Canal du Midi

From Toulouse to the Mediterranean sea, a 240 km ride on a towing path along a winding canal built between 1669 and 1681.

The « Canal du Midi » is Europe oldest canal still in activity. Its main goal was to enable cargo to cross France by boat from the Mediterranean sea to the Atlantic ocean, thus avoiding to sail around Spain and Portugal. It has now become a peaceful place for tourists, run either by bicycle or by leisure boat. Today’s sportsmen ride their bicycles along the towing paths formerly used by horses and men to tow the cargo boats.

This canal has been included into the UNESCO « world heritage » list in 1996.

In autumn

In summer

Now, the TRIP!

The departure, after Toulouse, is too easy. A small tar road, the sun shines, the wind is pushing our backs!

Loaded like a mule!

Who said riding a bike is tiring?

The plane tree falling leaves make a colored carpet

Isn’t it romantic?

A few hours later, getting tired!

It’s a never ending canal…

Horror, water has vanished!

First lap at Castelnaudary

So much vines reminds me of a sweet hot cup of wine…

The best time: tea break!

Looking shy in front of the camera…

Is the canal going up or down?

When is this gate going to open?

There’s a time when pedaling is… a dream!

That’s really too cold at 7 AM, even in icy Carcassonne

Where are we supposed to go?

Looking for mushrooms…

If we don’t go back home right away, I’ll prick a whim!

Where’s my bike?

I will never tell my friends there was no water in the canal, who would believe me?

Why shouldn’t we stop and buy a nice boat?

At the end of the road… sorry of the canal: the reward!

Now let me tell you a confidence, I can’t sit any more…