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LE (grand) TOUR DE GIRONDE à Vélo

Price per person

From 1790€

Type of stay

Bicycle trip

Location

Bordeaux, Arcachon, Royan - France

Duration

12 days

Difficulty

Departures

Daily from April to October

Capacity

2 people minimum

Reference

Cyclo 20

Your stay

Grand tour de la Gironde à vélo : Cycling on the Velodyssée, the Canal des deux Mers and the south of the department

To complete the Grand Tour de Gironde by bike is to cycle 480 km of road bike and discover the incredible richness of the Gironde. 11 to 12 days of cycling in the heart of an exceptional natural and cultural heritage. UNESCO-listed towns and landscapes, Parc Naturel Régional, exceptional sites and nature reserves. But also prestigious vineyards, a wild and authentic ocean coast, not forgetting the gastronomy of the South West which will delight you at the end of each day.

The strength of this itinerary is undeniably its diversity: you’ll discover all the riches of Gironde: the Gironde Estuary as far as Royan, the quays of Bordeaux, the vineyards of Blayais, Médoc and Entre-deux-Mers, the Garonne Canal, the forest of the Landes de Gascogne Regional Nature Park, the Bay of Arcachon and the coastline with its beaches, dunes and large lakes. Everyone can discover new things at their own pace during their stay.

The Tour de Gironde à vélo route takes in some of the routes of the Velodyssée and the Canal des 2 Mers, as well as other departmental trails. In fact, each of these cycle routes, present in the Gironde department, is not sufficient on its own to visit the multiple territories of Gironde.

You’ll be welcomed each evening in 3-star hotels, (1 3-star hotel) or in charming B&Bs.

Experienced cyclists can complete this “Grand” tour of Gironde in one go. However, you can also opt for a shorter section by consulting our list of cycling tours in Gironde and the Bordeaux region.

You'll enjoy :

The variety of Bordeaux vineyards
Landes Gascogne Regional Nature Park
The Atlantic coast and Great Lakes, from the Bassin d’Arcachon to Royan
The wild Gironde estuary, between limestone cliffs and wet meadows
UNESCO heritage along the route

Back to travel

Daily program

Day 1 - Arrival in Bordeaux "Unesco World Heritage City".

Accommodation in hotels in the heart of Bordeaux. Handover of your bike, documentation on the region and a route booklet indicating your itinerary.

Bordeaux, the ancient Roman “Burdigala”, indissociable from its vineyards… shines brightly in its stone finery to dispense with artifice. The Garonne River, the heart of the city, welcomes strollers on its banks or for boat trips. Everyone can make the quays their own, in the hope of witnessing the stopover of a cruise liner, the “astonishing spectacle” of a giant of the seas in the heart of the city.Night in a bed and breakfast hotel. Evening at leisure.

Day 2 - From Bordeaux to Entre-Deux-Mers

This itinerary allows you to discover the Entre-Deux-Mers region on 55 km of trails, greenways and small roads… A real treat!

You’ll leave Bordeaux on the track that runs alongside the Garonne and its marvellous quays, then follow the voie verte (greenway) that winds through the Entre-Deux-Mers hillsides, passing Créon, the Sauve Majeur abbey and Sauveterre de Guyenne, magnificent fortified bastides. Finally, you’ll make your way back to your accommodation on small roads through the vineyards.

Night, dinner and breakfast in a charming B&B.

Day 3 - From Sauveterre to Bazas

From Sauveterre de Guyenne to Bazas

Between Sauveterre-de-Guyenne and La Réole, the cycle route passes through gently undulating, highly picturesque countryside. La Réole, a medieval town on the banks of the Garonne, founded in 977, is the smallest Ville d’Art et d’Histoire in France.

At Fontet, the route joins the Canal de Garonne. This is where the “Canal des 2 Mers à vélo” continues under a canopy of plane trees to Toulouse, or even to Sète and the Mediterranean. The Tour du Gironde à vélo heads for Bazas. A detour via Castets and Castillon allows you to see the beginning of the Canal with its locks, and to take advantage of all the services this small port has to offer. Bazas is a renowned medieval town, with a beautiful cathedral and a major pilgrimage site to Santiago de Compostela.

Overnight in a 3* bed and breakfast hotel.

Day 4 - Direction Parc Naturel régional des Landes de Gascogne

Depart Bazas to join the cycle path at Uzeste. As you pass through Uzeste, you’ll admire the collegiate church housing the tomb of Pope Clement V, then Villandraut with its Château, well worth a visit.

After crossing Villandraut and the gentle River Ciron, you enter the pignada, a forest of working pines planted by man since the 19th century. The trail passes beneath the tall pines, amid the mingled scents of the Atlantic wind and melting resin. An easy route through moorland and the “Parc Naturel Régional des Landes de Gascogne”. Finally, you leave the track and take a small, pleasant forest road with varied scenery, which leads you westwards. The pine forest grows denser, and the smell of resin becomes stronger. Put your bike down at the Lagunes du Gât-Mort site, where a picnic stop is just what you need.

The Hostens lakes, a little further afield, also offer waterside om bragés, ideal for siestas. A pleasant walk or bike ride takes you to the lake’s beach, where you can relax, swim and enjoy all the services cyclists need.

The rest of the trail takes you through pine and heather to the town of Le Barp.

You’ll be welcomed in a village in the heart of the Landes de Gascogne regional park.

Overnight B&B in a charming hotel.

Day 5 - To the Bay of Arcachon

The route takes you along a small road where the pine forest fades into the distance, before rejoining the cycle path at Salles along the Eyre river, which you will follow to Mios. You’ll then reach the Arcachon basin at the Parc Ornithologique du Teich, the maritime window of the Parc Naturel Régional. There’s no shortage of places to picnic – the choice is yours! You’ll cycle to the picturesque Port de Biganos, where you’ll pass a succession of small ports, including Audenge, where old basins are used as swimming pools. Cycling along the dykes of the Graveyron estate, with its fish tanks, you’ll enjoy splendid views over the basin and observe the many species of migratory birds. Finally, you’ll reach Andernos Les Bains, a very pleasant seaside resort.

Or, if you’ve chosen to spend the night in Arcachon, you can take the sentier du Littoral, enjoying the salty sea air of the basin and crossing the oyster ports of Gujan Mestras to reach Arcachon via the wild and beautiful little oyster ports. Lined with tamarisk, arbutus, willow rushes and wild prunus, the walk will also delight botany enthusiasts.

Day 6 - From the Arcachon Basin to Lacanau

1/ From Andernos, a beautiful ride through the great forest of Cap-Ferret: from the grassy banks of the Bassin to the white dunes of the Atlantic, the pleasure of pedaling in the heat, accompanied by the song of the cicadas and the fumes of pine oil. You’ll leave Andernos and continue your tour to the magnificent site of Saint Brice (which combines forest, lakes and the natural banks of the Bassin) and then the oyster port of Arès.

2/ From Arcachon, take your bike and boat across the Bassin d’Arcachon to the wilder Cap Ferret. You can leave your bike for a while to climb to the top of the lighthouse and observe the Bassin. You’ll continue your journey to the picturesque oyster-farming villages of L’Herbe and Le Canon, with their colorful houses and flower-filled lanes, and the small boats typical of the Bassin.

For both options, a cycle path under the woods and along the ocean beaches will take you peacefully to the seaside resorts of Le Porge and Lacanau Océan, famous for its surf spot, among other things.

Overnight in a Bed and Breakfast hotel. Evening free.

Day 7 - The Great Médoc Lakes from Lacanau to Montalivet

Get on your bike and continue north along the Vélodyssée. Here, the cycle route continues along a bike path through the pines, between lakes and ocean.

Leave Lac de Lacanau and follow a charming, shady track through the dunes to the seaside resort of Carcans Maubuisson and Lac d’Hourtin. Follow the lake then the Route des Phares, and after a final ocean break at Hourtin plage, head due north to Montalivet les bains.

Overnight in a Bed and Breakfast hotel. Evening free.

Day 8 - de Montalivet in Royan

The sandy beaches as far as the eye can see, and the seaside resorts of Vendays-Montalivet and Soulac-sur-Mer will be the highlights of this short day’s cycling, with plenty of opportunities for discovery and relaxation. The day will be punctuated by the crossing of the Gironde Estuary from Le Verdon to Royan (a unique experience thanks to the ferry) and the discovery of Royan in the evening (its marina, its cathedral considered a masterpiece of modern architecture).

Overnight in a Bed and Breakfast hotel. Evening free.

Day 9 - From Royan to Mortagne

You’ll set off from Royan along the beautiful 19th-century villas and carrelets, the typical large fishing nets. You’ll continue along the cliff top, with superb views over Western Europe’s largest estuary. Charming little harbours are hidden away here. Discover Talmont sur Gironde, with its church and flower-filled streets, or Meschers and its troglodyte caves. Stop off at the Parc de l’estuaire, Charente Maritime’s nature park, and Saint-Seurin-d’Uzet, the former Caviar capital, with its harbour practically in the center of the village.

Further south, you can visit the cellars of the Mortagne producers to learn all about Pineau, Cognac and Charentais wines. Mortagne-sur-Gironde, perched on its white cliffs, is a unique site in the region, a marina and fishing port.

Overnight half-board in a charming B&B.

Day 10 - From Mortagne to Blaye

Continue along the estuary on a pleasant greenway through marshes and dykes to Vitrezay, gateway to the Gironde. After a visit to the Terres d’Oiseaux ornithological park at Port des Callonges, a beautifully landscaped greenway leads to the foot of the Blaye citadel, fortified by Vauban and recognized by UNESCO. A ferry takes you across the Blaye estuary to Lamarque the next day!

Overnight in a Bed and Breakfast hotel or charming B&B. Evening at leisure.

Day 11 - From Blaye to Bordeaux

After crossing the Gironde estuary, the route leads directly into the heart of the Médoc vineyards, where villages and châteaux with world-famous names follow one another. You’ll pass through the vineyards of Moulis, then Margaux (passing in front of the famous Château Margaux) and the Haut Médoc. (Just after the ferry, you can visit Fort Médoc).

The cycle route then continues through more urbanized areas before arriving in Bordeaux… with a grand finale on the banks of the Garonne.

Overnight in a Bed and Breakfast hotel. Evening free.

rates

Price per person

	April to October	July and August
12 days – 11 nights : Via Arcachon :	1790 € 1840 €	1850 € 1920 €

Price includes

11 nights in 3 and 4* hotels (1 2* hotel) and bed & breakfasts (in double/twin rooms)
2 dinners
Road book (with map and directions)
1 GPS smartphone application
Luggage transfer at each stage
2 boat crossings of the Gironde estuary
1 boat crossing of the Bassin d’Arcachon (if option via Arcachon)
24/7 technical assistance

Supplement

	12 days – 11 nights
Touring bikes (VTC) Electric bicycle (VAE) Gravel bike	185 € 385 € 340 €

Further information

We take care of transporting your luggage every time you change accommodation, so you can travel light and enjoy your day’s hiking.

Leave your luggage at the reception desk of your accommodation before departure.

At the end of the afternoon, you’ll meet them at the reception desk of your new accommodation or directly in your room.

Luggage accepted per person: 1 suitcase or travel bag (maximum 23 kg) + 1 carry-on.

Your travel file corresponds to the documents or files you receive prior to your trip (generally one month before) and/or on arrival at your first accommodation.

It includes :

A welcome letter with key practical information:

Baggage transport times
Details of delivery and collection of rental bikes if required
Your local contact and emergency telephone number(s)
Any additional information

Travel logbook including map with route (at the appropriate scale) and directional, tourist and practical information

Any necessary vouchers to be given to the service provider(s)

On request and depending on the tour:

The “Evazio” application, downloadable onto your smartphone, for GPS navigation with visual (reading the route on your smartphone screen) and/or spoken guidance. The app also contains practical and tourist information. Once the trip has been downloaded, no Internet connection is required.
Loan of a GPS device with pre-recorded tracks
Send GPX tracks of each stage for use with your own navigation device

On this tour, we can provide you with a choice of the following, upon reservation:

A VTC bike adapted to the ride and the route

An electric bike adapted to the route

With equipment :

Bag 1

Handlebar bag

Repair kit

Anti-theft device

Headset

1 rear bag
1 handlebar bag
1 repair kit
1 helmet (on request)
1 anti-theft device
1 charger (for electric bike)

For younger children, depending on age and size, we can offer

Children's bikes

Bicycle follower

Trailer

Second trailer

A child’s bike
A baby seat
A trailer
A follower bike

The bike is adjusted to your size and delivered to the first accommodation.

At the end of the tour, the bike must be left at the last accommodation with its equipment. We’ll take care of collecting them.

This tour is offered in the “superior” category

Hotel categories :

Comfort: The tour features mainly 2 and 3-star hotels (or equivalent comfort level) and bed & breakfasts.
Superior: The tour features mainly 3- and 4-star hotels (or equivalent level of comfort) and charming bed & breakfasts.
Luxury: The tour features mainly 4- and 5-star hotels (or equivalent level of comfort).

For the duration of your stay, our telephone assistance service is available:

7 days a week
from 07:30 to 20:30.

Itinerary

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