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Cycling the Canal du Midi - Short Break

Carcassonne to Homps
 
Historic exploration | Discover the medieval walled city of Carcassonne on foot.
Canal-side cycling | Ride along the scenic Canal du Midi.
Countryside adventure | Tackle energetic routes through picturesque landscapes.
E-bike option | Choose an e-bike to ease the journey.
Superb cuisine | Taste globally celebrated French dishes.
What is included
  • 4 nights
  • 4 breakfasts
  • luggage transported (1 bag per person)
  • high-quality bicycle
  • route notes and maps
  • GPS navigation
  • return taxi from Carcassonne airport
  • Cycling the Canal du Midi - Short Break
    Carcassonne to Homps
  • Medieval artwork, Carcassonne
  • On the towpath between Carcassonne and Trèbes
  • Pause for a delicious lunch
  • Beside the canal at Homps
  • Traditional sweet shop
  • Homps
  • Producing olive oil, the traditional way
  • Minerve
  • Sample local baking
What is included
  • 4 nights
  • 4 breakfasts
  • luggage transported (1 bag per person)
  • high-quality bicycle
  • route notes and maps
  • GPS navigation
  • return taxi from Carcassonne airport
 

Holiday information

 

A cycling break in south-west France

The southern region of Languedoc-Roussillon is famed for its balmy Mediterranean climate and the many vineyards that thrive amid the rolling countryside of pretty villages, historic churches and towering cypress trees. Medieval Carcassonne is perhaps the jewel in its crown: your first sight of those resplendent turrets, towers and ramparts will linger long in the memory, and beckon you onwards to explore the ancient cité within.
On this wonderfully varied cycling break, you not only get to do this from the comfort of our 4-star hotel, but a lot more besides. On your second day, enjoy a leisurely ride alongside the Canal du Midi via a series of ornate locks and bridges, then end with an energetic circuit into the foothills of the Montagne Noire to the picturesque village of Minerve, with its ancient walls and citadel. The scenic Gorge de la Cesse is another highlight, and the sense of variety is such that you will feel as though you have been away for far longer than a mere three days.

 

Itinerary

The key to Inntravel holidays is flexibility. You can start on the day of your choice, and are free to add extra nights.
  • The average maximum daytime temperatures and monthly rainfall relate to the nearest weather station and are intended as a guide only.
    Average temperatures and rainfall
      Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
    °C 10 12 14 17 20 24 28 27 25 20 14 11
    mm 63 65 64 67 68 51 29 46 58 81 61 76
  • Arrival in Carcassonne
    Night 1: at Hotel le Donjon or Hotel Mercure la Cité (the first of two nights here).
    As your first night's accommodation is on the day of travel, Day 1 is your first day of exploration.
  • Explore Carcassonne
    Spend your first day (without bikes) exploring the fairy-tale town of Carcassonne, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the world's best-preserved medieval towns. Discover the Château Comtal; wander the narrow, medieval streets; or enjoy a leisurely cruise on the Canal du Midi (pay locally).
    Exploring Carcassonne
  • Carcassonne to Homps: 48km

    Your cycle ride begins through the grid-patterned streets of the newer (13th-century) part of Carcassonne to reach the Canal du Midi, whose towpath leads past ornate locks and bridges so typical of this grand waterway. The final stretch takes you away from the canal, to explore forgotten villages south of the River Aude to reach your destination in the port of Homps, where you stay two nights at the charming Le Jardin d’Homps.
    Carcassonne to Homps: 48km
    En route to Homps
  • Choice of routes from Homps: 43km to 52km
    This route is a real highlight – a challenging but hugely rewarding ride into the foothills of the Montagne Noire to reach the picturesque village of Minerve, where you can stop for lunch and admire the ancient walls and citadel. Then continue along the scenic Gorge de la Cesse before taking in views across the plain of the Aude and returning to your guesthouse for a well-deserved dip in the outdoor pool. Option to shorten the day by not visiting Minerve.
    Circular route from Homps: 52km
    Minerve
 

Accommodation

Your two bases are very different, making for a delightful contrast.

In Carcassonne we work with more than one hotel, as shown below. Both are hand-picked by us and, unless there is a price implication (in which case we will contact you to discuss your options), we will tell you which one we have booked for you on your booking confirmation.
 

Extend your stay

 
Prices & travel options
All prices are in £ sterling (GBP). If you'd like to see what they equate to in your currency, use the converter. For general information on pricing, see the 'your holiday price explained' page.
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  • 4 nights: 15 April 2025 - 30 June 2025, 01 September 2025 - 15 October 2025, 15 April 2026 - 30 June 2026 & 01 September 2026 - 15 October 2026

    Start any day | End by latest date(s) shown above

    Starting Price Single room
    15 Apr - 31 May 2025 £830 £375
    1 - 26 Jun 2025 £890 £415
    1 - 30 Sep 2025 £890 £415
    1 - 11 Oct 2025 £830 £375
    15 Apr - 31 May 2026 £875 £395
    1 - 26 Jun 2026 £940 £440
    1 - 30 Sep 2026 £940 £440
    1 - 11 Oct 2026 £875 £395
    3rd & 4th person discount -£57 to -£60
    Single traveller supplement £57 to £60

    Includes accommodation, meals, bike hire, luggage transfers and any other services integral to the holiday as described, plus cycling notes and maps, but no travel from the UK, nor any connecting travel from the airport unless stated below.

    Included travel: return taxi from Carcassonne airport

    Electric bikes available: add £46pp in 2025 or £49pp in 2026

    Book your flights through us and we'll find the best route and times to suit you. Please contact us to find out more about our flight booking service. We can also book connecting travel - see below.

  • Extra nights (£ per person per night) in a double or single room

    Prices include an extra day’s hire of a standard bike except at Hotel du Donjon. If you are upgrading to an e-bike, add a further £15pp per day.
    Hotel le Donjon, Carcassonne (B&B) Double room Single room
    15 Apr - 02 Jul 2025 £145 £261
    01 Sep - 15 Oct 2025 £145 £261
    15 Apr - 02 Jul 2026 £153 £275
    01 Sep - 15 Oct 2026 £153 £275
    Le Jardin d’Homps, Homps (B&B) Double room Single room
    15 Apr - 30 Apr 2025 £84 £139
    01 May - 30 Jun 2025 £92 £151
    01 Jul - 02 Jul 2025 £105 £176
    01 Sep - 15 Oct 2025 £92 £151
    15 Apr - 30 Apr 2026 £89 £147
    01 May - 30 Jun 2026 £97 £159
    01 Jul - 02 Jul 2026 £111 £186
    01 Sep - 15 Oct 2026 £97 £159
  • RECOMMENDED AIRPORT(S):
    Carcassonne
    ALTERNATIVE AIRPORT(S):
    Béziers
    As an alternative to flying, we can arrange rail travel from London

    Travelling from the UK

    Travelling from outside the UK

    If you are flying from outside Europe,  we recommend flying via Paris or Barcelona. To discuss onward connecting travel to the start of your holiday, please contact us.

    Travelling from outside the UK
    We have many years' experience catering for customers who live outside the UK, and will be happy to make tailored arrangements to fit with your plans.

    You have two options:

    1) Book your own flights to London, from where we can book flights and onward connecting travel to your hotel.

    2) Book your own flights direct to an airport appropriate to your chosen holiday. You can either make your own way from the airport to the hotel, or we'll be happy to book onward connecting travel for you. Please consult with us before booking your flights, so that we can advise you on the suitability of your proposed route and timings.
    Outward route Airline
    Bristol - Béziers Ryanair 
    Outward route Airline
    Nottingham East Midlands - Carcassonne Ryanair 
    Outward route Airline
    Edinburgh - Béziers Ryanair 
    Edinburgh - Carcassonne Ryanair 
    Outward route Airline
    Luton - Béziers Ryanair 
    Outward route Airline
    Stansted - Béziers Ryanair 
    Stansted - Carcassonne Ryanair 
    Outward route Airline
    Manchester - Béziers Ryanair 
    Manchester - Carcassonne Ryanair 
    Travelling from outside the UK

    If you are flying from outside Europe,  we recommend flying via Paris or Barcelona. To discuss onward connecting travel to the start of your holiday, please contact us.

    This list of flight options should be used as a guide only, and you should check each airline’s website for current routes, frequency and schedules. Not all flights operate daily, and may not run for the entire season. You should also heed the latest flight arrival time and earliest flight departure time stated in the connecting travel section, as it may not be possible to arrange connecting travel outside these times. Please do not book your flights until we have confirmed your accommodation to you. Alternatively, our expert reservations team will be happy to offer advice and to make flight bookings for you for any of the options listed above. We charge £35 per person for our flight booking service. Your flights are then covered by our package-booking conditions, which give you greater protection in the event of delay or cancellation, as well as providing ATOL cover.

  • Prices below are based on 2 people travelling together. If you are travelling solo or as a party of 3 or more and our arrangements include a taxi, please contact us for prices; additional passengers often pay less.

    Unless otherwise stated, connecting travel by rail or bus tends to be from the city centre station, rather than from its airport, and connections between the two should be paid for locally.

    Where a price range is given, the price you pay depends on your date of travel.

    Connecting travel options - flying via Béziers

    Outward route Price per person Latest flight
    arrival time
    direct taxi Béziers airport to hotel (1h25) £145-£153 flexible
    Homeward route Price per person Earliest flight
    departure time
    direct taxi hotel to Béziers airport (1h) £50-£53 flexible

    Connecting travel options - flying via Carcassonne

    Outward route Price per person Latest flight
    arrival time
    direct taxi Carcassonne airport to hotel (0h20) included flexible
    Homeward route Price per person Earliest flight
    departure time
    direct taxi hotel to Carcassonne airport (0h45) included flexible
 
Reviews

If you've experienced this holiday first hand, why not write a review?

We are keen for as many customers as possible to review their holiday. To make it easier to do so, we include a specific review section on our post-holiday questionnaire, and this is what we publish here, unedited. Read our full review policy >

 

FAQs

If you have any questions relating to this or any other Inntravel holiday, our friendly travel experts will be happy to help. You might also find our General FAQs section helpful.
  • Our chosen bike rental shop will provide you with a comfort bike with 21 gears; a waterproof map case on handlebars; panniers/saddlebags; pump; puncture repair kit; and a lock. Electric bikes are available as an upgrade (see price panel), subject to availability, and must be requested at the time of booking. The bike shop also has a limited number of tandems.
  • While we would always recommend that you take your own well-fitting helmet, they can be hired locally for a small fee. Please let us know at the time of booking if you would like to hire a helmet.
  • Yes, we will provide GPX tracks for this holiday prior to departure so that you can follow your route on your smartphone or dedicated GPS device if you wish. (We also provide maps and our tried-and-tested route notes, which remain the principal means of navigation).
  • We’ll send you route notes and maps 2-3 weeks before your holiday. The route notes not only contain directions to get from hotel to hotel, but also include practical information about places of interest and eateries along each route, plus cultural information about the area. On mornings when you are moving between hotels, you leave your luggage in reception as you leave, and it will be transferred ahead to your next accommodation so that all you need to take with you are a camera, sun cream, drinks, food and waterproofs.

    For more detailed information, see our cycling holidays in Europe page.
  • You are responsible for damage to or loss of the rental bike while it is hired to you. Always be careful to lock it up, ideally to an immovable object, and remove all easy-to-steal accessories whenever you leave it unattended.
  • We can book a wide range of routes from the UK with a variety of airlines. As well as being more convenient for you to book all elements of your holiday together, it also means that we’ll accept liability for your travel arrangements, so if things go wrong, such as the airline going bust, we’ll make suitable alternative arrangements for you. The fee for this service is £35 per person (£15 for children aged 2-11). More information on flights >
  • We can’t book flights that originate outside the UK, but if you wanted to book your own flights to London (or elsewhere in the UK), we can make all onward travel arrangements (including flights) from there. Alternatively, if you are booking your own flights to an airport in continental Europe that’s appropriate for your holiday, we can book onward rail travel and/or taxis. More information about how we can tailor holidays for customers outside the UK >
  • Since our holidays are self-guided, we recommend calling us for a chat about your plans before making a booking, especially if it’s the first time you’ve booked with us.
    The price panel shows the supplement for a single room and also the single traveller charge (this covers (luggage) transfers and other costs which are usually shared between two people).
  • Once you’ve decided on your exact itinerary (our travel experts will be happy to offer advice), you need to provide us with your party’s details, either by phone or via our booking form. At this point we also ask you to pay a deposit so that we can secure a room for you immediately on confirming availability with the hotel(s). If it turns out that we can’t secure the accommodation for the holiday you’ve requested, or offer an acceptable alternative, we’ll refund your deposit promptly and in full. After booking your accommodation and other key elements, we'll then book your travel (or you can do so if you’re making your own arrangements) and send you a Booking Confirmation and Invoice.

    More information about the booking process >
    Information about accommodation, general practicalities and more >
    Booking conditions >
  • Yes, it’s something we insist on, even for holidays in the UK. The vast majority of holidays go smoothly, but when things go wrong, it can be expensive to put them right. Buying a new pair of walking boots after your suitcase is stolen mightn’t seem so bad, but the bill for being airlifted down from a mountain with a broken leg or flown home while still recovering from an illness or accident can incur a five or six-figure bill.

    Many insurers offer travel insurance (you can find details on our insurance page of a policy that you may like to consider if you are a UK resident), but you do need to make sure that you’re covered for medical emergencies – including falling ill with Covid-19 while on holiday – and repatriation. We also recommend that you are covered for other eventualities, such as cancellation and loss of luggage and passports.

    When you purchase a policy, be sure to check that it covers the activities you'll be doing on holiday and that it is adequate for your own individual needs.
  • It is your responsibility to ensure you are in possession of the correct travel documents, with the correct validity. If you’re a UK citizen, you need a full British passport to travel to France, but not a visa (please note, however, that a new travel authorisation system is being introduced). If you are a citizen of another country, you’ll need to check requirements with the national embassy or your own consulate.

    Current information regarding vaccinations and travel health advice for UK citizens can be found through the Travel Health Pro website. You must make sure you have adequate insurance cover for illness, accidents and repatriation (see the insurance question). You should also apply for a Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) if your EHIC has expired (if you have a still-valid EHIC, you can use this until it expires).
  • The official language is French. The currency is the Euro. French time is GMT/UTC + 1. It uses Daylight Saving Time, so in summer is on BST + 1.
  • For information on the practicalities of travel now that the UK is no longer part of the European Union, visit www.gov.uk/visit-eu-switzerland-norway-iceland-liechtenstein.
  • The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) provides up-to-date, country-by-country travel advice, as well as information on security, local laws, passports and visas for UK citizens.

    If you live outside the UK, see our essential travel information page for a list of relevant websites.
Price from
£830pp | 4 nights
Cycling the Canal du Midi - Short Break. 4 nights
Price from
£830pp
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