This is obviously a major stage, being 650 km long, but it is simplified by thinking of it in a few sections.  It starts off with the Canal du Midi, right from Sete. The Canal runs about 260 km to Toulouse. It was famously built over 14 years starting in 1667, by 12,000 workers using shovel and pick axe. The genius behind the project was named Pierre-Paul Riquet, who sold the idea to Louis XIV.

The Canal is highly touted as a cycle route in various books, and now with its own Bikeline guide. But we have found it has long stretches of muddy single track, forcing the long distance tourer to flee onto sometimes dicey parallel D roads. 

One of the big features along the the Canal is the walled city of Carcassone. Carcassonne is on a hill and has been fortified since the Romans. It is in "Cathar Country" in Languedoc and figured in the "Albigensian Crusades" in which the Cathars were attacked. At that time (1209) Carcassonne fell.  It continued as a fort in various medieval conflicts. Today that medieval history is the basis of its tourist trade. In fact, except for early in the morning it is packed with tourists, snapping up the toy knights, games, and swords.

Toulouse, at the end of the canal, is a trendy interesting place. Best of all, from there the bikeway is good, now along the Canal de Garonne, to Bordeaux. The people of Bordeaux flood the nearby Atlantic beach towns (like Lacanau Ocean and Carcans Plage)  in summer, something we found out on a previous trip. The area is interesting, however, with sandy ground and extensive pine forests. This time, though, we will not be on the beaches but will probably cut inland, on the way to Royan. 

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