Cycling the Canal du Midi
If you are looking for a very easy ride with very few hills then this could be the ride for you. We cycled the Canal du Midi after the Canal de Garonne and Loire Valley.
Canal du Midi is certainly the easiest as most of the way you keep to the canal which is very flat. The downside is that it can become quite monotonous – so the key is to get off the canal and explore the small villages and towns along the way.
Canal du Midi has a lot of tourists boating up and down negotiating the many locks along the way. There are a some great spots enroute to sit and enjoy a beer beside the canal.
When to go
The preferable time to go is either autumn or spring not summer or winter! We cycled in September which was a fabulous month to go. The temperature was perfect and the trail was quiet. There was still some lovely colour on the trees.
Bike Hire
We organised our bike hire through Cycles Sud-Ouest. Clare was great to deal with through the booking process and made some good suggestions for places to stay along the way.
We started out from Bordeaux on Monday Sept 16th and arrived in Sete on Saturday Sept 28th. We left Toulouse on Sept 22nd so were on the Canal du Midi for 7 days – however stayed 2 nights in Carcassonne.
We hired normal hydrid bikes – total cost for the two bikes was 506 euros for 13 days hire(39 euros per day).The whole ride is virtually flat along the canals so there is absolutely no need for e bikes.
We had our own panniers but you can hire those as well.
What clothes do you need to take
We cycled in shorts and tee shirts every day with sandals as footwear. You need one warm jumper or puffer jacket and a good light waterproof coat in case of rain plus a pair of walking shoes.
What do you do with all your luggage
Simple answer – take it all with you! Our Canal du Midi cycle was part of a 3 month trip in Europe. We travelled light and were able to put all the luggage for our entire trip in 4 panniers (which then fitted into one large soft bag) and two smaller backpacks that zipped to the pannier bags. The large soft bag folded to nothing and could be zipped up – it even had wheels and a handle! In total we had 25 kgs of luggage which was all then attached to our rear carriers on the bikes.
We purchased a small soft chilly bag with a long strap that we then strapped over our luggage – this was great for putting in cheese, yoghurt for breaky, milk, butter and could even handle keeping the wine cool!
Where did we stay
We booked our accommodation either through http://www.airbnb.com or http://www.booking.com. We had a mix of mainly B & Bs and self catering apartments. We look at ratings and reviews so choose carefully. We like boutique accommodation( definitely no chain hotels) that offers charm and a kitchen with an outdoor space to enjoy. Pick some along the route that have a washing machine as well.
Do you need a special app to follow the route
Absolutely not! Follow the canal and signs and you honestly cannot go wrong! It is very hard to get lost. We missed the odd sign but google maps then becomes you friend. We purchased an airalo esim (electronic esim)for our entire trip. As we were travelling for some time we purchased a 90 day esim for $US100 with 50GB of data. Unless you are downloading movies it is absolutely enough. https://www.airalo.com
How far is the ride
Approx 250 kms. We did it over 6 days cycling. The longest day was the first day from Toulouse to Castelnaudary around 65 kms.
Itinerary
Highlights
Carcassonne
The ride to Carcassonne from Castelnaudary is lovely. We had 2 nights in Carcassonne – it boasts a large hilltop castle with the old town surrounding it. Take the time to explore at night once the crowds have subsided and enjoy some of the local dishes.
Enjoy the small villages along the way
Canal du Midi is really all about jumping on the saddle and meandering down the canal at low speed. It is a great place to unwind, relax and enjoy the ride.
The small villages along the way seem to exist in another time.
Beziers
As you enter Beziers the large cathedral dominates the skyline. It is a bit of a slog getting up to the old town from the river but well worth the effort. We stayed in the old town and loved it.
We had some wonderful accommodation along the way. We mainly booked apartments or a self contained airbnb that had a kitchen, dining/living area attached to the bedroom. They are far more homely than a hotel which we rarely stayed in.
After nearly 2 weeks cycling from Bordeaux we hit the Mediterranean and the last stretch to Sete is along the pathway parallel to the beach.
It was great fun. The most beautiful part from Bordeaux to Sete was definitely the Garonne – from Bordeaux to Agen.
We had a wonderful month in France. The best cycling was in the Loire Valley – it had glorious villages and towns, magnificent chateaux and of course vineyards to taste along the way!
Costs
We were surprised at how easy it was to organise the trip ourselves and how good the accommodation was for the price.
Averagely per night our accommodation cost 73 euros. We stayed a total 8 nights and cycled 6 days, with 2 nights in Carcassonne which I would recommend if you aren’t in a hurry.
The bike hire per day for the 2 bikes was 38 euros per day – this included hybrid bikes, helmets and the transfer fee to get them back to Bordeaux.
Total cost for the 7 days/8 nights was 1450 euros.
This included accommodation, food, drink, bike hire, travel insurance, mobile e sim, entry to all the sights we visited and sundry expenses along the way.
The costs exclude getting to Toulouse and away from Sete to your next destination.
Rent your house out
Our cycle down Canal du Midi was part of a 3 1/2 month trip in Europe. We rented our house out in Auckland NZ through Furnished Rentals. This paid for half our holiday! They organised everything for us so you can rent out and be totally worry free – just enjoy the extra income that goes into your bank account!
Get a comprehensive Guide
If the above sounds great then for a small fee of US$2.95 I can share all the details of our entire trip. It will give you all the information you need to organise your own epic ride on the Canal du Midi.
In addition you will also get a comprehensive guide to organising a cycle trip from Bordeaux to Toulouse down the Canal du Garonne and the fabulous Loire Valley from Orleans to Nantes.
If you want a comprehensive guide to organising your own Loire Valley cycle trip.
Click below
Explore The World 