Cycling in France - Canals and Castles of the Midi

Our tour starts at Toulouse Blagnac Airport (TLS) where we'll meet today at 7.15pm. On arrival, please look out for the Explore tour leader in the arrivals hall. If you're arriving early in Toulouse and would rather not wait, you could hop on a train to Carcassone - the French rail network is easy to navigate and the journey is around one hour. Toulouse has many wonderful sites to discover, if you'd like to add time there on to the start of your tour, contact us for accommodation options. Once we have our group together, we'll transfer to Carcassone, a fortified city in southwestern France. Perched on a hilltop, the picturesque city is a popular tourist draw thanks to its Medieval ramparts, which have been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1997. On arrival, we'll have time to wander the historic ramparts and soak up the city's charm.

Today, we'll escape the crowds and hop on our bikes to explore the peaceful countryside surrounding Carcassonne. We'll spend some time getting acquainted with our bikes before pedalling off. Our route takes us to the beautiful villages of Conques-sur-Robiel, Bouilhonnac, and the tiny village of Les Rustiques, once a Templar commandery. We'll then join the Canal du Midi at the village of Trebes to make our way back into Carcassonne. This evening, we'll have more time to enjoy Carcassonne, beautifully lit in the evening, and without the chaos of the daytime crowds. Our total cycling distance today is approximately 35 kilometres/21.7 miles with a total ascent of 89 metres/300 feet and descent of 89 meters/300 feet.

Today, we'll cycle along the famous Canal du Midi. Our destination is le Chateau de Jouarres in Homps, a pleasant yet simple resort with a pool, which will be our base for the next three nights. As we pedal, we'll soak in more of France's rural beauty. The Canal du Midi is known for its picturesque locks, aqueducts and bridges, and our ride lets us admire it in all of its photogenic glory. It's not all about historic waterways today, en route, we'll diverge from our path to visit Marseillette for a spot of wine tasting at Chateau l'Amiral. Surrounded by rolling countryside, this vineyard is the perfect setting to enjoy one of France's most-loved exports. The family has been producing Minervois wine for seven generations and we'll learn about the production process and the history of the chateau as we enjoy a tasting. The Canal du Midi is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and so much of our route remains as it once was. The towpath was originally built for horses to pull cargo barges; hence many sections do not have a modern surface. Ever changing, due to climatic conditions, the sections we cycle include earth and gravel paths with some holes and tree roots and can be narrow and overgrown in places. Whilst beautiful, these sections can prove bumpy to ride. Our total cycling distance today is approximately 43 kilometres/26.6 miles.

Today, we'll head out on a leisurely loop of the village of La Laviniere. The historic village has wine-making roots that go back as far as the Roman times - in fact, the village's name comes from the Occitan translation for \ vine'. As well as wine, La Laviniere is known for its charming stone buildings, covered market square and 15th-century church. It's surrounded by vineyards and olive groves, making it a particularly pretty route to cycle through. We'll get a chance to sample regional dishes and stop for lunch at a local restaurant, serving seasonal produce. Afterwards, we'll head back to our hotel. Our total cycling distance today is approximately 28 kilometres/16 miles

Today, we have the option to visit one of France's \ Les Plus Beaux Villages de France' (The Most Beautiful Villages of France), an honour given to just 176 of the country's 30,000 villages. Minerve is famous for its medieval architecture, ancient cobbled lanes and ruined ramparts. It sits on a rocky outcrop between two limestone gorges, making the cycle hilly but worth it for the village's charming appeal. If you'd rather sit out of the optional ride, you can relax in Jouarres or take a self-guided ride on a shorter, and mainly flat route near the hotel. Our total cycling distance today is approximately 37 kilometres/23 miles with 450 meters/1,480 feet of ascent.

Today we pack our bags again and continue our Canal du Midi adventure. We'll reach the junction of the canals, making sure to stop for coffee and lunch, where the Canal du Midi loops north to avoid the hills and the Canal de la Robine which was later dug to connect the city of Narbonne to the canal network. Narbonne is a hidden gem with many treasures for those who take the time to look for them. Once the second town of the Roman empire (more than a century before Caesar's conquest of Gaul) and flourishing during the early medieval times, the city's glory days were halted by the silting up of the harbour. This has, however, left us with a nicely preserved time capsule. Today, Narbonne is known for its historic old town centre with an underground labyrinth of Roman warehouses and a 13th-century gothic cathedral, as well as its pretty pedestrian promenade. Our total cycling distance today is approximately 45 kilometres/26.6 miles.

Our trip wouldn't be complete without ending up on the shores of the Mediterranean and today's ride will follow the Canal de la Robine almost to the shores. We cycle towards Gruissan, once a pirates' nest, and now a wonderful coastal town - make sure to bring your swimwear if you want to take a dip in the water. After a soak, we'll head back to Narbonne in time to visit the Narbo Via Museum (Roman Museum of Narbonne) or toast to the final night of our tour with an aperitif at one of the many local cafes. The total cycling distance today is approximately 30 to 45 kilometres/18.6 to 26.6 miles.

Our trip ends this morning at Toulouse Blagnac Airport (TLS), where we aim to arrive at 10am. Please note, the earliest your flight can depart is 12pm.