Day 1 | Gourdon-Murat to Clergoux

Welcome back to another cycling adventure diary from Rachel and Pete! This time, we’re riding from Bugeat (sort of!) to Béziers, following the Tour de la Vagabonde route as far as Montech before joining the Canal des 2 Mers. From there, we’ll roll through Toulouse and continue all the way to Béziers and the sparkling Mediterranean Sea! Now, we didn’t technically start in Bugeat—doing so would have meant doubling back on ourselves—but “Bugeat to Béziers” has a much nicer ring to it!

Luckily, the Tour de la Vagabonde passes right by our house, making for a very convenient start after a morning spent faffing about and squeezing those last-minute essentials into our panniers. Packing felt much easier this time around after completing the Vélodyssée in September, and we’re hopefully in for some better weather too. The forecast is promising temperatures of 30°C+ all the way to the coast!We set off from our home in Gourdon-Murat, climbing steadily towards the little village of Chaumeil. After topping out at the Col de Lestards, we were rewarded with a lovely descent into the village. There was still a slight chill in the air, along with the occasional light shower, but as we lost altitude, the temperature became noticeably more pleasant.After a few rolling kilometres, we reached the village of Sarran, home to a surprisingly extensive Jacques Chirac museum. Despite its size, there were barely any visitors around. We stopped for lunch in Vitrac-sur-Montane beneath the shade of a magnificent 400-year-old tree before continuing along Corrèze’s winding green roads and voie vertes.

Eventually, we arrived at our first campsite in Clergoux. There’s something hard to beat about rolling into camp in the sunshine after a solid day in the saddle. Some of the climbs were tough, but they make the descents all the better, and the kilometres start flying by.All in all, it was a fantastic first day on the bike. Spirits are high, legs are feeling good and we’re already looking forward to a week of pesto pasta dinners and whatever adventures tomorrow brings! 🚴‍♀️🚴‍♂️🌞🍝

Day 2 | Clergoux to Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne

The day started without a hitch. A pretty mediocre night’s sleep—thanks to the unexpected cold and still adjusting to tent life—meant we had a slow but thoroughly enjoyable start to the morning. Thankfully, the sun was shining and quickly dried the dew from the tent and bike seats. After a couple of brews and a few cereal bars, we rolled out of the campsite around 10:30am. The campsite in Clergoux had a lovely, laid-back vibe, a heated pool and cost just €12. I’d definitely recommend it if you’re ever passing through.

The first 10km flew by as we pedalled through quiet but beautiful Corrèzian villages before reaching the picture-perfect La Roche Canillac. Sadly, the village boulangerie was closed, so our dreams of baguette traditions were dashed so we pressed on to Champagnac-la-Prune. From there, we picked up an epic voie verte that swept us down through the valley. It was about 9km of pure downhill bliss—absolutely brilliant.

Before reaching Argentat, we had to earn it with a 2.5km climb, but we were soon rewarded with another fantastic descent straight into the centre-ville. Argentat is beautiful, perched right on the banks of the Dordogne. We grabbed lunch from Super U before claiming the first available bench we spotted, complete with a perfect view of canoers gliding down the river. The rest of the route hugged the Dordogne along quiet roads under warm sunshine—one of those stretches that reminds you exactly why you set off on a trip like this in the first place.

Tonight’s stop is Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne at a Huttopia campsite. We’ve never stayed at one before, although the price tag is nearly double last night’s! We’ll venture into town before settling in for another bowl of gourmet pesto pasta. Then it’s on to Rocamadour tomorrow!

Day 3 | Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne to Rocamadour

We spent the previous afternoon lounging by the pool before heading out to explore the gorgeous village of Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne. Naturally, this involved stopping for a glass of rosé and a best-of-five game of cornhole. If you’ve never played it before, it’s good fun but Pete won, unfortunately. Boo! A much better night’s sleep meant we were up and out early. By 9am, we’d packed everything away, picked up our baguette from reception and rolled out of the campsite ready for the day ahead.

Following the Vagabonde route into the Lot department, we cruised through peaceful villages and walnut groves with stunning views over the sweeping Dordogne. Some of the roads were absolutely spectacular, with towering limestone cliffs on one side and the river flowing alongside us on the other. Gluges was particularly memorable, tucked dramatically into the cliffs and looking like something from a postcard.

We stopped for lunch in Creysse, which felt exactly like the village from Beauty and the Beast—completely picture-perfect. From there, we continued along quiet country roads to Lacave before arriving at the foot of the climb up to Rocamadour. What followed was 10km of fairly steep, winding roads in the full afternoon heat. With temperatures reaching 37°C today, it’s fair to say it was a little warm! But we kept turning the pedals and made it to the campsite at the top of Rocamadour 💪🏻

We’ll spend the rest of the afternoon exploring what already looks like an incredible place and, more importantly, finding a well-earned beer. Apparently, Rocamadour has UNESCO status, so we’re excited to see what all the fuss is about. Tomorrow, we’re off to Cahors, which will be our longest day so far. The heat has been wonderful though—a total change from the downpours of the Vélodyssée. Woohoo!

Day 4 | Rocamadour to Cahors

Wow. What a day. It was hot, hilly and hard work 🌞💪🏻 We left Rocamadour at 8:30am and the temperature was already climbing. Thankfully, we were treated to a lovely, cool, shaded descent into the town before a steady climb back out, rewarded with one last spectacular view of beautiful Rocamadour. Before setting off, we’d guessed there would be five major hills to tackle that day. That was hill one of five.

The morning was pretty much a relentless cycle of hot, hilly undulations until we reached Labastide-Murat. After around 30km, we stopped for lunch and a well-earned rest in the shade of what felt like a lively, bustling village. We were more than a little jealous of the people already enjoying cold beers in the square.

After lunch, the route finally threw us a bone. We enjoyed a glorious 5km descent, followed by around 15km of flatter roads where we could pick up some speed and really tick off the kilometres. The constant climbing of the morning had made the day feel long, so it was nice to settle into a rhythm, even with the sun beating down relentlessly.

We rolled into the pretty town of Vers, where the river looked incredibly inviting. A cooling dip was very tempting, but we were determined to conquer the final hill before the heat became even more intense.

To reach Arcambal, La Vagabonde took us high above the Dordogne Valley, offering epic views across the surrounding countryside. The last major climb was steep and narrow, winding between dramatic limestone crags. This whole area is renowned for its ancient villages, striking cliffs and natural beauty and it really was stunning at every turn.

Finally, a short but sharp descent brought us into Arcambal, where we picked up a voie verte and followed the old railway line towards Cahors, with an essential Intermarché pit stop along the way. It was a tough day in the heat and the elevation definitely made us work for it. But the scenery was exceptional and the chance to pass through such beautiful villages made every climb worthwhile. Besides, it’s always satisfying to burn enough calories to justify demolishing an entire bag of chouchous (which I then proceeded to drop half on the floor!).

We’re still undecided on whether to take a rest day in Cahors or push on towards Montauban tomorrow. I suppose that decision may depend entirely on how many beers we have tonight!! 🍻

Day 5 | Cahors to Montech

We decided to have a rest day yesterday. A couple of beers at the campsite bar turned into a bottle of wine while chatting with another Vagabonder, Angélique, who lives near Nantes. She was genuinely inspiring. At 71 years old, she’s still happily tackling the big hills and isn’t even using an e-bike. We were also trying to work out our next stop and couldn’t find a campsite until Montech, around 90km away. So the decision was made: a day soaking up the sunshine in Cahors, followed by a longer ride to Montech.

And just like that, it was our final day on La Vagabonde. We were packed up and ready by 8:30am, collected our baguette from campsite reception, and rolled out into busy Cahors. It took around 5km before we escaped the hustle and bustle of Monday morning traffic. For a while, we shared the route with walkers making their way along the Camino de Santiago, which added a nice atmosphere to the morning.

The hills began almost immediately. Thankfully, they weren’t too brutal at first, although the steep arrival into Labastide-Marnhac certainly woke the legs up. Luckily, there was a water fountain in the village, which was already much needed as temperatures were climbing rapidly. By 9:30am, it was properly hot. The route continued along quiet, rolling country roads lined with vineyards and sunflower fields that looked ready to burst into colour at any moment. We stopped briefly in the pretty village of Castelnau-Montratier for a cold drink before pressing on towards the final hilly section leading to Lafrançaise.

Somehow, we managed to go slightly off route around here, but one of the great things about cycling in this region is that there always seems to be another tiny road leading exactly where you need to go. The approach to Lafrançaise was a long, hot grind uphill, but the village itself was lovely. We stopped for lunch in the shade at a viewpoint overlooking the surrounding countryside. By this point, we’d covered around 58km and were more than ready to eat.

The buildings here are beautiful, many with a soft pink hue that gave the village a distinctly Provençal feel. As the temperature continued to rise, I found myself becoming increasingly jealous of every private swimming pool we passed. Thankfully, a glorious downhill from Lafrançaise set us on our way towards Montauban. It was quite a busy town to navigate, but thankfully the route was well signposted. The signage over the last few days has occasionally felt a little patchy compared with the Vélodyssée, so it was nice to have some clear directions for a change.

Suddenly, we found ourselves spat out onto the canal port on the far side of the city and, just like that, the hills were behind us. We joined the flat towpaths of the Canal de Montech and enjoyed a blissful final 12km of easy pedalling alongside the water. The canal led us all the way to the municipal campsite in Montech, complete with a swimming pool and plenty of fellow cycle tourists. Tomorrow, we’re planning a shorter ride into Toulouse, where we’ll spend two nights exploring the city before continuing our journey towards the coast.

Day 6 | Montech to Toulouse

We woke up to a blanket of overcast clouds, which came as a very welcome respite from the relentless heat of the past few days. Since we didn’t have far to go, we treated ourselves to a lie-in and didn’t leave the campsite until around 10:30am.

After a quick stop at Intermarché to pick up our daily baguette, we set off along the canal paths. After days of tackling hills, the flat towpaths felt like pure luxury. The Canal de Montech offered easy riding, shady stretches and plenty of lovely rest areas, complete with picnic benches and bike facilities.

Around the 30km mark, we stopped for a bite to eat before making a small detour to Decathlon to stock up on more camping gas. Just 4km later, we rolled into our campsite in Toulouse. It’s busy with fellow cyclists and holidaymakers in RVs. We spent the late afternoon exploring Toulouse, enjoying a well-earned beer before treating ourselves to a vegan burger at Furahaa—which I’d highly recommend. Tomorrow, we’re planning to explore Toulouse properly before settling down to hopefully watch England win. Then, on Thursday, it’s back in the saddle as we head towards Carcassonne. The forecast is 36°C, so wish us luck!

Day 7 | Toulouse to Castelnaudry

After a lovely evening in Toulouse, today got off to a pretty annoying start. It was one of those days that feel like a slog before you’ve even got on the bike. There were several contributing factors, all of which I’m going to moan about. First, the Toulouse city campsite turned out to be alarmingly close to a nightclub that pumped out music until around 4am. Second, the tent was absolutely roasting. Third, and most annoyingly, my sleeping mat decided to deflate every half hour. This has happened before, and the mat is actually a replacement from Trinordic. Do not buy this brand. They’re crap.

The sleeping mat saga meant we missed the cooler early-morning riding window because I had to backtrack to Decathlon and buy a new one. Thankfully, it was only a 10km round trip, but combined with the lack of sleep, I wasn’t feeling particularly fresh. (If you know me, you’ll know I love sleep)

Getting out of Toulouse proved slightly more complicated than expected. We managed to get lost a couple of times, although some friendly locals pointed us in the right direction. Once back on track, we wound our way through the city’s cycle paths while somehow managing to hit every single red traffic light imaginable. It genuinely felt as though every set changed to red the moment we approached.

After passing the main Toulouse Matabiau station, it became much easier to leave the city behind. Toulouse seems incredibly bike-friendly, with plenty of cyclists using the network of cycle paths to get around. Unfortunately, once we escaped the city, our old friend the headwind came to join us. At first, it wasn’t so bad and actually provided a welcome breeze as the temperature climbed towards lunchtime but as the day wore on, it became increasingly relentless.

To be honest, by this stage I was absolutely knackered. I was riding slowly, feeling tired and generally not enjoying myself very much. Sensing this, Pete booked us a lovely Airbnb for the night, allowing us to escape both the tent and the poorly rated aire we’d originally planned to stay at in Castelnaudary. The second half of the ride was a bit of a grind. Neither of us said much as we pushed on towards the town. By the time we rolled into the lovely canal-side port of Castelnaudary, I was starting to feel pretty done with the day. Thankfully, arriving at our cosy little house changed morale for sure. We’d originally been planning a 100km-plus day tomorrow, but with another 32km/h headwind forecast, we’re having second thoughts. At least we’ll be able to get an early start after a proper night’s sleep. We’ll decide over dinner tonight – bonne soirée!

Day 8 | Castelnaudry to Carcassonne

After a relaxing evening in our little house and a banging dinner of curry and chips, I was ready for an early night. I got a whopping sleep score of 91, soz Steven Bartlett, but I’m pleased that I woke up feeling fully recharged and ready for the day. After much deliberation last night, we decided against attempting the planned 100km ride. With strong winds still in the forecast, Carcassonne seemed like the much more sensible option.

Before setting off, we stopped at Leclerc to stock up on lunch supplies, then rejoined the canal path which, ever since leaving Toulouse behind, has transformed into a dusty gravel track.

This stretch of canal is particularly beautiful. There were plenty of people holidaying on rental canal boats, slowly making their way through the locks as we pedalled alongside them. One unexpected bonus was that we were heading downhill along the canal, which meant a gentle descent at each lock—a welcome change after battling the headwinds and flat paths of previous days. At one point, a red squirrel appeared on the path ahead of us, happily hopping along before darting up a nearby tree 🐿️

After around 30km, we stopped for lunch and enjoyed what may have been one of the best sandwiches of the trip so far because we found our favourite vegan cheese in Leclerc. From there, it wasn’t far into Carcassonne. The route wound its way towards the centre before crossing the River Aude on the approach to the campsite. I’m really glad we decided to stop here. This afternoon we’ll be exploring the famous citadel and, just as importantly, finding a pizza for dinner. Tomorrow, we’ve got around 60km planned as we continue our journey towards the coast.xing evening in our little house and a banging dinner of curry and chips, I was ready for an early night. I got a whopping sleep score of 91, soz Steven Bartlett, but I’m pleased that I woke up feeling fully recharged and ready for the day. After much deliberation last night, we decided against attempting the planned 100km ride. With strong winds still in the forecast, Carcassonne seemed like the much more sensible option.

Before setting off, we stopped at Leclerc to stock up on lunch supplies, then rejoined the canal path which, ever since leaving Toulouse behind, has transformed into a dusty gravel track.

This stretch of canal is particularly beautiful. There were plenty of people holidaying on rental canal boats, slowly making their way through the locks as we pedalled alongside them. One unexpected bonus was that we were heading downhill along the canal, which meant a gentle descent at each lock—a welcome change after battling the headwinds and flat paths of previous days. At one point, a red squirrel appeared on the path ahead of us, happily hopping along before darting up a nearby tree 🐿️

After around 30km, we stopped for lunch and enjoyed what may have been one of the best sandwiches of the trip so far because we found our favourite vegan cheese in Leclerc. From there, it wasn’t far into Carcassonne. The route wound its way towards the centre before crossing the River Aude on the approach to the campsite. I’m really glad we decided to stop here. This afternoon we’ll be exploring the famous citadel and, just as importantly, finding a pizza for dinner. Tomorrow, we’ve got around 60km planned as we continue our journey towards the coast.

Day 9 | Carcassonne to Mirepeisset

We spent the evening wandering around the citadel, enjoyed a pizza inside the walls, and then headed for an early night ahead of another early start. By 8am, we were waiting at reception for our pre-ordered baguette before rolling out through the Bastide of Carcassonne and back onto the Canal du Midi. A pleasant stretch of gravel towpath led us to Trèbes, where we found a Super U and stocked up on supplies for tonight’s dinner.

We thought we only had around 60km (turned into 70km!) to ride today, so there was no rush. We settled into a steady rhythm along the canal, enjoying scenery much like yesterday’s. There was a little less shade, though, with long exposed sections stretching out into a headwind. These were broken up by lovely avenues of pine trees, where the path ran slightly elevated above the canal and offered some welcome relief from the sun.

The Canal du Midi website recommends mountain bikes for this section, and we can definitely see why. Some stretches were rough, bumpy and gravelly, almost feeling like cycling through sand at times. Thankfully, the kilometres still seemed to tick by fairly quickly, and before long we’d reached Homps, where we stopped for lunch at around the 46km mark.

After lunch, the temperature really began to climb. We’d both nearly run out of water and spent far too much time and energy searching nearby villages for somewhere to refill our bottles. One thing we’ve definitely noticed compared to the Vélodyssée is the lack of water points. It’s a small thing, but when you’re cycling in temperatures like these, it makes a big difference. Eventually, with just 8km to go, we found a small village shop in Paraza. It supplied us with ice pops, cold drinks and, most importantly, cold water for our bottles.

From there, we decided to leave the canal and follow the D roads to our campsite, which sat slightly off the route. I know I shouldn’t keep comparing everything to the Vélodyssée, but there definitely seem to be fewer campsites along this stretch as well. That said, tonight’s campsite is an absolute gem. We’re staying in a bivouac with lovely views over the Cesse River, which provided the perfect excuse for an arrival swim. After a hot day on dusty canal paths, a dip in cool water felt so good.

Tomorrow we’re heading to Agde, where we’ll spend a few days avoiding the worst of the heatwave and relaxing by the beach before continuing on to Sète. We’ll actually reach our original target of Béziers tomorrow, but plans have evolved slightly. Rather than finishing there, we’re now continuing all the way to Montpellier to catch the train home next week.

So what started as Bugeat to Béziers has somehow become Gourdon-Murat to Montpellier.

Day 10 | Mirepeisset to Cap d’Agde

We made it to the coast! Our last big day on the bikes was pleasantly uneventful. We woke up around 7am to the sound of birds singing beside the river and decided to take the more direct D road to Capestang for our first stop at Lidl. We were in need of some proper sustenance before tackling the final stretch.

After stocking up, we rejoined the Canal du Midi via a short climb through the village of Capestang and settled back into the familiar rhythm of canal-side cycling. There were plenty of other cycle tourists heading both north and south, and we even recognised a few faces we’d been crossing paths with over the previous days.

The ride towards Béziers was lovely, with smooth paths and plenty of opportunities to wave at boaters drifting past. Before long, we arrived at the famous Nine Locks of Fonseranes just outside Béziers. In true cycle-touring fashion, we somehow managed to miss a turn, but after a brief reroute we found ourselves back on track and enjoying the smooth tarmac path towards Agde. The strong headwind was still hanging around, and the exposed sections in the afternoon sunshine made me a little grumpy at times. Thankfully, a shady lunch stop worked wonders for morale and before long we were back rolling towards the coast.

Then came the moment we’d been waiting for, as we approached the quayside, we finally caught sight of the Mediterranean Sea. After days of climbing through the Corrèze, crossing the Lot Valley, following canals and riding through some of France’s most beautiful villages, we’d made it. Over 600km completed.

We’re actually going to finish with closer to 700km by the time we reach Montpellier, but this feels like the natural place to bring the diary to a close. We’ll be spending a few days here enjoying the coast before continuing on to Montpellier, where we’ll catch a train home once we can find services with available bike spaces.

Thanks for reading! 💚🚴🏻‍♀️coast! Our last big day on the bikes was pleasantly uneventful. We woke up around 7am to the sound of birds singing beside the river and decided to take the more direct D road to Capestang for our first stop at Lidl. We were in need of some proper sustenance before tackling the final stretch.

After stocking up, we rejoined the Canal du Midi via a short climb through the village of Capestang and settled back into the familiar rhythm of canal-side cycling. There were plenty of other cycle tourists heading both north and south, and we even recognised a few faces we’d been crossing paths with over the previous days.

The ride towards Béziers was lovely, with smooth paths and plenty of opportunities to wave at boaters drifting past. Before long, we arrived at the famous Nine Locks of Fonseranes just outside Béziers. In true cycle-touring fashion, we somehow managed to miss a turn, but after a brief reroute we found ourselves back on track and enjoying the smooth tarmac path towards Agde. The strong headwind was still hanging around, and the exposed sections in the afternoon sunshine made me a little grumpy at times. Thankfully, a shady lunch stop worked wonders for morale and before long we were back rolling towards the coast.

Then came the moment we’d been waiting for, as we approached the quayside, we finally caught sight of the Mediterranean Sea. After days of climbing through the Corrèze, crossing the Lot Valley, following canals and riding through some of France’s most beautiful villages, we’d made it. Over 600km completed.

We’re actually going to finish with closer to 700km by the time we reach Montpellier, but this feels like the natural place to bring the diary to a close. We’ll be spending a few days here enjoying the coast before continuing on to Montpellier, where we’ll catch a train home once we can find services with available bike spaces.

Thanks for reading! 💚🚴🏻‍♀️

Eating Vegan in France whilst Cycle Touring

Cycle touring as a vegan in France is absolutely doable, but it does require a bit more planning, especially along the La Vagabonde section, which is incredibly rural. We packed a jar of Lidl’s vegan pesto along with our camping stove, which meant we could always make a quick, satisfying meal at the campsite. Whenever campsites offered the option, we pre-ordered a fresh baguette for the following morning, just in case we couldn’t find a nearby boulangerie. In the larger supermarkets, we stocked up on the brilliant three-minute pasta packets, which are perfect after a long day in the saddle, as well as HappyVore products for some extra protein – their vegan merguez and Provençale sausages were a particular favourite. Combined with fresh vegetables, the pasta and sausages made for simple but filling dinners that kept us fuelled throughout the trip. For breakfast, I always like to carry a bag of granola, a few bananas, and a 500ml carton of oat milk, which covered both breakfast and the all-important morning brews.