Garonne Canal: From Bordeaux to Toulouse
6 nights from €1052
3.5Pedal from the Port of the Moon to the Pink City
Glide by bicycle along the gorgeous Garonne Canal, an extension of the magnificent Canal du Midi that connects Toulouse with the Mediterranean Sea. Cycle along a spellbinding section known as the 'Canal of the Two Seas' ('Canal des Deux Mers'), a fantastic route that connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea and delights the eyes with vibrant vineyards and stunning medieval villages. You'll venture through beautiful towns and visit such captivating cultural sites as Moissac. And don't forget - the cuisine in this region is truly sensational!
This flat itinerary may be possible in the reverse direction, please contact us for additional information.
Daily Program
Day 1: Arrival in Bordeaux
You'll begin your journey in beautiful Bordeaux, 'Port of the Moon', by checking in to your hotel. There is no welcome meeting at this departure, but you'll find a travel pack waiting for you. You can test ride your bike today and we recommend venturing into Bordeaux either by bike or on foot.
Overnight in Bordeaux.
Day 2: Bordeaux – Frontenac/Camiran
Classic hotel in Frontenac: 28 miles/45 km OR Superior hotel in Camiran: 39 miles/63km
Bike out of Bordeaux along the cycle path between Dordogne and Gironde, passing by the city of Bastide de Créon and La Sauve Majeure (a former Benedictine abbey). You'll cycle through the medieval site of Sauveterre de Guyenne, a fortified historic town founded in 1281 with four grand gates. This is also the county of the canton of Entre Deux Mers (AOC). The path is entirely along a cycle lane, along the green line named 'Roger Lapébie' in honor of the 1937 winner of the Tour de France.
Overnight in Frontenac/Camiran.
Day 3: Frontenac/Camiran – Le Mas d’Agenais
From Frontenac: 34 miles/56 km OR From Camiran: 26 miles/42km
Today you'll ride from Camiran to La Réole along small roads. You'll then reach the Garonne Canal cycle path which you'll glide along until reaching marvellous Le Mas d'Agenais.
Overnight in Le Mas d’Agenais.
Day 4: Le Mas d’Agenais – Sérignac sur Garonne
23 miles/37Km
At Le Mas d'Agenais, make sure not to miss out on a visit to the beautiful Roman church. Upon leaving, continue along the canal, enjoying the numerous opportunities to stop and savor gorgeous views. You'll pass by the quaint town of Damezan, founded in 1259, before continuing a calm and gentle ride along the canal to the village of Sérignac.
Overnight in Sérignac.
Day 5: Serignac – Moissac
34 miles/55Km
As you continue along the Garonne Canal, you'll pass by the superb bridge of Pont Canal d'Agen, making a stop in the historical center of Agen. The day then continues along the canal until you reach Moissac, a center for Roman art, on the Santiago de Compostela. Here, the abbey and cloister are UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and are sure to captivate. The landscape of Moissac is dominated by the verdant orchards and vineyards of the famous Chasselas.
Overnight in Maissac.
Day 6: Moissac – Toulouse
42 miles/67Km
The Garonne Canal will lead you into the beautiful heart of Toulouse, 'The Pink City', sitting at the end of 56 Garonne Canal sluices! Toulouse is a city boasting unique architecture built from pinkish terracotta bricks, earning it the nickname 'La Ville Rose'. The city proudly shows off two UNESCO World Heritage Sites: the Canal du Midi (designated in 1996 and shared with other cities), and the Basilica of St. Sernin, the largest remaining Romanesque building in Europe. The basilica was designated in 1998 for its significance to the Santiago de Compostela pilgrimage route.
Overnight in Toulouse.
Day 7: Toulouse
Your tour ends after breakfast. We encourage you to stay and enjoy Toulouse.
This itinerary may be possible in the reverse direction, please contact us for additional information.
Hotels
The following hotels are provided only as samples and may vary based on availability.
Accommodations in mostly 3-star hotels and classic guesthouses.
Bordeaux: Hôtel des 4 Sœurs
Frontenac: Guesthouse Chez Mme Duranteau
Le Mas-d’Agenais: Guesthouse Au Fil du Canal
Serignac sur Garonne: Hotel le Prince Noir
Moissac: Guesthouse La Maison Lydia
Toulouse: Hôtel Riquet
Accommodations in mostly 4-star hotels and charming guesthouses.
Bordeaux: Hotel La Maison Bord’eaux
Camiran: Guesthouse La Camiranaise
Le Mas-d’Agenais: Guesthouse Le Domaine de Meroc
Serignac sur Garonne: Hotel le Prince Noir
Moissac: Hotel l'Armateur
Toulouse: Hotel de Brienne
Interested in visiting other areas before or after your tour? Visit our hotels page to learn more about lodging options.
Bikes
Standard bike rental
VTC Trek Verve 2
Open frame for easy mounting and dismounting
Front suspension and seat post for a smoother ride
Puncture-resistant tires with 5 mm protective membrane
Ergonomic handles and adjustable stem for comfort
24-speed gearing to optimize your pedaling effort
Electric bike
E-bike Trek Verve 1
Bosch Active Line motor for smooth pedal assist
400 Wh battery for longer rides
Easy step-through frame for effortless mounting and dismounting
Front suspension for added comfort on varied terrain
Lightweight design for easier handling and transport
*More about electrically-assisted bikes >
Electric bike
E-bike Sunn
460 Wh battery with a range of 40–80 km, depending on usage and terrain
Ananda 80 Nm motor for strong and reliable pedal assistance
Suspension fork for added comfort on uneven surfaces
Wide, puncture-resistant tires with treads suitable for both asphalt and trails
Semi-open frame for a more sporty and dynamic riding position
*More about electrically-assisted bikes >
Accessories
Included with Each Bike
1 rear bag (20 L)
1 front pannier (5 L)
Padlock
Included Per Booking
Tire levers
Patch kit
Multi-tool
Shared Between 2 People
Puncture repair spray
Pump
Inner tube
15 mm wrench (if necessary)
Bike Protection:
Bike protection can be purchased at the time of booking. You can read more about that HERE.
Pedals:
The bikes will have flat pedals. If you want to bring your own pedals, please bring your own shoes and also the necessary equipment to change the pedals.
Helmets:
Helmets are available upon request and must be booked in advance. We recommend, for safety and hygiene reasons, that you bring your own helmet.
Size guide (head circumference):
S: 52–55 cm
M: 55–58 cm
L: 58–61 cm
Surface and terrain
This itinerary takes you between Bordeaux and Toulouse.
You'll follow green line trails as well as quiet roads. The terrain is flat, and you can expect excellent road surfaces. The daily stages are from 37 to 67km, approximately 2-5 hours of cycling per day. From Bordeaux, the route profile has a few ascents and descents but becomes flat when you reach the canal.
How to get there
Tour start and end
Nearest airport: Bordeaux, Merignac, or Toulouse
Nearest train station: Bordeaux or Toulouse
If you fly into Paris, the TGV train from Paris to Bordeaux takes about 2 hours. TGV trains are also available between Bordeaux and Toulouse for your return journey at the end of your tour.
- Bordeaux Airport → Bordeaux bus station: Daily shuttle between the airport and the bus station, both ways, every 45 minutes - about 55 minutes travel; Jet Bus, about € 10. http://30direct.com/en/
- Bordeaux Airport → Bordeaux train station: The airport is 6km away from the train station, 1h20 to 1h30 travel.
- Toulouse train station → Bergerac train station: 4h30 journey
- Toulouse Airport → Toulouse train station: Daily shuttle between the airport and the bus station, both ways, every 20 minutes, 20 to 45 minutes travel. www.tisseo.fr, Tel.: +33(0)5 61 41 70 70 ; Fly’bus ; about € 9
- Taxi: the price between Blagnac airport to Toulouse city-center is about € 80, same price for Bordeaux.
Tips on getting to and from your tour.
Reviews
- ★★★★★ Robert Sterndale
A beautiful ride through mostly rural, agricultural France
Bordeaux and Toulouse are interesting cities alright but most of our time was riding through an expansive agricultural area. Finding our way out of Bordeaux was not difficult. Once we reached the canal we "sailed" along the paved towpath all day, every day. The bike trail was mostly well maintained paved surface with a few stretches that were bumpy. We saw active pavement maintenance so it is being improved where needed.
The Roadbook navigating program served well as a way finder except on the last day when it took us to the wrong place in Toulouse a couple kilometers or more across the city from our hotel. That was a hassle.
Being of a certain age, we opted for e-bikes on this trip. These were pedal-assist type bikes which we all mastered quickly. The terrain was mostly very canal-flat but the e-boost was welcome for the occasional rise and toward the end of the day the boost was welcome. The hotels along the way were not right on the canal and some hill climbing was involved there.
Bikes were well maintained and thoughtfully configured for our various heights but no orientation or training was provided for the bikes, they were just left at the starting hotel.
We enjoyed the hotel/B&B stays. B&B hosts were gracious and accommodating. Rooms were clean and comfortable.
We did this in late September which is the end of their tourist season. Weather was fine. Bike traffic was light.
The canal trail provided a very scenic but repetitious view. We saw an interesting variety of agricultural activity along the way.- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2022
- How many tours have you completed?
- 9
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- No
- ★★★★★ Thomas Wall
Enjoyable ride with lots of canal views
In order to ensure we had dedicated bike paths I think we sacrificed variety. The scenery was beautiful but we saw a lot of the canal. Enjoyed the small towns and our hosts were great! Small hiccup with luggage transfer was a bit aggravating. All-in-all, an enjoyable trip.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2022
- How many tours have you completed?
- This was the second
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- No
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