Cycle trip from Toulouse to Carcassonne along the Canal du Midi

This 4-day cycle tour along the Canal du Midi rallies two major milestones of the canal : Toulouse, the Ville Rose and Carcassonne, the medieval fortress. You ride quietly sometimes on cycle paths or the hauling path along the canal, sometimes on low-traffic country roads. You will cross the Lauragais, a large fertile plain surronded by hills that flourished on the 15th and 16th centuries thanks to pastel trade, which also brought prosperity to Toulouse. The village churches with their characteristic fortified bell towers are a heritage of this rich past. You ride through Castelnaudary, the proud capital of cassoulet, and the charming abbey of Saint-Papoul before arriving in Carcassonne at the foot of the impressing medieval fortress.