Cycle along the Canal du Midi

Arrive at Toulouse and settle into your hotel. Toulouse is a wonderfully vibrant place and it is well worth spending some time looking around. For those who are interested, you can book an additional night here and take a cycle ride around the ‘pink city’ (the colour of the bricks used in many of the houses and monuments gave Toulouse its nickname).

After breakfast, begin your journey alongside the canal, passing through the city and out into the neighbouring countryside on a smooth tarmac track. Familiarise yourself with the many locks (‘Ecluse’) which abound along the route. Allow yourself time to listen to the many birds that spend their time around the canal, chat to the local fishermen and watch the tourist boats chugging ever so slowly through this idyllic scenery. Spend the night in a delightful two-star hotel on the banks of the canal, at Castelnaudary. Dine out on “Cassoulet” which has made this particular town famous throughout France.

This is a day which urges you to dawdle! One cannot help but feel at the very heart of the French countryside. The views along the tree-lined canal out towards the agricultural fields and to the Pyrenees beyond make it a special day. You cannot miss the fact that you are entering wine country, with plenty of vineyards within metres from the banks of the canal. The destination for this evening is a real treat. Carcassonne boasts two World Heritage Sites and is really unique. Spend time in the medieval city before heading back to your three-star hotel on the banks of the canal.

This is a quiet day, leaving the beautiful city of Carcassonne in the direction of the sea. You will cycle through pretty little villages and have the opportunity to taste some local wine along the route. There are a few things to explore today, in particular in Trebes the 12th-century church and a picturesque bridge at Orbiel. Near the end of today’s cycle ride, you shall be riding through some lovely vineyards.

You leave Homps by bike and shortly after the canal lock at Argens you follow the winding cycle path along the hillside to the village of Le Somail. This is a nice romantic hamlet to take a break.

After a short break, you continue to cycle along the Canal de la Robine to the hamlet of Capestang with its collegiate church, already visible from afar. From its inspiring tower, you see the sea and the 14th-century castle nearby. You shall also pass the Gallo-Roman remains of the village Poilhes la Romaine and the Oppidum d’Enserune. Also, admire the Malpas tunnel and the 9 locks of Foncerannes. These are evidence of the brilliance of the architect Paul Riquet, whose native village, the historic Beziers, is your destination today.

Although the sea isn’t really visible yet if you stand still you can already smell the sea! Now the landscape gets flattered and forms a mosaic of dunes, swamps and wide lagoons. It’s the habitat of the egrets that strut among horses and cattle. In this coastal region, looking like the Camargue, you pass the unique ‘Pont Bache du Libron’ and the round lock of Agde. In Agde with its ‘dark cathedral,’ you cross the Herault in the direction of the Thau lagoon. At the lighthouse in Onglous, the Canal du Midi ends. In Marseillan you finally cycle along the beach to Sete.

Today you depart from Sete. Leaving your bikes behind you. Sete is the biggest French fishing port, also well known for its beautiful beaches. This authentic town which is full of pastel-coloured houses with wrought-iron balconies is crossed by several connecting canals and the Thau Basin. In the harbour, you find an abundance of fish restaurants. Everything as fresh as can be! A visit to the large covered market is really worth-while. Here you can buy anything that has to do with food and drink and the products are displayed wonderfully.