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: 10 DAYS / 9 NIGHTS  |  LEVEL: MODERATE  |  CUSTOMIZABLE: YES  |  TYPE: SELF-GUIDED

POPULAR BESPOKE OPTIONS

Extra day in Carcassonne.

Extra day in Narbonne to cycle to the beach.

Extra day in Lac St Ferreol or Sète.

Taxi from Toulouse to Lac St Ferreol

DEPARTURES

Every day.

DISTANCE

292 Km

PRICE (BIKE INCLUDED)

April and October €1320 PP

May to September €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:  Carcassonne to Caunes-Minervois ~33 Km

Cathar bike tour around the Canal Du Midi - Bespoke and self-guided

Discover part of the Canal Du Midi before heading north.  Visit the Cathar stronghold of Lastours.  Climb to the towers or enjoy lunch overlooking the river and the towers instead.  You will cycle past a cave where cavemen used to live.  Later in the day you will be able to visit a truffle museum as well as a dinosaur fossil museum.

Day 5:  Caunes-Minervois to Homps ~ 24 Km

Cathar bike tour around the Canal Du Midi - Bespoke and self-guided

Easy cycling today on flat and downhill roads.  Rejoin the Canal Du Midi to arrive at a beautiful B&B in Homps.

Day 6:  Homps to Bize-Minervois ~ 31 Km

Cathar bike tour around the Canal Du Midi - Bespoke and self-guided

Set of to visit Minerve in the morning.  Minerve is officially one of the most beautiful villages of France.  It was a Cathar stronghold and the ancient capital of the region.  In the afternoon cycle past natural springs where you can take a refreshing swim in crystal clear waters.  A few kilometers farther you will cycle by an old cave where caveman used to live.  The bones found in this cave were the oldest human bones ever found at the time.  However, there is no sign here pointing to this cave.  Only our map shows this location!

Day 7:  Bize-Minervois to Narbonne ~ 27 Km

Cathar bike tour around the Canal Du Midi - Bespoke and self-guided

Cycle south to the Canal Du Midi and visit Le Somail, one of the original overnight stops for the passenger boats on the Canal Du Midi in the 1600's.  Head to Narbonne following the Canal de La Robine.  In Narbonne visit the Cathedral and its museum with cavemen.  The old Roman road is still visible in front of the Cathedral.

Day 8:  Narbonne to Béziers ~ 35 Km

Cathar bike tour around the Canal Du Midi - Bespoke and self-guided

Head north again joining the Canal Du Midi at the Malpas Tunnel.  Here the Canal Du Midi flows through a mountain.  Shortly after you will cycle by the famous Nine Locks of Beziers, the masterpiece of the entire Canal Du Midi.  Here ships descent 21 meters before joining the aqueduct crossing the Orb River into Béziers.

Day 9:  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 10:  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:  Caunes-Minervois (optional) ~ 7 Km

Cathar bike tour around the Canal Du Midi - Bespoke and self-guided

Spend the day in Caunes Minervois to visit its old abbey.  A lovely circular nature walk is possible as well this day, allowing you to visit the Carriere du Roy, an old marble quarry that has been in use since the Roman times.  This red marble can be seen all over the region, and in its time it was even exported to Italy.  There is also a hidden church close to this quarry whose interior is extraordinary and its surroundings are very peaceful.

Day 7:  Bize-Minervois to Béziers ~ 42 Km

Cathar bike tour around the Canal Du Midi - Bespoke and self-guided

Cycle from Bize-Minervois directly to Béziers.  Visit an old Roman fountain that has been flowing continuously for hundreds of years.  This area of France is known for its abundant dinosaur fossil beds.  We will take you right through the hearth of this region.  Right after lunch you can visit a museum showcasing some of the fossils found in the area.  Cycle on a converted railroad path back to the Canal Du Midi.  Visit the famous Nine Locks in Béziers and the Malpas Tunnel, both on the Canal Du Midi, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

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).

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

What’s Included:

• 9 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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