Canal Du Midi bike tour

From Toulouse to Sète including Narbonne

The Complete Tour

 

This bike tour along the Canal Du Midi goes from Toulouse to Sète and includes Narbonne as well.  You will be cycling along the Canal Du Midi, the Canal de la Jonction, and the Canal de la Robine.  Three canals in one trip.  Spend a night in Carcassonne as well, to visit the Unesco World Heritage site of the walled city.

 

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DURATION: 8 DAYS / 7 NIGHTS  |  LEVEL: MODERATE  |  CUSTOMIZABLE: YES  |  TYPE: SELF-GUIDED

 

POPULAR BESPOKE OPTIONS

Extra day in Homps to cycle to Minerve.
Extra day in Carcassonne.

Extra day in Narbonne to cycle to the beach.

Extra day in Toulouse or Sète.

 

DEPARTURES

Every day.

 

DISTANCE

273 Km

 

PRICE (BIKE INCLUDED)

€1295 PP

Price for double occupancy

 

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(photos are non-contractual)

 

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

 

Day 1:  Arrival in Toulouse

Self guided Canal Du Midi Bike Tour - Bespoke

Visit the historic center of Toulouse.

 

Day 2:  Toulouse to Castelnaudary ~62 Km

Self guided Canal Du Midi Bike Tour - Bespoke

Today you will start you bike tour along the Canal Du Midi.  The towpath will be paved, flat, and easy going for the first 50 Km.  Cycle by the highest point of the Canal Du Midi today at Naurouze and see the man-made creek coming from the mountains that is the main source of water for the canal.

 

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.

 

Day 4:  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 5:  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 6:  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 the oldest city in France, Béziers.

 

Day 7:  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 8:  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

 

Day 4:  Rest day in Homps (optional circle bike ride to Minerve ~32 Km)

Self guided Canal Du Midi Bike Tour - Bespoke

Today you have the chose 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 5:  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).

 

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

 

What’s Included:

 

• 7 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

 

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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