Travel Planning: Le Somail - Canal du Midi

(Click here for a map to Le Somail)

By road

Driving from a channel port to Le Somail is not as daunting as it sounds. With an overnight stop in central France (many motels are available at around €35 per room), it can be a very pleasant journey of two 5 to 6 hour legs. Check Norfolk Line, Sea France, or Hoverspeed for cheap channel crossings, or try Ferry Savers or Ferry Offers.

• Minervois Cruisers' base is located in the attractive hamlet of Le Somail, 8 miles (13 kilometres) northwest of Narbonne.
• From Carcassonne, take the N113 eastwards, towards Narbonne, but turn left after a few kilometres into Trèbes, and follow the D610 towards Béziers via Puicheric and Homps, where it becomes the D11 and then the D5. At a roundabout after Pouzols, turn right onto the D607 towards Narbonne; Le Somail is on your left immediately after the road crosses the canal.
• From most other directions, take the Narbonne Sud exit from the A9 autoroute, and follow the N213 clockwise around Narbonne until turning left onto the D607 (direction St Pons). Proceed through Marcorignan and St Marcel; Le Somail is on your right just before the canal bridge.
• In the centre of Le Somail you will see the famous stone bridge over the canal, with the chapel on its western end. Our office is behind the large stone building on the eastern end of the bridge.
• If renting a car, please bear in mind though that if you travel outside the country of rental, you may be liable for the cost of any loss to a car driven into a non permitted country, including the cost of repatriating the car if necessary. We recommend you carefully check with your chosen rental company before booking your rental car.

By rail

Check with Rail Europe or SNCF for special fares from London to Narbonne. With one change this takes only about 8 hours, and is usually priced at around £130 return. If travelling from Spain you may wish to try RENFE.

By air

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Béziers

• Our nearest airport is Béziers, served by Ryanair from London Stansted, Luton and Bristol. Taxis cost from around €50 one-way.

Carcassonne

• Our next nearest airport is Carcassonne, served by Ryanair from London Stansted, East Midlands, Liverpool, Dublin, Shannon, Cork and Brussels. Taxis from Carcassonne cost about €82 one-way, except before 07:00 and after 19:00, and all day Sunday, when the charge is €126. There is also the option of an 8-passenger minibus for a charge of about €110 (€134 night-time & Sunday).

Perpignan

• Ryanair also fly from London Stansted, Brimingham and Brussels to Perpignan, which is almost as close to our base as Carcassonne. Taxis are around €139 on Saturdays, and €201 on Sundays (or between 19:00 and 07:00 on other days). A Minibus, taking 8 passengers, is around €154 on Saturdays, and €208 on Sundays (or between 19:00 and 07:00 on other days)

Toulouse

• British European from Birmingham is an ideally timed flight. Taxis cost €227 - €310 so you will find a hire car from holiday autos much more convenient & cheaper (around €150 for an economy 4 door). The drive takes 1 hour 45 minutes. British Airways, Air France and BMI Baby also fly into Toulouse. Taxis are around €241 on Saturdays, and €328 on Sundays (or between 19:00 and 07:00 on other days). A Minibus, taking 8 passengers, is around €274 on Saturdays, and €328 on Sundays (or between 19:00 and 07:00 on other days)

Nîmes

• If you're on a budget and/or keen to see more of the Midi, consider flying Ryanair from Luton, East Midlands, Liverpool or Brussels to Nîmes. These fares are often cheaper, and the airport bus connects directly with Nîmes railway station, from where trains run frequently to Narbonne, about 8 miles from our base.
  Taxis from Nimes are around €274 on Saturdays, and €366 on Sundays (or between 19:00 and 07:00 on other days).
  A Minibus, taking 8 passengers, is around €284 on Saturdays, and €366 on Sundays (or between 19:00 and 07:00 on other days).
  Taxis from Narbonne are around €28 on weekdays and Saturdays, and €34 on Sundays (or between 19:00 and 07:00 on other days).
  A Minibus, taking 8 passengers, is around €45 on Saturdays, and €56 on Sundays (or between 19:00 and 07:00 on other days)

Montpellier

• Another airport in the general area is Montpellier. (British Airways, Air France, and Ryanair from Stansted, Brussels or Frankfurt). Easy connection by bus and train to Narbonne, or again, consider the car hire option.
  Taxis are around €201 on Saturdays, and €271 on Sundays (or between 19:00 and 07:00 on other days).
  A Minibus, taking 8 passengers, is around €238 on Saturdays, and €274 on Sundays (or between 19:00 and 07:00 on other days)

Spain

• Another holiday option would incorporate a flight to Gerona in NE Spain, which is a major airline hub for Ryanair, giving an option from many major UK and European cities.
• Barcelona can be reached by Easy Jet from Luton, Gatwick, Liverpool, Amsterdam and Geneva, by Go from East Midlands, Stansted and Bristol, and by BMI Baby from East Midlands. At Barcelona a Mercedes 160 may be hired from Easy Car at a cost usually less (for 8 days) than the return taxi fare from Carcassonne airport to our base. It's only a 2.5 hour drive from Barcelona to our base. Please bear in mind though that if you travel outside the country of rental, you will be liable for the cost of any loss to a car driven into a non permitted country. including the cost of repatriating the car if necessary. We recommend you carefully check with Easy Rentacar car before booking your rental car

Bed & Breakfast

• Should you require bed and breakfast before / after your holiday, we suggest "Les Volets Bleus" (The Blue Shutters). Close to Our base, they also operate an air conditioned minibus service to / from the Airports/ station:

Other properties we recommend in the area

• Estival is an independent English family run gite complex in Sainte Valiere

Telephone: +44 (0)1926 811842 |   | E&OE