Details of the Canal du midi in bike trip
Travelling Canal du Midi is one of the most classic experiences you can find. It consists of a navigable channel which offers diverse experiences such as travelling by bike it´s dirt paths which runs from Toulouse to the Mediterranean sea. Due to its importance and longevity of the channel it is a Unesco World Heritage site.
Besides it´s many practical uses, the channel (built by Paul Riquet) has an enormous tourist appeal, and that´s why thousands tourists visits it each year. Peaceful tracks and smooth paths to pedal in family and enjoy some free time in the south of France.
To experience this wonderful trip we propose you two different options depending your free days or if the little ones in the house join you.
5 days, 4 nights. 110km in 4 gentle stages. Ideal for families with kids at least 7 years old. From Toulouse to Carcassonne
8 days, 7 nights 297 in 6 stages. Ideal for families with kids at least 14 years old. From Toulouse to Sete.
Option 5 days, 4 nights and 4 stages
Day 1: Toulouse
¡Welcome to the south of France!
The journey will start in Toulouse the day before we start to ride. Take the day to rest and get to know the city.
We hope you have enough time to visit the city, maybe even have a picnic next to the channel by the grass areas in the shore and enjoy the city lights at nightfall.
Day 2: Toulouse-Villenouvelle 30km
After breakfast, the route will begin along a comfortable bike lane next to Canal du Midi. You will notice immediately the peacefulness of pedalling along the calm waters and little villages with its special architecture.
Day 3: Villenouvelle-Castelnaudary 36km
The journey along the Canal du Midi by bike continues. Cycling through the countryside alongside the canal, you will reach Avignonet-Lauragais and the famous Lauragais port with its many shops and good atmosphere. Later, you can enjoy a good cassoulet in Castelnaudary, where you will spend the night.
Day 4: Castelnaudary-Bram 17km
Today will be a gentle stage of only 17 kilometres, but you will enjoy beautiful forests through paths with a lot of history until you reach the beautiful village of Bram.
Day 5: Bram-Carcassonne 27km
Today is the last day of the journey from Bram to Carcassonne to the banks of the river Aude. Here you will be amazed by the ramparts that guard the medieval city. We hope you enjoyed your cycling trip along the Canal du Midi!
Option 8 days, 7 nights, 6 stages
Day 1: Toulouse
Welcome to the South of France!
The trip will start in Toulouse the day before you start cycling. Take the day to relax and have your first contact with the area.
We hope you will have time to visit the city, have a picnic on the lawn near the banks of the river Garonne and enjoy the city lights at sunset.
Day 2: Toulouse-Gardouch 43km
After breakfast, you will start the tour again along the Canal, away from pollution and breathing fresh air. Along the way, you may spot a few birds and discover some ducks swimming near the boats. A pleasant day that will end with your arrival in the peaceful Gardouch, where you will rest and recharge your batteries for the next day.
Day 3: Gardouch-Bram 40/50km
Today’s stage will take you to the curious town of Bram, a pretty town with an interesting radial layout, which places the church in the centre and offers a visual spectacle from the heights. Walk through its streets, where you will notice that no building is out of harmony with the previous one, which makes its architecture even more interesting.
This small town today has very few inhabitants, but in the past it housed a concentration camp, where some of the citizens who fled after the Spanish Civil War ended up.
Day 4: Bram-Carcassonne 27km
You will finally arrive in this wonderful medieval town, world famous and one of the most popular tourist attractions in France, Carcassone.
You can discover its cobbled streets and visit the different gates that give access to the city, still walled. The well-kept vegetation and the passage of the river Aude give the city a special air that makes it even more the setting of a knight-errant’s tale.
You can also visit some attractions such as the haunted house, where you can have fun with the little ones.
Don’t forget to visit the Château Codal!
Day 5: Carcassonne-Le Somail 65km
Today you will leave Carcassonne behind and start cycling towards Le Somail, a beautiful place full of culture and places of worship, such as its art gallery or its huge bookshop, “Le trouve tout du livre”, where you can find thousands of books and enjoy yourself like a child if you are a book lover.
Day 6: Le Somail-Beziers 55km
Today you will cycle along the paths of the Canal du Midi and the Canal de la Robine.
Day 7: Beziers-Sete 55km
Today is the last day of the trip, we will reach the Mediterranean Sea. Weather permitting, it will be worthwhile to end the trip with a nice dip in the sea.
Day 8: Sete
After breakfast, the trip will be over.
We hope you enjoyed cycling along the Canal du Midi and that you enjoyed the peace of its paths and trails in the middle of nature.
Price includes:
Optional services not included:
What is it like to do the discover the Canal du midi in bike trip
Along the way, you will begin to encounter yourselves with the diverse cities that mark the trip´s itinerary, where you will enjoy wellness and rich gastronomy.
Usual accomodations
You will enjoy bed and breakfast in 2-3* hotels and B&Bs chosen for their quality and safety. They will allow you a pleasant rest after cycling along the coastal paths.
I am only one person, can I still book?
Yes, you can book as a single traveler.
Is it possible to rent a bike?
Yes, this trip can be done with either your bike or ours. You can choose it during the booking process, hybrid or electric mountain bikes are available.
Is the daily luggage transfer between accommodations included?
Yes, every day we will take your luggage to the next hotel. You only have to leave it at the reception desk, and we will take care of everything. Normally it will already be at the hotel when you arrive.
Is it possible to cancel?
We want to be as flexible as possible. Therefore, in case of unforeseen circumstances, we will do our best to change the dates of the trip free of charge so that you can travel within the same year, as long as you let us know at least 3 weeks in advance.
And if your plans change and you want to cancel the trip before the start date, the following handling fees will apply:
– with more than 30 days, the management fees will be 20% of the amount of the trip.
– between 30 and 15 days, the handling fee will be 50% of the amount of the trip.
– with less than 14 days, the amount to be paid will be 100% of the amount of the trip.
In order to have more flexibility, we recommend taking out travel, assistance, CR and cancellation insurance. Check with us the conditions. Please note that the price of the insurance is not refunded once contracted in case of cancellation or modification.
Are there roads?
Practically the entire trip is on Vias Verdes, tracks or asphalt roads. If you make the stage to Valencia, there are a few kilometers of link that are made by road where you should drive with caution.
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