The Crew at Work - Argens to Homps

Now well practiced, the crew was ready for an afternoon of cruising to Homps, handling lines at two sets of double locks, and one single lock before entering the town of Homps. Transiting through the locks is all part of the adventure.

A new young generation of lock attendants often use a remote control device to open and close the lock gates. They might live at the lock keeper's house, adjacent to the locks, or live elsewhere and commute to work.

Boaters approaching the locks should look for the red and green lights positioned next to the gate. Two red lights means the lock is not in service, normally due to the lock attendant's lunch break. One red light means the lock is in operation, but the lock contains boats currently ascending or descending. A green light means the lock is open and ready to receive boats transiting the locks. Boaters should be aware that many of the locks along the Canal du Midi do not have lights.

Lock Attendant's House/Office

Converted Barges are a great option for Seasonal Cruising