Homps is a great little town along the Canal du Midi. There is a port there where you can hire a boat and explore the canal, and at the nearby Jouarres lake you can go swimming or choose from the many water-based activities.
The Canal du Midi passes by Homps, between Jouarres lake and the Aude river. This village is ideally located where the canal crosses paths with several roads leading to various destinations.
From 1830, business at the port experienced significant growth thanks to the development of vineyards in the region.
Many skipper's boats came here to load Minervois wine, most of which was to be transported to Toulouse. Back then, this little port replaced Somail port twenty kilometres downstream.
Today, you can stop by the Maison du Port en Minervois to discover local wines and find out about local expertise here. This is also the harbourmaster's office.
Homps is still a key port and there are many boats avaialble for hire here. It is a popular departure point for exploring the canal by boat. You'll come to Homps lock as you leave the village.
1.7 km from the centre of Homps along a blue walkway, you'll reach Jouarres lake, set in the midst of a pine forest. Jouarres lake is a man-made water reservoir that was designed for irrigation purposes and supplied by a water inlet in the Aude river that runs along the south side of the lake. This lake straddles the two departments of Aude and Hérault.
This is a popular place with locals and also tourists thanks to the leisure complex and range of water-based activities.
A site managed by Voies navigables de France in collaboration with members of the “Entente du Canal du Midi” and their tourist operators.
