French Bike Tours - Email: info@french-biketours.com - Telephone +33 (0)553242210 - WWW.FRENCH-BIKETOURS.COM
What better way to take a break and get a breath of fresh air than on a short cycling holiday? We propose a 4-day trip, starting from Toulouse, on a cycling route along the Canal du Midi. There is a lot to be enjoyed along this large-scale “water work”: antique boats, dozens of oval shaped locks of various sizes and age old villages... You will also pass through the agricultural area of Lauragais and the vineyards of Minervois. This greenway will eventually lead you to the famous city of Carcassonne. We advise you to extend your stay in order to take the time to visit the beautiful city of Carcassonne.
More than 75% of all the stages along the canals are on well-maintained cycle paths. However, for several years, some of the paths in the more southern area have become degraded.
The unmissable parts of your cycling trip:
- Discover Toulouse, the "Ville Rose" and its lively atmosphere. Cross the small squares of the city, stroll through the streets with their pink facades and go to the Place du Capitole.
- Discover the "Canal du Midi" and its locks along the way.
- Stroll through the port of Castelnaudary and admire the large basin.
- Take time to lose yourself in the fortress of Carcassonne.
Discover French gastronomy:
During your stopover in Castelnaudary, let yourself be tempted by a tasting of “cassoulet”! This French town is known as the "Cassoulet capital of the world".So, let's give it a try!
For culture lovers:
During your cycling trip, you will follow the footsteps of the famous French "canal architect" Pierre-Paul Riquet. You will then discover the "Canal du Midi", designed in the 17th century to link the Garonne to the Mediterranean. This canal is now a Unesco World Heritage Site. Finally, this cycle route will take you to Carcassonne, one of the most impressive medieval cities in Europe!
Check out our video to discover Carcassonne:
We offer several possibilities for cycling along the Canal des 2 Mers by bike, with different durations and stages. Discover all our trips: here.
| Day 1 | Arrival in Toulouse | |
You independently travel to the ‘pink city’ of Toulouse, a cosmopolitan and cultural city where red bricks are a characteristic feature. Visit the lively centre with its many fine restaurants. Discover architectural treasures, like the Place du Capitol, St. Sernin’s Cathedral and the Couvent des Jacobins, a beautiful 13th century Dominican Monastery.
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| Day 2 | Toulouse - Castelnaudary | |
Leave town via the Paul Riquet bridge and cycle along the Canal du Midi with its characteristic barges, into the pastel coloured country of Lauragais. Take a break in Avignonet, the centre of the battles during the Albegenic crusades with lots of medieval remains, statues of crusaders and enormous churches. At the foot of the Montagne Noir you will find the highest point of the canal. This is the Narouze watershed between the Atlantic and the Mediterranean. You will then drop down to Castelnaudary, maybe to have a real authentic "cassoulet" for dinner? Challenge: 64.3km, 129m ascent, 95m descent
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| Day 3 | Castelnaudary - Carcassonne | |
Surrounded by the Montagne Noire in the east and the Pyrenees in the south-west, you cycle via an original, thousand- year-old tow-path to the river harbour of Bram. Bricks make way for stones, cornfields turn into vineyards. You pass age old villages and waterworks like the locks at Béteille and the Lalande, that show Paul Riquet’s ingenuity. Also stop at the Cugarel mill, the Villepinte dam and the Rebenty aqueduct. Finally you reach Carcassonne, consisting of the medieval upper town and the Bastide St. Jean below. Challenge: 43km, 66m ascent, 102m descent
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| Day 4 | Departure from Carcassonne | |
After breakfast, your trip ends in Carcassonne. We advise you to extend your stay in order to take the time to visit this impressive medieval city, classified as a Unesco Heritage site. |
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3 Nights included
2/3 Star Hotels or 3/4 Star Hotels (supplement applied)
Breakfast included, Halfboard optional on request
Maps and tourist information on all the places of interest
24/7 Bilingual Emergency hotline
Luggage transport to your next accommodations. Luggage accepted per person: 1 suitcase or travel bag (20 kg maximum)
For time tables and further information check the website of SNCF or rome2rio for all French National trains (SNCF).
We strongly advise you to download the sncf mobile app prior to departure. If you want to travel on a train with your bike, you can find more information via this link.
Parking informations on request
We will supply the directions of this trip with a personalized code which gives you access to our travel App.