French Canals Cycling Holidays

Highlights of Bike Tours Along Canals in France

Riding the French canals is about slowing down and savouring the ride. Our routes follow canal side paths so that you can enjoy safe, traffic free cycling. The best part is that because you're following towpaths, you're riding into the heart of France, where sleepy tracks run alongside gently flowing waterways. You’ll pedal through sunflower fields, past medieval villages and under plane tree canopies, all at your own pace.

Cycling the French waterways is ideal if you’re after an easy-going cycling adventure, if you're riding with friends and especially if you're looking for family cycling with no traffic. Think relaxed days on the saddle, charming stop-offs in vineyard towns, and waterside picnics with local cheese and fresh baguettes. Whether you’re new to cycle touring or just want to escape the bustle, canal-side cycling offers that rare mix of freedom and comfort.

Self Guided Canals Cycle Tours We Offer

Canal de Garonne

Cycling the Canal de Garonne from Bordeaux to Toulouse is one of the best rides in France.

This canal-side journey through southwest France offers the perfect blend of relaxed riding and cultural discovery. Starting in the elegant city of Bordeaux, you’ll follow scenic routes through vineyard-draped hills and riverside towns like Cadillac, Meilhan-sur-Garonne and Agen. With flat, peaceful paths along the Canal de la Garonne, each day is a gentle roll past Romanesque abbeys, aqueducts and bustling local markets. You’ll explore medieval villages, unwind beneath the shade of plane trees, and soak up the charm of Moissac before finishing your adventure in the vibrant streets of Toulouse. It’s a ride for the soul, unhurried, unforgettable and full of French flair.

Canal du Midi

This route along the Canal du Midi is a ride through living history, from the red-brick charm of Toulouse to the sun-kissed shores of Sète. You'll cycle past ancient aqueducts, through sleepy stone villages and alongside rows of sun-drenched vineyards. The canal guides you all the way—flat, tranquil and lined with plane trees. Each day brings something new: the cassoulet of Castelnaudary, Carcassonne’s fairy-tale fortress, and the shimmer of the Mediterranean drawing ever closer. It’s a journey of contrasts—from bustling towns to peaceful countryside, and from cultural gems to coastal bliss. The perfect way to ride further into the heart of southern France.

Provencal waterways

Provencal waterways aren't like the canals above but they offer a chance to ride into one of Provence’s prettiest secrets. L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue is known as the “Venice of Provence,” as this characterful town is wrapped in canals fed by the emerald waters of the River Sorgue. Its streets are dotted with antique shops, bustling cafés and colourful markets that make it a joy to explore both on and off the bike. You can ride this on our Provence cycling holiday.