We are considering cycling from Bordeaux to the Mediterranean along the Midi Canal and the Lateral Canal du Garonne. I haven%26#39;t been able to find any resources to help see if this is feasible.
I have cycled a short distance of the canal near Agen, and it was fine, but not sure if that%26#39;s true all the way along.
So looking for info on books,maps etc, anyone who%26#39;s done it with hints, best time of year (we are thinking late May), bike hire versus bike purchase, etc.
I have found one book in French which I can probably just stagger through, but something in English would be better.
thanks
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When the Canal du Midi was dug in the 17th century, the only way to move boats through it was to tow them with mules or horses. Of course the animals needed clear pathways along side the canals. These same pathways are still there and now used by service personnel to maintain and service the canal. They are also available for bikers.
May should be a good time of year for travelling. There are biking tours such as this one:
http://www.detours-in-france.com/
but there%26#39;s really nothing to planning and executing a trip of this type yourself. I do remembering seeing a book about biking along the Canal du Midi (I think it was in English) but I should think the best resource would be a canal guide. The guides are written for boaters but clearly show where the paths are and the distances involved. Here are a couple of resources:
sailingbooks.co.uk/trolleyed/…index.htm
fluvialnet.com/fluviacarte-navicarte-canaux-…
The only other resource that you might need is a book on Chambres d%26#39;hotes. There are a good number of these:
http://www.fleursdesoleil.fr/
http://www.gites-de-france.fr/
This is a good resource for information about the region:
http://www.the-languedoc-page.com/
Knowing the time it might take and the cost of bike rentals, it may be cheaper to purchase bikes or possibly travel with your own.
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Thanks very much Dallas - will have a look at all this stuff.
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