fietsgids Cycling the Canal du Midi

Deel uit een serie Engelstalige gidsen in handig vestzakformaat. Bevat gedetailleerde routebeschrijvingen, veel praktische (verblijfs-)informatie voor onderweg en leuke tips en wetenswaardigheden. Begeleidende kaartjes zijn aan de summiere kant, maar voldoende.

Guide to cycling the Canal du Midi in southern France, 240km from Toulouse in the Haute Garonne to Sete on the Mediterranean Coast. The flat, picturesque route is divided into five stages, each around 50km long. Includes detours to sights close to the canal as well as longer excursions, including Narbonne, Minerve, Carcassone and Beziers.

Seasons
Suitable all year round. Busier and hot in summer, but with lots going on; ideal temperatures but higher average rainfall in spring and autumn; quietest in winter, but with Christmas markets and fairs.

Centres
Toulouse, Carcassone, Beziers, Sète

Difficulty
Suitable for all abilities - flat and car-free along the canal with optional slightly hillier excursions by road if desired. Described in five stages to fit within a week's holiday.

Must See
Historic towns and cities: Ancient Greek Agde, Roman Narbonne, Toulouse, the 'Rose City', Carcassonne's 12th-century fortified Cité. Real French culture of La France Profonde, including myriad local festivals. Varied countryside with a wide range of animals and plants.