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5 minutes to book. Best day of our entire trip. Everything felt effortless from pickup to sunset.
Port guide
Le Somail — at a glance
26 boats are available to book in Le Somail from Le Somail. The most common models are Nicols Sedan Primo (3), Nicols Octo Fly C (3), Nicols Estivale Quattro S (3), Nicols Estivale Sixto+ (2), Nicols Estivale Quattro B (2) — 15 models in all. Built 2001–2024, 8–15 m long, 1–4 cabins, up to 10 guests. Day rates start from €130; the typical boat here is around €370 per day, and every price on this page is the boat’s own listed rate before extras.
Le Somail is the prettiest hamlet on the Canal du Midi — an 18th-century bridge, a chapel, a bookshop in a barn and restaurants on the quay — and a hire base in the middle of the canal’s long lock-free reach: licence-free cruisers west to Homps and Carcassonne or east to Capestang, the Fonserannes locks and Béziers, with the Canal de la Robine branching off towards Narbonne next door. Béziers airport is 40 minutes away.
Getting there
By air. Béziers Cap d’Agde Airport (BZR) is about 40 km — 40 minutes by taxi; Carcassonne (CCF) about 60 km; Montpellier (MPL) about 100 km. By rail. Narbonne station (TGVs from Paris, trains from Toulouse and Montpellier) is 20 minutes by taxi. By road. The A9 exit Narbonne-Sud or the A61 exit Lézignan; free parking at the base.
Le Somail before you cast off
The hamlet itself, best in the evening after the day boats have gone; Narbonne’s cathedral and market are 20 minutes by road, Minerve 30. The Robine canal runs to Narbonne and on to the sea at Port-la-Nouvelle.
A floating grocery barge at Le Somail in season and supermarkets in Ginestas and Sallèles; the base has a shop, water and fuel.
A week from Le Somail
Day 1 — Le Somail → Sallèles-d’Aude → Narbonne (15 km, 7 locks on the Robine). Down the Canal de Jonction and the Robine into the centre of Narbonne.
Day 2 — Narbonne → Le Somail (15 km). Back up to the Midi.
Day 3 — Le Somail → Capestang (14 km). The lock-free reach east through the vineyards.
Day 4 — Capestang → Béziers (18 km, the tunnel and Fonserannes). Down the staircase locks to the city.
Day 5 — Béziers → Capestang (18 km). Back up Fonserannes and through the Malpas tunnel.
Day 6 — Capestang → Homps (30 km, 2 locks). West past the base to the wine port of Homps.
Day 7 — Homps → Le Somail (16 km). Back to the base by mid-morning.
Ports near Le Somail
Argens-Minervois (30 boats · 11 km) · Homps (30 boats · 15 km) · Portiragnes (88 boats · 38 km) · Trèbes (17 boats · 38 km) · Bram (13 boats · 63 km) · Castelnaudary (46 boats · 77 km) · Lattes (23 boats · 87 km) · Avignonet-Lauragais (17 boats · 90 km) · All boats in France
Le Somail · prices
What a charter in Le Somail actually costs
Adriavela lists 26 boats leaving from Le Somail. What separates one price from another is the type of boat, its size, and the base it leaves from — not the month you go.
The average week is €2,416 and the cheapest boat on the list is €913. Figures are list prices for a 7-night bareboat charter, refreshed nightly; the exact total for your dates is confirmed on the boat’s own page before you book.
| Boat type | Boats | Guests | From | Average | Open |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Motor boat 8–15 m · 3 cabins · built 2015 | Boats26 | Guests4–10 | From€913 | Average€2,416 |
| Budget / week | Boats | Sleeps | Typical size | Mostly | Open |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under €1,500 | Boats5 19% | Sleeps4 | Typical size8 m | Mostly5 motor boats | |
| €1,500 – €3,000 | Boats16 62% | Sleeps7 | Typical size11 m | Mostly16 motor boats | |
| €3,000 – €6,000 | Boats5 19% | Sleeps10 | Typical size15 m | Mostly5 motor boats |
Frequently asked questions
How much does a yacht charter in Le Somail cost?
Day rates on the boats listed here start from €130 and the typical boat is around €370 per day; a week (7 nights) starts from €913. Prices are the boats’ own listed rates; fuel, marina fees on the route and local taxes are paid separately.
What kinds of boats can I charter in Le Somail?
26 boats are available to book in Le Somail: 26 motor boats. The most common models are Nicols Sedan Primo, Nicols Octo Fly C, Nicols Estivale Quattro S, Nicols Estivale Sixto+.
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.
How far is the airport from Le Somail?
The nearest airport is Perpignan Airport (PGF), about 60 km away as the crow flies; Montpellier Airport (MPL) is about 90 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.