WhichMaps>Bordeaux-Narbonne>CanalsLateral&duMIdi

mercsport

To avoid an excess of maps I normally get by with Michelin 1/200,000 but after searching just now to stock up for trip next month from Bordeaux ( airport ) , along the canal Lateral a la Garonne and then join the canal du Midi at Toulouse to narbonne . More or less a straightforward enough route but I'm in a funk of overlaps and everything , oh , 'not quite right' .

Has anyone a handy list of map numbers that I may use for notional purchase on amazon or somesuch . Or a better series than Michelin for this particular trip ?

Incidentally , how thick on the ground are campsites ?

Am normally a wild camper but , with partner , and she likes a shower occasionally . :shock:

psmiffy

ive just been through the midi bdx to beziers ther ee are campsites but sometimes not at the right spacings look close to the canal nothing in agen but a tvalance de agen there is
cadillac

Nick Hill

i did begerac to canal du midi then carcassone dow to gruissan and then out to nimes

we still have the maps and have no real use for them PM me if you want to stick them in the post

cheers


Nick

bike_the_planet

mercsport wrote:

To avoid an excess of maps I normally get by with Michelin 1/200,000 but after searching just now to stock up for trip next month from Bordeaux ( airport ) , along the canal Lateral a la Garonne and then join the canal du Midi at Toulouse to narbonne . More or less a straightforward enough route but I'm in a funk of overlaps and everything , oh , 'not quite right' .

Has anyone a handy list of map numbers that I may use for notional purchase on amazon or somesuch . Or a better series than Michelin for this particular trip ?

Incidentally , how thick on the ground are campsites ?

Am normally a wild camper but , with partner , and she likes a shower occasionally . :shock:

When we circumnavigated France and a few other countries last year we mainly used the Michelin 1:200,000. The 2008 ones show many of the voie vertes now either as green or red lines with a bike symbol. Maps 524 and 525 of the 1cm=2km showed the Garonne path quite accurately.

We also picked up a free Voie Vertes 'Decouvrez le Canal de la Garonne a velo' Bordeaux-Toulouse velo map at a tourist centre which was useful. It listed some of the campsites as well.

There are quite a few tracks and voie vertes around the bordeaux area that are well worth exploring.

Hope this helps.

Tony

deebee

We did the same trip some 4/5 years ago, from Bordeaux along the canals then along the coast ending up in Avignon. I always use IGN maps but Cicerone publish a book on Cycling the Canal du Midi which we found very useful. We found campsites every night except for one night in Toulouse. Sometimes the 'recommended' routes take you away from the towpaths but stick to the canal, we managed almost all the way within sight of the water.

mercsport

Thanks chaps !

Excuse the tardy response but had to disappear for the week until return today .

"psmiffy" : In my limited acquaintance with them , campsites never seem to be where we desire them . Still , it seems there appear to be some that are handy . Looks like I'll have to try'em . :shock:

"Nick Hill" : Many thanks for your very kind offer of the maps . Have PM'd .

"Tony" : Yes , you've given me the numbers I need for that series of Michelin maps . I also fully expect to be meandering off route quite a lot . Will take note of the velo map from the tourist office also . Sounds to be handy .

"deebee" : Funnily enough , in a Waterstones this week , I came across the
Cicerone guide for the Midi canal and flicked through it , but put it back . I probably ought to have bought it . :oops: I must look up the IGN map series . Interested to learn that it's possible to keep within sight of water the whole way , near enough .

Cheers

beausabreur

I agree with poster below that maps not really necessary in that part of France. Signposts are really good. Incidentally the ride from Nissan lez Enserune to both Valras Plage and Narbonne Plage is fantastic. It takes you through Cathar country and is a nicely up and down terrain. Hardly any cars either.

mercsport

beausabreur wrote:

I agree with poster below that maps not really necessary in that part of France. Signposts are really good. Incidentally the ride from Nissan lez Enserune to both Valras Plage and Narbonne Plage is fantastic. It takes you through Cathar country and is a nicely up and down terrain. Hardly any cars either.

" up and down terrain " !! ? :shock: Crikey !

" Hardly any cars either " - well , that bit appeals to me a lot . 8)

Points noted : thanks .