Backroad cycling France

A superb itinerary on green lanes and cycle tracks along the beautiful Canal de la GaronneRef CN48

The Canal de la Garonne may well be the little brother of the famous « Canal du Midi », but it is no less impressive! Mostly off-road, the route makes the most of a great network of cycle paths and green lanes, where the waters of the canal set the pace of the riding. A great opportunity to taste the pleasures of riding under your own steam from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea! No noise, no cars, no stress… just a gentle progression from lock to lock. We discover the incredible expertise and know-how deployed in order to create this gigantic hydraulic machine that spans from coast to coast. Our bikes offer us the freedom to take a few detours along the way in order to visit the Abbaye de la Sauve-Majeure (a UNESCO heritage site), follow the medieval ramparts of Pommier and admire the half-timber houses of Damazan… But also to visit the historical town centres of Agen, Marmande, Moissac and Montauban.
A great route from Bordeaux to Toulouse which is sure to win you over with its charming mix of town and countryside!

Self-guided tour: from 825€ - Details Duration : 7 days | Level : Customer satisfaction :
- 6 reviews
+33 458 140 435 A dedicated team of travel specialists is available to offer you expert advice Monday to Friday from 9 to 12:30 AM and 13:30 to 6 PM (French time) on the phone, or by email.
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This tour is E-bike compatible

Highlights

  • A largely traffic free itinerary, mostly on green lanes and cycle tracks.
  • With very few hills along the route, the kilometres fly by with ease...
  • A great mix between leisurely cycling and the discovery of historical towns and villages.

Description

Comments

Detailed itinerary

Day 1: Bordeaux

Arrival in Bordeaux. Free evening and extra night in our partner hotel.

Day 2: Bordeaux - Courpiac

With your tyres pumped up, saddle adjusted, and road book in hand, you're ready to set off on this great canal-side trip. The tour begins with a discovery of Bordeaux city centre, the Saint Michel basilica and the Port de la Lune, a Unesco World Heritage site. Did you know that Bordeaux is the French city with the highest number of listed buildings after Paris? Well worth a visit before heading off along the majestic waters of the Garonne river. You pick up the Roger Lapébie cycle track which you follow for the first two days as it makes its way through the Bordeaux countryside before joining the Canal Latéral de la Garonne. A few detours along the way offer the opportunity to discover the sumptuous Abbaye de La Sauve and the dolmens of Peyrelevade. A few more pedal strokes lead you to your accommodation in Courpiac.

Distance covered: approx. 45 km; altitude gain: approx. 300 m
Option 1 (discovery of Bordeaux): + 10 km
Option 2 (Dolmens): + 5 km

Day 3: Courpiac - Marmande

The day begins by following the Roger Lapébie cycle track. Along the way there's an opportunity to stop and admire the Loubens mill. This remarkable building is right next to the cycle track, and offers the perfect opportunity for a well-deserved break. The second stop we suggest is at the 12th century Château Lavison. The chateau's owners are viticulturists, producing Bordeaux wine of course! You then reach the small town of La Réole, from where you join the banks of the Canal Latéral de la Garonne, which will lead you all the way to Toulouse. If the weather is warm enough there's an opportunity for a welcome dip in the lake at Fontet!

Distance covered: approx. 50 km; altitude gain: approx. 300 m
Option 1 (Castrum de Pommier): + 10 km

Day 4: Marmande - Agen

Today's route is entirely along the Canal Latéral de la Garonne. The kilometres pass with relative ease, helped by the succession of beautiful landscapes along the way. The plane trees along the canal offer a welcome shade from the sun and the opportunity to stop and admire the boats as they make their way through the locks. A great opportunity for a chat with the boat crews! Don't miss the Saint Vincent church at the Mas d'Agenais: there's a Rembrandt on display there! For those with the energy, an extra loop offers the chance to walk in Henry IV's footsteps and admire a mill and château that once belonged to him. Both buildings are superbly well preserved. The route takes you on to your overnight stop in Agen. The town centre is particularly charming and is well worth taking the time for an extended visit.

Distance covered: approx. 65 km; altitude gain: negligible
Option 1 (Henry IV): approx. 25 km; altitude gain: approx. 300 m

Day 5: Agen - Moissac

Agen is famous for its dried prunes, and the town offers plenty of opportunities to stock up before heading off on the day's route. They're delicious, and great cycling food to boot! You gradually leave the urban landscape of Agen behind you, until the canal joins the Garonne River for a short time. After having admired Agen's “pont-canal” (aqueduct) the previous day, the sight of the two waterways is a reminder of the aqueduct's utility, and veritable economic tool for the area, as Louis XIV intended. Two additional loops are on offer today: the first takes a detour via several high points, offering views of the surrounding countryside, whilst the second offers the chance to discover the beautiful village of Auvillar, classified as one of the most beautiful villages in France. The day's route finishes in Moissac whose Romanesque abbey is well worth a visit.

Distance covered: approx. 45 km; altitude gain: negligible
Option 1 (Auvillar): + 10 km
Option 2 (surrounding countryside): + 15 km

Day 6: Moissac - Grenade

You begin the day by crossing the Tarn river by way of the superb Cacor canal bridge. A fair amount of the tour is now behind you as you enter the department of the Tarn et Garonne. The French accents have changed and the ocean seems a million miles away! You follow the canal to Castelsarrasin, starting point of a loop on quiet back roads that leads to the Abbaye de Belleperche and its tableware museum. A little further on, take the time to admire the Montech water slope in operation, an innovative and unique installation that replaces the equivalent of 5 locks! We then invite you to ride an out and back route along the banks of the Montech canal in order to discover the town of Montauban, that holds the French "art et histoire" certification. The day's route finishes by joining Grenade, your overnight stop.

Distance covered: approx. 50 km; altitude gain: negligible
Option 1 (Abbaye de Belleperche and museum): + 10 km
Option 2 (Montech canal): + 30 km

Day 7: Grenade - Toulouse

Before beginning this last stage of the tour there's an opportunity of riding a loop in order to discover the remarkable gardens of Larra and the labyrinth of the Château de Mélville (largest boxwood labyrinth in Europe). Once back at the Canal Latéral de la Garonne, your route takes you past several locks and the landscape becomes progressively more urban as you approach Toulouse, the "pink city". Take the time to visit the many sights of this wonderful city: from the Saint Sernin basilica to the Jacobin convent and many others, the city is home to an impressive quantity of fine architectural and heritage sites. It is possible to return to Bordeaux by train.

Distance covered: approx. 40 km (including 10 km visit of Toulouse); altitude gain: negligible
Option 1 (Château de Larra and Mélville labyrinth): + 25 km
Option 2 (Mélville labyrinth, out and back): + 15 km

Itinerary end: France Bike Trips services end in Toulouse with your baggage collection close to the SNCF railway station at 5pm. On request we can book the following night's accommodation for you in Toulouse.

Return to Bordeaux: A regular train service operates between Toulouse and Bordeaux. The journey time is approximately 2h30 and most trains accept bicycles. Please check and book with the SNCF before departure.

Distances and altitude gain are an indication only and may vary.

Dates

This tour is available from April to Mid-November on the dates of your choice. Please note that daily baggage transfers are pricier in the low season.

Costs and services self-guided tour

Price per person: 

The price includes:
  • 6 nights in guest houses and 2*/ 3* hotels in double rooms (DR) with en-suite facilities
  • 6 breakfasts
  • 1 dinner (day 2)
  • Daily baggage transfers (only 1 baggage item per person for this tour, max 20kg)
  • A carefully designed itinerary
  • Our navigation app for smartphones, a detailed road book including maps (digital format) and GPS tracks
Reductions for children:

France Bike Trips offers reductions for children aged 12 or under (applicable only if children share same rooms as parents). Please contact us for more details.

What is not included:
  • Lunch and not mentioned dinners
  • International flights
  • Your transfer to the meeting place (see paragraph below)
  • All services mentioned in extensions
  • Insurance, assistance
  • Drinks at the accommodation
  • Any additional baggage
  • Visits to museums, monuments and sites not covered by the programme
  • Additional travel related to change in the programme due to bad weather
  • All personal expenses
  • Everything not mentioned under  “the price includes".

Extra services

Prices per person:

Single room accommodation 7 days (6 nights) 280 € / 

Extra nights in Bordeaux:

Extra night in Bordeaux in 2* hotel, double room, including breakfast 75 € / 

Extra night in Bordeaux in 2* hotel, twin room, including breakfast 75 € / 

Extra night in Bordeaux in 2* hotel, single room, including breakfast 150 € / 

Extra nights in Toulouse:

Extra night in Toulouse in 2* hotel, double room, including breakfast 75 € / 

Extra night in Toulouse in 2* hotel, twin room, including breakfast 75 € / 

Extra night in Toulouse in 2* hotel, single room, including breakfast 120 € / 

Bike rental: see below

Bike rental

Hybrid bikes and E-Bikes are available for rent.

Hybrid bike (6 days) 205 € / 

E-Bike (6 days) 295 € / 

Rear pannier hire (pair) 25 € / 

All bicycles are equipped with a rear rack, a bike lock, a puncture repair kit, and a helmet.

Please indicate your height when completing the online reservation form.

Electric bikes offer pedaling assistance, greatly reducing the effort needed to cover a given distance compared to a classic "human-powered" bicycle. They offer an alternative solution in two cases: 

  • You do not feel able to complete a level 1 wheel (lowest level) circuit. With electric assistance, this trip becomes accessible. 
  • You would like to complete a circuit with a person who is fitter than you and you are worried that you will be unable to keep up, or that the other person will find your pace too slow.

Private groups / Custom tours

You are a group of friends, a family, a company or a cycling club and you would like to organise a private cycling tour on the dates of your choice. This option is available for guided and self-guided tours.

  • If you are interested in one of the tours presented on our website, we can provide you with a detailed quote based on the number of persons in your group.
  • If you are interested in a custom version of one of our tours, with specific requirements (tour duration, accommodation type, vehicle assistance, airport transfers, bike rental, etc.), we can provide you with a detailed quote based on the number of persons in the group and the group's specific requirements.

For more information or to receive a quote, please contact us by phone at +33 458 140 435  or by email at info@france-bike-trips.com.

Travel insurance

It is important to be correctly insured when embarking on a cycling holiday. We recommend checking the details of your travel insurance (if you have one) and, if necessary, subscribing to our contract below. Please note that France Bike Trips is simply an intermediary between you and the insurance company.

You can choose between these travel insurance contracts while completing your booking form:

  • I subscribe to the "comprehensive multi-risk" insurance cover (4.5%), minimum premium of 15 €:
    This contract covers assistance, repatriation, lost or stolen luggage, holiday interruption and cancellation. To see the full contract, click here.
  • I purchase the "cancellation only" insurance cover (2.5%), minimum premium of 10 €:
    This policy covers cancellation only. To see the full contract, click here.
  • I purchase the "repatriation & assistance" insurance cover (1.6%), minimum premium of 10 €:
    This policy covers assistance, repatriation, lost or stolen luggage and holiday interruption. To see the full contract, click here.

Recommendation:
If you choose to take out a travel insurance policy with another insurance company, please check that the search and rescue coverage is suitable: area covered, expenses included, risks covered (as an indication, a minimum cover of 15 000 € is recommended). Please note that credit card insurance rarely offers this type of coverage.

Booking procedure / Cancellation

How to book

In order to make a booking please fill in the online booking form on the "booking" page of your chosen tour. At the end of the booking process you will be transferred to our bank's secure payment page in order to pay a 30 % deposit.

Last minute booking

All self-guided bookings made within 21 days of tour departure will incur a surcharge of 15 € per person.

Expert advice
  • Unsure which tour to book?
  • Interested in a custom version of one of our tours?
  • Not sure if a particular tour is suitable for your riding style?

A dedicated team of travel specialists is available to offer you expert advice Monday to Friday from 9 am to 6 pm (French time) by phone - +33 458 140 435 or by mail - info@france-bike-trips.com.

Tour confirmation

In order to confirm our guided tours, we need to reach a minimum number of participants (usually 5 persons are necessary). Therefore booking a guided tour does not necessarily mean the tour is confirmed. In the unlikely event that we are unable to confirm your chosen tour, we will offer you the opportunity (no less than 21 days before departure) of switching to another (confirmed) tour, or receiving a full refund.

Self-guided or custom tours: We confirm bookings of self-guided tours and custom tours directly after booking.

In both cases, please await our final booking confirmation before making any travel arrangements.

Balance payment

Tour balance payment must be made no less than 30 days before tour departure. Your travel documents will be sent to you once we have received your balance payment. Road books and maps will be sent to you 3 weeks before departure.

Cancellation

In the event that you are obliged to cancel your tour France Bike Trips will reimburse the entire sum paid for the tour, minus the following cancellation charges:

  • More than 60 days before departure: 5 % of the tour price, excluding insurance premium
  • Between 60 and 31 days before departure: 15 % of the tour price, excluding insurance premium
  • Between 30 and 21 days: 30 % of the tour price, excluding insurance premium
  • Between 20 and 14 days: 50 % of the tour price, excluding insurance premium
  • Between 13 and 7 days: 70 % of the tour price, excluding insurance premium
  • Less than 7 days before departure: 100 % of the tour price, excluding insurance premium

Full details of our sales conditions are available here

Getting there

By train: From Paris Montparnasse train station to Bordeaux train station (about 3h by TGV train).
https://www.sncf-connect.com/en-en/

By plane:

  • From Bordeaux airport: head to Bordeaux train station.
  • From Toulouse airport: join the Toulouse train station and head to Bordeaux.

By car:
Route planner: en.mappy.com

Coming back:

You can return to Bordeaux by taking the train from Toulouse (about 2h30) : https://www.sncf-connect.com/en-en/

Route navigation

You will receive an email 2 weeks before departure, containing all the information necessary for your upcoming tour, including the following navigation tools:

Our dedicated smartphone app

Follow your route with comfort and ease! Thanks to the Velorizons navigation app, download the full trip itinerary to your smartphone, view route maps and profiles, access the list of booked accommodation, services and useful contacts, and use the integrated route guidance (visual and vocal) for navigation.

See the mobile app presentation video

To benefit fully from the app navigation system, we strongly recommend attaching your smartphone to the bicycle handlebar using a dedicated mount. An example can be viewed here.

Velorizons app compatibility
Operating systemAndroidAppleWindows PhoneBlackberry
CompatibilityVersion 8.0 minimumiOS 8.0 minimum. iPhone compatible, iPad compatible if GPS equippedNon compatibleNon compatible
A detailed Road Book

Your tour road book will be available to download in your My France Bike Trips customer area. The road book contains:

  • Full colour maps with highlighted routes,
  • Step-by-step route description,
  • Route profiles
GPS tracks

Tour GPS tracks will be available to download in your My France Bike Trips customer area. The tracks are in .gpx format, compatible with all GPS devices/apps.

Car sharing

If you sign up for a guided tour, we offer you the opportunity to see if you can carpool with other participants to get to the point of departure. To do this, go to "Car sharing" in our website. By entering the complete reference and the date of departure of the tour (available on the registration confirmation that we have sent you), you have access to route details and emails of other participants who wish to carpool.

Group size and guiding

For guided trips we limit the size of our groups from 5 (min) to 12 (max) persons in order to ensure security and conviviality.

You will be guided by English-speaking French mountain bike guides.

No size limitation for self-guided groups.

Accommodation

We favour comfortable accommodation with warm hospitality. For more details, please see the "Costs and services" section.

For private groups and self-guided tours it is possible to choose alternative accommodation (upgrade) depending on availability.

Food

"L'art de la table"

We pay very careful attention to the quality and the variety of your meals.  Fresh and local produce will be served wherever possible.

Depending on the meals included in your chosen tour:

  • Continental breakfasts taken at the accommodation
  • Cold picnics for lunch (mixed salad, bread, cold meats, cheese and fruit). Each participant carries his picnic in his daypack
  • Hearty dinners (3 to 4 courses, with local dishes)

Please check the "Dates & Prices" section for meal plan details.

Baggage

During the day you carry only a daypack for additional clothing, water, food, camera, etc. The rest of your baggage is transferred each day to the following nights accommodation.

Health

We strongly recommend having a medical check-up before your holiday. 

Our / Your state of mind

- A "group" tour: If you join a guided tour, you will be part of a group for several days. This is a superb opportunity to meet new people and share some magical moments. However, a group tour requires that each person show friendliness, openness and mutual respect for their fellow travellers.

- An "adventure" tour: despite the most careful preparation, adventure tours can present unforeseen events. Accepting these risks will help you enjoy your trip to the full, in the knowledge that your guide, our local partners and the entire France Bike Trips team will offer you the most suitable solutions to any given situation.

Bike and plane / train

If you decide to bring your own bike, be aware that transporting a bike by plane or train is no longer an issue. However a few simple guidelines help to optimise the transport and avoid potential damages that could occur.
Your bike must be transported in a designated bike bag (standard size 120x90cm). This maximal size allows you to travel with your bike as "hand luggage" in any TGV and SNCF trains.
It is very important that you protect your bike in the bag. After having deflated the tires, removed the wheels (by removing the quick release mechanisms), pedals and rear derailleur (which is left hanging on the chain), we recommend you wrap your bike inside the bag in a sheet of dense foam (thickness of 3 to 5 cm). A piece of cardboard or rigid plastic positioned between the foam and the inside of the cover can be beneficial to provide more rigidity.

Once folded up the bike bag will take up very little space and will be transported by the assistance vehicle during your tour.

Bike bags are available directly from France Bike Trips at a cost of 70 euros, plus postage.

Your equipment

Equipment provided by France Bike Trips on guided tours:
  • A group first-aid kit
  • A bike repair kit and tools
Personal equipment to bring:
Baggage

All your luggage must fit in two bags: a daypack and a travel bag.

1/ Daypack

This is the bag you will keep with you each day whilst riding. This bag should not be too large (up to 30 litres).

It will contain: a picnic lunch, camera, waterproof and extra clothing, etc.

Each day, your guide will advise you on what to bring in your bag according to the route and the weather.

2/ Travel bag

This is the bag that will be transported from one accommodation to the next by vehicle. It should contain all the belongings you will not use during the day.

IMPORTANT: Your luggage transported from one accommodation to the next must fit in a single bag and must not exceed 20kg.

List of equipment to pack in your bag the day of departure:
For your head
  • A cap or other head protection against the sun
  • A hat or headband
  • A bike helmet.
For your upper body
  • Two base layers (made of synthetic or natural breathable fabrics)
  • A warm shirt or a sweatshirt
  • A fleece
  • A waterproof jacket
For your legs
  • Two good quality cycling shorts
  • Trousers
  • Casual short
  • A swimsuit.
For your feet
  • Comfortable sports shoes 
  • Sports socks
  • Sandals (not obligatory, but nice during breaks and in the evening...).
For your bike

If you rent a bike from France Bike Trips, this material is not necessary.

  • 2 spare tubes and a puncture repair kit
  • Lubricant for chain and derailleur
  • A pump
  • A spare derailleur hanger
Various
  • A pair of cycling gloves
  • A bike lock
  • 2 bike bottles 75 cl (or Camelbak)
  • A small individual pharmacy: sunscreen (face and lips); band aids + double skin; Immodium; pain killers, earplugs, other personal medication.

Self-guided formula

Self-guided tour "user guide"

Active autonomy: what you need to know for our self-guided tours

In order to achieve the planned tour programme, you must:

  • Guide yourself with the highlighted maps and road book;
  • Choose suitable start times adapted to the lengths of the daily stages as well as your own riding pace, and leave an adequate safety margin of time;
  • Obtain daily weather forecasts from your hosts, and take into account the weather conditions when planning journey times;
  • Arrive at the booked guest houses and hotels listed in the programme on the given dates; 
  • Bring the necessary personal equipment to carry out the tour. France Bike Trips equipment list constitutes the necessary minimum;
  • Carry insurance policies and emergency telephone numbers with you at all times;
  • Be familiar with basic first-aid steps;
  • In the event of any problems during your trip, contact France Bike Trips (contact information in your travel documents). Possession of a mobile phone that works in France is strongly recommended.

Self-guided tours are undertaken without a guide and at your own risk. France Bike Trips cannot be held liable for any route error, misconduct, personal imprudence, inadequate planning or inappropriate reactions in the event of incidents.

Any programme change of your own initiative is under your responsibility and at your expense. 

Having said this, with our advice and good preparation, you should be able to look forward to a wonderful, trouble free holiday. Enjoy your trip!

Average tour rating:

4.7/5 - 6 Reviews
Anne C. | Participant rating:
"The bikes were very good and had all the gear as promised. The delivery system work was excellent and was always there for us. The tour description proved correct apart from the second day which was hillier than we expected but we were alerted by other cyclists. Lovely scenery and we were so lucky with the weather. One tip for the company. If possible provide maps of the city centres as only then we would get lost! Otherwise great organisation "
Joe H. | Participant rating:
"The cycle trip from Bordeaux to Sete exceeded our expectations - we had an amazing time - trip of a lifetime. Thanks for your excellent support of our endeavors."
Jennifer M. | Participant rating:
"As it turned out, 3 days was a very good option for us.
The canal paths are all very good and to be able to stay on the canal path all the way to the railway station in Toulouse was amazing.
An overnight stay closer to the canal on day 5 might be a better option. Although the accommodation in Grenade was very nice, the busy section of road is quite dangerous with many big trucks."
Hilary B. | Participant rating:
"It was a wonderful trip and we really enjoyed it. The pickup of luggage and moving it to the next accommodation each day worked really well. I have been telling all my friends about the holiday since we got home. "
Peter W. | Participant rating:
"We thought it was a great tour with a lot of variety in landscape and places of interest. We even enjoyed the times we got lost and had to be helped out by the locals, who were always very friendly.
I wonder, though, whether the itineraries are entirely suited to the use of Ebikes. Most of the alternative side loops had to be avoided due to lack of sufficient battery power."
Other reviews:
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A dedicated team of travel specialists is available to offer you expert advice Monday to Friday from 9 to 12:30 AM and 13:30 to 6 PM (French time) on the phone, or by email.


Phone number: +33 458 140 435

Contact us

A dedicated team of travel specialists is available to offer you expert advice Monday to Friday from 9 to 12:30 AM and 13:30 to 6 PM (French time) on the phone, or by email.

Please type in your email address in order to access tour details and description

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