are bike repair shops in the main centres along the route (see Appendix C); these will repair bikes and sell the supplies that you may need.
What to take
Those preparing for a cycle tour should follow the golden rule of packing: lay out everything you want to take and leave half behind.
Obviously, the season will determine what clothes you take. Prepare for cold wet weather in winter: thermal undershirts and socks are worthwhile and cycling gloves are essential. Warm cycling jackets and long cycling trousers are also necessary, as are lightweight breathable waterproof tops and leggings.
Light, cool clothes will be required in summer, but bring compact waterproofs in case of poor weather. Expect it to be hot. Light cycling tops and shorts are essential; these should be easy to wash and dry as they’ll become very dusty quickly. Shorts should cover your thighs even on the upstroke when pedalling to avoid the risk of sunburn. Cycling shorts with a chamois leather pad are very useful; wash daily to avoid saddle sores. You should also consider bringing a tub of Sudocrem to help prevent saddle sores and treat them should you suffer from them. This is not generally available in France.
Sunglasses are useful throughout the year, but essential in summer. Buy pairs with removable lenses and replace the darkened glass with lowlight lenses in the evening as a protection against insects and dust. Bring a sunhat for those times when you’re not cycling and not wearing your helmet. You’ll need sun cream; anti-mosquito cream and lotion for treating bites; a small first aid kit with bandages, scissors, tweezers, (for thorns or splinters) and antiseptic cream; and a supply of any medication you take regularly.
What bags to use
A handlebar bag is very useful for holding valuables such as a camera, mobile phone etc. Bags with a clear plastic map holder on top are particularly handy.
Use panniers to carry your personal effects; avoid taking a heavy rucksack if you plan to cycle for several days as it can chafe your shoulders and back. Rear panniers will hold most of your possessions and are available in a range of shapes and sizes. You can buy high-quality back panniers that are waterproof and easy to secure. Saddlebag-style panniers (three bags joined together) are another alternative; one bag sits on the pannier and the other two on either side.
Make sure that the bags don’t impede your pedalling. Use panniers you can adjust to allow your feet free movement. The route is dusty, and some cyclists use plastic covers to protect their panniers.
A single-wheeled trailer
Those wanting to carry a lot of gear should consider a bike trailer. These hold more but are harder to manoeuvre. The towpath is narrow in places and a single-wheeled trailer is the best option should you choose to use one.
Some bike rental shops also hire out both panniers and trailers.
Cycling the towpath
Remember that the path you use is a towpath and was created for horses pulling barges to walk upon. Parts have been developed and are tarmacadamed; others are clay and relatively easy to cycle; some are rutted and have roots protruding; and some are narrow with just enough room to cycle.
Some stretches are hard to cycle
The following stretches of the towpath are harder to cycle:
the 6km from Port Lauragais towards Castelnaudary
from Bram to Carcassonne
from Pigasse for 3km towards Capestang
from Portiragnes Plage bridge to Vias
the section from Agde to Marseillan – and it is prohibited to cycle on this stretch.
All of these stretches, with the exception of Agde to Marseillan, may be cycled with care. I’ve cycled the entire route many times and towed a single-wheeled trailer over all of it bar the Agde stretch.
Some people who are unused to off-road cycling may find it challenging but it is perfectly doable. The 10-year-olds from the local primary school near my home cycle it every year. I’ve met many parents cycling with their children in tow in trailers and encounter cyclists aged from eight to 80.
The shift from vines to cereal crops has resulted in much larger agricultural vehicles using parts of the towpath. These can dig up the path in wet weather and leave large ruts and craters.
The good news is that the route is being developed as part of the cycle route V80, which will run from Bordeaux to Sète. This is a long-term project but there should be gradual improvement over the coming decade.
SHADE AND THE PLANE TREES
Dead plane trees
The canal is lined with plane trees, which provide welcome shade in the summer heat. Unfortunately, these trees are being attacked by an aggressive fungal pathogen, ceratocystis platani (canker stain of plane or chancre coloré) which is spreading along the canal, killing the trees as it goes. The fungus was carried to France in wood used to make munitions boxes in the US for the allied troops in Europe during WWII. It was first identified in Marseille in 1945 and appeared on the canal near Carcassonne in 2006. It has spread rapidly since. The canal company has been forced to fell more and more infected trees. Once infected, a tree dies within three to five years and then poses a safety risk. The company sees little chance of saving any of the 42,000 plane trees that shade the canal’s towpath.
The trees are felled between October and March each year. The path adjacent to the felling is closed during this period and diversions are usually signposted. Cyclists should not enter the cordoned-off areas during these works. The works bring heavy machinery onto the towpaths and these can cause further damage to the surface. Disease-resistant plane trees and other species are being planted after the diseased ones are removed, but it will take decades before they provide proper shade.
The felling is occurring along the length of the canal and it is impossible to predict which stages of the cycle will have good shade. Cyclists should assume that there will be stretches where there will be very little shade. The first edition of this guide indicated the shade level on each stage; it is not possible to do this in the current edition.
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