Canal des Deux Mers bike route

Canal des Deux Mers à Vélo links the Atlantic Coast to the Mediterranean, starting north of Bordeaux and joining to the Roger Lapebie bike path, the Canel de Garonne and the Canal du Midi.

Canal des Deux Mers à Vélo

For many years, the 'Canal des Deux Mers' has been a popular cycling route linking the Atlantic Coast to the Mediterranean. However – until now – it's been a piecemeal affair that's involved cyclists linking four different routes together to make it from the Atlantic Coast to the Med.

However there is now an 'official' Canal de Deux Mers bike route starting in Royan in Poitou-Charentes and ending on the Mediterranean Coast at Sète.

The route follows the Gironde Estuary to Bordeaux, utilising a new section of bike path between Blaye and Bordeaux. From Bordeaux it's onto the rather wonderful Roger Lapebie bike path which links through to Sauveterre. From Sauveterre there's another new section through to La Reole  and onto the Canal de Garonne, which starts just a little further south-east. 

From here it's the 'normal' tried and tested route through to Toulouse and the start of the Canal du Midi.

An alternative route would be to follow the Atlantic Coast La Vélodyssée (EuroVelo 1) bike route to Lacanau before taking the Lacanau-Bordeaux bike path and linking to the Roger Lapebie at Bordeaux. 

Maps

The relevant regional IGN maps are:

These are 1:250,000 (1cm = 2.5km)

For more detailed maps, look to the IGN Top 100 maps (1:100,000):
Maps 145 (UK, US), 160 (UK, US), 168 (UK, US), 170 (UK, US), 174 (UK, US).

Accommodation for the Canal des Deux Mers bike route

See our interactive map below – I've highlighted all the regions through which the Canal des Deux Mers route passes. There are some good accommodation options directly on or near the route, including in Bordeaux, and along the Canal du Midi in Languedoc and the Pyrenees.

Organised cycling holidays

A number of companies run self-guided cycling holidays along the Canal du Midi and Canal de Garonne. See our Aquitaine, Midi-Pyrenees and Languedoc cycling holidays sections for some ideas.

Bike hire options

See our bike hire listings for Poitou-Charente, Aquitaine, the Pyrenees and Languedoc. Velo du Lot bike hire can arrange one-way hire along the canals, or see our bike delivery services for other options. 

Official Canal des Deux Mers à Vélo website: en.canaldes2mersavelo.com

See also this Reader Q&A, which has more advice and links, including info on the state of the towpaths.

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