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Home , Aude (river), Canal du Midi, Carcassonne, Castelnaudary, Garonne, Lauragais

DU MIDI

CYCLING ALONG EUROPE’S MOST BEAUTIFUL CANAL

CANAL DU MIDI - SELF-GUIDED CYCLING IN SUMMARY Enjoy a cycling adventure along the most beautiful canal in Europe. From close to the shores of the azure Mediterranean to the ‘Pink City’ of , the 17th century tree lined leads you through a landscape rich in cultural and natural history. Excite the senses with the surrounding vineyard aromas and relax in picturesque villages famed for their culinary delights. Explore the awe inspiring historical towns as you ride along the canal side route through the rugged rural landscapes of toward the Midi .

Your cycling adventure starts in the cosmopolitan city of Montpellier before commencing on a journey between 235 and 385km in length to finish in either or Toulouse. With 100,000 trees to mark the way the Canal du Midi was originally designed to link the Mediterranean and the Atlantic. The canal, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, provides the perfect cycling route to journey through the myriad attractions in the region.16 centuries in the making, this calm restful waterway with its 91 locks guides you on an historical journey. Romanesque Beziers, Gothic and medieval fortified Carcassonne all Tour: Canal Du Midi stand in testament to a great past and now provide the perfect backdrop to this most pleasurable of Code: CFSCDM1– CFSCDM2 cycling adventures. Type: Self-guided cycling tour Price: See Website This cycling tour along the Canal du Midi includes between 5 and 8 days of easy to moderate cycling. The Dates: March – October route follows the canal side away from the traffic and the surface is a mixture of paved, sandy and Nights: 6 - 9 Days: 7 - 10 pebbled, though there is the necessity to utilise quiet roads on certain sections. The terrain is generally flat Cycling Days: 5 - 8 or slightly undulating and the daily distance varies from 35 to 55 km (approx 3 hours cycling). This holiday Start: Montpellier is therefore perfect for families. Cycling the Canal du Midi is a delight at any time from the spring through Finish: Carcassonne / Toulouse to the autumn although July and August are probably best avoided as the temperatures are high. Distance: ~235km (141 miles) - 385km (241 miles) Your Canal du Midi cycling tour includes 6 - 9 nights accommodation in charming 2 and 3 star small Grade: Easy to Moderate hotels, daily breakfasts and baggage transfers. Bike hire while not included may be booked as an option. Transfers back to Montpellier at the end of the tour may also be booked. You will also receive IS IT FOR ME? comprehensive information pack with turn by turn directions, detailed maps and suggestions of places to Canal side cycling through outstanding his- eat, things to do and the local secrets that you would battle to find on your own. torical towns and picturesque villages with a rich natural landscape and culinary pedigree. The perfect ingredients for a wonderful cy- HIGHLIGHTS cling holiday in .

WHAT’S INCLUDED?  Cycling across the 240m arched at Bèziers  Enjoying culinary specialities such as casserole in Accommodation: 6 - 9 Nights accommoda-  Relaxing with a just bought canal side picnic of Roquefort cheese and a baguette tion in stylish 2* and 3* hotels. Meals: 6 - 9 Breakfasts  Marvelling at the imposing Gothic Cathedral at Narbonne Baggage Transfer: Door-to-door baggage  Exploring the winding streets of the world’s largest medieval fortress at Carcassonne transfer.  Toast the journey with a glass of at a canal side café in the ‘Pink City’ of Bike Hire: Available, but not included. Toulouse Information Pack: Comprehensive route directions, information pack and maps. Transfers: Available, but not included: Carcassonne to Montpellier/Toulouse to Montpellier. CANAL DU MIDI

CYCLING ALONG EUROPE’S MOST BEAUTIFUL CANAL

toast his achievement with a glass of Syrah or ITINERARY: CFSCDM1 DETAILED DESCRIPTION Bourboulenc.

Overnight: Beziers MONTPELLIER TO CARCASSONNE DAY 1 DAY 4 Cycling Days: 5 Arrival in Montpellier Nights: 6 Cycle to Narbonne - 45km/28m Days: 7 Your Canal du Midi cycling adventure begins in Grade: Easy to Moderate the cosmopolitan city of Montpellier, which is well Departing Bèziers the route takes you to the served by flights to it’s international airport and Fonserannes Locks. This staircase of 7 locks Day Route long distance rail services. Take time to wander allows canal boats to be raised 21.5m in a around the oldest botanical gardens in France, distance of 300m to cross the Orb. As you 1 Arrive in Montpellier created in 1593, or to visit the the Place de la pause to enjoy the spectacle It is interesting to 2 Cycle to Sète: 55km Comédie, with the Opera Comédie built in 1888. reflect that most of the workers on this 3 Cycle to Bèziers: 55 km Montpellier itself is located 10km from the magnificent feat of engineering were women. 4 Cycle to Narbonne: 45 km Mediterranean coast. 5 Cycle to Homps: 45 km Passing the canal side wine fields you eventually 6 Cycle to Carcassonne:45 km Overnight: Montpellier arrive in historically significant Narbonne. This 7 Onward Travel town, established in in 118BC, has seen it’s DAY 2 fortunes rise and fall with the shifting waters of Cycle to Sète—55km/33m the River. The unfinished 13th Century is a must visit, being one If you are hiring a bike, then it will be delivered ITINERARY: CFSCDM2 the tallest in France. this morning at your hotel. From beautiful Montpellier ride along the river Lez and through a Overnight: Narbonne bird sanctuary to Palavas and the Mediterranean MONTPELLIER TO TOULOUSE DAY 5 sea. Follow the Rhone-Sète Canal to Frontignan Cycling Days: 8 and then further on to Sète, found on the eastern Cycle to Homps - 45km/28m Nights: 9 hub of the Bassau de Thau, an enclosed Days: 10 Cycling out of Gothic Narbonne into the water lake famed for oyster and mussel Grade: Easy to Moderate countryside this you enter an area of rich fruit cultivation. This is the perfect location to sample orchards, vineyards and olive groves perfect for the local sea food a canal side picnic. Day Route Overnight: Sète The charming port of Homps, perfectly located 1 Arrive in Montpellier DAY 3 on the canal side, provides a welcome break 2 Cycle to Sète: 55km from the saddle. Immerse yourself in the 3 Cycle to Bèziers: 55 km Cycle to Bèziers - 55km/33m refreshing clean clear waters of nearby Lac de 4 Cycle to Narbonne: 45 km Jouarres or enjoy a canal side glass of Minervois 5 Cycle to Homps: 45 km Cycling along the Canal du Midi to the ancient wine from the village cellar as you watch the 6 Cycle to Carcassonne: 45 km town of Bèziers you enter the heart of wine 7 Cycle to Castelnaudary: 50 km growing country and the landscape inspires the sedate passing of boats. Stay at hotel on the 8 Cycle to St Ferréol: 50 km senses with notes of juniper, thyme and canal bank. 9 Cycle to Toulouse: 55 km rosemary. Highlights on this day include the Overnight: Homps 10 Onward Travel 240m long Orb Aqueduct that spans the river of the same name and the grandiose Romanesque DAY 6 Cathedrale St Nazaire. Bèziers is also the home town of Pierre Paul Riquet, engineer and builder Cycle to Carcassonne - 45km/28m of the Canal Du Midi and you will surely wish to Following the canal side the enormous plane CANAL DU MIDI

CYCLING ALONG EUROPE’S MOST BEAUTIFUL CANAL

trees arch across high over the waterway leading smooth cycling through the rich rolling farming from the traffic and the surface is a mixture of you onward to Carcassonne. country of the . Fertile limestone soils paved, sandy and pebbled tracks, though there is favouring high quality food and livestock the necessity to utilise quiet roads on certain Carcassonne is a real highlight of your cycling production make the area a gastronomic dream. sections. adventure being the site of the famous walled Goats cheese terrine with roasted prunes is a town and largest Medieval fortress in Europe, fine way to celebrate the final ride into Toulouse. Navigation Cite de Carcassonne. With a fairy tale setting above the Aude River with and spanning a Toulouse, capital of the Midi Pyrenees region, We supply you with a detailed route book which history of 2,500 years, the town is truly awe welcomes you with it’s red brick architecture, the includes maps and directions as well as helpful inspiring. You will surely wish to explore the styles of the impressive mansions echoing a hints such as restaurants, museums, vineyards, , walking in the footsteps of the Roman past. As you cycle in along the Canal du and where to find a bank machine. Romans, , Saracens and Crusaders. Midi to the banks of the River you can Baggage Transfer look back at your journey through this most Overnight: Carcassonne beautiful region steeped in historical and natural Daily door to door baggage transfer is included in DAY 7 splendour. the price of your trip. We ask you to keep your baggage to a maximum of 1 bag per person Cycle to Castelnaudary - 50km/31m Overnight: Toulouse (maximum weight 20kg). Moving on from splendid Carcassonne the route DAY 10 Rental Bikes follows the Canal du Midi through hectares of Your Canal du Midi cycling holiday ends in Bike hire is not included though may be booked vines growing in the celebrated Languedoc Toulouse which has excellent onward travel as an option. We can supply comfortable unisex sunshine. Upon arrival in the market town of connections with flights from it’s international 21 speed hybrid bicycles with lights, mudguard, Castelnaudary a fitting end to the day’s cycling is airport and long distance rail services to major anti-theft device, luggage rack, puncture repair to enjoy a meal of locally famous cassoulet, a European cities. slow cooked casserole of pork, goose, and kit and two waterproof panniers. Electronic bikes haricot beans. At Castelnaudary the canal opens are also available. up to it’s widest point in the Grand basin. HOLIDAY INFORMATION Helmet hire is available at an extra cost, or we Overnight: Castelnaudary recommend that you bring your own Additional Nights and Extensions DAY 8 Please note that transfers for clients and bikes You can add additional nights at any point back to Montpellier from Toulouse or Cycle the circular route to St Ferréol before, during or after your tour. Carcassonne are not included as part of the bike Lake - 50km/31m Accommodation hire package or the tour price, but will need to be reserved in advance. When you book on-line you Today a circular ride takes you to the Bassin de Your cycling tour along the Canal du Midi can choose to take these optional transfers if you Saint Ferréol, via new villages like Revel with includes 6 - 9 nights carefully selected wish, or ask our Destination and Adventure one of the nicest covered markets in France. Set accommodation of 2 and 3 star standard. Specialists for information. amongst pine trees in the shadow of the Black mountains you are sure to dismount and enjoy a Single Rooms dip in the cooling waters of the lake prior to the PRICE AND AVAILABILITY Single rooms are available although a ride back to Castelnaudary. supplement is payable. This tour is available to start on each Sunday Overnight: Castelnaudary Grade between 23 March and 26 October. If you wish DAY 9 to start the tour on any other day, other than a This cycle tour is graded easy to moderate. The Sunday, then a supplement is payable (or if you Cycle to Toulouse - 55km/34m five cycling days vary from 35 - 55 km in length are a minimum of 4 persons then no supplement (about 3 hours cycling) and include some On this day much canal side is paved affording is payable). climbing. The route follows the canal side away CANAL DU MIDI

CYCLING ALONG EUROPE’S MOST BEAUTIFUL CANAL

Please refer to our website for up to date prices www.macsadventure.com TRAVEL INFORMATION HOW TO BOOK

Included: Getting to/from Montpellier You can book securely online at  6 - 9 nights in 2/3* hotels in double/twin rooms www.macsadventure.com by phone on +44 (0) with private facilities By Air 141 530 8886.  6 - 9 Breakfasts The nearest airport is Montpellier. The airport is Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have served by direct flights from London Gatwick,  Meeting reception at hotel on Day 2 any queries and one of our Destination Luton, Leeds Bradford and Birmingham Airports. Specialists will be happy to help.  Daily luggage transport (1 bag per person/ A shuttle bus that operates between the airport max. 20 kg) and Montpellier city centre takes approximately  Detailed information pack with detailed route 15 minutes and costs about €5. BOOK WITH CONFIDENCE notes, maps and useful information  24-7 Emergency support by telephone By Train Financial Security  Security vest Montpellier is directly linked with (between In accordance with "The Package Travel, Excluded: 3 and 4 hours) by the TGV fast train. Visit Package Holidays and Package www.voyages-sncf.com for prices and booking or Regulations1992" all passengers booking with  Drinks, snacks and lunches and dinners alternatively www.raileurope.co.uk for an English Macs Adventure Ltd are fully protected for the site.  Travel to/from Montpellier/Carcassonne/ initial deposit and subsequently the balance of all Toulouse Onward travel from Carcassonne/ monies paid to us, including repatriation if  Bike hire - May be booked as an optional extra required (this insurance will not cover repatriation Toulouse to the country of origin for the passengers  Personal equipment By Air outside of the EU), arising from cancellation or  Travel insurance - Adequate travel insurance curtailment of your travel arrangements due to is a prerequisite on all bookings. offers direct onward air the insolvency of Macs Adventure Ltd  Entrance fees to museums and attractions travel to Glasgow Prestwick, Liverpool, East Midlands, London Stansted. Toulouse Airport Consumer aware: Your booking is insured by Optional offers direct onward air travel to London Gatwick, IPP Ltd and its panel of insurers. - This insurance is only valid for passengers who book and pay  Additional nights accommodation Bristol and Edinburgh along with many other European hub destinations. directly with/to Macs Adventure Ltd. For further  Single room supplement (if applicable) information please go to www.ipplondon.co.uk  Bike hire By Train ABTA Member Statement  Transfer from Carcassonne/Toulouse to Both Carcassonne and Toulouse are directly Montpellier for clients and bikes linked with Paris (between 5 and 7 hours) by the Macs Adventure Holidays is  Transfer bus from Montpellier Airport to city by the TGV fast train. Or to return to Montpellier, a Member of ABTA. ABTA centre the train is approx. 2h10 (direct service or and ABTA. Members help changing at Narbonne). Once again visit holidaymakers to get the www.voyages-sncf.com most from their travel and assist when things don’t go according to plan. We are obliged to maintain a high standard of

service to you by ABTA’s Code of Conduct.