Published by Lyn on 30 March 2015
Fancy riding the Canal du Midi for a good cause? Why not join Cancer Support France's ride from Toulouse to Marseillan from June 7-11?
Cycle the Canal du Midi for Cancer Support France. Photo: Le Nerd du CDI
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Being diagnosed with cancer is never easy, but being diagnosed in a foreign-speaking country can be particularly challenging. Cancer Support France is a France-based, volunteer-run charity made up of a network of regional associations that exist for one reason only: to support English-speaking people who are living with cancer in France.
Cancer Support France started in Poitou-Charentes in 2002 and has since expanded to include 16 regional associations. One of the largest associations is Gascony, whose president Jayne Ray (pictured below) is the brains behind the charity's first ever bike ride – a 240km trundle along the Canal du Midi from Toulouse to Marseillan, just east of Béziers, from June 7-11, 2015.
The ride
Day 1: 50km
From Toulouse to Avignonet-Lauragais
Day 2: 55km (total from Toulouse 105km)
From Avignonet-Lauragais to Carcassonne
Day 3: 42km (total from Toulouse 147km)
From Carcassonne to Homps
Day 4: 60km (total from Toulouse 207km)
From Homps to Beziers
Day 5: 33km (total from Toulouse 240km)
From Beziers to Marseillan
Volunteers will be providing lunches, while there will be support vehicles on hand to help with spares and repairs.
The event is designed to promote awareness of the charity and to raise funds, but the emphasis is on taking part: you can ride for a day or two day or the whole way. It's free to enter, but riders are encouraged to raise money for Cancer Support France, or to make a donation towards the charity's excellent work.
You can register your interest via the ride's official website: csfcanaldumidi.org. There is also Facebook page here. For more information, you can also email csf.gascony@gmail.com
