desk 2026 CDM Historical Narrative (Desktop Version)
DESKTOP VERSION: Historical companion to the Canal des Deux Mers journey, exploring engineering, commerce, religion, warfare, food, wine, and regional identity from Bordeaux to Sète.
resources.biketourfrance.net
Resource library for route planning, reference, and listening on the road.
A collection of downloadable materials, external references, and audio guides.
Narratives (2)
m 2026 CDM Historical Narrative (Mobile Version)
MOBILE VERSION: Historical companion to the Canal des Deux Mers journey, exploring engineering, commerce, religion, warfare, food, wine, and regional identity from Bordeaux to Sète.
Audio Guides (13)
000 Complete CDM Audio Route Guide
Canal des Deux Mers Complete Audiobook: Complete audio combining introduction, all ride-day chapters, rest-day segment, and conclusion for the Canal des Deux Mers narrative from Bordeaux to Sète across southern France.
001 Introduction
Introduces the Canal des Deux Mers, its Atlantic-to-Mediterranean purpose, seventeenth-century origins, Bordeaux-to-Sète route, and the historical, geographic, and cultural themes framing the journey itself throughout.
002 RideDay 01 Bordeaux to La Réole
Bordeaux departure day covering Aquitaine's Plantagenet ties, bastide towns, wine wealth, phylloxera recovery, and La Réole's strategic role on the Garonne River corridor beyond Bordeaux.
003 RideDay 02 La Réole to Agen
Follows the Garonne Valley to Agen, highlighting river trade, English and French conflicts, Rembrandt's Christ on the Cross, and the historic Agen prune industry there.
004 RideDay 03 Agen to Moissac
Follow the Garonne through prune country to Moissac, where river commerce, monastic power, Cluniac reform, and medieval pilgrimage shaped southwestern France.
005 RestDay 01 Toulouse Rest Day
Rest-day overview of Toulouse, covering its reinvention after Cathar conflict, urban culture, rebuilding after fire, Occitan identity, and enduring importance as a regional capital today.
006 RideDay 04 Moissac to Toulouse
Moissac to Toulouse episode covering canal engineering, the Montech Water Slope, the Shepherds' Crusade, Toulouse's religious conflicts, and local food traditions along the route today.
007 RideDay 05 Toulouse to Castelnaudary
Lauragais chapter on grain wealth, woad fortunes, Toulouse's cassoulet heritage, and Castelnaudary's commercial role within the historical canal corridor across southern France for riders today.
008 RideDay 06 Castelnaudary to Carcassonne
Castelnaudary to Carcassonne episode on crusade violence, fortress building, inquisitorial procedures, religious conflict, and Viollet-le-Duc's nineteenth-century restoration of the citadel for modern visitors still today.
009 RideDay 07 Carcassonne to Lézignan-Corbières
Ride through the Corbières, where crusade scars, Cathar history, canal commerce, and centuries of viticulture transformed conflict into one of France's premier wine regions.
010 RideDay 08 Lézignan-Corbières to Capestang
Corbières chapter covering vineyards, fortified towns, Cathar history, wine appellations, and the transformation of a conflict-scarred landscape into a major wine region for France today.
011 RideDay 09 Capestang to Sète
Final coastal ride from Capestang to Sète, featuring Riquet's canal vision, Malpas Tunnel, Fonsérannes locks, Béziers violence, and the Mediterranean port's creation under Louis XIV.
012 Conclusion
Closing reflection on the route's contradictions, blending engineering achievement, food, wine, and historical violence into a final meditation on the Canal des Deux Mers journey.
Stuff (4)
Bicycle Touring Pack List v2
Packlist template for weekend, tours, Ride Leader. Also bolt torque to check on arrive/return
ViaRhona_Tour_v2
Example. Plan for ride from Lyon to Montpellier. Includes hotels and daily route links
Bordeaux Bayonne Cycling Tour Plan
Example. Plan for ride from Bordeaux to Donostia
Tour overview - Paris & Loire
Canva project with a graphic illustration of the Paris visit and Loire (EV6) Bicycle Tour
Sites (12)
EuroVelo
Pan-European cycling routes; 15 mapped corridors across Europe
France Vélo Tourisme
National French cycling tourism; lodging/dining integration
Komoot
User-generated route curation; segment ratings; difficulty classification
RWGPS (Ride With GPS)
Cyclist-uploaded route library; elevation profiles; community feedback
AF3V (French Greenways)
French cycling route advocacy; inventory of dedicated paths
SNCF Connect
Train + bike ticketing; journey planning with bicycle transport
IGN (French Geographic Institute)
Official French topographic maps; cycling layer available
Vélo & Territoires
Regional cycling partnerships; territorial development; infrastructure funding
FreeWheelingFrance.com
Independent site offering comprehensive guidance on cycling in France, including routes, trip planning, accommodation, bike hire, and practical advice for self-guided tours
Adventure Cycling Association: Article: "Ask an Adventure Cycling Tour Leader: What Type of Bike Should I Use?"
Adventure Cycling Association article explains touring bike selection—prioritizing comfort, durability, simple components, and versatile tires—while ACA promotes long-distance bicycle travel through education, routes, and rider support.
Peak & Coast Cycling Camp
Charles Ricau, a French cyclist and personal contact, founded and runs Peak&Coast Cycling Camp. The operation offers immersive one-week camps in the French Alps and Corsica for ambitious amateurs—structured rides, professional coaching, recovery care, and on-the-ground support designed for serious cyclists.
Azure Cycle Tours
Azur Cycle Tours, run by personal contact Justin Lord, offers bespoke cycling holidays in the Côte d'Azur where the Alps meet the Mediterranean. Options range from easy coastal rides to epic mountain routes—single-centre holidays, fully-supported tours, and event-based packages based in Beaulieu-sur-Mer and Nice.
Stuff
4 resources
Bicycle Touring Pack List v2
Packlist template for weekend, tours, Ride Leader. Also bolt torque to check on arrive/return
ViaRhona_Tour_v2
Example. Plan for ride from Lyon to Montpellier. Includes hotels and daily route links
Bordeaux Bayonne Cycling Tour Plan
Example. Plan for ride from Bordeaux to Donostia
Tour overview - Paris & Loire
Canva project with a graphic illustration of the Paris visit and Loire (EV6) Bicycle Tour
Sites
12 sites
EuroVelo
Pan-European cycling routes; 15 mapped corridors across Europe
France Vélo Tourisme
National French cycling tourism; lodging/dining integration
Komoot
User-generated route curation; segment ratings; difficulty classification
RWGPS (Ride With GPS)
Cyclist-uploaded route library; elevation profiles; community feedback
AF3V (French Greenways)
French cycling route advocacy; inventory of dedicated paths
SNCF Connect
Train + bike ticketing; journey planning with bicycle transport
IGN (French Geographic Institute)
Official French topographic maps; cycling layer available
Vélo & Territoires
Regional cycling partnerships; territorial development; infrastructure funding
FreeWheelingFrance.com
Independent site offering comprehensive guidance on cycling in France, including routes, trip planning, accommodation, bike hire, and practical advice for self-guided tours
Adventure Cycling Association: Article: "Ask an Adventure Cycling Tour Leader: What Type of Bike Should I Use?"
Adventure Cycling Association article explains touring bike selection—prioritizing comfort, durability, simple components, and versatile tires—while ACA promotes long-distance bicycle travel through education, routes, and rider support.
Peak & Coast Cycling Camp
Charles Ricau, a French cyclist and personal contact, founded and runs Peak&Coast Cycling Camp. The operation offers immersive one-week camps in the French Alps and Corsica for ambitious amateurs—structured rides, professional coaching, recovery care, and on-the-ground support designed for serious cyclists.
Azure Cycle Tours
Azur Cycle Tours, run by personal contact Justin Lord, offers bespoke cycling holidays in the Côte d'Azur where the Alps meet the Mediterranean. Options range from easy coastal rides to epic mountain routes—single-centre holidays, fully-supported tours, and event-based packages based in Beaulieu-sur-Mer and Nice.
Narratives
2 documents
desk 2026 CDM Historical Narrative (Desktop Version)
DESKTOP VERSION: Historical companion to the Canal des Deux Mers journey, exploring engineering, commerce, religion, warfare, food, wine, and regional identity from Bordeaux to Sète.
m 2026 CDM Historical Narrative (Mobile Version)
MOBILE VERSION: Historical companion to the Canal des Deux Mers journey, exploring engineering, commerce, religion, warfare, food, wine, and regional identity from Bordeaux to Sète.
Audio Tour Guides
13 guides
000 Complete CDM Audio Route Guide
Canal des Deux Mers Complete Audiobook: Complete audio combining introduction, all ride-day chapters, rest-day segment, and conclusion for the Canal des Deux Mers narrative from Bordeaux to Sète across southern France.
001 Introduction
Introduces the Canal des Deux Mers, its Atlantic-to-Mediterranean purpose, seventeenth-century origins, Bordeaux-to-Sète route, and the historical, geographic, and cultural themes framing the journey itself throughout.
002 RideDay 01 Bordeaux to La Réole
Bordeaux departure day covering Aquitaine's Plantagenet ties, bastide towns, wine wealth, phylloxera recovery, and La Réole's strategic role on the Garonne River corridor beyond Bordeaux.
003 RideDay 02 La Réole to Agen
Follows the Garonne Valley to Agen, highlighting river trade, English and French conflicts, Rembrandt's Christ on the Cross, and the historic Agen prune industry there.
004 RideDay 03 Agen to Moissac
Follow the Garonne through prune country to Moissac, where river commerce, monastic power, Cluniac reform, and medieval pilgrimage shaped southwestern France.
005 RestDay 01 Toulouse Rest Day
Rest-day overview of Toulouse, covering its reinvention after Cathar conflict, urban culture, rebuilding after fire, Occitan identity, and enduring importance as a regional capital today.
006 RideDay 04 Moissac to Toulouse
Moissac to Toulouse episode covering canal engineering, the Montech Water Slope, the Shepherds' Crusade, Toulouse's religious conflicts, and local food traditions along the route today.
007 RideDay 05 Toulouse to Castelnaudary
Lauragais chapter on grain wealth, woad fortunes, Toulouse's cassoulet heritage, and Castelnaudary's commercial role within the historical canal corridor across southern France for riders today.
008 RideDay 06 Castelnaudary to Carcassonne
Castelnaudary to Carcassonne episode on crusade violence, fortress building, inquisitorial procedures, religious conflict, and Viollet-le-Duc's nineteenth-century restoration of the citadel for modern visitors still today.
009 RideDay 07 Carcassonne to Lézignan-Corbières
Ride through the Corbières, where crusade scars, Cathar history, canal commerce, and centuries of viticulture transformed conflict into one of France's premier wine regions.
010 RideDay 08 Lézignan-Corbières to Capestang
Corbières chapter covering vineyards, fortified towns, Cathar history, wine appellations, and the transformation of a conflict-scarred landscape into a major wine region for France today.
011 RideDay 09 Capestang to Sète
Final coastal ride from Capestang to Sète, featuring Riquet's canal vision, Malpas Tunnel, Fonsérannes locks, Béziers violence, and the Mediterranean port's creation under Louis XIV.
012 Conclusion
Closing reflection on the route's contradictions, blending engineering achievement, food, wine, and historical violence into a final meditation on the Canal des Deux Mers journey.