Canal Du Midi Bike Tour Books & Bicycle Guides Review

 

Telephone network coverage is spotty along many parts of the Canal Du Midi.  For this reason it is recommended to carry a paper map with you as a complement to any application on your telephone.  There are free maps available from all tourist offices along the canal; maps useful not only for cyclists, but also for boaters and hikers.  These maps show such things as campings, hotels, water taps, and bike repair stations along the way.  Since the Canal Du Midi is not too complicated, the free guides are a good option for you if you are on a budget.  For more in-depth coverage of your route it is recommended to buy or borrow from a library one of the books below.  The books will explain in great detail the villages, monuments, and landscapes you are cycling past.  This in turn will greatly enhance your overall cycling experience as these books really pull you into your surroundings, becoming more in tune with them.

 

 

English

 

Cycling the Canal Du Midi: Across Southern France from Toulouse to Sète

(Cicerone Guides)

 

By Declan Lyon

 

Buy from Amazon

 

This is the best book that I am aware of that exists in English.  If you ever have the chance to cycle the Canal Du Midi you will see these in peoples’ hands often.  The book is heavy on text, explaining in almost painstakingly details all the things you are likely to see along your way.  It is thus recommended for history buffs, culture aficionados, or anybody else who wants to get the most out of their visit to this part of France.

 

The maps are interspersed between the 192 pages, and are best looked at while standing still or during a break due to their small size.  The book is a proven guide that will have no trouble guiding you from start to finish.

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French

 

Le Canal du Midi à vélo

 

By Philippe Calas

 

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Philippe Calas is the author of this original Canal Du Midi cycling guide.  This was the first available guide in French.  The maps are hand drawn.  The book also comes with a large fold out map that is one page high and 5 pages long.  It shows the entire cycle route along the Canal Du Midi.  The author is a well known Canal Du Midi admirer, and as such he has written a very large number of books about it.  He also has created DVD’s about the Canal Du Midi.  His photos and products often can be seen in tourist offices.  In fact, many of the tourist offices along the Canal Du Midi have this book for sale, in case you forgot to pack yours.

 

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French

 

Le Canal du midi à vélo, de Toulouse à l’étang de Thau

 

By Daniel Jamrozik

 

Buy from Amazon

 

This is the best available guide in French for cycling the Canal Du Midi.  It is the newest book available on the market today.  The quality is superb!  On par, if not better, with the German Bikeline Canal Du Midi cycle guide.  The maps are very clear and large, the quality of the paper and binding (spiral bound) are of the best quality possible, and the text is very readable with many nice pictures.  If only it would come out in English one day!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

French

 

Canal du Midi – De Bordeaux a Sete a Pied+Velo: Canal Lateral a la Garonne

 

By Jean-Yves Gregoire

 

Buy from Amazon

 

This book is written primarily for walkers, but can also be used for cyclists.  Overall the book is very good.  The maps are clear and will give you no problems.  The book is filled with interesting details and high quality pictures.  It covers the route from Bordeaux to Sete.  The route from Agde to Sete is unique in this book, as it takes you north of the Etang de Thau, which is probably more interesting and easier for walkers.

 

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French

 

Le Canal des 2 Mers de l'Atlantique a la Mediterranee + variante vers Port-La Nouvelle

 

By Oliver Scagnetti - Chamina Edition

 

Buy from Amazon

 

Excellent cycle guide that covers the entire route from Bordeaux to Sete in 31 steps.  The maps are super high quality showing not only the route, but also points of interest and even nice point of view areas.  The city maps are a bit small, however.  One might want to bring along a magnifying glass.

 

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German

 

Canal du Midi: Entlang des Weltkulturerbes von Toulouse ans Mittelmeer. (Bikeline Radtourenbücher)

 

By Esterbauer

 

Buy from Amazon

 

Germans are easy to spot along the Canal Du Midi as they often ride Herculus or Stevens bikes with Ortlieb panniers and this blue cycle guide prominently displayed on their handlebar bags!  This is the only cycle guide for the Canal Du Midi available in German.  It is also one of the latest additions to the Bikeline cycle guide series, having only been added in recent years.  The quality is outstanding.  Not only does it give buyers an oppertunity to download a GPS track, their maps also include alternate toure options.  We can only hope for this cycle guide to be translated one day to English, as a handfull of other Bikeline books have been in the past.

 

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Dutch

 

Fietsen Langs Het Canal Du Midi  en het Canal de Garonne

 

By Luc Oteman

 

Buy from Amazon

 

This is the only cycle guide for the Canal Du Midi available in Dutch.  The quality of the paper is excellent.  The maps are easy to read and cover the entire route from Bordeaux to Sete.  It also includes the route to Narbonne and the route along the Rigoles.  Once again, it would be nice to see an English translation one day.

 

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French

 

FREE Canal Du Midi cycle map Carte Touristique Voie Verte & Chemins Toulouse – Sete a velo

 

Available at tourist offices along the Canal Du Midi at no charge.  This map will be sufficient for most cyclists, and it covers the route from Toulouse to Sete.  There are not city maps, so finding your hotel or camping will require you having to visit the local tourist office to ask for directions.  But its light weight and small portable size make it a very popular choice for your average cyclists.  The same company also has a similar map for the Canal de la Garonne, showing the route from Bordeaux to Toulouse.

 

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French / English

 

FREE Canal Du Midi route map L’Officiel Du Canal Du Midi

 

Available at tourist offices along the Canal Du Midi free of charge.  Also includes some city maps.  Sufficient for most cyclists whose main concern is to simply not get lost.  Highly recommended for the Canal Du Midi cyclists.

 

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