The canal of Midi on bike

This is a one week, linear route, for initiated cyclists, that runs the 240 km of the Canal du Midi from Toulouse to the pond of Thau, near Sète, already on the Mediterranean coast.

This is one of the major works of the reign of Louis XIV, from the XVII century, that connects the Atlantic Ocean with the Mediterranean Sea. This innovative hydraulic design, conceived and executed by Pierre-Paul Riquet, brought to the Languedoc region its commercial prosperity. Today, dedicated mainly to irrigation and tourism, and declared world heritage in 1996, the Canal du Midi enjoys a reputation around the world.

Along the route we will have chances to enjoy the Festival d'Été of Toulouse, the Festival of Carcassonne, and the Fiest'A of Sète.

Since 1996 the canal du Midi, and since 1997 the Historic Fortified City of Carcassonne, are World Heritage Sites.

The City of Carcassonne and the Canal du Midi - Béziers are part of the Network of Major Sites of France.

This route runs through Pond of Bagnas, a site classified as SCI (Site of Community Importance); and also Est and south of Beziers, and Pond of Thau and lido from Sète to Agde, are areas protected as IBA (Important Bird Area) in the Natura 2000 network.