Cylcing the Canal du Midi

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crinion
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Joined: 19 Aug 2008, 1:20pm

Cylcing the Canal du Midi

Post by crinion »

Hello - I intend to cycle the Canal du Midi this summer and the whole route will be from the Mediterranean to Bordeaux - however I have heard some warning reports of parts of the route - please can anyone give me some advice.
John Crinion johncrinion@yahoo.com
skicat
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Re: Cycling the Canal du Midi

Post by skicat »

I can't be of very much help, but about 7 years ago we cycled part of the canal path north of Le Somail. Certainly then it was muddy and very rough with tree roots. It may have had improvements made since. We were on MTBs and it wouldn't have been much fun on anything with narrow tyres.

My lasting memory of the journey was cycling behind my other half and seeing her run over a bright orange snake. It was only small, but it jack-knifed into a V-shape as the back wheel went over it, then slithered off into the water as though nothing had happened. We've since convinced ourselves that we caused it no harm.
The hurrier I go, the behinder I get
HarryD
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Re: Cylcing the Canal du Midi

Post by HarryD »

Have a look at the Cicerone website & the page for the CduM book in particular. Updates are usually posted there

Did Toulouse to Carcassonne last Sept. Some very poor signage but otherwise OK. Towards the end were glad to get away from it into the surrounding countryside for some hills & a change of scenery. Could only take so much 'canal, canal path, plane trees': repeat until bored - quite possibly sacrilege but maybe thats just us

HarryD
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bigjim
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Re: Cylcing the Canal du Midi

Post by bigjim »

I did it in September. I hated it. Tree roots and rough gravel. You can't relax. It's also very crowded with day trippers and tourists travelling slowly on MTBs and Hybrids. We just got off it in the end and took to the wonderfully smooth roads. See my blog.
PH
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Re: Cylcing the Canal du Midi

Post by PH »

The canal from Bordeaux to Toulouse is the Garonne, I cycled it last year and found is excellent, wide smooth tarmac paths for the most part, with just the odd short section of hard pack, nothing rough at all, plenty of locals on road bikes using it. I continued along the Midi from Toulouse and it started in the same style but soon deteriorated into a rough track, I'd had enough of canals by then anyway and continued on the road just re joining the canal where it was the easiest option.
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bigjim
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Re: Cylcing the Canal du Midi

Post by bigjim »

PH wrote:The canal from Bordeaux to Toulouse is the Garonne, I cycled it last year and found is excellent, wide smooth tarmac paths for the most part, with just the odd short section of hard pack, nothing rough at all, plenty of locals on road bikes using it. I continued along the Midi from Toulouse and it started in the same style but soon deteriorated into a rough track, I'd had enough of canals by then anyway and continued on the road just re joining the canal where it was the easiest option.

Yes the Garonne is how all canals should be. I rode it in September. We flew down it. The worst bit is the busy part entering Toulouse where all the immigrants shacks line the path.
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Dweasle
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Re: Cylcing the Canal du Midi

Post by Dweasle »

Hi John -

We returned two weeks ago from a top-to-bottom tour of France, including cycling from Bordeaux to the Med via Toulouse and Narbonne, and the canals de Garonne and du Midi.

As others have observed, the track is great to Toulouse and for a bit beyond (heading towards Carcassonne) but then suddenly deteriorates before Castelnaudary. This seems to coincide with a change in governmental regions, and it appears that there are differing views about the value of investing in cycling infrastructure between the regions.

It's not a big problem. but you might choose to take a road instead for those parts. Minor roads have the additional advantage of offering a change of scenery / townscapes as (dare I say it) the canal can get a bit monotonous. Or maybe it's my short attention span!

I kept a blog on the Crazyguyonabike web-site, and if you are interested the link is:-

http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?o=1 ... 13782&v=JC

The particular section of the blog referring to your query is towards the end, with the heading Peaceful Camping.

Don't let the quality of the track in this area put you off. We had a fantastic time, despite some pretty wet weather.

Best wishes -

Brian (& Annie).
pharker
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Re: Cycling the Canal du Midi

Post by pharker »

I have cycled the Canal du Midi twice. I loved it; they were two of the best holidays I have every had. I did it with a friend about 8 years ago and then went back the following year with my wife. The first time we went from Toulouse to Adge and did not go all the way to where the canal meets the Mediterranean and then came back by train. The following year we took the train to Agde and I was determined to start at the point where the canal joins the sea. It is worth going to the start, but the first few miles are impossible to bike. Someone mentioned the tree roots and the dust - yes they are right, but just take your time. The weather will be wonderful and for much of the time you will bike in the shade of the trees. We stayed in some small villages in bed and breakfasts. Found some wonderful restaurants in the most unexpected small villages a little off the canal. We did not book any accommodation apart from our night in Carcassonne. We took a leisurely trip biking no more than 40 miles a day - sometimes as little as 20 miles. I wish I was coming, but this year I am off to Bruges - on a bike!
Good luck Phil
Phil H
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