Canal du Midi by Bike
From Toulouse to Sete, cycle along the UNESCO-listed Canal du Midi, past century-old plane trees, locks, and Occitan villages.
Five days along the Canal du Midi, Pierre-Paul Riquet's waterway completed in 1681 and now World Heritage listed. The route starts in Toulouse at the Port de l'Embouchure where the canal meets the Garonne, reaches Castelnaudary and its Grand Bassin with the Saint-Roch lock staircase, then Carcassonne and its walled city, Beziers and the nine cascading locks of Fonseranes, before Sete and Mont Saint-Clair. Elevation gain is negligible and the shade of century-old plane trees near constant. Note that the towpath alternates smooth surfacing with beaten earth, sometimes broken up by roots, so wide tyres are preferable to a road bike. Thousands of plane trees have been felled because of canker stain, so the shade is now uneven.
Practical info
- Stops
- 5
- Duration
- 5 days
- Transport
- 🚲 Bike
- Distance
- ≈ 200 km
- Best time
- Spring and summer
Itinerary
- 1
Toulouse
Depart de la Ville Rose, le long du port de l'Embouchure ou le Canal du Midi rejoint la Garonne.
- 2
Castelnaudary
Capitale du cassoulet, Grand Bassin du canal et ecluses de Saint-Roch en escalier.
- 3
Carcassonne
Detour vers la cite medievale fortifiee, puis retour au fil de l'eau entre vignes et garrigues.
- 4
Beziers
Ecluses de Fonserannes en cascades, cathedrale Saint-Nazaire et vignobles du Biterrois.
- 5
Sete
Arrivee au port mediterraneen, Mont Saint-Clair, joutes nautiques et tielle setoise.
