Harbour

Castelnaudary

5.0Issel, France

Maximum length: 30 m
Maximum draught: 1.4 m

Inland port of 51 berths on the Canal du Midi in the Aude, opening onto the Grand Bassin, the largest water body on the canal.

Guide

Approach and anchoring

Approach through the Canal du Midi. The Grand Bassin is a 7 hectare basin reached from the east after the Saint-Roch staircase lock of four chambers, and from the west through the Gay lock. Maximum draught 1.4 m. Speed limited to 8 km/h on the canal. VNF lock hours apply.

Practical

Capitainerie on the Grand Bassin. Water and electricity at the pontoons, pump-out, waste collection. Supermarket, bakery and butcher within 400 m in the town centre. Train station with direct services to Toulouse and Narbonne at 600 m. Hire bases for canal cruisers operate from the basin.

Ashore

Collegiate church of Saint-Michel from the 13th century at 350 m. Moulin de Cugarel, a restored 17th century windmill on the hill above the town, at 900 m with a view over the Lauragais plain. Saturday morning market on place de la Republique at 500 m. GR 7 long distance footpath crosses the town.

History

The Grand Bassin was dug by Pierre-Paul Riquet between 1667 and 1671 as a reservoir to feed the summit level of the Canal du Midi. The Saint-Roch staircase, with its four consecutive chambers rising 9.45 m, was completed in 1673. The town gave its name to cassoulet, documented here since the Hundred Years War siege of 1355.

Story

Local tradition holds that the first cassoulet was cooked during the English siege of 1355, when the townspeople pooled their remaining beans and meats into a single communal pot.