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Vélodyssée: cycling from Nantes to Bordeaux

Price per person

From 1895€

Type of stay

Voyage à vélo

Location

Nantes, La Rochelle, Bordeaux - France

Duration

13 days

Difficulty

Departures

Daily from April to October

Capacity

2 people minimum

Reference

Cyclo 05-03

Your stay

Cycling on La Vélodyssée – The Atlantic Coast Route from Nantes to Bordeaux. Estuary shore and Atlantic coast by bike.

Cycling holidays from Nantes to Bordeaux, following La Vélodyssée from Nantes to Royan along the Atlantic coast, then the Canal des 2 Mers cycle route along the Gironde estuary to Bordeaux.

You’ll start your journey along the majestic Loire estuary before cycling to the Atlantic coast. The Jade’s Coast offers a coastline of sandy coves, jagged cliffs and picturesque hamlets. The variety of landscapes will enchant you, as will the scent of the sea air that will accompany you throughout your stay. You’ll pass through charming seaside resorts such as Pornic , the coast’s flagship town, and then continue your journey, still on The Atlantic Coast Route, through the Vendée salt marshes to the Noirmoutier Island, a little jewel of nature. The discovery of the Light’s Coast continues through beaches, forest and dunes to Les Sables d’Olonne, renowned for its fine sandy beaches and picturesque landscapes, before reaching La Tranche sur Mer and the white city of La Rochelle, which you will link through the former Marais Poitevin, now a protected area.

After a possible (and recommended) stopover on the Ré Island, your bike tour will take you to Charente Maritime. Ride along long sandy beaches, marshes and oyster beds… You’ll visit the towns of Rochefort, Marennes and Royan, then cycle along the cliffs of the Gironde Estuary. You’ll pass superb Romanesque churches, caves and unique Gallo-Roman sites, discover small ports on the estuary, stroll through charming towns and villages such as Meschers sur Gironde or Talmont sur Gironde. Finally, your cycling tour will take you to the Citadel of Blaye, the prestigious Margaux vineyards and finally Bordeaux, the Wine Capital of the World. You’ll be warmly welcomed every evening in 3 and 4-star hotels and charming guesthouses. Throughout your stay, you’ll enjoy a host of culinary specialties bursting with freshness and iodized flavors.

You'll enjoy :

The unique atmosphere of the Loire and Gironde estuary
Easy cycling routes in Vendée and Charente Maritime
The improbable “road in the sea” (Passage du Gois) linking the island of Noirmoutier
The variety of the Atlantic coast, between rocky coasts, sandy beaches, small harbours, marshes and forests

Back to travel

Daily program

Day 1 - Arrival in Nantes

Arrival at your accommodation in Nantes. You will be welcomed in a 3* hotel.

We’ll provide you with documentation on the region and a road book indicating your route.

Nantes, the capital of western France, has been awarded the “Ville et Pays d’art et d’histoire” label for its historical and cultural heritage. Among the must-sees are the Château des Ducs de Bretagne and Les Machines de l’Ile, before strolling through the Jardin des Plantes, one of France’s 4 largest botanical gardens.

Bed and Breakfast in a 3* hotel

Day 2 - Nantes - Saint Brevin

La Vélodyssée and La Loire à Vélo cycle routes run together from Nantes to the ocean. Along the Loire estuary, you’ll discover wetlands, the maritime canal, ports and an open-air art gallery with the contemporary exhibition “Estuaire”, a real open-air museum. In Saint-Brévin-les-Pins, smell the sea air, contemplate the dunes and sandy beaches!

Overnight in a 3* Bed and Breakfast hotel.

Day 3 - Saint Brevin - Bouin

In just a few kilometers, you’ll cycle from the vast pine-fringed sandy beaches of Saint-Brévin to the charming sandy coves and jagged coastline of the peaceful Bourgneuf’s Bay, dotted with fisheries and small seaside resorts. You’ll find yourself on the route of “l’Huître Vendée Atlantique”, and there’s no escape for a little oyster tasting! Plan to spend some time in Pornic, before heading back to the Vendée and the small village of Bouin via the Marais Breton Vendéen.

Overnight in 3* hotel in Bed and Breakfast

Day 4 - Bouin - Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie

This new day’s cycling will take you through the famous and legendary Passage du Gois, the only one of its kind in Europe (remember to check the tide timetable the day before, the passage window is 3 hours a day, sometimes very early or very late): a 4.2 km route under the sea, passable only at low tide (watch out for slippery cobblestones when the sea retreats!), you’ll discover Noirmoutier, a small, unspoiled Vendée island with a variety of landscapes that will delight you with its authenticity.

If the tide doesn’t allow you to use the passage du Gois, this new stage will take you through the peaceful and serene Marais Vendéen, passing through Beauvoir and its 17th-century market town, then Saint-Jean de Monts. You’ll then follow the Corniche Vendéenne, with its astonishing cliffs and famous rocks, “Les cinq Pineaux”, to reach the attractive, lively town of St Gilles-Croix-de-Vie.

Overnight in a 3* Bed and Breakfast hotel.

Day 5 - Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie - Les Sables d'Olonne

You’ll then continue on to Brétignolles and Brem, where you’ll enjoy an easy drive along a dirt track with a view of the ocean. You’ll then move away from the coast to continue your journey through a remarkable landscape of ancient salt marshes and Olonne forest, all the way to Les Sables d’Olonne, where you can end the day relaxing on a wide sandy beach, or visiting the town’s picturesque narrow streets.

Overnight in 3* hotel in Bed and Breakfast

Day 6 - Les Sables d'Olonne - Tranche sur Mer

La Vélodyssée winds its way between state-owned forest and jagged coastline, taking in some remarkable natural sites: the Bay of Cayola, with its magnificent panorama, the Pointe du Payré and its marshes, and a number of lively ports, including the charming Port of Guittière, now an oyster-farming village and listed as Vendée’s first remarkable site. Passing through the forest, you’ll enjoy the freshness of the pines and oaks before reaching La Tranche sur Mer and its 13km of fine sandy beach.

Day 7 - La Tranche sur Mer - La Rochelle

This final stage takes you through one of the last natural lagoons on the Atlantic coast, the Belle Henriette lagoon. This wild lagoon is home to many protected birds, and will delight nature lovers. You’ll continue your tour through the desiccated part of the Poitevin marshes, along deserted paths or small roads, offering a landscape criss-crossed by straight canals, before crossing the Sèvre Niortaise and following the canal that will take you to La Rochelle. It’s an easy, quiet ride before returning to the Atlantic coast and the hustle and bustle of the city.

A city with a remarkable history, La Rochelle is a dynamic tourist destination. Here you can appreciate the old port and its towers, which guarded the entrance from the 13th to the 15th centuries, the town center and its arcades, and the 15th-century town hall.

Bed and Breakfast in a 3* hotel

Day 8 (optional) - Ré Island loop option

A looping tour of the Ile de Ré, passing through the villages of La Flotte en Ré (dating from the 18th century) and its fishing boats, and Saint-Martin with its fortifications and fort. You’ll pass oyster beds, salt marshes and the L’illeau des Niges nature reserve. Return via La Couarde and Bois plage.

Night and breakfast in a 3* hotel

Day 8 or 9 - La Rochelle to Marennes

This day’s bike tour follows the coast through the lively towns of Chatelaillon and Fouras. It then branches off into the Baie d’Yves nature reserve. At Fouras, you can take the ferry across to Aix Island, where you can visit the island that hosted Napoleon 1st’s last retreat. Before reaching Marennes, the route takes you through Rochefort. This town, founded in the 17th century around shipbuilding, boasts the original and unique Eiffel transporter bridge. The route continues along the cycle paths of the most beautiful coastline in western France.

Night and breakfast in a 3* hotel

Day 9 or 10 - Marennes to Royan

The cycle path takes you through the pine forests of the wild coast, past La Palmyre, where you can visit the zoo. The animals are easy to observe. You arrive in Royan via Saint Palais, the beaches of Vaux sur Mer, Pontaillac and the marina. A stopover marked by the intoxicating scent of maritime pines. Royan is a modern seaside town with a few villas from the “Belle époque”, an original covered market and a lively, festive waterfront.

Night and breakfast in a 3* hotel

Day 10 or 11 - The cliff trail

You’ll set off from Royan along Boulevard Garnier and its beautiful 19th-century villas. You continue along the cliff top, with superb views over the estuary. Charming little harbours hide 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 drive through a forest overlooking the ocean and the Gironde estuary, as well as Saint-Seurin-d’Uzet, the former Caviar capital, with its port 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 12

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 of 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 3*hotel or charming B&B. Evening at leisure.

Day 13

Today, take the ferry across the estuary! Your cycling day continues on the Médoc side, in the heart of the Bordeaux vineyards, passing through Château Margaux. Here, the Garonne and the Gironde estuary leave their mark on the landscape, with marshes, riverbanks and small harbours, ideal for discovering the flora and fauna, islands and carrelets. Follow the narrow roads to Bordeaux, a UNESCO World Heritage site!

Overnight in a Bed and Breakfast in a 4* hotel in the heart of Bordeaux.

rates

Price per person

	April to October	July and August
13 days – 12 nights 14 days – 13 nights	1895 € 1975 €	1925 € 2015 €

Price includes

12 to 13 nights in 3* and 4* hotels with breakfasts (in double/twin rooms)
1 dinner
Route book (with maps and directions)
Luggage transfer at each stage
24/7 technical assistance

Supplement

	13 days – 12 nights	14 days – 13 nights
Touring bikes (VTC) Electric bicycle (VAE)	250 € 390 €	265 € 420 €

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.

We remind you that rental bicycles are equipped with panniers that you can use to carry any items you may need for the day.

Your travel file corresponds to the documents or files you receive prior to your trip (usually one month before) and 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
Necessary voucher(s) to be given to the service provider(s) (only if necessary!)

On request and depending on the tour:

Download the “Evazio” application onto your smartphone for GPS navigation with visual (reading the route on your smartphone screen) and/or spoken guidance.
The application 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 touring bike adapted to the ride and the route

An electric bike adapted to the route

With equipment :

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

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

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

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

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 trip is presented in a “superior” version:

The type of accommodation is classified into 3 ranges:

Comfort: The tour features mainly 2 and 3-star hotels (or equivalent) and bed & breakfasts.

Superior: The tour features mainly 3- and 4-star hotels (or equivalent) and charming bed & breakfasts.

Luxury: The tour features mainly 4 and 5 star hotels or equivalent

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

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

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