A photography competition celebrating one of France's most iconic waterways is inviting amateur photographers to capture the historic Canal du Midi through a creative lens. The Minoterie de Gardouch is organizing the contest as part of the Canal Usage Day, focusing on the legendary waterway created by Pierre-Paul Riquet and encouraging participants to showcase their boldness and creativity.
The Canal du Midi continues to fascinate visitors and locals alike, particularly in the Lauragais region where it holds a prominent place in both history and daily life. The waterway serves as an endless source of inspiration for photographers while encouraging exploration of the area's rich historical heritage through stories of its origins and the surrounding natural environment. Visitors can enjoy water excursions from Castanet-Tolosan to Castelnaudary, passing through Gardouch and other picturesque locations along the route.
The photography contest, organized in conjunction with the Canal Usage Day, challenges participants with the theme "The Unusual Canal" (Le Canal Insolite). This theme is designed to inspire amateur photographers to let their imagination run wild, demonstrate inventiveness, and go against conventional approaches to ultimately create memorable images of the Canal du Midi. The contest encourages participants to think outside the box and capture unique perspectives of this historic waterway.
Contest organizers have established specific rules and criteria for submissions. Only color and black-and-white photographs will be accepted by the jury, with digital creations, photomontages, and aerial shots strictly prohibited. Drone photography is explicitly banned from the competition. Participants may submit up to two photographs, which will be evaluated based on several criteria including image quality, originality, aesthetic appeal, coherence and originality of the title, and adherence to the imposed theme.
For photographs featuring people, participants must provide a properly completed image rights certificate, which is available on the Minoterie website. This requirement ensures proper consent and legal compliance for all submitted images. The contest rules emphasize the importance of following all guidelines to ensure fair competition among participants.
While the contest is organized by the Minoterie de Gardouch, participants are not limited to photographing only in Gardouch. The competition rules specify that photographs can be taken anywhere along the Canal du Midi, with the only requirement being that the photographed location must be situated within the Lauragais region. This opens up numerous possibilities for photographers to explore different sections of the historic waterway.
The deadline for submitting photographs is Friday, October 31, 2025, giving participants ample time to plan their shoots and capture the perfect images. Contest rules and registration forms are available on the Minoterie de Gardouch website, providing all necessary information for interested photographers to participate in this celebration of Pierre-Paul Riquet's remarkable engineering achievement.
