The Restful Tour
Carcassonne to Béziers
Short daily distances, two built-in rest days and optional excursions to Minerve or the sea. The perfect tour for those who want to savour every moment along the canal.
Daily luggage transfer
3 to 5 cycling days,
Carcassonne to Béziers
The Restful Tour covers the same beautiful stretch from Carcassonne to Béziers as the Essential, but at a truly unhurried pace. Two dedicated rest days — in Homps and Narbonne — give you time to swim, explore, or take optional bike excursions to Minerve and the Mediterranean beaches. Stay in wonderful hotels and B&Bs, taste superb wines and enjoy gourmet food in excellent restaurants.
Three cycling days spread across a week, with two rest days built in at Homps and Narbonne. Optional excursions to Minerve and the Mediterranean coast are available on rest days.
Canals: Canal du Midi · Canal de la Jonction · Canal de la Robine
Arrive by car, train or plane into Carcassonne. Spend the afternoon and evening exploring the medieval Cité — the largest medieval castle in the world, said to have inspired Walt Disney's Sleeping Beauty.
Begin your journey along the Canal du Midi, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Easy cycling on ancient towpaths with no traffic. Sunflower fields stretch to the horizon in summer.
After breakfast bikes are delivered and fitted at your hotel, roadbook explained.
A day entirely your own. Relax by the hotel pool or the nearby lake. For those who want more saddle time, there is an optional circular ride to the Cathar village of Minerve and back (~32 km), with some climbing on quiet country roads.
Continue east along the Canal du Midi. Pause for lunch in Le Somail, an ancient and beautifully preserved canal village. Follow the Canal de la Jonction and Canal de la Robine into the heart of Narbonne.
Explore Narbonne's cathedral and museum, and enjoy lunch in the Halles. Two optional bike rides to the coast are available: the Canal de la Robine leads to Gruissan (closer, more beautiful, no train) or Port-la-Nouvelle (has a train station). An epic 65 km circular route around La Clape mountain is available for the adventurous.
Rejoin the Canal du Midi via paved county roads. Visit the Malpas Tunnel and the famous Nine Locks of Fonseranes. Cross the Orb aqueduct into Béziers.
The oldest city in France has been beautifully restored. Visit the old Roman arena, climb the cathedral tower, or simply stroll the Allées Paul Riquet. Béziers has a train station and airport with connections across France and Europe.
Make it your own
Extra day in Carcassonne
Arrive a day early to settle in and explore the Cité at leisure — ideal for those arriving from far afield.
Extra day in Béziers
Stay an extra night and cycle to the beach along the canal to Portiragnes Plage, or all the way to Sète by train.
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