Canal du Midi. 7 days cycling in the South of France

Accommodation: Montpellier

Our week-long adventure of savouring the scenery and the unique sites of the Canal du Midi begins in Montpellier, one of the most important cities in the south of France. Capital of the department of Hérault, on the eastern edge of Occitania, this city belonged in medieval times to the Kingdom of Aragon and, despite having been bombed several times during the Second World War, it preserves a number of monuments that are well worth seeing.

Depending on your arrival time, you can visit Saint Pierre Cathedral, with its unusual Gothic portico, the Jardin des Plantes, the first botanical garden in France, or the Faculty of Medicine - the oldest in the world still in use and where such famous people as Nostradamus, François Rebelais and Ramon Llull studied. 

Distance: 50 km
Difficulty: ●○○○○
Accommodation: Sète

First thing in the morning we will deliver your bike to your accommodation and adjust it to your needs so that you can start your route from elegant Montpellier along the path along the Lez river: a perfectly groomed cycle path through a bird sanctuary to Palavas and the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, in the middle of the Gulf of Lion.

The route continues along the Rhone-Sète Canal through a beautiful area of lakes and the village of Frontignan-Plage. Frontignan is famous for its muscatThe sweet wine, which has a designation of origin here, can be consumed directly or as the main ingredient in the "muscat sauce", which is very popular in the local gastronomy.

From there we quickly reach Sète, known as the "Venice of Languedoc" for its canals framing the centre and its insular location between the sea and the coastal lagoon of Thau (Natura 2000 network). Here we will spend the night, with plenty of time to visit the town, its lively harbour full of fishing boats, and stroll along the grand canal.

Distance: 58 km
Difficulty: ●○○○○
Accommodation: Béziers

The stage begins by travelling the short distance from Sète to Agde, which is known as the "black pearl of the Mediterranean" because of the volcanic stone that gives this colour to several of its most unique buildings, such as the cathedral of Saint Étienne. It is worth stopping to visit its architecture, halfway between a Romanesque temple and a fortress.

The other major point of interest on the route is at the end, in Béziers, which, unsurprisingly, also has a nickname, albeit an obvious exaggeration: "the city of a thousand locks". The fact is that the Canal du Midi here has nine locks in a row, allowing boats to cross a difference in height of 21.5 metres. Between two of them, there is also the pride of its inhabitants: the monumental Orb bridge. The city is also famous for its wine production.

Distance: 40 km
Difficulty: ●○○○○
AccommodationNarbonne

The third stage of this route along the Canal du Midi begins by crossing the bridge over the Orb and passing the seven locks at Fonséranes. From there, still following the course of the water, in about 8 kilometres you will reach the foot of the hill where you will find the oppidum Celtic Ensérune - an ancient settlement built on high ground with a fantastic view of the surrounding lowlands, and inhabited from the Iron Age to the 1st century AD by the Celts of Gaul.

The route then takes us to Capestagn, with its collegiate church dedicated to Saint-Etienne. From there, we will continue into the wine-growing lands of Narbonne, where several appellations are cultivated (la clape, languedoc, corbières o minervois).

Narbonne is classified as a town of art and history by the French government and has many points of interest, such as the Gothic cathedral of St. Justus and St. Shepherd, the Pont des Mercadars (Pont des Merchands) or the numerous archaeological remains which evoke its Roman foundation linked to the Via Domitia - the most important Roman road between the Alps and the Pyrenees.

Distance: 39 km
Difficulty: ●○○○○
Accommodation: Homps

Another day to continue touring the Occitania region in the south of France, leaving behind Narbonne and its historic charms via the so-called Canal de la Robine - an ancient pass built to connect the Aude river with the Canal du Midi.

The day's destination is Homps, a charming little village that was once an essential transport hub for tin and wine, both via the Roman road between the Corbières and the Minervois and, since the 17th century, thanks to the Canal du Midi.

Distance: 42 km
Difficulty: ●○○○○
AccommodationCarcassonne

The last stage of our journey along the Canal du Midi will take us through the natural region of Carcassès to the historic centre of Carcassonne: one of the most visited towns in the south of France. And no wonder. Its imposing citadel (a UNESCO World Heritage Site and linked to the mysterious Cathar heresy), its Saint-Nazaire basilica, its Saint-Michel cathedral and its cultural, historical and picturesque atmosphere are great attractions and the perfect end to our cycling trip along the banks of the Canal du Midi.