Canal Du Midi bike tour

Lac St Ferreol to Sète including Cathar Route

The Extended Tour

This bike tour is a combination of  the Source to Sea and the Cathar routes.  Explore both the Canal Du Midi and the rich Cathar history of the Languedoc region in the south of France.

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​E-Bikes AvailableLimited quantities -first come, first serve

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DURATION: 11 DAYS / 10 NIGHTS  |  LEVEL: MODERATE  |  CUSTOMIZABLE: YES  |  TYPE: SELF-GUIDED

POPULAR BESPOKE OPTIONS

Extra day in Marseillan.

Extra day in Béziers to cycle to the beach.

Extra day in Lac St-Ferréol or Sète.

Taxi from Toulouse to Lac St-Ferréol

DEPARTURES

Every day.

DISTANCE

292 Km

PRICE (BIKE INCLUDED)

April to October €1320 PP

Price for double occupancy

Bike Tour by Day - Self guided Canal Du Midi Bike Tour - Bespoke

Day 1:  Arrival in Revel, Lac St Ferreol

OPTIONAL: TAXI FROM TOULOUSE TO HERE - ask us for details

Self guided Canal Du Midi Bike Tour - Bespoke

Start your adventure at the source of the Canal Du Midi at the lake in Revel, Lac St Ferreol.  This is the oldest part of the Canal Du Midi.  The hotel has a pool and overlooks the lake.  The lake has several beaches as well.  The majority of our past clients have said that they would have loved to stay at this hotel for 2 nights before the trip because of its excellence and its surroundings.

Day 2:  Lac St Ferreol to Castelnaudary ~50 Km

Self guided Canal Du Midi Bike Tour - Bespoke

You will start cycling along the creek that supplies the Canal Du Midi with water, the Rigole.  The Rigole goes from the lake all the way to the Canal Du Midi, about 37 km away.  At the Canal Du midi you will turn east and head towards Castelnaudary.

Day 3:  Castelnaudary to Carcassonne ~42 Km

Self guided Canal Du Midi Bike Tour - Bespoke

A beautiful cycling day awaits you today as you go from Castelnaudary to Carcassonne.  Sunflower fields stretching all the way to the horizon are visible during the first months of the summer.  Pass by Bram and visit its archaeological museum, located just a few Km from the canal and reachable by dedicated bike path.  Stay at our hotel next to the walled cite of Carcassonne.

Day 4:  Rest day in Carcassonne (optional bike ride to Lastours ~36 Km)

Self guided Canal Du Midi Bike Tour - Bespoke

Some of you might want to take the day off to visit the old cité of Carcassonne, located next to the hotel.  Others might want to take a short bike ride to Lastours, an ancient Cathar stronghold located in the mountains north of here.  Climb to the towers or enjoy lunch overlooking the river and the towers instead.  To get there you have to follow roads with traffic.

Day 5:  Carcassonne to Homps ~39 Km

Self guided Canal Du Midi Bike Tour - Bespoke

You have some time in the morning to explore the castle of Carcassonne if you have not done so yet.  Start your bike tour along the Canal Du Midi, a UNESCO World Heritage site.  Cycling is easy on the ancient towpaths with no traffic.

Day 6:  Rest day in Homps (optional circle bike ride to Minerve ~32 Km)

Self guided Canal Du Midi Bike Tour - Bespoke

Today you have the choice of going for a swim in the hotel pool or the nearby lake.  For the more sportive persons, there is the option of cycling to Minerve and back.  This will require a bit of climbing.  The trip to Minerve will be on county roads.  There is a taxi service that can take you and your bikes to Minerve if you wish (not included; book yourself or with our assistance; pay taxi driver yourself).

Day 7:  Homps to Narbonne ~45 Km

Self guided Canal Du Midi Bike Tour - Bespoke

Continue cycling along the Canal Du Midi towards Narbonne.  You will pass by Le Somail around noon time, making this ancient rest stop a good spot for you to take a break and lunch as well.  Later you will cycle past the Canal de la Jonction and the Canal de la Robine right to the hearth of Narbonne.

Day 8:  Rest day in Narbonne (optional bike trip to the beach ~40 Km or  ~65 Km)

Self guided Canal Du Midi Bike Tour - Bespoke

Explore the small city of Narbonne.  Visit the cathedral and its museum.  Have lunch in the Halles or one of the many great restaurants in the city center.  Today also includes two optional bike rides to the beach.  You can continue along the Canal de la Robine to either Port Nouvelle or Gruissan.  Port Nouvelle has a train station so you could take the train back to Narbonne with the bikes, or vice versa depending on wind directions.  Gruissan is closer by and is more beautiful, but has no train station so you have to go back the same way you came.  There is also an extreme option of ~65Km circle ride around the La Clape mountain back to Narbonne (GPS phone app required).

Day 9:  Narbonne to Béziers ~ 35 Km

Self guided Canal Du Midi Bike Tour - Bespoke

Cycle along paved county roads back to the Canal Du Midi.  Visit the Malpas Tunnel, the only tunnel on the Canal Du Midi.  Shortly after you will pass by the famous Nine Locks of Béziers, the masterpiece of the Canal Du Midi.  These locks offer a fantastic view of Béziers, the birth place of Paul Riquet (the builder of the Canal Du Midi).  Cycle over the Orb aqueduct to enter Béziers.

Day 10:  Béziers to Sète ~50 Km

Self guided Canal Du Midi Bike Tour - Bespoke

Today's bike trip will follow a paved towpath from Béziers to Portiragnes-Plage.  From here you have the choice to either continue along the towpath or to follow small paved roads to Agde.  Flamingos will be visible to the observant cyclists.  There is an optional visit of Marseillan and its picturesque harbor.  The final stretch today will be on a paved bike path along the beach from Marseillan Plage to Sète, allowing for ample opportunity to go for a swim.

Day 11:  Sète

Self guided Canal Du Midi Bike Tour - Bespoke

Explore Sète, also called the Venice of southern France.

Sète has a train station with frequent connections to Montpellier, Béziers, Narbonne, Carcassonne, Toulouse, Paris, Barcelona, etc.

Optional Days - Self guided Canal Du Midi Bike Tour - Bespoke

Cut the Béziers-Sète segment into 2 by adding an additional night in Marseillan.  Stay in a lovely B&B with pool, a guest favorite.

Whatʼs Included - Self guided Canal Du Midi Bike Tour - Bespoke

What’s Included:

• 10 nights accommodation in 3* hotels and B&B's, some with pools
• breakfasts everyday
• Luggage transport from hotel to hotel each day
• Bike rental: Comfortable premium quality hybrid bike with panniers
• Technical support (not including flat tire)

Optional: (not included)

• Extra days of bike touring
• Taxi from Toulouse to Lac St Ferreol.

Not Included:

• Your trip between here and your home, before & after the tour
• Your travel and health insurance
• Your private costs, souvenirs, gifts, telephone, minibar, etc

Bike Tour Gallery* - Self guided Canal Du Midi Bike Tour - Bespoke

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*images are non-contractual

Booking - Inquiry

Cycling tours in the south of France.

To take the first step to this bike tour, please send us this form. We will email you in a few hours about availabilities and all the next steps to confirm your booking.

You can also email us at relaxbeziers@gmail.com

IMPORTANT:  Please make sure you enter a valid email address otherwise we will not be able to reply.

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