Canal du Midi: why the port of Homps is a major player in tourism in Aude

Traditionally used for freight transport, notably the transport of wine, Homps was very busy until the 1970s. It was one of the few turnaround ports on the Canal du Midi. After abandoning this mode of transport, it was able to bounce back by riding the wave of river tourism.

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“In the 1980s, the municipality decided to create a tourist port, by expanding the space available on the left bank, explains Dominique Combe, deputy mayor of Homps and president of the Joint Development Union of Jouarres (Smaj) which has managed the port since then, it has gradually equipped itself to offer a complete range of services. To operate, it has signed an occupancy agreement with Voies navigables de France (VNF), which is the port. manager of the Canal du Midi.
Constantly increasing until 2019, river tourism activity was hit hard by the health crisis, and is still struggling today to regain its equivalent volume, even if it is on the right track.

6,600 nights in 2024

In 2024, 255 boats passed through the port of Homps (whether individual barges, rental boats or luxury hotel boats) for a total of 6,600 overnight stays. In addition, 13 boats are resident all year round. The port provides various services, such as water and electricity, but also waste collection, showers, toilets and wifi within the harbor master's office in the Maison du port Minervois building. A discharge station (black water recovery) has just been installed and will come into service in the coming months. It will allow the emptying of four boats simultaneously.

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The port is divided into two distinct banks. The right can accommodate 30 boats in a row. It is mainly reserved for passing boats, or those installed all year round. The left bank is reserved for commercial activities. 60 moorings are rented to the companies Le Boat and Canalou plaisance, which also have workshops and offices on dry land. A crane, managed by Smaj, is also installed, usable for drying.

Currently in a period of unemployment, the Canal du Midi welcomes river tourism from April to October. “For some time now, due to the lack of shade due to the felling of plane trees and the prohibitive prices in July and August, seasonal wings have been booming,” analyzes Sophie Lachaud, director of Smaj.

A return of freight?

Among the development projects for the inland port of Homps, the desire to re-introduce a freight activity is debated. “We are in discussions with the prefecture services and VNF to try to imagine the return of such an activity on the Canal du Midi, confides Dominique Combe. But for this, many steps must be validated such as access to the Aqua Domitia network, which would ensure a suitable water level and navigation all year round. Among the other avenues of action, the Azille basin, abandoned for many years, raises a lot of hope. “It could be used as additional parking for the fleets of commercial companies, as a wintering solution for the luxurious hotel barges which are more and more numerous on the Canal du Midi, or even as a basin intended for freight when the activity will be in place”, continues the president of Smaj.

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Beyond river activity, the port of Homps is a point of interest for other tourist activities linked to the Canal du Midi. The number of cyclists is increasing sharply, “thanks in particular to the excellent work of the Department of Aude, which has rehabilitated the towpaths. The Smaj is also listed as Accueil Vélos”, specifies Dominique Combe. There are also a large number of motorhome owners using the motorhome area opened in 2023 very close to the port.