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Canal du Midi

Cycling Canal du Midi from Carcassonne to Béziers

On this bike tour, you ride along the Canal du Midi but not only. Discover the history of the cathar country and enjoy the sweet life of the South of France.

Difficulty level: moderate. The itinerary is flat along the canal but hilly as soon as you divert from the canal. The route takes you on the boat hauling path of the canal and quiet country roads. The stages are 24 to 46 km long, which means 3 to 5 hours biking at a slow pace (10km/h). The boat hauling path being still a dirt track on several portions overall between Homps and Béziers (a lot of roots, the path can be muddy in case of rain), it is sometimes bumpy to ride. The second part of the itinerary requires more attention on the bike.

Reviews (14) :
4.71 / 5
Reference M0701
  • Itinerant trip
  • 8 days
  • Moderate
  • From April 15 to Oct 15
  • Minimum age 12 years
GPSGPS-app available
799€ / pers.
  • Itinerary
  • The Canal du Midi was originally an idea of the Romans, but it was only built in the 17th century thanks to the genius of Pierre-Paul Riquet. You ride along the Canal du Midi from Carcassonne to the Mediterranean Sea. The quietness of the hauling path, the swaying of the barges and the splashing of water of the Canal du Midi flavor your journey. On this biking holiday, you enjoy the legendary sweetness of the Southern France life, the Cathar country and the long beaches of the Mediterranean Sea.

    Taste the famous cassoulet and other culinary delights of the region. History is also all along your cycle route: visit the amazing fortress of Carcassonne, admire the Roman ruins and the Cathedral of Narbonne or the old city center of Béziers. You finally ride through the marshes among the bulls and pink flamingos to enjoy on afternoon on the beach!

    DAY 1

     
     

    Carcassonne

    Discover the charming old city of Carcassonne and especially take time to visit the impressing and remarkably restored fortress, which overlooks the city and the Canal du Midi.

    DAY 2

     
     

    Day-trip from Cascassonne

    Bike
    24km
    The stage of the day is a short loop tour through the outskirts of Carcassonne. It takes you first around the unmissable medieval city of Carcassonne and then to the Lake of La Cavayère, where you can enjoy a swim or a relaxing moment on the beach. On the way back, you enjoy the marvellous views on the medieval fortress on top of the local vineyards!

    DAY 3

     
     

    Carcassonne - Homps

    Bike
    40km
    You leave the busy city and enjoy the calm of the canal. Cycle under the plane trees and cypresses, surrounded by vineyards. Enjoy a day outside: the calm nature is only disrupted by the animation of the cute villages. Admire the many works of art, built on the canal between 1666 and 1680, like the aqueduct of Orbiel.

    DAY 4

     
     

    Round trip to Minerve

    Altitude
    ±320m
    Bike
    36km
    You can either choose to explore the nearby lake or visit the fortified Cathar villages in the hinterland like Minerve, which is one of the “Loveliest Villages in France”. You meander through the gorges of the Cesse and stop to admire the breath-taking scenery. The route is much hillier than the canal, but really worth the effort.

    DAY 5

     
     

    Homps - Narbonne

    Bike
    35km
    You continue to ride along the Canal du Midi, quietly enjoying the cool shade of plane trees and pines and the slapping sound of water against the barges.
    Be careful to the roots in this stage. The path become bumpy and narrow.

    DAY 6

     
     

    Narbonne - Béziers

    Bike
    46km
    You ride slowly along the Canal de la Robine to reach the village of Sallèles-d’Aude, then you cut through fields and dried up ponds to get back along the Canal du Midi. The bravest will climb up the hill to discover the oppidum, others will continue towards the Malpas tunnel, an impressive work carved into the rock. The most impressive staircase lock awaits you just before reaching the old city center of Béziers : the 9 locks of Fonserannes.
    Be careful to the roots during this stage. The path becomes narrow and bumpy but you will find a beautiful cyclable path when you arrive around Béziers.

    DAY 7

     
     

    Round trip to the Mediterranean sea

    Bike
    42km
    You continue to ride down the Canal du Midi, then venture out on the dried up ponds. Enjoy this nature full of horses, bulls and wild birds, even flamingos, conveying a "Camargue" atmosphere. Reach the Mediterranean Sea on time for a lunch on the beach before returning to Beziers.

    DAY 8

     
     

    Departure from Béziers

    The regional train (TER) takes you back to Béziers if you wish.
  • Accommodation
  • Category A

    You stay in hotels with ** standards offering all the necessary comfort after a day outdoors. These family hotels welcome you warmly. Breakfast is included.
    * Example of the type of accommodation

    Category B

    You stay in hotels with *** standards or bed & breakfasts selected for their style and quality. Breakfast is included.
    * Example of the type of accommodation
  • Bikes, luggage and documents
  • Bikes

    On your arrival day, we provide you with:

    • a touring bike adjusted to your size or a tandem
    • equipped : front rack pack with an integrated file compartment, saddlebag, helmet (on demand), reflective vest, repairing toolkit with patches etc.

    We also provide you with the appropriate equipment for your children : baby seat, bike trailer or trailer bike depending on their age and size.

    Electric bikes are also available for adults (+1m55).

    You can of course also bring your own bikes, in this case a reduction will be applied (see the Tarif tab)


    Luggage

    Our services include luggage transport in order to let you enjoy your trip comfortably and without stress :
    • We transport your luggage from one accommodation to the next using a private vehicle.
    • Your luggage is directly delivered in your accommodation before you arrive.
    • We provide a saddlebag for the things you shall need during the day.

    Our word of advice : as we know from experience, we strongly recommend you to avoid wearing a backpack during your cycling trip.
    If you expect to arrive at the next accommodation before 5 p.m., we recommend that you take an extra set of clothes with you in your bicycle bag.


    Travel documents

    A cycling holiday is the best way to explore a region and discover its culture, landscapes and local traditions.

    Your tour is self-guided to give you the freedom to ride at your own pace. You will be provided all the information you need to enjoy the itinerary and its points of interests.

    We can provide you with travel documents in paper format (for a supplement of €15 for printing and postage), which include:
    • a roadbook with maps that we drew at the easiest scale to follow on a bike
    • a roadbook with step-by-step description giving the direction to follow at each intersection and highlighting the points of interest

    Example of a map and of a step-by-step description


    Our GPS App

    For this trip, you can also use our smartphone app featuring GPS guidance (without extra fee).

    You will find in the app all the information given in the map and step-by-step roadbooks. You will be located on the itinerary with the GPS device of your phone. The route and directions to follow will be both viewable on the screen of your phone and announced aloud. As you ride along the itinerary, you will be given information about visits, restaurants, services and useful alerts on the way.

    -> You need to have a smartphone and download Le Velo Voyageur app on your Apple or Android store before the trip. All details concerning the downloading and the use of the application will be given after we have confirmed the booking and the balance is paid. Once the trip is downloaded, the GPS guidance can be used off-line.
  • Practical information
  • To get to the departure point:

    • By plane: regular flights to Toulouse or Ryanair flights to Carcassonne from London Stanted, Liverpool, Eindhoven, etc. Bus connection every 30 min to the city center of Carcassonne. The bus ticket is valid on the public transport network for an hour.
    • By train: TGV (fast trains) from Paris Gare de Lyon and connection in Lyon/Narbonne/Montpellier to take a regional train to Carcassonne. The duration of the trip is about 6h00 from Paris. To plan your trip, https://www.sncf-connect.com/.

    Parking

    If you drive to Carcassonne, you can park your car in a secured car park located in the city center, close to your accommodation.

    You can park also your car in the free open public car park located on each side on Pont Vieux.

    To find a parking space : www.parkopedia.com

    To get back to the starting point:

    Regional trains take you back to your starting point if you wish. They are accessible without booking in advance and bicycles are free. You have to buy your ticket on the spot. To plan your trip, https://www.sncf-connect.com/.

    Meeting time:

    The first day is an arrival day without cycling. You arrive whenever you want depending on where you come from. Please note that rooms are usually available in the middle of the afternoon depending on your accommodation. We thank you to contact the hotel if you plan to arrive late.


  • Reviews
  •   Memory of the trip  

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    1 2
    14 bike travelers reviews 4.71 / 5

    Canal du Midi (Carcassone to Béziers)

    On the 2024-06-27 by Kathryn
    The Vélo Voyageur representative worked with me to design a personalized trip which exceeded expectations. I would highly recommend the Canal for those looking for easy cycling, interesting scenery, and beautiful villages. The accommodation was always clean and centrally located, the breakfasts perfect to fill up for a day of cycling. The trip was exactly as I imagined.

    Périple Carcassonne à Béziers

    On the 2023-09-22 by Eve
    Très bien

    super randonnée

    On the 2023-09-19 by JJ Nad
    c'est la seconde fois que nous faisons des randonnées avec le vélo voyageur et avons à chaque fois été enchantés.

    Béatrice

    On the 2021-08-02 by Béatrice
    Très bon séjour.

    Wunderbare Radtour für Zwei

    On the 2019-09-29 by Michael
    Entspannte Radtour am Kanal entlang. Die Etappen sind gut machbar, leicht zu fahren und führen durch eine ruhige, sehr schöne Umgebung. Die gebuchten Hotels waren hervorragend und die Tour (Gepäcktransport, Routenbeschreibung) war perfekt organisiert. Absolut empfehlenswert.

    Des vacances clés en main le long du canal du midi.

    On the 2018-07-30 by L'équipe des oranges
    Pas de stress de préparatifs, c'est en toute confiance que nous avons laissé faire ce travail à Vélo Voyageur. Nous n'avons eu qu'à profiter du paysage en nous libérant de trop de contraintes physiques (vive le vélo électrique !) L'organisation est excellente, les hébergements peuvent réserver d'excellents surprises. Le canal du midi, les vignes, les étapes culturelles chez les cathares, des cigales, les rencontres qui nous ont valu notre pseudo ... voici un bref résumé des souvenirs que nous garderons de cette semaine à bicyclette !

    A vélo le long du Canal du Midi.

    On the 2017-10-10 by Bernard
    Belle semaine, malgré une météo mitigée, le long du canal de Carcassonne à Béziers, avec du temps pour visiter. Dommage que la maladie du platane perturbe le parcours et enlève du charme au paysage.

    Une belle découverte

    On the 2015-09-13 by Alabri
    Beau circuit, riche tant en découvertes variées des paysages traversés qu'en rencontres humaines.

    Des vacances originales!

    On the 2015-08-27 by JF
    Un bon compromis pour des vacances à la fois sportives et en version confort! Nous avons apprécié en particulier la variété des itinéraires pour une découverte de la région: le long du canal surtout, mais aussi en campagne à travers les vignes et l'excursion certes un peu dure d'accès mais incontournable à Minerve. Très bons vélos et hébergements 3* à la hauteur des attentes, tous dans les centre ville.

    De bien chouettes vacances

    On the 2015-08-24 by Loren
    Dépaysement total et grand air garanti le long du Canal... Et dans les montagnes environnantes (la boucle vers Minerve vaut vraiment le détour). Les écluses, les péniches, les platanes... Un super décor pour de super vacances, que nous recommandons chaudement à tous les amateurs de jolis paysages et d'authenticité !

    Magnifique !!

    On the 2015-06-22 by Yannick
    C’est la première fois que nous partons en vacances avec le vélo voyageur avec une petite appréhension car nous ne sommes pas de grands sportifs. Nous avons été très agréablement surpris de la qualité de ce voyage, des itinéraires parfaitement adaptés a nos attentes, un roadbook très bien détaillé qui nous offrait à chaque fois plusieurs points d’intérêts et des options, pour mieux découvrir cette magnifique région (canal du midi et ces écluses, des villes comme Carcassonne et la cité, Narbonne et ces Halles, des villages pittoresques, vignobles, étangs, la plage …) contrairement à d’autres prestataires qui ne propose que la descente du canal du midi ! Une parfaite organisation ! le choix des hôtels et restaurant est de très bon choix, avec un accueil très chaleureux. (1ère formule en demi-pension). Un dépaysement total, détente, décompression, les vacances…. Nous repartirons sans hésiter avec Le Velovoyageur.

    Une belle expérience

    On the 2014-07-28 by Jean-Pierre
    Je recommande le parcours du canal du midi tel que le propose le Vélo voyageur, malgré l'état quelque fois difficile du chemin. L'organisation est parfaite et les étapes le plus souvent bien choisies, ce qui donne une semaine très agréable.

    Aller sport et tourisme gastronomique sans culpabilité

    On the 2013-08-28 by martine
    Pour une première, cette rando vélo fut un coup de maître. Nous avons adoré le rythme de nos ballades quotidiennes le long du canal du Midi. De belles rencontres aux écluses, des échanges multi-générationnels à nos arrêts. Les 45 km/jour se faisaient facilement sauf dans la montée au village de Minerve mais plus en raison de la chaleur aoûtienne que de la difficulté physique. Quelle récompense à l'arrivée et quelle ivresse pendant la descente ! La cerise sur le gâteau après l'effort : nos chambres d'hôtes , différentes à chaque étape avec un accueil chaleureux et des déco originales.

    Très belle découverte

    On the 2013-06-30 by Félix
    Nous avions depuis quelque temps déjà l'intention de parcourir le canal du midi à vélo, mais n'étions pas sûr d'y parvenir. Grâce à l'offre de VV, nous avons pu réaliser ce rêve. Et quel plaisir de découvrir ce coin paisible du territoire français. Des paysages idylliques, de bons petits restos au fil de l'eau, des lieux hors du temps. Tout cela avec un minimum d'efforts. Nous en gardons un merveilleux souvenir et ne pouvons que recommander.
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