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Vélodyssée: From La Rochelle to Arcachon by bike – Charente Maritime and Gironde

Price per person

From 1010€

Type of stay

Voyage à vélo

Location

La Rochelle, Arcachon - France

Duration

7 to 9 days

Difficulty

Departures

April 12 to October 10

Capacity

2 people minimum

Reference

Cyclo 13

Your stay

Cycling on the vélodyssée from La Rochelle to Arcachon.

Cycle the famous Vélodyssée from La Rochelle to Arcachon. Your bike tour takes you along the Atlantic coast to discover Charente Maritime. Cycle to the Ile de Ré, with its long sandy beaches, marshes and oyster beds. You then enter Gironde, with its famous surf spots, the great Médoc lakes and the Arcachon Bay nature reserve.

You’ll visit the towns of La Rochelle, Rochefort, Marennes and Royan, then cross the Gironde estuary by boat to continue further south along the silver coast. The route winds its way between the ocean and the great Medoc lakes, such as Lac d’Hourtin, France’s largest freshwater lake, linked by a canal to Lac de Lacanau. It’s an idyllic setting, with endless fine sandy beaches and maritime pine forests… Still on the velodyssée, you’ll pass through the seaside resorts of Soulac-sur-Mer, Montalivet, Lacanau and Le Porge, a surfer’s paradise and an ideal place to discover and relax.

You’ll end your cycling trip by discovering the Arcachon Basin, an exceptionally rich inland sea that has become France’s 6th Natural Marine Park and is renowned for its oysters. Alternating natural areas, seaside resorts and charming oyster-farming villages. We also recommend staying a few extra hours in Arcachon to climb the famous 110 m-high Dune du Pilat, offering a unique panorama of the ocean, sandbanks and Landes forest. This section of the vélodyssée from La Rochelle to Arcachon is undeniably a breath of fresh air!

You’ll receive a warm welcome every evening, mainly in 3 or 4-star hotels.

You'll enjoy :

A safe greenway along the entire route
The town of Rochefort, its royal rope factory and its transporter bridge
The marshes of Marennes and the wild coast as you reach Royan.
The endless beaches of the Côte d’Argent and the great lakes and nature reserves of the Médoc
The softness of the Arcachon Bay

Back to travel

Daily program

Day 1 - Arrival in La Rochelle

Arrival at your accommodation in La Rochelle. You will be welcomed in a 3* hotel. We’ll provide you with documentation on the region and a road book indicating your route.

La Rochelle, a city remarkable for its history, is a lively tourist destination. Enjoy 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 2 (optional) - Ile de Ré loop

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.

Bed and Breakfast in a 3* hotel

Day 2 or 3 - From La Rochelle to Marennes

The cycle path takes you through the pine forests of the “côte sauvage”, past La Palmyre, where you can visit the zoo. It’s easy to observe the animals. 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.

Overnight in a Bed and Breakfast*** hotel

Day 3 or 4 - Marennes to Royan

Overnight in a Bed and Breakfast*** hotel

Day 4 or 5 - Royan to Montalivet

From Royan, take your bike along the estuary to the Médoc coast! From the Pointe du Verdon, pedal along pleasant cycle paths to the charming seaside resort of Soulac. Beaches and ocean stretch as far as the eye can see. Under the scent of pine trees, you continue on to Montalivet, a peaceful little resort nestled between the Landes forest, ocean and marshes. Depending on accommodation availability, you can stop off at Vendayes or Hourtin.

Overnight in a 2* hotel in Montalivet or Hourtin, depending on availability.

Day 5 or 6 - Montalivet to Lacanau Océan

Hop on your bike and ride south to Lacanau Océan!

Here, the velodyssey continues on a bike path through the pines, between lakes and oceans.

Nearby, take a break in Hourtin, home to France’s largest lake. “Lacanau-Océan, where cycling is a way of life, is appreciated for its long ocean beaches sheltered by dunes and forests, its lakes and unspoilt natural areas. The resort is also renowned for its surf spots. Villas built in the early ^20th century bear witness to a rich past.

Overnight in a Bed and Breakfast in a 4* hotel

Day 6 or 7 - Option 1: Lacanau Océan to Arcachon via Cap Ferret in 1 day

This cycling stage continues its route from “Lacanau-Océan” between dunes and forests. You’ll cycle on your own bike path through some of the longest unspoilt beaches on the Aquitaine coast; Le Porge Océan boasts an immense 13 km of undeveloped beach. To make the most of it, leave the tracks of the cycle path every now and then. Never far from the shore, you’ll continue your cycling tour along a beautiful route towards Cap Ferret.

Enjoy a pleasant end-of-stopover through the typical oyster-farming villages of the Bay of Arcachon and take the ferry to the famous seaside resort of Arcachon.

Bed and Breakfast in a 3* hotel with breakfast

Option 2: From Lacanau Océan to Arcachon in 2 stages around the basin: Via Andernos

Day 6 or 7 - Option 2: Tour of the basin - From Lacanau Océan to Andernos

For those who wish to take full advantage of the Bay of Arcachon and its typical harbors, it is possible to spend an extra night in the Andernos area and continue your cycling tour the next day around the Bay to the emblematic town of Arcachon.

Bed and Breakfast in a 2* hotel with breakfast

Since the middle of the last century, the “Bassin d’Arcachon” has been the kingdom of the oyster, and its 84 km of beaches surrounded by pine trees make it an original and privileged location, unique on the French coast. Surrounded to the west by the wild ocean, to the north and east by the Bordeaux vineyards, and to the south by the immense moorland forest, the Bay enjoys a mild climate where the invigorating scents of the sea air and pine resin mingle.

Day 7 or 8 - Option 2: Tour of the Basin - Andernos to Arcachon

A pleasant stage awaits you as you cycle around the basin. You’ll be following the vélodyssée, which runs along a former railroad line. You’ll enjoy the many harbors and villages typical of the Bay, as well as splendid views over the bay as you observe the many species of migratory birds.

A seaside resort of international renown, Arcachon was born in the 19th century from the imagination of daring pioneers who banked on the sea-bathing craze. Discover this city, the winter town with its sumptuous Second Empire villas, its churches, its promenade along the Bay and its port.

Overnight in a Bed and Breakfast in a 3* hotel

Day 7 or 8 or 9 - Departure from Arcachon

Departure after breakfast

An extra day on the Dune du Pilat

You can choose to follow the cycle path up to the 117-meter-high Dune du Pilat. It’s essential to leave your bike behind to climb the fine sand! The breathtaking panorama over the whole of the Arcachon Bay and the pine forest, offered from the heights of Europe’s highest dune, is a revelation at the end of your journey. Loop stage.

Overnight in a Bed and Breakfast in a 3* hotel

rates

Price per person

	April to October	July and August
7 days – 6 nights : 8 days – 7 nights (with tour of Ré Island or Arcachon Bay) : 9 days – 8 nights : Dune du Pilat day trip and extra night :	1010 € 1120 € 1230 € + 90 €	1070 € 1180 € 1290 € + 110€

Price includes

6 to 8 nights in 3* and 4* hotels and 2* (1 night) with breakfast (in double/twin room)
Route book (with map and directions)
1 GPS smartphone application
Luggage transfer at each stage
Crossing the Gironde estuary
Crossing the Arcachon Bay (unless overnight stay in Andernos)
24/7 telephone assistance

Supplement

	7 days – 6 nights	8 days – 7 nights	9 days – 8 nights	Extra day Dune du Pilat
Touring bikes (VTC) Electric bicycle (VAE)	160 € 300 €	170 € 325 €	180 € 350 €	+ 10 € + 25 €

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:

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 VTC bike adapted to the ride and the route

An electric bike adapted to the route

A gravel bike adapted to the course

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: