The port of Castelnaudary, a great asset to develop local and river tourism!
Situated in the heart of the Cathar country, the town of Castelnaudary is renowned for its heritage (the collegiate church of Saint-Michel, the chapel of Notre-Dame-de-la-Pitié and the mill of Cugarel in particular), its cassoulet and its very pleasant living environment. Indeed, the commune is watered by the Canal du Midi and can therefore be crossed during a river cruise. All the more so as it has two assets: its 7-hectare Grand Bassin with a magnificent view of the town and its marina, which has been awarded the "Blue Flag" label since 2009. The latter has moreover recently been the subject of developments in order to reinforce its attractiveness and develop tourism in the Chaurian city.
New developments to make this site even more attractive.
The Canal du Midi is very popular with boaters and travellers renting boats and barges without a licence. For the towns bordered by it, this is an advantage, but it also means offering entertainment, activities for tourists and, above all, quality facilities. This is why the community of communes Castelnaudary Lauragais Audois did not hesitate to modernize the port of Castelnaudary to make it more attractive. In addition to obtaining the "Blue Flag" label, which means that it respects the environment, it offers year-round entertainment and a warm welcome thanks to its harbour master's office. During the high season, the staff is more numerous in order to organise various activities and to welcome travellers. At the quayside, the latter benefit from several quality and practical facilities such as a Wi-Fi connection, a black and grey water draining station, water and electricity points, and a delivery service. Similarly, the port is within walking distance of the town centre where local shops and restaurants are located.
A very lively place in summer and open all year round
In 2019, during the summer season (from May to September), 1094 boats made a stopover in the port of Castelnaudary and 10,444 people stayed there. The town saw an increase in the number of visitors in May and June. And at this period, the activities are varied with, for example, night markets along the quay and "aperitif quizzes" which are very popular with both adults and children. And when the summer season comes to an end, the port remains open and always welcomes travellers, foreigners among others. Of course, navigation is less important, but there is always passage once the summer is over and, above all, some boaters anchor there to spend the winter. And the view is so beautiful, day and night, that it is easy to understand their choice!
