Canal du Midi – ‘Petit’

Time to get truly acquainted with the Canal du Midi by hugging it almost all the way to the ancient commercial harbour of Homps. It’s a day of shady plane trees and cypresses, vineyards and villages. Trèbes, the old Roman crossing of the Aude River for the military road from Carcassonne to Narbonne, is en route and there’s plenty of opportunity to wonder at the magnificent, more modern engineering too. Count the locks and look out for canal ‘architecture’ created between 1666-1680 including the fine Orbiel aqueduct. Your cycle route leaves the canal for the final stretch taking you through some small villages to the south on the way to your overnight in Homps, once an important harbour town on the ‘Canal des Deux Mers’ ( Canal du Midi).

Overnight in Homps

Miles: 29 Kms: 46

Leaving Homps, pedal out alongside the Canal du Midi enjoying the cool shade of the plane trees and pines, chasing boats and barges all the way to Le Somail. Home to a real slice of canal history, this village boasts storehouses, a chapel, humpback bridge and travellers’ rest all dating back to the time of the canal’s construction. A short pedal further and you steer off down another towpath, this time alongside the Canal de la Robine. The historic city of Narbonne awaits for your next overnight and offers a real collection of cultural delights include St Just cathedral, Via Domitia and smart 17th Century houses.

Overnight in Narbonne

Miles: 28 Kms: 45

The final day’s cycling heads out to historic Béziers. First retrace your Canal de la Robine path, then cross the area of dried ponds and open fieldscapes from Sallèles-d’Aude to meet the Canal du Midi at Capestang. Visit the village’s fine college perhaps before pedalling on to characterful Poilhes, then try a short hilly detour if you fancy it, up to the Ensérune Oppidum, one of the region’s most renowned Gallic villages. Prefer to stay on the flat? Just continue along to the canal’s famous Malpas Tunnel carved into solid rock. The final shady stretch to the old town of Béziers includes the impressive series of nine locks known as the Fonserannes staircase lock.

Overnight in Béziers.

Miles: 33 Kms: 53

Leave Béziers after breakfast, or take time to enjoy the Mediterranean flavours of historic town. There are regional trains from Béziers back to Carcassonne if you wish.