Canal du Midi by bike from Toulouse to Carcassonne - short stages
5 days / 3 days riding / ref. CM3 / Difficulty Easy / Linear tripper person
Your Canal du Midi cycling tour:
Let the route of the canal guide you as it presents all its history punctuated by conquests, boat cruises, sunny walks. The ‘Canal du Midi’ offers you all its numerous architectural and cultural treasures : amazing civil engineering structures, Cathar vestiges…
This is also an opportunity to meet with numerous house-boats and its inhabitants in a country of ‘art de vivre’. Vineyard landscapes, countryside, pine and olive trees will punctuate your stay.
Tour highlights
- Toulouse: the pink city made of bricks and tiles
- Stop in Castelnaudary… to taste the famous Cassoulet
- Easy and short stages to fully enjoy the panorama!
Departure days: SATURDAY & SUNDAY
Departure possible on other days: with extra charge.
Day 1Arrival in Toulouse
City of great heritage, take time to visit all the numerous traces of its rich past : St Sernin church which is the biggest Roman church in the world, the ‘Capitole’ square etc… keep your eyes open to admire all the architectural details.
Day 2Toulouse – Villenouvelle | 32 km
The pink city’ famous for its numerous brick constructions, opens the doors of the ‘Canal du Midi’. Then, you will start your stage by crossing the ‘Lauragais’ country with its numerous farms where ducks and geese enjoy a peaceful life, swimming and disturbing cyclists along the canal.
Day 3Villenouvelle – Castelnaudary (or St Martin Lalande) | 31 km (or 38 km)
Here is a land of well being and gastronomy! Then, Castelnaudary, famous for its ‘Cassoulet’ , will welcome you and invite you to taste its local cuisine.
Day 4Castelnaudary (or St Martin Lalande) – Carcassonne | 40 km
In the heart of the Cathar country, discover the manifold traces of their crusades all along your stage, which will guide you towards Carcassonne and its impressive medieval city. Classified as world heritage by UNESCO, you can admire one of the most beautiful fortifications of Europe.
Day 5Departure during the day
The little extra with Biking France (optional):
- Private return transfer from Carcassonne to Toulouse – on request.
Documents
> Download tour programSelect your category
Your accommodation
• 4 nights with breakfasts (accommodation in a two-person bedroom)
•
Luggage transport during the bike stages (1 luggage 20kg per person)
•
Equipped cycle rental for 3 days
•
A personalized travel app, including all your cycling stages as well as tourist and practical information
•
City taxes
•
Hotline 7 days a week
• Dinners / Lunches / Drinks
•
Tickets to attractions, tours of attractions, tasting
•
Optional insurances (Cancellation Insurance OR Tranquility Insurance)
•
Single room supplement (4 nights included)
•
Transfer from Carcassonne to Toulouse and personal bike repatriation
• 4 nights with breakfasts (accommodation in a two-person bedroom)
•
Luggage transport during the bike stages (1 luggage 20kg per person)
•
Equipped cycle rental for 3 days
•
A personalized travel app, including all your cycling stages as well as tourist and practical information
•
City taxes
•
Hotline 7 days a week
• Dinners / Lunches / Drinks
•
Tickets to attractions, tours of attractions, tasting
•
Optional insurances (Cancellation Insurance OR Tranquility Insurance)
•
Single room supplement (4 nights included)
•
Transfer from Carcassonne to Toulouse and personal bike repatriation
from 3 to 11 years old : - 20%
from 12 to 15 years old : - 10%
(Only if the triple or quadruple rooms are occupied by 2 adults minimum )
VTC GITANE bike - 21 speed gears
(bike included in this tour)
A bike that favors an upright, comfortable position, ideal for leisure riding.
OPEN frame, until 1m83
CLOSED frame, from 1m83
- 1 rear pannier
- 1 front pannier with a map holder
- 1 repair kit
- 1 smartphone holder
- 1 lock
- 1 bottle cage
Helmet not provided.
SCOTT Sub Sport 20 - 27 speed gears
A “sport” bike that favors a more athletic position and riding style.
OPEN frame, until 1m83
CLOSED frame, from 1m83
- 1 rear pannier
- 1 front pannier with a map holder
- 1 repair kit
- 1 smartphone holder
- 1 lock
- 1 bottle cage
Helmet not provided.
MOUSTACHE e-bike
OPEN frame
- 1 rear pannier
- 1 front pannier with a map holder
- 1 repair kit
- 1 smartphone holder
- 1 lock
Helmet not provided.
(These models of e-bikes may be replaced by another one, similar)
Practical details
Rental bikes will be available from our local partner.
At the end of the tour, leave the rental bikes at your hotel, we will pick them up.
Your travel app
You’ll have personalized access to our travel app, which you can download onto your smartphone.
This app includes all your cycling stages, tourist and practical content, as well as your accommodation. The application will guide you along your route, like a GPS, during your cycling stages.
In addition to the app, you’ll receive a complete digital roadbook by email, including color maps of your stages.
If you would like a printed version of the roadbook, please let us know when you book your trip. It will be provided at your first accommodation.
Your journey
Tour description
The development of the canal banks is very different from one department to another.
In the Aude (between Port-Lauragais and Olonzac) it is largely an undeveloped path and not very well maintained, which gives a very natural character to the route. On the other hand, some portions are very narrow, chaotic (roots, holes, etc.) and in rainy weather the path becomes muddy and slippery, especially at the beginning of the season.
Therefore, this bike tour is not suitable for road bikes and bikes equipped with trailer.
Bike stages trip profiles
(click below to see the trip profile of each stage)
Toulouse – Villenouvelle : 32km / elevation gain: 104m / elevation loss: 83m
Villenouvelle – Castelnaudary : 31km / elevation gain: 75m / elevation loss: 73m
Castelnaudary – Carcassonne : 40km / elevation gain: 94m / elevation loss: 164m
How to arrive in Toulouse
By train:
Paris Montparnasse train station >> Toulouse Matabiau train station (about 4h30 by TGV train).
For more information, do not hesitate to visit : www.sncf.com/en
By plane:
- From Roissy CDG airport :
– Roissy Charles de Gaulle T.2 train station >> Bordeaux St Jean train station >> Toulouse Matabiau train station (by TGV train).
- From Orly airport:
– Taxi transfer to Paris Montparnasse train station >> Toulouse Matabiau train station (by TGV train).
– Bus shuttle (Le Bus Direct) : from Orly Sud or Ouest >> Line 1 >> Montparnasse train station >> Toulouse Matabiau train station (by TGV train).
www.lebusdirect.com/en/lines-and-schedules/orly-airport-paris-etoile-champs-elysees-line.html
– Bus shuttle (Orly Bus) : from Orly Sud or Ouest >> Paris centre – stop ‘Denfert Rochereau’ >> Metro line 4 >> Montparnasse train station >> Toulouse Matabiau train station (by TGV train).
http://aeroportorly.paris/orlybus.php
– Orly Val (automatic metro) : from Orly Sud or Orly Ouest >> Paris – stop ‘Antony’ >> RER B – stop ‘Denfert Rochereau’ >> Metro line 4 >> Montparnasse train station >> Toulouse Matabiau train station (by TGV train).
http://aeroportorly.paris/orlyval.php
www.transilien.com
www.ratp.fr/plans-lignes
- From Beauvais airport:
– Taxi transfer to Paris Montparnasse train station >> Toulouse Matabiau train station (by TGV train).
– Bus shuttle >> Paris – stop ‘Porte Maillot’ >> Metro line 1 + line 13 >> Montparnasse train station >> Toulouse Matabiau train station (by TGV train).
www.aeroportparisbeauvais.com/en/acces-et-transports/navettes/
- From Toulouse Blagnac airport:
– Bus shuttle « Tisseo » direction ‘Gare routière’ to reach the town center.
www.tisseo.fr/en/airport-shuttle
– Tram line T2 direction ‘Palais de Justice’ to reach the town center.
www.toulouse.aeroport.fr/en/passengers/to-and-from/public-transport
Return
If you have to come back to the start point:
- This return can be carry out by RandoVelo/Biking France: please contact us!
- A return transfer by train is possible and organised on your own. Please visit: www.sncf.com/en
Plan to go to the train station with your luggage (and your potential own bike)
(Personal bike return costs are on your responsibility)
– Carcassonne train station >> Toulouse Matabiau train station (about 1h by train)
– Carcassonne >> Toulouse (by taxi)
If you have to return to Paris (city centre) / Paris Airports:
- This return can be carry out by RandoVelo/Biking France: please contact us!
- A return transfer by train is possible and organised on your own. Please visit: www.sncf.com/en
Plan to go to the train station with your luggage (and your potential own bike)
(Personal bike return costs are on your responsibility)
– Carcassonne train station >> Narbonne train station (by train) >> Paris Gare de Lyon train station (by TGV train).
– Carcassonne train station >> Montpellier train station ou Lyon Part-Dieu train station (by TGV train) >> Aéroport Charles de Gaulle 2 TGV Station (by TGV train).
Nearby Airports:
– Toulouse airport: www.toulouse.aeroport.fr/en
– Carcassonne airport: www.aeroport-carcassonne.com/en
– Bordeaux airport: www.bordeaux.aeroport.fr/en
