Where is the best place to access the Canal du Midi from the Arles Route?

[alan janette]

Hi Everyone, we're planning to walk the Arles route but would like to include some of the Canal du Midi (as a nostalgic walk since we used to work a canal boat there in another life) and wondering where is the closest place on the Arles Route to access the canal? We were also thinking of starting in Agde (where we were based) and walking the Canal to Toulouse and joining the Arles Route there but it would cut off too much of the interesting part, so a quick diversion to the Canal would suffice. Any ideas? Thx.

 

[Canuck]

The official route joins the canal at the Seuil de Naurouze (the water shed point) a little before (5km) the town of Avignonet-Lauragais. From there, you have approx 60 km along the canal to Toulouse. If 60 km is too long, you can join it again at Donneville, 20 km from Toulouse.

I have walked the entire length of Le Canal Lateral à la Garonne and Le Canal du Midi, from Bordeaux via Toulouse to Sete and enjoyed every minute of it.

Wish you the same.
Jean-Marc

 

[Kitsambler]

There is also a short canal section on the Le Puy route between Auvillar and Moissac (since you are planning to walk eastbound), most of one day's worth.

 

[Canuck]

There is also a short canal section on the Le Puy route between Auvillar and Moissac (since you are planning to walk eastbound), most of one day's worth.

Right. If they were to go that way, they could join the Le Puy route from the Arles route at Moissac, 63 km along the same canal (Canal de la Garonne) from the Canal du Midi at Toulouse (where the two canals join).

 

[alan janette]

The official route joins the canal at the Seuil de Naurouze (the water shed point) a little before (5km) the town of Avignonet-Lauragais. From there, you have approx 60 km along the canal to Toulouse. If 60 km is too long, you can join it again at Donneville, 20 km from Toulouse.

I have walked the entire length of Le Canal Lateral à la Garonne and Le Canal du Midi, from Bordeaux via Toulouse to Sete and enjoyed every minute of it.

Wish you the same.
Jean-Marc

Thanks Jean-Marc, that sounds perfect for a nostalgic walk along the canal towpath.

 

[alan janette]

Right. If they were to go that way, they could join the Le Puy route from the Arles route at Moissac, 63 km along the same canal (Canal de la Garonne) from the Canal du Midi at Toulouse (where the two canals join).

Thanks for the canal tips

 

[alan janette]

There is also a short canal section on the Le Puy route between Auvillar and Moissac (since you are planning to walk eastbound), most of one day's worth.

Thanks for that tip we'll look forward to that as well

 

[JabbaPapa]

Basically, the only places where it intersects with the Arles Way are some villages and towns near Toulouse, so that on the Arles Way the only "quick" diversion would be as a variant partial approach into the city.

Pretty much, the canal du midi goes nowhere near the Arles Way.

Having said that, there is a variant Way starting out from Montpellier to Béziers, then up from there towards Toulouse and the Arles Way ; so you could follow that to Béziers, then get onto the canal from there onwards, as the German pilgrim I met in Béziers was doing pretty much exactly.

Actually, for the first few K out of Béziers, the French Catalan Way basically goes along that canal.

There are a couple of albergues between Montpellier and Béziers, not very many, one in Gigean (15€), there's one at Saint-Thibéry (donativo AFAIK didn't stay there), and the donativo in Béziers itself is excellent.

The route is poorly waymarked, and it's mostly considered as a variant of the Piémont Way -- though actually it's four Ways in one. The oldest being the Cami Romieu from Catalonia towards Rome, it's older than the pilgrimage to Compostela itself ; part of the Piémont Way ; a variant of the Arles Way but going via Carcassonne, Castelnaudary ; and a route towards the French Catalan Way.

 

[alan janette]

Basically, the only places where it intersects with the Arles Way are some villages and towns near Toulouse, so that on the Arles Way the only "quick" diversion would be as a variant partial approach into the city.

Pretty much, the canal du midi goes nowhere near the Arles Way.

Having said that, there is a variant Way starting out from Montpellier to Béziers, then up from there towards Toulouse and the Arles Way ; so you could follow that to Béziers, then get onto the canal from there onwards, as the German pilgrim I met in Béziers was doing pretty much exactly.

Actually, for the first few K out of Béziers, the French Catalan Way basically goes along that canal.

There are a couple of albergues between Montpellier and Béziers, not very many, one in Gigean (15€), there's one at Saint-Thibéry (donativo AFAIK didn't stay there), and the donativo in Béziers itself is excellent.

The route is poorly waymarked, and it's mostly considered as a variant of the Piémont Way -- though actually it's four Ways in one. The oldest being the Cami Romieu from Catalonia towards Rome, it's older than the pilgrimage to Compostela itself ; part of the Piémont Way ; a variant of the Arles Way but going via Carcassonne, Castelnaudary ; and a route towards the French Catalan Way.

Thanks for your info . We've decided to just catch the Canal entering Toulouse. We lived (and worked) on the canal from Sete to Toulouse in a past life (!) so really just want to walk the canal in part while on the Arles Route for nostalgia .