Two Men on a Bike

Hugh and David gear up for their longest holiday together after four decades of friendship. They start in Arcachon, a beautiful seaside resort on the Atlantic and head towards the grand city of Bordeaux. The two hunt out the city's amazing Renaissance architecture, stunning waterfront and sample delicious seafood in its 250-year-old market. Heading east, the pair visit the Chateau Toulouse-Lautrec, to see where the famous painter created some of his masterpieces. For the final leg, David and Hugh explore the historic Garonne canal. They tackle David's first hill of the trip to discover the incredible view over the whole Garonne River valley.

David and Hugh dig deeper into their upbringings and family histories. They'll cycle along the final part of the majestic Garonne canal and discover amazing scenes and astonishing stories in unexpected places. They discover the only Rembrandt not in a museum or private collection, only yards off the cycle route. Hugh shows off his superior sporting skills in a battle with David and some local gents on the pétanque pitch. David discovers a connection with his family's past through a story of heroism in the town of Moissac. The pair round off the Garonne canal by heading into Toulouse to find a priceless artefact hidden underneath the city's 800-year-old Basilica.

David's cycling mettle is put to the test as he and Hugh travel along the Canal du Midi and tackle some of the most challenging parts of the route so far - but will David's dodgy knee hold up? Along the way, Hugh and David visit an artisanal dye expert who reveals the ancient magic behind turning things blue. At the Seuil de Naurouze they gate-crash a rather unusual local fiesta, and then they dine in Castelnaudary - the cassoulet capital of the world - so Hugh can sample his favourite French dish.

David and Hugh are on the final leg of their journey to the Mediterranean coast. They head to Somail where much to David's delight they give the biking a break and take a boat ride along the Canal du Midi. Hugh soon has them back in the saddle, and they head to the city of Beziers to see the engineering genius behind the Nine Locks of Fonseranes. After that, a visit to a Languedoc vineyard for some wine and cheese tasting then it's the final push to the coast and the seaside town of Sète.