recommended route
CAR-FREE NATURE ESCAPADE IN THE GREAT SITES - FROM CARCASSONNE TO BÉZIERS VIA THE SOUTH
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CarcassonnePhoto: Eric Brendle
Selected alternatives for you
- A 100% car-free, slow-tourism holiday, taking the time to discover, meet and share...
- 2 Grand Sites: Canal du Midi - Béziers; Cité de Carcassonne.
-The possibility of continuing the experience by 'looping' through the Northern itinerary to discover the Grand Site of Minerve.
moderate
Distance 165.8 km
13:23 h
1,300 m
1,400 m
427 m
4 m
ATTENTION !
Fire in the Corbières area (màj 11/08/2025 : The fire is under control.)
Vigilance and mobilization remain the order of the day. Please follow local instructions. Red heatwave alert as of Monday 11/08 at 12 noon. Stay informed via official sources, on the Aude prefecture's website and Facebook page. The public information unit (CIP) is open by telephone: 09 70 80 90 40
In view of the very high risk of fire, and in order to preserve the full capacity of the fire department, the Aude prefecture is prohibiting access to all forest areas until Monday August 18. For traffic routes: www.inforoute11.fr
Gentle immersion, through landscapes
Along the Canal du Midi and its thousand-year-old vineyards, from Béziers to the medieval fortress of Carcassonne, via the Cathar city of Minerve, the Grands Sites can be explored to the rhythm of the landscapes, between vineyards and mountains. Whether in the heart of nature or in the villages, these itineraries invite you to take the time to discover and meet. Men and women committed to sharing the unique identity of their territory and terroir welcome you all year round. To guide you, Nathalie and Pierre, along with Marika and Mehdi, set off without a car to explore the many facets of three remarkable landscapes in the Hérault and Aude regions: the Canal du Midi - Béziers, the Cité de Minerve, gorges de la Cesse et du Brian and the Cité de Carcassonne. Discover the story of their escapade, as the scenery unfolds...
Marika and Mehdi tested DE CARCASSONNE À BÉZIERS PAR LE SUD: they loved it!
Vigilance and mobilization remain the order of the day. Please follow local instructions. Red heatwave alert as of Monday 11/08 at 12 noon. Stay informed via official sources, on the Aude prefecture's website and Facebook page. The public information unit (CIP) is open by telephone: 09 70 80 90 40
In view of the very high risk of fire, and in order to preserve the full capacity of the fire department, the Aude prefecture is prohibiting access to all forest areas until Monday August 18. For traffic routes: www.inforoute11.fr
Gentle immersion, through landscapes
Along the Canal du Midi and its thousand-year-old vineyards, from Béziers to the medieval fortress of Carcassonne, via the Cathar city of Minerve, the Grands Sites can be explored to the rhythm of the landscapes, between vineyards and mountains. Whether in the heart of nature or in the villages, these itineraries invite you to take the time to discover and meet. Men and women committed to sharing the unique identity of their territory and terroir welcome you all year round. To guide you, Nathalie and Pierre, along with Marika and Mehdi, set off without a car to explore the many facets of three remarkable landscapes in the Hérault and Aude regions: the Canal du Midi - Béziers, the Cité de Minerve, gorges de la Cesse et du Brian and the Cité de Carcassonne. Discover the story of their escapade, as the scenery unfolds...
Marika and Mehdi tested DE CARCASSONNE À BÉZIERS PAR LE SUD: they loved it!
Author’s recommendation
https://www.herault-tourisme.com/fr/
Hérault Tourism
Car-Free Nature Getaway
Difficulty
moderate
Overall difficulty
moderate
Derived from the technical difficulty and the stamina requirements.
Experience
Landscape
Highest point
427 m
Lowest point
4 m
Best time of year
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Track types
Show elevation profileTips and suggestions
The electric bike is a great way to cover long distances, but also to reduce effort! Here's a tip for all you out-of-towners: if your battery runs out, look for a plug in the market square - there's always one!The Canal du Midi and its heritage are maintained on a daily basis (new planting, maintenance of engineering structures, etc.). Before you set off, we advise you to check the condition of the towpath you plan to use at vnf.fr/vnf/regions/vnf-sud-ouest/. Cycling is currently practiced on unstabilized terrain, and some paths can be rough. For a successful experience, choose a suitable mountain bike or VTC.
The Highway Code applies on this itinerary, so please respect all users (pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders). Safety is no joke: we recommend you wear a helmet when cycling!
When you set off on a hike, leave your bike in a safe place, either with your host when possible, or in a private or communal place (restaurant, gîte...). If you leave your bike unattended, don't forget to secure it with the lock provided by your bike hire company, and remove the battery.
Ask your bike hire company if they can provide you with one or more panniers, and find out how big they are so that you can fit your belongings in them. And check whether they supply a first-aid kit and bike pump, as well as an efficient night-lighting system.
Pedal lightly and find your luggage at your next stop, thanks to portage services such as Bagafrance: bagafrance.com
Some accommodations don't have a bank terminal. Make sure you have a checkbook and some cash before you leave.
During the hunting season, don't forget to check the hunting season.
Public transport
Carcassonne SNCF train stationDirections
Carcassonne SNCF train stationCoordinates
DD
43.213400, 2.352140
DMS
43°12'48.2"N 2°21'07.7"E
UTM
31T 447377 4784716
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Get there by train, car, bike, or on foot!
Book recommendation by the author
Travel diary ENSV Béziers-Canal - Minerve - Carcassonne
RGSF / AUDE TOURISME / HERAULT TOURISME
Localization
Parts of this content were machine translated using French as the source language
Difficulty
moderate
Overall difficulty
moderate
Derived from the technical difficulty and the stamina requirements.
Distance
165.8 km
Duration
13:23 h
Ascent
1,300 m
Descent
1,400 m
Highest point
427 m
Lowest point
4 m
Weather at the starting point
Statistics
Maps and trails
Nothing selected - click and drag in the elevation profile to zoom
Distance
Duration
Ascent
Descent
Questions and answers
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