The first weekend of July will see the third Canal Stopovers, initiated by Voies Navigables de France and under the emblem of the “Canal du Midi” brand. This event, with a popular philosophy and free access, takes place in 23 municipalities along the waterway.
In Ventenac-en-Minervois, two associations, hand in hand, are carrying the event under the coordination of the town hall. These are the Nouvelles racines, present from the launch in 2021, and the Verger du canal which joined them in 2022. This year, they invited other associative structures from the village to participate.
Walks, tastings, exhibitions and concerts
The program for this weekend will be varied and full. The two days will begin at 9 am with a meeting with the shipwrights at the restaurant La Marie-Thérèse, with a tour of the boat and the possibility of participating in a sailing session. From 9:30 am, the Godillots baladeurs will offer to follow them, Saturday 6thfor a walk to discover birds with ornithologist Fabien Gilot, and the Sunday 7th at 10 a.m., during an oenological walk in organic vineyards, with tasting of wines from the cooperative cellar.
Throughout the weekend, the castle will host exhibitions “around the canal” (history and technique) and on “boating, from Antiquity to the present day” by the library and the media library of Grand Narbonne. Meetings and demonstrations of artists and craftsmen will take place in the cellar, under the theme “red, earth, water, wood and paper”. Ceramist, photographer, wood turner, driftwood creator and pomegranate producer will be joined by the association Semons des graines with a participatory workshop to learn how to make paper with plant inclusions. Two beautiful concerts, also free, will take place: Saturday 6 from 6:30 p.m., aperitif concert at the Verger du canal with the acoustic duo Tiramisong in pop rock, soul and Latin style; and Sunday 7 at 6 p.m., at the castle, “Côté Tango” by Margot Carles and Olivier Saltiel, in a clarinet and guitar duo.
If every lunchtime, the public is invited to come and share their picnic (at the Vinguette du château and in the vineyards), on Saturday evening, the festival committee will organize a festive meal on the pleasure stop in a “guinguette au waterfront” with musical entertainment on the Marie-Thérèse bridge. For this meal, registration requested from the Ventenac town hall (04 68 43 28 83) or the Nouvelles Racines association on 06 78 86 65 08.
Practical information
Date :
July 24 to July 24
