Cycling the Canal du Midi. Declan Lyons
the reservoir that feeds the canal
Lastours, a former Cathar stronghold
Minerve, a Cathar town set above the Cesse gorges
Narbonne and Port la Nouvelle
Vendres lagoon and the Aude river
the Portiragnes marshes, home to flamingos and other wildlife.
Places meriting a short detour are also listed (although detour lengths are not included).
Fit cyclists could complete the main canal in two days – possibly even one – although they might put themselves and others at risk in attempting to do so, and little of the canal would be seen and enjoyed. This guide is written for those who want to explore the canal and visit the main attractions along the way. For example, Carcassonne Cité, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, merits at least a half-day visit.
Those planning a week-long holiday should concentrate on the main canal and some short detours. Fitter cyclists may wish to include one of the excursions. Reasonably fit cyclists should be able to complete the canal and excursions in two weeks. Those traveling the canal by boat, or living or holidaying in the region, will be able to use the guide to plan day or overnight trips. The stage planning tables in Appendix A will help you to plan days of the right length for you.
Those looking for short cycles can make return trips along the canal. The best stretches for those without much cycling experience are between Toulouse to Port Lauragais; Carcassonne to Trèbes; Béziers to Portiragnes Plages; and Marseillan to Sète. These sections are tarmacadamed with the exception of the Carcassonne to Trèbes path. In addition it is possible to use the train and cycle, especially in the Toulouse area – cycling along the canal and getting a train for the return journey.
The canal is easy to access, with airports, train stations and motorways nearby. By air it takes a few hours to reach it from most of Europe’s airports. It is under seven hours’ drive from Paris and 11 hours from Calais. There are train stations along its length, and the French train network is generally bike-friendly.
When to go
One of the great attractions of the Canal du Midi is that it can be cycled throughout the year. There are times when the weather is more reliable and the experience is more pleasant, but I’ve cycled the route in all seasons and each has its own special appeal.
Summer
The canal is vibrant in summer. Cicada whirr constantly along its banks; sunflowers bloom along the higher reaches while grapes swell on the vines. The regions are alive with festivals and ferias, and the canal is busier: there are more barges, queueing at locks and filling its harbours. There are more cyclists on the towpath but it is never crowded or unpleasant, and it only takes a few minutes’ pedalling to reach a quiet stretch.
Sunflowers growing beside the towpath
On the downside, summer temperatures can soar to 40˚C and it can be difficult cycling in intense midday heat. Nights remain hot and June and July bring out mosquitoes and midges, which can be an irritation both during the day and more so after dusk.
Plan overnight stops carefully in July and August. Campsites are in heavy demand and so advance booking is advised. Hotels in towns holding festivals fill up quickly and almost every bed is taken at weekends and bank holidays.
Spring/autumn
These are pleasant seasons for cycling the canal. Spring comes early in the Mediterranean area; from mid-February to June the days lengthen and warm, flowers bloom, butterflies emerge, swallows and martins return.
The area retains its warmth into late October. The shortening days are warm enough for shorts and T-shirts; the sea is still warm enough for swimming. It is an ideal time for cycling with daytime temperatures reaching 20° or more. Note, however, that nights are cooler, and the average rainfall is higher in May and June in the Toulouse to Carcassonne region than in earlier or later months.
Tourist numbers increase and decrease in spring and autumn respectively, and most tourist attractions are open. It is easy to find hotel rooms and seats in restaurants. The festival season begins in late spring and tails off in autumn.
The start of the Canal de Jonction (Excursion 4)
Winter
Far fewer tourists cycle the track in winter, although the leafless trees and bushes mean that visibility is improved. Sunny days are less frequent; there will be very few biting insects and none of the extreme heat you are likely to encounter in summer.
The difficulty with cycling in winter is that the days are shorter, colder and wetter. The canal can freeze during cold nights and there is always a danger of prolonged rain and sometimes even snow. Storms and flash floods are more likely and winter storms may be violent.
Small hotels and chambres d’hôtes (bed and breakfasts) often close for winter, as do campsites. This may restrict your choice of accommodation, but you should always be able to find something – with the exception of the days around Christmas.
Getting there and getting around
By air
There are four commercial airports close to the canal: Blagnac (Toulouse), Salvaza (Carcassonne) and Béziers-Cap d’Agde are less than 10km away, and Montpellier’s airport is approximately 40km from Sète.
Toulouse has flights to and from major European cities; Carcassonne is a base for low-cost airlines, as is Béziers-Cap d’Agde. Both have flights from various locations in Ireland, Great Britain and continental Europe. Montpellier has flights from Great Britain and continental Europe.
Ryanair (www.ryanair.com) is the main airline serving southwest France from Ireland and the UK. EasyJet (www.easyjet.com), British Airways (www.britishairways.com) and Aer Lingus (www.aerlingus.com) also fly to the southwest from airports in Ireland and the UK. There are a few year-round routes while most are in the summer only.
Advise your airline if you plan to bring a bike when you book your flight. You’ll be required to turn the pedals inwards or take them off entirely, and turn the handlebars sideways. You must then pack the bike into a hard or soft holder, deflating the tyres to avoid their bursting under decompression. Some airlines charge for carrying bicycles and these fees can be steep – up to €50 each way. There may also be additional booking and drop-off charges depending on the airline.
Make sure that you book your flight well in advance. Airlines limit the number of bikes on each flight – some as few as six per plane.
By car
The Canal du Midi is easily reached by road. You can drive to the south of France from most parts of Western Europe; the French motorway network will deliver you to the canal in 12 hours from most of its borders. Motorways are generally tolled and these can be expensive. You can plan your route using websites such as www.mappy.fr and calculate your toll charges.
Autoroute 61 (A61) runs close to the canal between Toulouse and Narbonne; the A9 is close between Narbonne and Sète. The A75 from the north ends close to the canal near Béziers. British car ferries sail to a range of French ports including Dieppe, Calais, Boulogne, Le Harve, Cherbourg, St Malo and Roscoff.
There are long-stay carparks in towns and cities and at railway stations where you can leave your car while cycling the canal. Hotels and guesthouses may also allow you to use their parking facilities while you cycle for a day. There is often space to park close to the canal where roads cross it, or where it passes through smaller villages.
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