The best running trails around Cers

⚓ Écluse d’Arièges – Lock on the Canal du Midi The Écluse d’Arièges is another of the historic locks on the Canal du Midi, located between Villeneuve-lès-Béziers and Portiragnes. 🚲🌿 Here too, the difference in the canal's water level is compensated so that boats can continue their journey. Particularly interesting is the typical lock chamber with its massive stone walls and the now blue-painted, mechanized lock gates. 🚤 Anyone cycling along the Canal du Midi will repeatedly pass such locks. This is precisely what makes the route so interesting: you don't just ride along the water, but constantly encounter historic structures that still serve their original purpose today. A beautiful stopover on the way through the landscape between Béziers and Vias – and if a boat is currently being locked through, a short break is worthwhile anyway. 😊👌🏼 Greetings Marcus ✌🏼

⚓ Écluse de Villeneuve – Lock on the Canal du Midi The lock at Villeneuve-lès-Béziers is one of the many historical points along the Canal du Midi and a nice stopover on a bike tour along the canal. 🚲🌿 Here you can observe well how the boats overcome the difference in altitude in the canal. Close the lock gate, change the water level, and the houseboats and leisure boats continue on the Canal du Midi. 🚤 It is precisely these old locks that, for me, are part of the special charm of the canal. You cycle relaxed along the water and repeatedly encounter structures that, to this day, ensure that the Canal du Midi, which was already built in the 17th century, is still navigable. A nice place to briefly get off your bike and watch the lock operations. 👌🏼 Greetings Marcus ✌🏼

🍺 Stop directly on the Canal du Midi A really nice place for a break near Portiragnes. Located directly on the Canal du Midi, cozy atmosphere with a large outdoor terrace and pleasantly uncomplicated. 🌳☀️ The menu offers quite a bit – from salads and burgers to meat and fish from Agde. Plus a decent selection of beer, wine, and cocktails. 🍺🍷 Perfect for stopping off during a bike or hiking tour, having something to eat, or simply stretching your legs with a cool blonde beer. 😎👌🏼 For us, it has become a tried-and-tested stop that we always like to return to. Clear recommendation for a relaxed break on the Canal du Midi. 🚲 Greetings Marcus

It is located in the commune of Villeneuve-lès-Béziers in the department of Hérault in the Occitanie region.

The lock made of wood during the construction of the Canal du Midi was subsequently renovated to have a metal structure like all the other locks on the Canal Royal des Deux Mers.

The lock made of wood during the construction of the Canal du Midi was later renovated to have a metal structure like all the locks on the Canal Royal des Deux Mers.

The Canal du Midi, formerly the Royal Canal, is a 17th-century technical feat designed by Pierre-Paul Riquet to connect the Atlantic to the Mediterranean. Today, it is above all a place for relaxation and discovery, where heritage, nature, and conviviality blend together.

At the Portiragnes lock, you enter a section almost at sea level, where the canal crosses former salt marshes and wind-swept wetlands. Built at the end of the 17th century, this single lock is notable not only for its shape but also for the landscape it heralds: that of the Aude and Hérault coastline.