Pricing Details
Note: All prices are US dollars.
Adult Price - US $795.00 per person
Children age 16 or younger traveling with 2 adults - $300.00 per child.
Discounts are available for parties of 5 or more adults.
The tour price includes:
-
Tour Documentation: Route instructions, map, Pre-trip Preparation Guide, On-Road Quick Reference Guide, and Sights Guide.
-
Bike Rental for 7 Days: Excellent quality hybrid bike with handlebar bag, map
carrier, cyclometer, water bottle cage, rear rack, lock, repair kit, and helmet. Optional pedal cages.
-
Delivery and Pick-up of your Rental Bike
-
Daily Baggage Transfers
-
English-Speaking Support Staff
-
Reservation of your Accommodations
-
Shipping and Handling Charges for US customers
-
Basic SAG Support: If you choose not to cycle on one or more days due to weather, illness, etc., AND
you notify your Diverse Directions support representative in advance so that you and your bikes can be transported along with your luggage, no additional charges will apply.
The tour price does NOT include:
-
Hotels: Because you are free to select from a wide range of hotels -- from charming and basic 2-star to 4-star
luxury (where available) -- the cost of your hotel accommodations is not bundled into the tour package price. See our Accommodations Options page for
the price ranges of each category of hotel. A list of accommodations options for this tour, with website links, is available upon request.
-
Meals: You are free to determine your own budget for meals. A wide variety of options are available --
from creating a picnic from provisions obtained at a boulangerie / patisserie, to dining at bistros and restaurants, or taking meals at your hotel (where
available.) Please note that breakfasts are NOT included in France hotel rates. However, hotels with restaurants often offer a demi-pension option, which
includes the cost of your room, breakfast, and dinner at a reasonable price.
-
Transportation from your home to Carcassonne and from Sète to your home.
-
Personal expenses
-
Insurance
-
Shipping and Handling Charges for non-US customers: A shipping & handling charge of US $15.00 will be added to tour orders made from outside the US.
-
Expedited Shipping (all nations): If the shipment of tour materials must be expedited, the express mail charges will be added to the tour package price.
For Diverse Directions' payment terms, cancellation policy, and all terms & conditions, please see Terms
& Conditions.
When you are ready to book your tour, please complete
and submit our secure Tour Order Form.
Daily Itinerary
Arrive in Carcassonne. Spend 2 nights.
Arrive in Carcassonne at the time of your choosing. No activities are scheduled for this day.
Day 1: Free Day in Carcassonne.
During your first full day in Carcassonne,
your rental bikes will be delivered to your hotel and you'll have the opportunity to take
them for a leisurely
test ride. In addition, you'll have plenty of time to sight-see, shop, dine and prepare for your next day's departure.
The town of Carcassonne is actually comprised of two villages: La Bastide Saint-Louis, the newer and main part
of town; and the Cité, the walled town that has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage site. The Cité dates back to the Romans (200 BC) when it was
incorporated into the Roman province of Narbonne. With its two sets of protective walls, 52 towers, sinuous medieval streets, and incredible views
of the surrounding countryside the Cité is an unforgettable sight.
La Bastide Saint-Louis, also known as the Lower Town, retains its medieval character but is also a
vibrant town full of treasures old and new. The center of activity, the Place Carnot, is a wonderful place to relax in a sidewalk cafe and enjoy the
ever-changing scene. For more information, click to visit Carcassonne on the web.
Day 2: Bike from Carcassonne to Homps / Olonzac - 40 km / 25 miles. Spend 1 night.
Today you leave Carcassonne on the towpath of the Canal du Midi, just east of the canal's port.
The highlights of today's ride include 8 single locks, 4 double locks, 2 triple locks, 2 canal bridges, and the beautiful spillway across the Argentdouble
River. While the canal is no longer used for commercial traffic, it has become popular with pleasure craft. If you get an early start you'll
see natives and tourists alike enjoying morning croissant and coffee on board a variety of vessels. Today's destination, Homps, is a tiny port village with a slow, relaxed pace.
Should you need more stimulation however, you can explore the busy village of Olonzac, just 3 km away or head to the huge Lac de Jouarrès for a swim; For more information
about the Canal du Midi, click here.
Following a dip in the pool of your B&B
or in the
Lac de Jouarrès, we recommend hopping back on your bicycle for a visit to the ancient and beautiful village of
Minerve, capital of the Cathars. On this optional circuit, you'll
leave the level path of the Canal du Midi, climb into the mountains and make your way through the vineyards on a quiet winding road with fantastic vistas. In addition to seeing another side of this region's
magnificent natural beauty, you'll have the opportunity to explore Minerve's narrow, winding streets and sites such as the village's Romanesque church
containing an alter dating back to 465 AD. Following your easy and fun all-downhill ride back to Homps / Olonzac, you'll have plenty of time to enjoy a relaxing dinner.
Day 3: Bike from Homps / Olonzac to Narbonne - 38 km / 24 miles. Spend 2 nights.
After passing through the lovely medieval villages of Roubia, Paraza, and Le Somail -- all ports along the canal
-- you briefly leave the Canal du Midi to follow two other canals to the old Roman capital city of Narbonne. Set in the heart of a countryside rich in vineyards, Narbonne is a typical Mediterranean city with tiny
streets, avenues bordered plane trees, and grand buildings the color of blond stone. The lovely Canal de la Robine running through the center of the
city adds to the city's Eden-like feel. With its many flowers and flowering trees crowding the banks of the canals, Narbonne is an incredibly beautiful city. Principle
sights include the Archbishop's Palace, a palace built in two parts and housing the Museum of Art and History and the Museum of Archeology,
and the Cathédrale de St. Just. In the main square that borders the palace a portion of the Via Domitia, the ancient Roman road connecting Spain with the Alps, has
been excavated. For more information about Narbonne click here.
Day 4: Day Trip from Narbonne to the Mediterranean wetlands or Narbonne's beach.
Today you may enjoy a free day in Narbonne, or you may cycle to the étangs (shallow, salt-water lagoons)
just to the south. A bike path will take you the 20 km from Narbonne to Port-la-Nouvelle on the Mediterranean Sea. This is an area where sea and land, salt and freshwater mix freely creating a
unique ecosystem constantly affected by wind and sea currents. This fragile wetland, which supports an
incredible variety of flora and fauna, is a major stop for migratory birds and is home to large colonies of pink flamencos. In Port-la-Nouvelle you
may take a train (with your bike) for the short return trip to Narbonne.
For riders seeking additional challenge, we recommend our optional circuit to
Narbonne Plage. The ride to the beach is fairly easy with a good portion of it on off-road bicycle paths. On your return to Narbonne however, you'll
cycle on-road through the Mountains of the Clape climbing to several magnificent vistas. Parts of
this landscape are lush and pine-clad, others rugged and desolate, all reminiscent of a Greek island. On the lower slopes are vineyards, and
everywhere there is the scent of Mediterranean sunshine. Your ride atop the mountains affords classic views of the sea; in the distance you can even see
the Pyrenees as they tumble down to meet the deep blue of the Mediterranean. The area is crisscrossed by a series of hiking trails, temptation to linger
even longer in this unique setting.
Day 5: Bike from Narbonne to Béziers - 55 km / 34 miles. Spend 2 nights.
Today you rejoin the course of the Canal du Midi for more serene cycling as well as more technological
marvels. As you cycle today the surrounding hills encroach closer and closer until the canal is forced to tunnel beneath a mountain. And just before
you reach Béziers you pass one of the monumental achievements of the canal: the Foncerannes Locks, a veritable ladder of water comprised of eight
consecutive locks. Just beyond you cross the Pont-Canal sur l'Orb, a stunningly beautiful bridge by which the canal crosses the wide River Orb.
Béziers, today's destination, is a bustling city built on the hills overlooking the surrounding Mediterranean countryside. With Roman origins, Béziers
features tiny medieval streets, fine monuments and museums, and grand boulevards. And should you need a break from your
explorations, you can relax in the Allés Paul Riquet, a wide pedestrian boulevard lined with cafes, restaurants, and shops.
The boulevard is so densely lined with trees that it feels dark and cool even in the hottest of afternoon suns. Paul Riquet, the creator of the Canal du Midi,
was born in Béziers. To view some of the major monuments and sights of Béziers, click here.
Day 6: Day Trip from Béziers to the region's most beautiful beach.
Join the residents of Béziers, as well as sun-worshippers from across Europe, as they bike the designated (off-street)
bike route to Valras Plage, a beautiful seaside resort with sweeping views
from the Pyrenees to Sète. Valras Plage is a wide golden beach flanked by a boardwalk ideal for strolling, cycling and people watching. On your way to
the beach you will have the opportunity to visit several lovely villages that dot the vineyards through which you will be riding.
Day 7: Bike from Béziers to Sète - 45 km / 28 miles. Spend 1 night.
Your final day of cycling continues along the Canal du Midi to its terrestrial end at Agde, and then
continues down the 25-km sandbar to the amazing port of Sète. At Agde, the canal crosses the Etang de Thau (a lake) to its terminus at Sète. Upon
completion of the canal's construction, Sète was founded on, and around an ancient volcano that was once an island.
Known as the Venice of Languedoc, the city is crisscrossed by a series of canals that
truly give the city a Venetian look and feel. Today Sète is the largest fishing port in France. Watch the fisherman arrive with their
catches; climb to the top of Mont St-Clair (the extinct volcano) for incredible views of the city, the Etang de Thau, and the Mediterranean Sea;
or enjoy a day on a pristine beach. For more views of Sète, click here.
Rental bikes will be picked up at your hotel in the late afternoon.
When you are ready to book your tour, please complete
and submit our secure Tour Order Form.
