Cycling on French Towpaths

[Will Doubs]

In my madness (probably something to do with approaching the big 4-0!), I am considering cycling from the West Country to Franche Comte at the end of the summer.  I am aiming to use backroads, cyclepaths and towpaths as far as possible.

Can anyone point me in the direction of a website or publication that tell me which rivers and canals have cycle-friendly towpaths?

Any other advice would be very much appreciated.

[Jonzjob]

Hi Will, have you tried the French Tourist Info sites. They can probably put you into the right direction. Most of the canals here seem to have tow paths and are Grand Randonee paths too. One thing that would appeal to me is that you don't see too many canals with up hill slopes on them do you. There's a rumour that the Irish water ski team pulled out of the Oly's because they couldn't find one. (Oh gawd now I've left myself open to flack[+o(]).

John.

[Thumper]

In the main, French towpaths, certainly along canals (as opposed to rivers) are all in excellent condition. With the majority of French waterways being built to larger dimensions than the ones in the UK, many are still commercially viable, and because of that have been well maintained throughout the last two or three hundred years. I'm not sure, but I assume that "lock-wheeling" is still permitted, so can't see you coming across any regulations that would prevent cycling along the towpath - something that a few local authorities did try in the UK!

[Joerger École]

Will,

I have a copy of a nice book on the subject:  Cycling Along the Waterways of France, Tony Roberts, MBI Publishing Company, 1998.  Don't know how available it might be but the address for MBI is 729 Prospect Avenue, P.O. Box 1, Osceola, WI 54020, USA

The author describes routes using mostly tow paths in Brittany (Canal nantes à Brest), the Garonne Valley, Gascony and the Midi, and Burgundy.

Your idea for the ride sounds wonderful.  We have spent many an enjoyable vacation bicycle touring in France. We now live here and still find the cycling marvelous.

Good luck to you.

Jim

[Alcazar]

My, and my lads' present love affair with mountain bikes, started when my eldest, at 5, wanted to hire a small 5 speed model from the guy at the top of our campsite, near Beziers.

I got one for me too, as I could see him being easily bored, just circling the site.

We went out onto the local roads, and ended up doing a good 14miles in each direction up and down the towpath of the canal du Midi, with stops for luch bought from a local mini-supermarket.

It nearly killed me, and I was VERY relieved when we took the bikes back at 5pm, but bought bikes for me, him and my wife before the next holiday.

The canal du Midi towpath had signs for no VEHICLES, but we saw motorbikes, mopeds and even a small car on it.........as always in France, signs like that mean everyone else!

Alcazar

[Joerger École]

Yes, most of the tow paths are posted for "no vehicle."  We have ridden our bicycles on many different tow paths and have never been challenged. In fact, the lock keepers, who often drive back and forth on the paths as they move from lock to lock, usually wave and smile.  The paths are of variable quality. Some are paved and even have painted divide lines. Others are paths of gravel or just dirt. The book I mention above describes the quality of the paths.