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La Rochelle coast and countryside

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Atlantic coast cycle tour from La Rochelle to Arcachon

Cycle on dedicated bike lanes on the Atlantic cycle route from La Rochelle to Arcachon and enjoy the beautiful landscapes of the Atlantic coast.

Reviews (4) : Reviews (4) :

4.50 / 5

Reference VO0801

Itinerant trip
8 days
Easy
From April to October
Minimum age 9 years

GPS-app available

From

Prices

1239€ / pers.

Book here

As a gift

Terms and Conditions Terms and Conditions

Itinerary

Discover the Atlantic cycle route "Velodyssey" from La Rochelle to Arcachon through varied landscapes. You start your route in La Rochelle, ancient fortified harbor with its three towers, then cycle along the beaches to Rochefort and its “Corderie Royale”. Your path continues then through the marshes to Brouage citadel built by the French engineer Vauban and the Oyster Museum in Marennes. A few kilometers further you can have a stop in the oyster-farming port of La Tremblade before reaching the costal town of Royan.
Then, you cross the Gironde Estuary by ferry to Le Verdon and continue your way through the pine forests. You reach Lacanau and its huge beach where surfers come to face the waves. Cycle along the ocean to the peninsula of Cap Ferret where you take a boat to cross the basin and reach Arcachon. A great cycling holiday on an easy and safe route along the Atlantic coast!

Day 1

La Rochelle

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.

Visit of the Towers of the Old Port of La Rochelle 2h

9,50 € / adult

Day 2

La Rochelle – Rochefort-sur-mer Bike 42km		La Rochelle – Rochefort-sur-mer Bike 42km 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!

Day 3

Rochefort - La Tremblade Bike 40km		Rochefort - La Tremblade Bike 40km 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.

Day 4

La Tremblade - Royan Bike 39km		La Tremblade - Royan Bike 39km 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.

Day 5

Royan - Hourtin

Bike

64km

For logistical reasons, you take the ferry with your bikes and your luggage, you drop them off at the exit of the boat.

Royan - Hourtin

Bike

64km

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.

Ferry from Royan to Le Verdon 0h

You take the ferry with your bike to cross the Gironde Estuary from Royan to Le Verdon

Included

Day 6

Hourtin – Lacanau Bike 55km		Hourtin – Lacanau Bike 55km You are on the bike trail called Vélodyssée. On this leg, between ocean, forests and lakes, you will cross the pine forest to reach Lacanau. This part is hilly because you follow the dunes but you can take an easier route along the largest natural lake in France, Hourtin’s lake. If you’re in the mood for some seaspray, ride to Carcans Ocean. Then ride on the Vélodyssée to reach the sea resort Maubuisson where you will find all kind of restaurants. The way to Lacanau is a wonderful green path, but take the time to stop at the nature reserve at Cousseau Lake. You’ll finish your trip using on the cycle path joining Bordeaux to Lacanau.

Day 7

Lacanau-Arcachon

Bike

44km

Lacanau-Arcachon

Bike

44km

Ride alors the coastline on the designated bicycle path. Here’s your chance for a unique ride as you get up close to the tallest sand dune in France, the Dne of Pyla. At the end of the ride, Cap-Ferret gives you amazing views of the Great Dune of Pyla. This giant dune is sometimes called "The Sahara of France" because of its four different sand formations. There’s time to sun bathe or swim while experiencing the fresh salt air. Take the boat to Arcachon and enjoy the view of the coastline from a different perspective.
Boat trip from Cap Ferret to Arcachon. Approximately 1 hour, included in tour

Boat trip from Cap Ferret to Arcachon 1h

Included

Day 8

Arcachon		Arcachon After breakfast enjoy one last stroll in Arcachon before leaving.

Accommodation

Category A

You’ll enjoy staying in these clean and cozy 2 and 3-Star hotels that give you a pleasant rest after your day of biking. Breakfast is included when you spend the night in these friendly and family-run hotels.

* Example of the type of accommodation

Category B

You stay in superior ***hotels and 2 nights in **hotels where you will be hosted with a warm welcome. Breakfast is included.

* Example of the type of accommodation

Bikes, luggage and documents

Bikes

On your arrival day, we provide you with:

a touring bike adjusted to your size or a tandem

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.

GPS tracks

For this trip, we also provide the GPS tracks on demand in the .gpx format at no extra cost.

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 peacefully the itinerary and its interesting sites.
You will have in your travel documents :

a detailed map (A4 format) of the itinerary that we drew at the easiest scale to follow for a bicycle rider
a step-by-step description of the itinerary (bound A5 format) giving the direction to follow at each intersection
a tourist leaflet containing a brief presentation and useful practical information (opening time, price, contact) about the points of interest along the way

Example of a map and a step-by-step description

Le Vélo Voyageur App

Like a sat nav, the route and directions to follow will be both viewable on the screen of your phone and announced aloud. Discover and enjoy every moment of your trip by following the directions and listening to the descriptions of the point of interest on your way.

Following the itineray becomes easy as a child's play and you can enjoy the trip instead of concentrating on the maps.

Your cycling holiday also includes practical information from our partners and all the latest news.

-> You need to have a smartphone and download the Le Vélo Voyageur app on your Apple or Android store before the trip. During the trip, once the app dowmnloaded, your phone can be off-line

Practical information

To get to departure point:

By plane: flight to Paris or Nantes or La Rochelle.
By train: TGV (fast trains) from Paris Montparnasse (direct or with a connection in Poitiers). The duration of the trip is estimated between 3h15 and 3h45. Inter-regional trains from Bordeaux and Nantes. To plan your trip, www.raileurope.com.

Parking

If you drive to La Rochelle, you can park your car in a secured car park located in the city center: parking Vieux Port Sud (Avenue de Colmar, weekly rate: 60€) or parking Verdun (place Verdun, 15€/day).

To get back to starting point:

Regional trains take you back to your starting point if you wish. Change in Bordeaux. They are accessible without booking in advance and bicycles are free. You have to buy your ticket on spot (full rate ~35€/adult). There are several trains per day. You will find the timetable in your travel documents.

Meeting time:

The first day is an arrival day without cycling. You arrive whenever you want depending on from where you come. Please note that rooms are usually available in the middle of the afternoon depending on your accommodation. We thank you to advise us if you plan to arrive late.

Reviews

4 bike travelers reviews

4.50 / 5

“ Cycling the Sands of Coastal France ”

On the 2022-10-08 by Patterson Family Holiday

This ride takes you through oyster and mussel farms, exquisite pine forests and unending sand beaches. The entire route is either flat or gently rolling and on bike paths, mostly the Velodysee and EuroVelo Route 1. We rode self - guided, and Velo Voyageur provided us with maps, an app, hotel accommodation and luggage transfer. It was seamless.

“ La Rochelle/Biarritz ”

On the 2021-09-22 by Sylvie

Des paysages différents entre la Charente Maritime et la Gironde. Un itinéraire relativement facile.

“ Superbe semaine ”

On the 2021-09-14 by Danièle

Très beau parcours varié dans les paysages, et des habitants très accueillants. Belle organisation et bon choix d'hôtels. Contexte parfait pour des vacances réussies !