Ride through the Occitanie region for Cancer Support France

Published by Andrew on 7 March 2017

Ride along canal towpaths and through ancient villages for a good cause for the 2017 Cancer Support France bike ride through Occitanie.

After successful rides along the Canal du Midi in 2015 (report here) and the Canal de Garonne in 2016 to raise funds and awareness for the excellent Cancer Support France charity, there’s another great route lined up for 2017.

This time, it’s a leisurely four days from June 22-25, 2017 through the eastern section of the Occitanie region. (Occitanie is the newly formed region of France that combines the Midi-Pyrenees with Languedoc).

The 2017 Cycle for Life route

This year the route starts among the turrets of Carcassonne and ends four stages later by the glittering Mediterranean Sea at Sète, stopping at Homps, Narbonne and Valras-Plage on the way. The shortest stage is 40km and the longest is 60km, so the route is designed for all.

You can sign up for the full four days or choose to ride a single stage. The majority of the route follows canal paths, so it’s ideal for mountain bikes or hybrids, or road bikes with wider tyres. The route follows the Canal du Midi from Carcassonne, branching off onto the Le Canal de la Robine (in green on the map below) and then heading along the coast to Sète.

The ride is an informal event, with participants planning their own bike hire and accommodation, though support is available from Denise and Bruce at local cycle tour operator Vie et Velo, who are offering a special support package that combines B&B accommodation and luggage transfers to help take the hassle out of your planning.