Canal des Deux Mers

A self-guided bicycle tour from Bordeaux to Sète following the Canal de Garonne and the Canal du Midi, linking the Atlantic to the Mediterranean across southern France. Built in the 17th century under Louis XIV, the canals were designed to create a protected inland trade route, allowing goods such as wheat and wine to move between seas while avoiding the long, hazardous voyage around Iberia and the contested Strait of Gibraltar. Today, the route offers a largely flat, steady ride along shaded towpaths, passing vineyards, small towns, and historic canal works including locks and aqueducts. The route represents a mixture of paved and hard pack surfaces. There are multiple water, food, and restroom facility options every day.