ItineraryDay 1 Arrive Bordeaux and allow time to visit the architectural gems of this UNESCO World Heritage city. Day 2 Bordeaux – Rauzan | 46 km Cross the Garonne and follow a bike path through vineyards and forest to the heart of the ‘Entre-des - Deux-Mers’. Reach Rauzan, a medieval village dominated by its imposing castle. Day 3: Rauzan – Marmande | 69 km Return to the bike path and cycle to 13thC fortified village of Sauveterre-de-Guyenne. Follow countryside routes then return to the Canal at La Réole, a small village overhanging the Garonne, before reaching Marmande. Day 4: Marmande – Agen | 64 km Follow the Canal to reach Agen stopping enroute at Le Mas-d’Agenais to view Rembrandt’s ‘Christ on the Cross’. Continue to the 13thC fortified village of Damazon. Arrive in Agen over one of the longest canal bridges. Day 5: Agen – Moissac | 43 km Cycle along the river past the medieval village of Valence d’Agen. Arrive Moissac, an important stop on The Way Of St James for its ancient Benedictine church which has one of the greatest exhibits from the Romanesque Art period. Day 6: Moissac – Toulouse | 68 km Cycle quiet countryside then join the Canal Du Midi to arrive the “Ville Rose” (pink city), Toulouse. Wander the ‘Place du Capitole’ and visit the Basilica St Sernin and Jacobins’ monastery. Day 7: Toulouse – Castelnaudary | 66 km Leave by the Canal Du Midi and cross the pleasant Lauragais countryside with its farms of ducks and geese to reach Castelnaudary, home of the ‘cassoulet’ and fine gastronomy. Day 8: Castelnaudary – Carcassonne | 43 km Cycling through Cathar country, discover the traces of their crusades as you near the impressive medieval city of Carcassonne, one of the most beautiful fortifications of Europe and a UNESCO World Heritage monument. Day 9: Carcassonne – Homps or Olonzac | 43 km Bike between the Aude River and the Canal, passing the canal bridge of Orbiel and the Argent-Double aqueduct. Day 10: Toulouse – Castelnaudary | 66 km Cycle through charming, typical villages following the winding canal, bordered by olive trees and vines. Reach the famed 9 locks of Fonsérannes, then onto Béziers. Day 11: Toulouse – Castelnaudary | 66 km Cycle along the Canal on a pleasant cycle path towards the Mediterranean Sea where the Canal Du Midi flows into the Étang de Thau. Skirt the beaches to arrive in Sète. Day 12: Toulouse – Castelnaudary | 66 km Arrangements end. TerrainModerate to challenging with some climbs. |
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The Canal Des Deux Mers
Self Guided 12 Days / 11 Nights
The 'Canal des Deux Mers' was built between 1667 and 1681 to link the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea. This bike tour leads you along the Canal de Garonne from Bordeaux to Toulouse. Then, join the Canal du Midi, a UNESCO World Heritage site, to the Mediterranean Sea.
There are no cars or industry to ruin the vista and cycling the old tow path along the canal takes you through vineyards, wheat fields and picture perfect villages. Lovers of culture and architecture are in for a real treat.
