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DAY 1 |
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La Rochelle prosperous past can be easily noticed thanks to its nice architecture from which the old fortified harbor is remarkable.
The city offers a wide range of cultural and touristic activities. Do not miss La Rochelle aquarium. The city is very well equipped with cycling paths, which makes it perfect for discovering it on a bicycle.
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Visit of the Towers of the Old Port of La Rochelle
2h
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9,50 € / adult
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DAY 2 |
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La Rochelle – Rochefort-sur-mer
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La Rochelle – Rochefort-sur-mer
Begin by riding on the seaside cycling path through small villages such as Les Boucholeurs or Chatelaillon-Plage. As you pedal along the marshes, try and spy the birds, herons and storks in the area.
When you reach Rochefort, notice the distinct naval architecture. The city was an active naval base from the time of Louis XIV until 1926. You might want to tour the Corderie Royal, an interesting rope factory where all the ropes for military sailboats were made. Enjoy flowers? The Conservatoire du Begonia houses the world’s largest collection of begonias!
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DAY 3 |
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Start the day by admiring France’s last transporter bridge. Classified as a national monument, the bridge gets walkers, runners and bikers cross the river safely. A moveable section of the bridge carries a segment of the roadway across a river.
Continue biking along the canals then through the marshes populated by storks. Discover Brouage citadel built by the French engineer Vauban and bike along the oyster farms until the coast of Marennes beaches.
You cross over the Seudre River and end your day in La Tremblade.
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DAY 4 |
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You bike through La Tremblade forest till the lighthouse "Phare de la Coubre". You ride on along the superb bay "Baie des Anses" and reach La Palmyre. You keep along the seaside which gradually becomes rockier and offers beautiful little coves before getting to Royan and the Gironde Estuary.
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DAY 5 |
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Royan - Hourtin
For logistical reasons, you take the ferry with your bikes and your luggage, you drop them off at the exit of the boat.
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Royan - Hourtin
For logistical reasons, you take the ferry with your bikes and your luggage, you drop them off at the exit of the boat.
You take the ferry to cross the estuary of the Gironde to reach the wine region Medoc. Cycle through the pin forest along the until Hourtin, stopping at leisure in one of the natural lakes or on a long sand beach.
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Ferry from Royan to Le Verdon
0h
You take the ferry with your bike to cross the Gironde Estuary from Royan to Le Verdon
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Included
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DAY 6 |
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You discover the natural diversity of the region Medoc, by starting to cycle through the pine forest to reach the vineyards. Cross the vineyards, ride past the worldwide known wine estates and through the most beautiful villages of France where time seems to have stopped. You cycle along the banks of the Gironde and admire the traditional fishing houses. You finish your day by crossing a wet marsh before arriving in the village of Margaux.
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DAY 7 |
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You leave the prestigious village of Margaux and cross the vineyards until you reach the beautiful city of Bordeaux. Enter the old city center by riding along the quays of the Garonne.
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DAY 8 |
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You can extend your stay or leave after breakfast.
Regional trains take you back from Bordeaux to La Rochelle if you wish. They are without reservation and take bicycles without extra charge. The duration of the trip is about 2h20.
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Bikes
On your arrival day, we provide you with:
- a touring bike adjusted to your size or a tandem
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equipped : front rack pack with an integrated file compartment, saddlebag, helmet (on demand), reflective vest, repairing toolkit with patches etc.
We also provide you with the appropriate equipment for your children :
baby seat, bike trailer or trailer bike depending on their age and size.
Electric bikes are also available for adults (+1m55).
You can of course also bring your own bikes, in this case a reduction will be applied (see the Tarif tab)
Luggage
Our services include luggage transport in order to let you enjoy your trip comfortably and without stress :
- We transport your luggage from one accommodation to the next using a private vehicle.
- Your luggage is directly delivered in your accommodation before you arrive.
- We provide a saddlebag for the things you shall need during the day.
Our word of advice : as we know from experience, we strongly recommend you to avoid wearing a backpack during your cycling trip.
If you expect to arrive at the next accommodation before 5 p.m., we recommend that you take an extra set of clothes with you in your bicycle bag.
Travel documents
A cycling holiday is the best way to explore a region and discover its culture, landscapes and local traditions.
Your tour is self-guided to give you the freedom to ride at your own pace. You will be provided all the information you need to enjoy the itinerary and its points of interests.
We can provide you with travel documents in paper format (for a supplement of €15 for printing and postage), which include:
- a roadbook with maps that we drew at the easiest scale to follow on a bike
- a roadbook with step-by-step description giving the direction to follow at each intersection and highlighting the points of interest
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Example of a map and of a step-by-step description
Our GPS App
For this trip, you can also use our smartphone app featuring GPS guidance (without extra fee).
You will find in the app all the information given in the map and step-by-step roadbooks. You will be located on the itinerary with the GPS device of your phone. The route and directions to
follow will be both viewable on the screen of your phone and announced aloud. As you ride along the itinerary, you will be given information about visits, restaurants, services and
useful alerts on the way.
-> You need to have a smartphone and download Le Velo Voyageur app on your Apple or Android store before the trip. All details concerning the downloading and the use of the application will
be given after we have confirmed the booking and the balance is paid. Once the trip is downloaded, the GPS guidance can be used off-line.