Day 1: Toulouse
In the evening welcome briefing and distribution of rental bike (if booked) in Toulouse. Because of its buildings with reddish stones the inhabitants call Toulouse „ville rose“ too, the pink town. Take a little walk to see the important sacred buildings of Toulouse. One of it is the basilica St-Sernin de Toulouse, which is one of the most beautiful Romanesque sacred buildings in South France. Toulouse is an attractive mixture of architectural styles with lordly Renaissance houses and former industrial buildings, which were masterful rebuilt into culture temples.
Day 2: Toulouse - Castelnaudary, approx. 60 km
Castelnaudary ist the destination of your tour today. In former times it was the place of a lot of mills. Till today the Moulin de Cagurel from the 17th century on the pestilence hill testifies it. Splendid manors, built in the 17th century too, and beautiful half-timbered houses let this town become an architectural jewel. A popular culinary delicacy in Castelnaudary is the savoury bean stew Cassoulet, which came up during the Hundred Years‘ War. Pork or duck, bacon, garlic sausage and white beans are possible ingredients.
Day 3: Castelnaudary - Carcarsonne, approx. 40 km
Carcassonne is today one of the best preserved fortress towns in Europe and since 1997 part of the UNESCO World Heritage. The mightiest building of the town and one of the biggest fortresses in Europe is the fortress Cité Médiévale of Carcassonne with its 52 towers. You can experience the lively Carcassonne best in the downtown with its lively streets and the bastion Saint Louis.
Day 4: Roundtrip Montolieu, approx. 40 km
Montolieu is a wonderful city at the edge of the Montagnes Noires. There are 15 antique stores with over 200.000 books in this worth seeing city of book. The former royal textile manufacturing was declared to a National Monument in 2004.
Day 5: Carcarsonne - Olonzac, approx. 45 km
Villages, wine-growing estates and vineyards are located pictorially around the waterways. You reach Olonzac. You will have the chance to taste some good wines.
Day 6: Olonzac - Narbonne, approx. 45 km
Narbonne, which is flanked by vineyards. The former capital of the Romanesque antiquity was the first Roman colony outside of Italy. Sights like the relics of the street “Via Domitia“ or the houses-bridge with Roman origin “Pont des Marchands“ are evidences of this time. But later centuries too have left their marks in the town: for example the archbishop’s palace or the Gothic cathedral.
Day 7: Narbonne - Bèziers, approx. 45 km
Béziers can look back to a 2,700 years old history. And it is the birthplace of that man too, who was the father of the Canal du Midi: Pierre-Paul Riquet. The alley Paul-Riquet in the centre of the town is dedicated to him. Béziers is located scenic in a winegrowing region, where the grapes for an excellent wine grow. Maybe you allow yourself a glass?
Day 8: Bèziers - Cap d`Adge , approx. 40 km
Your cycling alongside the Canal du Midi leads you past masterpieces of engineering like the lock of Agde. It is the only round lock of the Canal du Midi and was built with volcanic rock. The basic measurements of the lock are 29.90 metres diameter and 5.20 metres depth. Cap d´Agde at the Mediterranean Sea is your destination today. The biggest European marina is part of the French town Agde and a paradise for water sportsmen like divers, surfers or sailors. But people, who just want to bath and to rest at the beach, get their money‘s worth too.
Day 9: Cap d`Adge - Sète , approx. 35 km
In Sète flows the Canal du Midi into the Mediterranean Sea. The town is surrounded by water and its surname is “Venice des Languedoc“. The reasons for this surname are beneath the Canal du Midi countless additional waterways, which cross the town.
Day 10: Sète
The tour ends after breakfast. Individual return journey.
This calm and restful waterway is lined on both sides by thousands of century old trees. Along the 160 miles of waterway, you will come across authentic and varied landscapes, as well as exceptional towns of cultural and historical interest such as the medieval walled village of Carcassonne.
