The Voies Navigables de France (VNF) manages the Canal du Midi and controls the use of the towpath. It works with local authorities and where it is appropriate makes the path available to the public.
There are stretches of the towpath that are not open to the public and a permit is needed to cycle these stretches. The section from Port Lauragais to Vias requires a permit even though stretches of this are advertised as cycle paths. You also need a permit for the section from Sallèles-d’Aude to Narbonne. Cycling on the towpath from Agde to Marseillan is forbidden.
You may apply for a permit by emailing [email protected], giving the dates that you intend to travel, the number of people cycling and your intended route.
Accommodation
There is a wide range of accommodation available along the canal, ranging from expensive hotels to very basic campsites. Your options include hotels, hostels, chambres d’hôtes (bed and breakfasts), gîtes (holiday homes for rent), camping and chalets in campsites.
Hotels vary from anonymous chains to small family-owned premises. The chain hotels, in major towns or close to the motorway, are relatively cheap and offer clean but basic rooms. You pay extra for breakfast and any other service. Chain hotels such as B&B and Ibis are situated close to the canal in Toulouse. The rooms are usually en suite but some are room only.
Chambre d’hôte in Port Lauragais
The quality of smaller French hotels varies widely and you should check out rooms before you accept them. Cheaper hotels may have very limited facilities, and not all rooms are the same. You may find that the bathroom and toilet are shared by everyone on a corridor. Most rooms have a wash handbasin, while it is possible that you may be offered a room with a shower but without a toilet.
Five-star hotels will charge in excess of €150 a room; chains charge between €35 and €90; smaller hotels may charge less than €60 a room. There is usually a supplement for an additional person.
Chambres d’hôtes are the French equivalent of British bed and breakfasts. Like small French hotels, they vary in price and quality. Usually, the quality is good and some are excellent. Check the rooms in advance. Most chambres d’hôtes offer evening meals and these are usually communal. The standard of catering is generally very good and most use local produce. Charges vary greatly, with some charging over €100 for a night but most charging between €40 and €90 for bed and breakfast, with evening meals costing an extra €15 to €20. Supplements for a second person apply.
Some hotels and chambres d’hôtes offer a special deal for dinner, bed and breakfast known as soirée étape, which is often excellent value.
Gîtes are self-catering and may be a holiday home, wood chalet or an apartment. They are usually booked in advance and for at least a week. On occasions you may be able to hire one for an overnight or a few nights’ stay. You generally have to provide your own towels and sheets although some owners will provide these for cyclists. Gîtes are usually well equipped, and you are expected to clean and tidy fully before you leave.
Camping is a great option and there are campsites close to all the routes described in this guide. The sites vary from very basic – usually municipal – to five-star with swimming pools, restaurants, discothèques and tennis courts. Larger campsites may be noisy during the high season, and most are closed between October and April. Pitches for tents cost between €12 and €30 a night. Some campsites rent chalets or caravans by the night if they are available; these are normally rented by the week from Saturday to Saturday. There are extra charges for more people, dogs, electricity supply and vehicles.
Note that all prices increase during the high season and accommodation becomes more difficult to find. Hotels are open year-round in Toulouse, Villefranche de Lauragais, Castelnaudary, Bram, Carcassonne, Narbonne, Capestang, Béziers, Vias, Agde and Sète.
See Appendix B for a list of accommodation providers on or near the route.
Food and drink
The Canal du Midi passes through land that produces an abundance of fresh food and wine. France is renowned for its cuisine and it finds its best expression in the Languedoc; restaurants and shops promote fresh local produce in season.
You’ll find fresh produce in the countryside beside the canal
Farmers often sell their produce directly; you can buy fruit and vegetables for a very reasonable price. Asparagus comes into season in April, quickly followed by berries such as strawberries and raspberries. Vegetables also come into season early and you can buy new potatoes, courgettes, carrots and aubergines throughout the summer. Fresh, tasty tomatoes are available directly from producers along the route.
Figs are abundant in June and September, and can often be picked from trees growing close to the canal; melons grow in fields near the towpath. Autumn fruits such as grapes, apples and pears also grow close by, while almonds are grown in many places.
The Mediterranean Sea is a great source of fish and seafood and Thau oysters can be bought from outlets in the villages close to the sea. There are fishmongers in the small towns and villages along the route too.
Meat is an important part of French diet, and there are butchers’ shops in all towns and many larger villages. Horsemeat is still eaten in France and you may see signs for viande cheval or chevaline.
The presence of the canal boosted the wine trade in the 19th century. The trade continues, although it is declining in the face of competition from cheaper foreign wines and over-production in the EU. Local wines are excellent and can be bought directly from vineyards passed en route. It would be impossible to list all of the wine-producing regions close to the canal but they include les Corbières, Minerve, Thau, Pinet, La Clape, Fitou and St Chinian. Popular varieties of grape are (reds) Grenache, Syrah, Carignan, Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon; (whites) Sauvignon Blanc, Marsanne, Clairette, Viognier and Muscat. Sweet Muscat is a popular fortified dessert wine.
Restaurants and cafés
There are relatively cheap restaurants and cafés along the canal; those catering for tourists are only open from after Easter to October. There is a wide range of eating opportunities, from pizza outlets to traditional places with starched white tablecloths and formally dressed waiters.
Set meals are the cheapest option in most restaurants and lunches are usually the best value. A set lunch can cost as little as €11 per head and will include a starter, main course and sometimes dessert. Occasionally, a quarter-litre of house wine is included.
Meat and fish dishes are the main specialities. From Toulouse to Castelnaudary restaurants serve cassoulet, which includes pork, local sausages, haricot beans and garlic. La teille Sètoise is an octopus, onion and tomato filling seasoned with herbs and topped with pastry – a recipe that was brought to Sète by Italian fishermen in the late 19th century. Ratatouille is popular in the south of France and is best served at room temperature in summer.
Seafood is plentiful along the coast
Vegetarians are rarely able to benefit from set meals as the main course is usually fish or meat. French restaurants may attempt to serve vegetarians fish or chicken dishes, and some stuffed vegetables may contain
