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Gruissan to Sète Along the Canal du Midi

102 km mixed-surface cycling route131 m climbing6–8½ hoursGPX

Gruissan, Languedoc, France · Mixed

A flat 102 km mixed-surface cycling route from Gruissan, Languedoc to Sète Along the Canal du Midi through Le Bouis, Saint-Pierre-la-Mer and Sérignan, with 131 m of climbing. Mixed surface: 76% is mapped as paved and 23% as gravel or unpaved.

Route contributed by Marcus · Created from a ride on Friday 6th September 2024

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At a glance

Best for
Flat, steady riding
Distance
101.8 km
Point to point
Elevation gain
131 m
1 m per km
Riding time
6–8½ hours
moving time, estimated
Difficulty
Moderate
Bike
Gravel bike
from the mapped surface
Surface
Mixed surface
76% paved · 23% unpaved · 1% no data
Traffic
Mostly minor roads
2.3 km on main roads without a cycle lane · 33.6 km on cycle paths or lanes
Food & water
Regular
354 cafés and restaurants · 52 shops · 18 water points · 9 petrol stations · 69 public toilets · 23 bike shops
Best months
Apr to Sep
Gruissan climate, 10 years
Navigation
GPX download
free, no sign-in
Start → finish
Gruissan → Sète Along the Canal du Midi

Map and elevation profile

On the road: Gruissan to Sète Along the Canal du Midi, Gruissan

Elevation profile

Total ascent
131 m
Distance
102 km
-2002040m0 km255075102 km20 m · highest, at 97.5 kmStartFinish

Route description

  1. Gruissan
  2. Le Bouiskm 3
  3. Saint-Pierre-la-Merkm 13
  4. Sérignankm 34
  5. Viaskm 48
  6. Marseillankm 66
  7. Mèzekm 77
  8. Bouzigueskm 84
  9. La Fiaukm 90
  10. Sète Along the Canal du Midikm 102

Starting near Gruissan at 0.5 km, the route follows the Canal du Midi towards Sète over 101.8 km with a total ascent of 150 m. The profile is mostly flat, with 95% flat sections and gentle climbs totalling 3% of the ride. The highest point is 19 m at 93.5 km. Paved roads cover 76%, while 23% is gravel or unpaved. The ride includes 31 km of cycle paths and lanes and 24 km of minor roads. Other road types are quiet streets, paths, and tracks. Main roads without cycle lanes account for 2.3 km. The named Voie Verte Canal du Midi is followed for 10.5 km. Places along the way include Le Bouis, Narbonne-Plage, Valras-Plage, Agde, Marseillan, Mèze, Bouzigues, and Balaruc-les-Bains. Facilities include multiple bakeries, cafés, shops, bike shops, petrol stations, toilets, and drinking water points. The longest stretch without a café, shop or water is 9.8 km from 67.5 to 77.3 km. Bailout points exist at Lily Passeur ferry at 29.8 km, and train stations at Agde (53.2 km) and Marseillan-Plage (61.1 km).

Highlights

  • Follow the Voie Verte Canal du Midi for 10.5 km
  • Highest point 19 m at 93.5 km
  • Longest no service stretch 9.8 km from 67.5 to 77.3 km
  • Bailout points at Agde and Marseillan-Plage stations

Along the route

Measured from the route line, the Copernicus elevation model and OpenStreetMap.

Places passed

  1. Le Bouis 3 km
  2. Les Ayguades 5.9 km
  3. Narbonne-Plage 10 km
  4. Saint-Pierre-la-Mer 13 km
  5. Les Cabanes de Fleury 22.9 km
  6. Valras-Plage 29.6 km
  7. Sérignan 34.4 km
  8. Portiragnes 39.7 km
  9. Portiragnes Plage 42.7 km
  10. Vias 47.9 km
  11. Agde 54 km
  12. Marseillan Plage 61.3 km
  13. Marseillan 65.6 km
  14. Montpénèbre 70.4 km
  15. Mourre-Blanc 74.1 km
  16. Mèze 77 km
  17. Loupian 79.7 km
  18. La Catonnière 82.4 km
  19. Bouzigues 83.6 km
  20. Issanka 87.6 km
  21. Balaruc-le-Vieux 88.7 km
  22. La Fiau 90 km
  23. Balaruc-les-Bains 90.9 km
  24. La Peyrade 97.4 km

Traffic, surface and gradient

Measured from OpenStreetMap along the track and the elevation profile.

Mostly minor roads and streets on the map; 2.3 km is on main roads without a cycle lane.

Roads
31% cycle path · 25% minor road · 16% quiet street · 14% path · 14% other roads and tracks
Main roads
2.3 km on main roads without a cycle lane — likely busier
Cycle paths
33.6 km on cycle paths or roads with a cycle lane
Main roads used
Voie Verte Canal du Midi (11 km)
Surface
Mixed surface: 76% is mapped as paved and 23% as gravel or unpaved.
Gradient
3% climbing · 2% descending · 95% flat

Food, water and services

Within a few hundred metres of the track, from OpenStreetMap. Opening hours change — treat this as where to look, not a promise.

No stretch is longer than 15 km without a café, shop or water. Along the route: 354 cafés and restaurants, 52 shops, 18 water points, 9 petrol stations, 69 public toilets and 23 bike shops.

Food, water and shops in ride order

  1. 0.5 kmToilets · 30 m off route
  2. 1.7 kmLe briochon · bakery · 60 m off route
  3. 9.2 kmToilets · on the route
  4. 11.9 kmTotal Contact · petrol station · on the route
  5. 13 kmBubble Café · café · on the route
  6. 24.1 kmWater point · 180 m off route
  7. 29.5 kmToilets · on the route
  8. 34.4 kmMaison Garcia · bakery · 30 m off route
  9. 39.5 kmDrinking water · 70 m off route
  10. 54 kmLa Vague Gourmande · bakery · 60 m off route
  11. 54.1 kmCasino · supermarket · 50 m off route
  12. 56.7 kmTotal · petrol station · 210 m off route
  13. 65.5 kmLa Glacerie · ice cream · 110 m off route
  14. 82.2 kmStation Charvet · petrol station · 70 m off route
  15. 83.7 kmDrinking water · on the route
  16. 88.3 kmDrinking water · on the route
  17. 91 kmSpar · supermarket · 80 m off route
  18. 91.6 kmPharmacie des Thermes · pharmacy · 80 m off route

Need to bail out?

  • 29.8 km — Lily Passeur (ferry), 50 m off route
  • 53.2 km — Agde (station), 190 m off route
  • 61.1 km — Marseillan-Plage (station), 360 m off route

Whether bikes are carried depends on the service — check before relying on it.

Worth a stop

  • 0.1 km — La tour Barberousse (castle)
  • 11.8 km — Fun WaterGliss (attraction)
  • 53.5 km — Cathédrale Saint-Étienne (attraction)
  • 65.2 km — L'Etoile de Thau IV (attraction)
  • 71.2 km — La Bellonette (castle)
  • 81.4 km — Aire de Loupian Sud (viewpoint)

Stay after this ride

  • Le Central · hotel · 3.6 km from the finish
  • Azur Hôtel · hotel · 3.6 km from the finish
  • Hôtel du Golfe · hotel · 3.6 km from the finish
  • Le Neptune · hotel · 3.5 km from the finish
  • Hôtel Bel Air · hotel · 3.6 km from the finish

Start and access

Starts at Gruissan. Mapped within a short walk of the start and finish, from OpenStreetMap.

At the start

Food and coffee
Ma'thé (140 m), ronde des pains (280 m), Café de la Paix (220 m)

At the finish

Food and coffee
La Pyramide (30 m)

Know before you go

  • 9.8 km without café, shop or water between 67.5 and 77.3 km
  • 2.3 km on main roads without cycle lane

Routes are for inspiration. Roads, surfaces and conditions change — check locally and ride within your limits.

11 photographs from the road

Stage of

About this route

Ridden by
Marcus
Date ridden
Route line
Built from a GPS recording of the ride.
Elevation
Recalculated from the Copernicus GLO-90 terrain model every 50 m, not the device’s barometer.
Roads, surface, services
Measured along the line from OpenStreetMap extracts.
Best months
Ten years of ERA5 weather for Gruissan (Open-Meteo).
GPX
Generated from the route line: track points only, no timestamps or personal data.
Page added
Page last updated

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