La Vélodyssée: from Nantes to La Rochelle
8 days / 6 days riding / ref. ODYS1 / Difficulty Moderate / Linear tripper person
Your bike tour on La Vélodyssée, the Atlantic cycling route:
Following La Vélodyssée routes, experience the wild beauty of seaside landscapes: huge beaches, giant dunes, large salt marshlands and pine forests … always with the Ocean as a backdrop.
Charming fishing ports and sweet seaside resorts will punctuate your journey.
Tour highlights
- The alternation of charming fishing ports and nice seaside resorts.
- The Old-Harbor of la Rochelle and its archway streets
- The marked-out itineraries along the Atlantic coast
Day 1Arrival in Nantes
Discover the charms and secrets of this Art & History city settled on the Loire river banks: its magnificent houses in the old districts, its cathedral and its Ducs de Bretagne chateau.
Day 2Nantes – Saint-Brévin les Pins | 58 km
This first bike stage will allow you to reach the Loire river estuary with its calm and wild landscapes, between marshlands and countryside … before breathing salty and fresh sea air in Saint Brévin les Pins. Enjoy the beautiful beaches.
Day 3Saint-Brévin les Pins – Bouin | 49 km
Discover the “oyster capital” of the Vendée area , former island now protected by dikes and polders, and unique in France. Observe the salt marshland workers and don’t forget to taste some oysters at Port du Bec, enjoying the view over Noirmoutier island.
Day 4Bouin – Saint Jean de Monts | 54 km
Follow the cycling paths through dunes and forests, and admire the 20th century villas all along the way. A beautiful fine white sand beach, a place for a romantic walk at sunset, awaits you in Saint Jean de Monts.
Day 5Saint Jean de Monts – Les Sables d’Olonne | 54 km
Between Sion and St-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie, ride along the picturesque rocks of ‘Cinq-Pinteaux‘ and ‘Trou du Diable‘.Discover the old fishing port of St-Hilaire-de-Riez before reaching the famous ‘Vendée Globe’ race departure town: Les Sables d’Olonne. There you can taste seafood products such as the well-known ‘sablaise’ sardine.
Day 6Les Sables d’Olonne – La Tranche sur Mer | 47 km
On the first part of this stage, you will ride close to the sea, from beaches to rocky creeks… before riding along the Payré estuary with its astonishing and contrasting colours. Leave your bike for a while to have a swim on one of the nice beaches such as Conche beach, before reaching La Tranche sur Mer, a famous seaside resort dedicated to board sports.
Day 7La Tranche sur Mer – La Rochelle | 72 km
Cycle through the dry part of the ‘marais Poitevin’ and follow the ‘voies vertes’ cycling paths to enter the village of Marans. Have a look at the church and its surprising bell tower made of glass and metal. Continue to La Rochelle with its old towers, remains from the old defensive walls. You will enjoy the charms of the old city bathed with warm and sweet lights.
Day 8Departure during the day
Extend your Vélodyssée adventure!
To Bordeaux with our trip: La Vélodyssée: from La Rochelle to Bordeaux.
Or to Arcachon with our trip: La Vélodyssée: from La Rochelle to Arcachon.
Documents
> Download tour programSelect your category
Your accommodation
• 7 nights with breakfasts (accommodation in a two-person bedroom)
•
Luggage transport during the bike stages (1 luggage 20kg per person)
•
Equipped cycle rental for 6 days
•
A personalized travel app, including all your cycling stages as well as tourist and practical information
•
City taxes
•
Hotline 7 days a week
• Dinners / Lunches / Drinks
•
Tickets to attractions, tours of attractions, tasting
•
Optional insurances (Cancellation Insurance OR Tranquility Insurance)
•
Single room supplement (7 nights included)
•
Transfer from La Rochelle to Nantes and personal bike repatriation
• 7 nights with breakfasts (accommodation in a two-person bedroom)
•
Luggage transport during the bike stages (1 luggage 20kg per person)
•
Equipped cycle rental for 6 days
•
A personalized travel app, including all your cycling stages as well as tourist and practical information
•
City taxes
•
Hotline 7 days a week
• Dinners / Lunches / Drinks
•
Tickets to attractions, tours of attractions, tasting
•
Optional insurances (Cancellation Insurance OR Tranquility Insurance)
•
Single room supplement (7 nights included)
•
Transfer from La Rochelle to Nantes and personal bike repatriation
from 3 to 11 years old : - 20%
from 12 to 15 years old : - 10%
(Only if the triple or quadruple rooms are occupied by 2 adults minimum )
VTC ARCADE bike - 21 speed gears
OPEN or CLOSED frame
- 1 rear pannier
- 1 front pannier
- 1 repair kit
- 1 lock (for 2 bikes)
Helmet not provided.
ARCADE or EXS ebike
UNIVERSAL frame
- 1 rear pannier
- 1 front pannier
- 1 repair kit
- 1 lock (for 2 bikes)
Helmet not provided.
Practical details
Rental bikes will be available from our local partner.
At the end of the tour, leave the rental bikes at your hotel, we will pick them up.
Your travel app
You’ll have personalized access to our travel app, which you can download onto your smartphone.
This app includes all your cycling stages, tourist and practical content, as well as your accommodation. The application will guide you along your route, like a GPS, during your cycling stages.
In addition to the app, you’ll receive a complete digital roadbook by email, including color maps of your stages.
If you would like a printed version of the roadbook, please let us know when you book your trip. It will be provided at your first accommodation.
Your journey
Tour description
Exclusively cycling paths or signposted routes for cyclists.
Bike stages trip profiles
(click below to see the trip profile of each stage)
Nantes – Saint-Brévin les Pins : 58km / elevation gain: 227m / elevation loss: 244m
Saint-Brévin les Pins – Bouin : 49km / elevation gain: 268m / elevation loss: 271m
Bouin – Saint Jean de Monts : 54km / elevation gain: 97m / elevation loss: 98m
Saint Jean de Monts – Les Sables d’Olonne : 54km / elevation gain: 168m / elevation loss: 164m
Les Sables d’Olonne – La Tranche sur Mer : 47km / elevation gain: 237m / elevation loss: 246m
La Tranche sur Mer – La Rochelle : 72km / elevation gain: 129m / elevation loss: 128m
How to arrive in Nantes
By train
From Paris Montparnasse train station >> Nantes train station (abour 2h10 by TGV train).
For more information, do not hesitate to visit : www.sncf.com/en
By plane
- From Roissy CDG airport:
– Roissy Charles de Gaulle T.2 train station >> Nantes train station (by TGV train).
www.parisaeroport.fr/en/passengers/access/paris-charles-de-gaulle/public-transport
- From Orly airport:
– Taxi transfer to Paris Montparnasse train station >> Nantes train station (by TGV train).
– Bus shuttle (Le Bus Direct) : from Orly Sud or Ouest >> Line 1 >> Paris Montparnasse train station >> Nantes train station (by TGV train).
www.lebusdirect.com/en/lines-and-schedules/orly-airport-paris-etoile-champs-elysees-line.html
– Bus shuttle (Orly Bus) : from Orly Sud or Ouest > > Paris centre – stop ‘Denfert Rochereau’ >> Metro line 4 >> Montparnasse train station >> Nantes train station (by TGV train).
http://aeroportorly.paris/orlybus.php
– Orly Val (automatic metro): from Orly Sud or Ouest >> Paris – stop ‘Antony’ >> RER B – stop ‘Denfert Rochereau’ >> Metro line 4 >> Montparnasse train station >> Nantes train station (by TGV train).
http://aeroportorly.paris/orlyval.php
www.transilien.com/en
www.ratp.fr/en/plans-lignes
- From Beauvais airport:
– Taxi transfer to Paris Montparnasse train station >> Nantes train station (by TGV train).
– Bus shuttle >> Paris – stop ‘Porte Maillot’ >> Metro line 1 + line 13 >> Paris Montparnasse train station >> Nantes train station (by TGV train).
www.aeroportparisbeauvais.com/en/acces-et-transports/navettes/
- From Nantes airport:
– Taxi transfer or Bus shuttle « TAN » direction “centre ville”.
www.tan.fr/fr/menu/se-deplacer/tan/navette-aeroport/
Return
If you have to come back to the start point
- This return can be carry out by RandoVelo/Biking France (please contact us).
- A return transfer by train is possible and organised on your own. Please visit: www.sncf.com/en
Plan to go to the train station with your luggage (and your potential own bike)
(Personal bike return costs are on your responsibility).
– La Rochelle Ville train station >> Nantes train station (by train ).
– La Rochelle >> Nantes (by taxi)
If you have to return to Paris (city centre) / Paris Airports
- This return can be carry out by RandoVelo/Biking France (please contact us).
- A return transfer by train is possible and organised on your own. Please visit: www.sncf.com/en
Plan to go to the train station with your luggage (and your potential own bike)
(Personal bike return costs are on your responsibility).
– La Rochelle Ville train station >> Paris Montparnasse train station (by TGV train).
– La Rochelle Ville train station >> St Pierre des Corps train station or Poitiers train station (by TGV train) >> Aéroport Charles de Gaulle 2 TGV Station (by TGV train).
Nearby Airports:
– La Rochelle Airport: www.larochelle.aeroport.fr/en
– Nantes Airport: www.nantes.aeroport.fr
– Poitiers Airport: www.poitiers.aeroport.fr/en
– Bordeaux Airport: www.bordeaux.aeroport.fr/en
