Canal du Midi - France

cycladelic

I'm thinking of riding part of the route - from Toulouse down to the coast at Sete - and have been doing some digging. Has anyone bought this book?...

http://www.midicanal.fr/guidegb.html

I just wonder if its worth getting, as I can't see how I can get lost riding along a canal bank.

Below is a Wiki link. If anyone here has has ridden it, I'd like to know what you reckon.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canal_du_Midi

Tourist Tony

Ridden there many times. Canal towpath is very, very variable, from root-heaved muck to smooth tarmac. I would bear in mine that there are very good road alternatives all the way..

cycladelic

Cheers, Tony. I'll make my way to the French coastline from Andorra some other way. Any suggestions? .

... just wondering why you've ridden the Canal du Midi 'many times'?

steephill

cycladelic wrote:

I'm thinking of riding part of the route - from Toulouse down to the coast at Sete - and have been doing some digging. Has anyone bought this book?...

http://www.midicanal.fr/guidegb.html

I just wonder if its worth getting, as I can't see how I can get lost riding along a canal bank.

Below is a Wiki link. If anyone here has has ridden it, I'd like to know what you reckon.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canal_du_Midi

I've ridden the path along the Canal du Midi south of Toulouse. Dpending on the time of day, near town you'll find lots of cyclists and occasionally kids on roller blades. (A cyclist colluded with me) The roots and winding nature might get annoying for you. In general, I don't mind paths for a short distance but I prefer the road myself.

Tourist Tony

cycladelic wrote:

Cheers, Tony. I'll make my way to the French coastline from Andorra some other way. Any suggestions? .

... just wondering why you've ridden the Canal du Midi 'many times'?

Ah, I like the area and it is one of those things that come in handy in stretches (like from Portiragnes).
From Andorra ride down through Limoux to Carcassonne, and take the road from Trebes (D610) through Marseillette, Puicheric and so on. Good road, not much traffic, nice views. At Homps, a choice. Either head on down to Narbonne and take the Robinet canal towards Gruissan and the coast, or keep on towards Beziers.
If going to Gruissan, head up past Narbonne Plage and up a sharp little hill by a sailing school lake and massive campsite to get you on white roads to a little bridge over the Aude river near the Cabanes de Fleury. That puts you on back roads to Serignan, Portiragnes, a smooth section of CduMidi towpath to Vias, and Agde. Lots of birdlife, beaches, nudist colonies, quiet roads.

dag_on_a_bike

Going to be down that way for a week from Friday. Almost.

Intend riding out from my base at Amelie les Bains. Been down to St Cyprien & Argeles previously but, apart from a day trip by car to Andorra, not really ventured inland much.

Any suggestions? How hilly does it get?

cycladelic

Great stuff, Tony - your title 'Tourist' doesn't do you justice.

I've been playing around with that Michelin site again and found the D610 and a bit of the Canal du Midi...
http://www.viamichelin.com/viamichelin/ ... &x=43&y=12

How about going along the coast? (I'm heading for Corsica) Have you been along any nice routes in this part of France?

jc4lab

A popular route with cycling companies like Explore who class this as an easy ride....CTC Holidays probably do one also..Download their trip dossier and maybe DIY .Could be a short milage though as some comnpanies like Explore cater for the non regular cyclist..

Neil Fat man on a bike

A wonderful part of the world.
i hope you have a really good trip.

Tourist Tony

cycladelic wrote:

Great stuff, Tony - your title 'Tourist' doesn't do you justice.

I've been playing around with that Michelin site again and found the D610 and a bit of the Canal du Midi...
http://www.viamichelin.com/viamichelin/ ... &x=43&y=12

How about going along the coast? (I'm heading for Corsica) Have you been along any nice routes in this part of France?

http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/3360 may help.
Head out from Agde and you have a choice of zapping along what adds up to a 10-mile time trial to Sete or a meander round the back of Thau (lagoon; flamingoes). The rest of my article on craztguy tells you about the route. The road after the bigger branch of the Rhone is one I haven't done for years, to Nice. There was a ferry at the mouth of the Rhone.

cycladelic

Thanks, Tony. A very enjoyable and informative read. I got the impression that some of the coastal route was busy and uninspiring. How would you rate it - marks out of 10? I'm thinking of heading inland a bit, riding along quieter backroads.

Here's a link to the Explore site:

http://www.explore.co.uk/Tour+Detail+Pa ... de=CYC2008

Tourist Tony

A lot of the route will be busy, especially in August with the French holidays. Inland from Thau is a maze of roads passing oyster farms and flamingo roosts, and the terrain is a lot more rolling than the coast. The road from Agde to Sete is one long carpark for the beach, and Sete is a place where assertive riding helps. The frustrating bits of those roads are Marseillan-Sete, Sete to the exit to Frontignan and through Grande Motte. Other bits are delightful. The ride round Maguelone after the footbridge is really pretty.

dag_on_a_bike

Ferry leaves at 7.00am tomorrow. 750ish miles drive to arrive on Friday.

Can't wait.