26.3 km today.
3.3 km/h average today.
7 hours 56 mins walking time.
100.2 km this trip.
2667.6 km from start.
0 metres minimum height.
30 metres maximum height.
44 metres ascent.
145 metres descent.
Track Log: Logged.
Travel: Train.
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2010-10-27-000-Beziers-to-Agde.kml
2010-10-27-000-Beziers-to-Agde.gpx
Cannal du Midi all the way apart from the access to the station at each end. Traffic free.
Each day there seem to be more trains so perhaps the rail strike is breaking. However uncollected rubbish is now piling up in the streets, just like England in the 1970s. It's nice to feel at home.
Today, the walk followed the Canal du Midi all the way from Beziers to Agde. The roads from Beziers station to the canal are rather unpleasant but not quite so bad if you turn left out of the station and keep turning left. Also you get a nice view of the river L'Orb. There is a bit of a climb up to the aqueduct level and Port Neuf comes into view. Soon after Port Neuf, cross the canal and follow the tow path on the right all the way to Agde.
Écluses du Libron. These are an historical engineering marvel where a system of gates and sluices allows the river Libron to flow at right angles across the path of the canal. It is only used during floods. Today a small trickle of water was flowing under the canal and the gates and sluices were set to allow canal traffic. There are some photos but these don't show how it works. Perhaps Wikipedia has some nice diagrams.
If you are not too keen on amusement parks and white knuckle rides, you might want to cross the canal at the Écluses du Libron and cross back again after the jollities. The park was closed in late October.
Variety is the space of life so after 26km of tow path and tired feet from the day before, arriving in Agde was a relief. There was a one hour wait for a train but it was warm and sunny on the platform.
This walk follows the CR1 cycle route apart from minor points like using the tow path instead of the parallel road which is better for a bicycle.
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