Port Jacques-Yves Cousteau

The crazy dream of connecting the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea by canal dates back to the dawn of time and became a reality in 1856.

Castelsarrasin has a basin, which came into service in 1846. Unfortunately, within a few decades, competition from the railway ruined the canal's economic potential for more than a century.

The development of river tourism in the 1980s and 1990s breathed new life into the canal, forcing the public authorities to invest in the rehabilitation and enhancement of the waterways. These efforts culminated in the Canal du Midi being listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996, with all the benefits that this brought in terms of image.

Castelsarrasin, aware of the economic and tourist potential of this section of the canal, followed suit and built a marina in 1998, complete with a harbour master's office.