 models in all. Built 1997–2025, 8.8–15 m long, 1–5 cabins, up to 12 guests.
The marina
Where
329 Le Moulinat, Douelle, France.
44.4732° N, 1.3621° E
Fleet
30 boats: 30 motor boats. Charters are handed over at the base; check-in and check-out times are on each boat’s page.
Nearest airport
Bordeaux Airport (BOD), about 170 km as the crow flies; Perpignan Airport (PGF), about 230 km.
Getting there
By air. Toulouse-Blagnac Airport (TLS) is about 120 km — an hour and a half by taxi or transfer; Bergerac (EGC) about 110 km. By rail. Cahors station on the Paris–Toulouse line (five hours from Paris, an hour from Toulouse); Douelle is 15 minutes by taxi. By road. The A20 motorway exit Cahors-Sud; free parking at the base.
Douelle before you cast off
Cahors, 15 minutes upstream, has the fortified Valentré bridge and the covered market; Saint-Cirq-Lapopie clings to its cliff above the river at the far end of the week, and the Pech Merle cave paintings are nearby. The Cahors malbec vineyards line the river at Douelle itself.
A bakery and shop in the village and supermarkets in Cahors; the base has a shop, water and fuel.
A week from Douelle
Day 1 — Douelle → Cahors (12 km, 2 locks). Upstream through the vineyards to the quay at Cahors under the Valentré bridge.
Day 2 — Cahors → Vers / Saint-Géry (20 km, 5 locks). Into the cliffs of the Lot valley.
Day 3 — Saint-Géry → Bouziès / Saint-Cirq-Lapopie (12 km, 4 locks). The towpath cut into the cliff and the village on its rock; moor at Bouziès or below Saint-Cirq.
Day 4 — Saint-Cirq → Cahors (32 km, 9 locks). Back downstream to Cahors.
Day 5 — Cahors → Luzech (25 km, 5 locks). Downstream past Douelle to the loop of the river at Luzech.
Day 6 — Luzech → Douelle (13 km, 3 locks). Back to the base village.
Day 7 — Douelle. Return the boat by mid-morning.
Ports near Douelle
Cahors (15 boats · 6 km) · Buzet-sur-Baïse (15 boats · 88 km) · Le Mas d´Agenais (19 boats · 91 km) · Negra (8 boats · 119 km) · Avignonet-Lauragais (17 boats · 129 km) · Castelnaudary (46 boats · 137 km) · Bram (13 boats · 149 km) · Sireuil (14 boats · 164 km) · All boats in France
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of boats can I charter from Douelle?
30 boats are available to book from Douelle: 30 motor boats. The most common models are Salsa A, Horizon 2, Salsa B, Magnifique.
How many boats are based at Douelle?
All 30 charter boats in Douelle are based at Douelle.
Can I take a boat out for just one day?
Yes — 30 boats here accept a single-day booking. A day rate is quoted for the specific boat and date, so pick your day on the boat’s own page and the price comes back live.
What is not in the price?
The figure is for the boat. Transit log, tourist tax and the APA are mandatory, set per boat, and paid at the base. Skipper, hostess, extra equipment and other services are optional and also settled at the base.
Why do some boats show no price?
30 of the 30 boats from Douelle are on request — usually larger or crewed yachts, where the rate depends on the week and the crew. They are left out of every figure above.
How far is the airport from Douelle?
The nearest airport is Bordeaux Airport (BOD), about 170 km away as the crow flies; Perpignan Airport (PGF) is about 230 km. Transfer times by road are longer; most charter companies arrange a transfer to the base on request.
Do I need a licence for a canal boat in France?
No. Licence-free river cruisers can be hired by anyone over 18 on the French waterways; the base gives an hour’s instruction on steering, mooring and the locks before you leave.
How do the locks work?
Most locks on the Canal du Midi and the Burgundy waterways are worked by a lock-keeper or are automatic; the crew handles the ropes. Locks are closed at lunchtime and overnight, so a day’s cruising is about six hours.
What day do charters start?
Weekly hires usually run Saturday to Saturday or Friday to Friday, with handover in the afternoon and return by mid-morning; shorter breaks of three or four days are common — the exact times are on each boat’s page.