Toulouse to Bordeaux

South should be quicker, but more sizzling.
Some valleys (tarn) and causses more north would be amazing to tour but with more serious climbing to encounter.

If you head north from Montpellier/Bouzigues/Sete into the Cevennes there are some nice campsites and some lovely rivers to swim in. It’s stupidly hot right now - I’m currently in Sanary and it’s hitting 33 in the day. More like 37 further west.

Thank you, this sounds like a plan. I am worried about the heat. I was supposed to be going south from Brittany to Bordeaux, which would have been much cooler….!

either way this sounds mega!

I’m excited! An unplanned trip is often a great trip, and so far I managed to check in on my phone at the desk, with 3 mins to spare (saving £55 “admin”), not get charged £11/kg by Ryanair for the 9kg my bike bag was over 20kg, and get free guacamole with my burrito bowl.

Fantastic start 🥳

Plan so far

Up the canal, veer north to the river.

Sete > Carcassonne > Gaillac > Cahors > Bergerac > Bordeaux > The Atlantic

I need to adjust the days a bit

Please post updates/reports, I’m cycling from Sete to Roscoff at the end of the month so keen for recommendations of good things! Not sure of my route yet but want to check out the canal for potential winter moorings and also would like to see some of the Brittany coast.

Just echoing what a couple of people have said on here. i'm about 80km north of Bordeaux atm anf it really is cracking the flags here. Yesterday was 38 C and as I type this at 5. 21hrs UK time it is at its coolest at 21 C.
Just bear that in mind if you are planning long days on the bike

Lovely! I’ve been following your adventures with Puffin. Hopefully End of August will be marginally cooler?!

Thank you - today I need to post my bike bag, but after today I hope to cycle from eg 5:30am - 10/11am, and then maybe a couple of hours in the evening if I haven’t got far enough. That means I’m looking for both b&bs and day time lounging around in the shade preferably near water. Still winging it though…

Following with interest. I’m staying on the canal du midi near Lézignan for the next couple of weeks. Brought the bike but not expecting to get any particularly big rides in. Took a 15 mile spin round the local villages last night - it was v fecking hot even after the sun had gone down. Stay hydrated!

I have family who live in Tarn and it get sizzling...would recommend getting up at 5 and riding as much as possible before 11pm. Even after 5pm temperature doesn't seem to drop a whole load. That being said, there's some lovely rolling countryside round that neck of the woods as long as you avoid major roads.

Would suggest riding up Route de Caussade from Gaillac via Castelnau de Montmiral up the Route de Gaillac then up Route de Penne to Saint Antonin Noble Val (really beautiful Aveyron Gorge with lots of swimming spots). Along the route you'll see some Cathar fortified towns (Castelnau de Monmiral, Larroque, Puycelsi, Penne) which are pretty although might be best just seeing from the route rather than going up to them unless you're feeling particularly energetic.

Some lovely shady spots next to the river in Carcassonne, also a campsite there (Carcassonne Vélo Dodo, need to book in advance).

Sounds like a great trip!

Can't help with the route but went to Carcassone in May and can confirm it is worth the visit.

Lost a long reply just now

Riding 5:30/6 - 11 is completely doable. I ended up doing 125km all afternoon for crap admin reasons and it was very hot but manageable, only by stopping in aircon regularly and drinking a lot of water.

Doh, and we all thought you had nothing Toulouse!

I was all Sete, but in the end it wasNar bonne.

Day 1:Montpellier to Gruissan.

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I appreciate i’ve hijacked someone else’s thread, but this seems sensible

Day 2: coast to Carcassonne

Most pics from the saddle, pls forgive composition

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Tomorrow I’m going to join our German ebike brethren* and go up the canal path to Toulouse, then continue to Bordeaux. If I were fitter and lighter and it were slightly less hot I’d go north now, to Najac, Cahors and Domme, then across through Bergerac to Bordeaux.

Another trip.

*I have the shimano spd sandals and they’re 2024’s best buy by miles. So ugly, so good. I emailed Quoc to ask them to make a pair. they said they think about it and gave me a 20% off code which was kind.

Fully agree regarding sandals!Dipping my toes in the Baltic would be a bit less funny in click clack cycling shoes.
Spd sandals rule. Including the special tan lines they give you!
Next you’ll try them with socks and experience the forbidden pleasure.

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Canal life is not so bad

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loving the updates, is the heat manageable? I went to the alps in July last year and decided never to be in France in July ever again.