Biking (MTB) along the Canal between the Two Seas (France) (page 6 of 16)

Hi, If I understand correctly, you want to follow the lateral canal along the Garonne and then the Canal du Midi. You're in for a treat! Wild camping is totally possible all along the canal. I’ve just never had the courage to bring a tent myself.

I just got back from my first group trip—it was also my first activist hike and my first bike-camping adventure, and it all took place in the Lot Valley: http://toulousevelo.le-pic.org/velotroute2011/ Soon, this site will have photos from the trip, videos, and my poems. France 3 will air a 5-minute report on it at 1 PM in August.

Have a great vacation!

Absolutely, I'm planning to leave from Nantes to reach the coast and then head inland along the canals of the Garonne and the Midi to see the "little sea"! Your reply reassures me and confirms my travel plans—I’ll probably be hanging out by the canals this summer!

Safe travels, and don’t hesitate to share the date of your report when you know it!

Broadcast of the activist cycling documentary "Vélorote" in the Lot Valley: As agreed, I’m sharing the scheduled air date for the documentary we filmed with you in Estaing and Espalion. Barring any breaking news, it’s set to air on Tuesday, August 2nd at 7 PM. Please pass this along to anyone else who might be interested. Have a great summer!

Christine VINCENT-VALDENAIRE Journalist, Writer, Reporter France3 SUD

http://www.pluzz.fr/...011-08-02-19h00.html Only available for one week.

Permanent site for the Lot Valley bike route: https://velotroute.le-pic.org/ Select the "2011 hike" tab. You can read the poems I wrote to thank the organizers: Julien Savary, Jean-Louis Charpenteau, Nicole and Michel Sicard, Gérard Roou... by clicking on Gilles' poems.

Video made by a cyclist: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDF56fE51vc&feature=channel_video_title

Ever since I discovered the *rigole de la plaine* (see my travel journal, page 1, March 2007), which supplies water to the Canal du Midi from Lake Saint-Ferréol: http://www.tourisme-revel.com/...ne/saint-ferreol.php and became fascinated by Pierre-Paul Riquet’s work, I’d dreamed of taking my family on this idyllic GR trail. But it’s 140 km from our home (a distance I’ve covered in a single day against a headwind!). It took our nephew’s visit for my wife, son, and I to finally make the trip—doing what I consider heresy: driving 280 km just to go for a bike ride (same as driving to the sea or mountains for a day).

Of course, I have roof racks with a mount and a bike rack on the tow hitch, and we’ve gone on vacations with all five of our bikes (we have three kids). But I don’t remember ever using the car just to go biking. I always ride from home or our vacation spot, or take the train. Transporting four bikes on the car requires a lot of prep. For the first time, I chose a trailer (since it’s small, it’s tricky) to avoid hurting aerodynamics and increasing fuel consumption. The only upside is that it lets our son log extra hours for his learner’s permit.

We reach the Seuil de Naurouze, right by the Canal du Midi. Here, the water hesitates between flowing east to the Mediterranean or west to the Atlantic: http://www.canaldumidi.com/...Partage-des-Eaux.php The diagram at the bottom of the page clearly shows the 40 km of the *rigole de la Plaine* and the Saint-Ferréol basin (6). We park behind two vehicles belonging to hikers near where the GR 653 crosses the D6113 (the old N113).

The dirt path along the *rigole* is lovely, shaded by trees—plane trees, pines, and oaks. But you’ll need a mountain bike (MTB) or hybrid due to roots, grass, and some rocks. After covering 18 km in 1.5 hours, we reach Étang de Lenclas, where we have lunch under the heather: http://www.relaislenclas.com/.

It’s tough to get going again after a big meal, especially as the temperature rises and my wife is already sore. But since we’ve just left the Aude for Haute-Garonne, the trail turns into a pleasant packed-dirt path. We still have 17 km to go, and I tell my wife she’ll love it. But her legs are hurting too. The *rigole* leads us to Revel. To keep cyclists off the busy road climbing to the lake, the *Conseil Général* built a bike-only route. It’s paved or concrete with grooves because it’s steep—up to 18%. We have to push our bikes. My three companions start worrying about not seeing the Saint-Ferréol basin and the return trip. We meet a family of campers with four young kids who also ate at Lenclas. They’re all struggling in the sun. The youngest is ahead alone since he’s not carrying anything, while the parents with trailers have to stop to help the others push their bikes. We can’t give up when we’re only carrying ourselves, so we make it to the lake, where a swim is a welcome relief among the many Toulousains and tourists.

After 5 p.m., we start the descent, and our brakes are working hard. Then we’re back on the *rigole*. The boys, always ahead, have to wait longer at each stop because my wife is exhausted. It’s her first time covering 70 km by bike, and on a dirt trail at that. The boys start packing up the bikes since I’d asked my son to do it and given him the car key. I drive us home, arriving at 11 p.m. He recovers in the backseat to start his summer job from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m.

A fantastic ride—best if you’re somewhat trained, but doable for kids since there are no cars on the entire route.

Not only has Gironde made numerous improvements for cycling, but its General Council also responds to emails—unlike others that don’t even reply to letters.

Mr. President of the Gironde General Council, I’ve crossed your large and beautiful department by bike several times, and I’d like to congratulate you again on your superb cycling network. During my last bike trip, returning from Brittany: http://voyageforum.com/...post=4296452#4296452 I was surprised not to find your cycling trails guide: http://www.voiesvertes.com/...les_gironde_2008.pdf at the Soulac tourist office. It was at the Montalivet office that I got a brochure covering only the local trail, and I learned that it had deliberately not been reprinted to save money. I think this is a strategic mistake because it’s hard to navigate your trails without this precious guide. Although the routes are signposted, the directions are sometimes unclear, and when two trails intersect, it’s easy to take the wrong one without a map. This guide also has the advantage of inspiring people to explore your department by bike. If a tourist comes across it, they might want to return with their bike to enjoy your network. It can attract many foreigners—others have understood this well. For example, Brittany distributes this beautiful guide without ads: http://fr.calameo.com/...00001315a4af9c366225 If it were necessary to charge one euro for it, that would be a small price to pay—the important thing is that it’s available to the public.

Additionally, I took the Royan ferry, and I was able to check the schedules online before leaving La Tremblade. When I saw it offshore, I realized I’d missed it. Looking at the sign at the boarding point, I finally understood that I’d read the schedule backward. I asked the employee while paying for my passage and learned that 50% of people make the same mistake. With such a low success rate, the issue seems to be with the message rather than its comprehension. Why not display "departure from Royan or Le Verdon" instead of "departure Royan, Le Verdon"? Do you measure the consequences of such ambiguity? For example, someone might rush to catch the ferry they think is about to leave and have an accident because they thought they were well ahead of schedule. I hope it will be possible to improve the readability of the schedules. This would help a great many users.

Looking forward to your response, please accept my respectful regards.

Hello Sir,

We have taken note of your comments. You can find our brochures in digital format on the website www.tourisme-gironde.fr; not all are available yet, but it won’t be long. We have also noted your remarks about the ferry schedules—feel free to contact me if you need more information.

Best regards, Lydie Bordes Tourism Project Manager Tourism Department Environment and Tourism Directorate 05 56 99 33 33 - extension 5643

However, no response to my request for clarification: Thank you for your quick reply. Bravo for these cycling travel journals: http://fr.calameo.com/read/0002587130204c3712921 I see you’ve used the same provider as Brittany. Oddly, on my screen, the accents only work on every other page. You didn’t tell me if this brochure will be available at tourist offices. Regarding the ferry schedules, is the problem known? Is any action being taken?

It took 7 months and a follow-up email to get a response to this letter addressed to the General Council of Seine-Maritime:

To the President of the General Council of Seine-Maritime Subject: Cycle paths and greenways

I use my bicycle every day of the year to get from home to work. I don’t deserve much credit for it since the trip is only 6 km in pleasant riding conditions.

I also go on vacation by bike. To inspire others and show how easy it is to travel hundreds of kilometers, I’ve documented my various trips on VoyageForum:

http://voyageforum.com/v.f?post=1000920#1000920

I’ve traveled along the Canal Latéral à la Garonne and the Canal du Midi several times. I know how different it is to ride a loaded bike (30 kg) on a dirt towpath with stones and roots compared to a paved path. That’s why I want to congratulate your department for its contribution to the superb Voie Verte du Pays de Bray, which lets you discover the Norman countryside in a beautiful green setting without being exposed to cars:

http://voyageforum.com/v.f?post=3953723#3953723

I took it a step further by going on a business trip by bike. I wouldn’t have considered it without such infrastructure: http://voyageforum.com/v.f?post=2799841#2799841

I’m very interested in the Avenue Verte project, which will allow cycling from Paris to London. While the 2012 Games should have spurred progress, it seems nothing’s moving. Could you tell me the status of this project? Looking forward to your response and hoping you’ll continue supporting sustainable transportation, please accept my respectful regards.

Here’s the reply: https://docs.google.com/leaf?id=0B5Wo-jFYctQfOGJjMjJmMTMtNGYzYi00YWM2LTk0NzAtNmYxNTU4MWY2MWY4&hl=en_US

As I suspected, it’s a no-go for the Olympics. I’m even skeptical about the temporary route. But there’s hope for the future—at least on the Seine-Maritime side.

Hello Facteur4!

Since you're a passionate enthusiast of the Canal du Midi...

I wanted to share my concern and sadness upon learning that the 42,000 plane trees along the Canal du Midi are going to be cut down in the future!! This isn’t a joke, unfortunately... it’s official! And it’s due to the damage caused by an insect...!

The felling has already begun..🙁 ...and even though it will take months... maybe even years... the outcome is fatal for these plane trees that give all the charm to this beautiful canal!

I’d like to raise awareness about this issue and ask you, my dear friend... your point of view.

Best regards!

julio MOTA

Hello, Indeed, the disappearance of the plane trees along the Canal du Midi is a disaster. They wrap the waterway in a lush green canopy, enhancing its path and making it easy to spot from land or sky. But their role isn’t just aesthetic—they don’t just provide shade for visitors. They stabilize the banks’ soil and reduce water evaporation by casting shade between the two shores. Even more impressively, their non-decaying leaves lining the bottom ensure underground waterproofing. Their importance can’t be overstated. Without them, keeping the canal continuously supplied with water will require much more of it. There’s a discussion on this topic here: http://voyageforum.com/...%20canal%20du%20midi; Here’s some info from Voies Navigables de France’s website: http://www.sn-sud-ouest.developpement-durable.gouv.fr/...e-contre-l-a432.html Including an informational brochure for local officials. It’s not an insect but a fungus. We often forget that on our planet, there’s the animal kingdom, the plant kingdom, and fungi. Their role in the ecosystem is huge—for example, in how plants absorb nutrients from the soil. (That’s why you should never plow too deeply, to avoid disrupting their activity.) Unfortunately, in this case, the activity of *Ceratocystis platani*, which causes canker stain, is devastating. Introduced by our American allies in 1945, it took hold in France. But it was the internet that recently spread it along the Canal du Midi. No, not a computer virus—when digging a trench to bury fiber-optic cables along the waterway, infected roots were cut, and the tools spread the fungus...

Thanks for your interest.

Seine-Maritime wins the top prize for European Greenways for its role in creating the Avenue Verte Paris-London, which I’ve mentioned here: http://voyageforum.com/v.f?post=3953723#3953723 and here: http://voyageforum.com/v.f?post=4579775#4579775

Hopefully, this will lead to the completion of the entire route. And since Greenways create jobs, we can already dream of other projects—like a tour of Luxembourg or even Australia: http://www.aevv-egwa.org/SiteResources/data/MediaArchive/Newsletters/info13_nov2011/Info_egwa_n13_112011_fr.pdf

With the arrival of spring, here’s an invitation to get the bikes out with your sweetheart:

I’ll soon take My love to the water’s edge By the Garonne Canal Where romance purrs To the rhythm of bikes.

Intoxicated by the scents of blooming flowers And all the colors nature flaunts Near the lush plane trees And their soothing reflection We’ll savor the moment.

The midday sun Whose reflection smiles Whetting our appetite I’ll invite my muse To the lock keeper’s house.

At the friendly restaurant La Poule à Vélo Eating by the water We’ll return often To spend sweet moments.

Hi Facteur4!

Lovely poem to celebrate spring! As for me... it's happening! I'm going to ride the Canal du Midi by MTB, all 240 km of it, for the first time... 🙂 Between April 21st and April 27th. Maybe we'll cross paths?!

Happy trails!

JUlio Mota

Just to "bump" this topic I find really interesting... It's a shame to "let all this info sleep"... Especially when you're planning this adventure...

Thanks Aesper, I actually spent many hours writing up all the accounts of my trips along the canal between the Two Seas to showcase all its advantages. My goal was to convince people that this kind of trip is accessible to everyone. I didn’t choose to put them in the "Travel Journals, travelers' texts" section where they’d just sit unnoticed. It was VoyageForum that moved them out of the "Cycling Travel" section where they’d be much more useful. I’m tempted to start a new thread just to add a link to all this info—which, as you mentioned, is helpful for anyone wanting to enjoy the charm of the Canal du Midi and the Canal de Garonne, whether by reading, walking, or cycling. But I don’t want to overload this great forum.

I set off at 9 AM from home and after 2 km, I reach the lateral canal of the Garonne. Near the port of Valence d’Agen, at the old municipal slaughterhouse, the rest stop welcomes hikers, cyclists, and camper vans from March to October. See photos here: http://voyageforum.com/...post=4229381#4229381 A year after opening, it’s still in great condition. I plan to head to Montauban by following the lateral canal of the Garonne to Montech, then the eponymous canal that allows boats to reach the prefecture of Tarn-et-Garonne. (see first photo below) More history here: http://voyageforum.com/...post=1919131#1919131

By 11 AM, after 20 km, I arrive in Moissac, where I buy almond croquants at the market and enjoy them by the Tarn. In 30 minutes, I reach the Yves Cousteau port in Castelsarrasin, where boat maintenance is still ongoing. After a long period of inactivity that saw the canal freeze this winter, pleasure boating reopens at the end of March. After admiring the water slope at 44 km, I arrive in Montech with its charming little port. It’s already 12:15 PM, and luckily, I don’t plan to have lunch at the *Eclusier* restaurant, which is waiting for a new owner.

I take the fork toward Montauban. Unlike the Garonne canal, the 11 km of the towpath here have remained unpaved. The banks are badly damaged by the combined effects of boat waves and coypus. Ongoing work with sheet piles (later cut to level) between water and land gives hope for new developments. But despite the short length of the Montech canal, the surface varies greatly depending on the work sections. Here, large stones after a bridge renovation; there, rubble after bank alignment with wood; or even pebbles mixed with dirt. Smooth, bike-friendly dirt sections are rare, though fine gravel ensures good riding near Montauban.

There’s always something happening on the canal. Almost every 10 km, there’s an interesting town to visit and a port (which makes sense on a waterway), except by boat, it would’ve taken me much longer to see as much. After the port of Montauban (55 km), the water from the Montech canal rushes under the railway and road, and through two locks, allows boaters to descend into the Tarn. I can follow it by taking a staircase that leads to the rowing club.

It’s already 1:30 PM, and I won’t go any farther. Feeling bold, I join the only couple dining on the sun-drenched terrace. The other customers at the nautical club’s restaurant preferred the shade inside. They really should put out the umbrellas (but next week, it might freeze again). The nautical club’s salad is delicious and will be enough for me to hit the road again under the midday sun after refilling my water bottle with fresh water kindly offered by the restaurateur.

Luckily, my panniers aren’t too heavy to climb the lock staircase. A man tells me the other tunnel would’ve been more practical (the one I took in 2008). He adds it’ll take me 1 hour to return to Valence. I say more like 4. He’s already covered the 11 km of the connecting canal by MTB in 20 minutes. That’s an average of 33 km/h, I tell him. My max recorded by the counter this morning was 31.6 (probably a downhill). I add that I went to the market and took photos. He then reached Toulouse in 1 hour! Actually, he’s a fisheries warden. With his binoculars, he observes and fines offenders. I think to myself that on foot, he won’t see many.

It takes me 1 hour to cover those cursed 11 km, walking sometimes due to digestion and a sore backside. For the 44 km between Montech and Valence d’Agen, I’ll have a headwind and will only arrive painfully at 7 PM—5 hours for the return (4 hours on the way out, sightseeing included). Total: 110 km in 10 hours.

As I approach Valence, I cross paths with a cyclist on the path. He invites me to stop, but his pace isn’t very inviting. He tells me I can take a shower at the old slaughterhouse and sleep there. I thank him, but the rest stop closes at 6:30 PM in spring, and it’s not an overnight stop. I wonder where he’s headed with his undersized bike and basic gear.

That’s how a Saturday could’ve turned into a pleasant day of port-hopping if the northwest wind hadn’t picked up. It’s a regular in the Garonne Valley, which it sweeps through.

Hi Facteur4!

I was reading your travel journals and saw that you have waterproof VAUDE panniers... I'm interested because I'd like to buy some too! What's the capacity of yours? Are they 2x20 liters at the back? I was thinking of getting 2x12.5 liters for riding along the Canal du Midi.

Thanks for your reply! J.MOta

Hi Juju83, Yes, I think they hold 2 x 24 L. I’m happy with these panniers. But even though I’ve ridden several thousand kilometers with them, I’ve never really had the chance to test them in heavy rain. That might change soon, though. I have to leave on Wednesday with my son to do Valence d'Agen to Cap d'Agde in 3 x 100 km, and the forecast calls for rain. For this trip, I just bought the matching VAUDE handlebar bag. It’s tricky to outfit my son’s full-suspension MTB for touring... Besides a mini rack attached to the seatpost and a handlebar bag.

PS: I assume you accidentally copied a large part of one of my travel journal entries. Could you delete it? No need to waste digital space (it’s not virtual).

Actually, my son didn’t want to go because of the rain (too bad—it seemed moderate and the wind was favorable). A week of prep for nothing, and I spent Tuesday afternoon putting on fenders to keep him from getting splashed. This morning, no rain, so we just did a short 22 km ride in the area. Juju83, I hope you have better luck with your hike along the Canal du Midi.

Good evening Facteur4!

Oh, it's too bad your ride didn't work out😐... It's true that this April has been pretty gloomy, with rain often showing up... I need to travel from Toulouse to Agde between Monday the 23rd and Friday the 27th, averaging at least 60 km per day. (Total of 4 days: 240 km) Like you said, I hope I'll escape the rain!

I'm currently fixing up a second-hand hybrid bike I bought—still not done. (Installing fenders, a rear rack, lights, a speedometer, etc...) With two new waterproof ORTLIEB panniers, 12.5 liters each, on the back... I think it's a good long-term investment in the end. 😉

Best regards, Juju83

Hi Juju83,

You haven’t answered my previous question about the unintentional repetition. Since we didn’t have bikes, my wife, son, and I drove to Cap d’Agde, picking up our daughter in Toulouse along the way. They were supposed to join us there if we’d finished our cycling route along the towpath. The four of us were able to walk it from Agde to the Bagnas nature reserve. (See photos below.) As you mentioned in your post: http://voyageforum.com/...post=4640086#4640086 there are a lot of trees marked like in your photo, and you can find the locations and dates for the felling of the 40,000 plane trees here: http://www.vnf.fr/canaldumidi/chiffres-cles.php The state will only cover a third of the 200 million € needed for replanting, leaving the rest to the regions with a call for sponsorship...

I hope you’ll make it to Agde to see that the round lock isn’t round anymore since it was enlarged (the change in materials is visible on the far right of my photo) to meet the Freycinet gauge: http://www.canaldumidi.com/...gde/Ecluse-ronde.php Its original shape was due to the fact that it allowed boats to continue their journey toward Sète by taking the Hérault or to head down the Canalet to reach the Mediterranean via the Hérault’s *grau* (canalized estuary).

The last lock before the Thau lagoon, the one at Bagnas, wasn’t spared from the necessary chainsaw work on the plane trees doomed by the fungus. But the Canal du Midi isn’t safe from other, even more voracious predators. The state, through VNF, is gradually abandoning the canal’s maintenance, letting it silt up. Especially since the passage of heavy commercial barges, which used to scrape the bottom and push sediment to the sides, stabilizing the banks, no longer happens. We could slowly see the canal dry up, despite the immense water reserve of the Montagne Noire, which VEOLIA is eyeing greedily. It’s time to put an end to the UMP’s shady dealings (for example, giving a huge chunk of TV advertising revenue to private channels by banning ads after 8:30 PM on public channels). As Stéphane Hessel urges us, let’s get indignant and resist. Our heritage isn’t merchandise! A new wind, imbued with Equality, Fraternity, and the Public Good, must flow through France’s canals.