The Vélodyssée, a cycle route along the Atlantic coast in France, is a 1200km long cycle path between Brittany and the Basque country. This blog post outlines the route, the highlights and how to do it (or some of it at least) with kids and have so much fun. It is an invigorating cycling journey through landscapes of un-spoilt beauty and as of 2021 over 70% is on sealed routes, away from traffic. The trip could be hard and challenging if not done right; this blog will provide some ways to spoil yourselves and recharge the batteries. There are some superb places to stay, and excellent discoveries to be made. I am sharing my first-hand responses after an excellent family-vacation in 2020.
The route is 1200km long, and takes in several French regions. It is an excellent asset for bicycle tourism in France. It competes with the best cycling trails in the world. This article focusses on the Atlantic coast and some of the Brittany sections, as I have only cycled these. It is part of the Eurovelo network and is in fact the French section of Eurovelo 1. The northern part of the 11,000km Eurovelo route starts in Scandinavia and the goes along the coast of the British Isles, while the southern part enters Spain, and finishes in Portugal. That seems a little optimistic in my opinion!
I spent three weeks going from Ile de Ré to Bayonne in July. It was me, my wife and two kids. We were very gear heavy and had bikes for the 6-year-old and the 4-year-old. I could attach the kids and we had a trailer. We camped most nights so it was very gear intensive and the bikes were laden. We covered over 600kms and saw so many perfect beaches, and un-spoilt dune systems. There were numerous cold milkshakes and ice creams, and picnics alongside lakes. Highlights were the beaches, and the historical sailing ship replica in Rochefort. Packing up each morning was the biggest downside. I know that some folks are happier to do a trip with a few extra comforts and stay in accommodation. This article will show how that can be done too.
I would hazard-a-guess that cycling this route with kids is now in fact easier than in the past (!), as trailers and seats are now adapted to different ages, and the light weight equipment of quality is reducing in price. Children’s bikes can be relatively good quality these days, and (as you will see later) the route is now vastly improved. Of course you will still encounter head winds and rolling terrain. But don’t worry this is not a mountainous itinerary.
There are some great places to rent bikes, and they have all of the gadgets and gimmicks you might need (to tow your kid’s bike) to make the journey as easy as possible. Most places rent saddlebags as well. I can’t guarantee the level of waterproofness of this gear. Another great operator rents bikes and equipment with pickup and drop-off at different spots. This is perfect if you are not returning back to your place of departure.
Heat is probably what you will face and the best idea is to start early and put plenty of stops into the daily journey. I am a big believer in doing kilometers just after breakfast and making the most of the kid’s good humour (as it does not last all the time). If you get rain, well hope it doesn’t last all day, and cycle when you can village-to-village avoiding the worst rain-showers. Perhaps, if the weather looks so bad you could consider delaying a day’s cycling and instead discover cities or smaller towns like Nantes; La Rochelle or Rochefort (more about these spots later).
This is where you should highlight some highlights, and book ahead these must-see spots. I am thinking of the excellent accommodation that is along the route, such as in the old port of la Rochelle, or on the beach at Saint-Palais sur-Mer. In between these spaces you will need to book the night before or that very same day (in the morning) and keep the reception informed of your progress should you have a spanner in the works. I am thinking that if you have an unseen deviation, or a delightful beach or lake visit then the best idea is to simply let the reception know.
Daylight in summer is until 9pm (or later in the west of France!) and you will eventually get there. Yes your progress may not be as predictable as a car (but hey, that is not always the case, I have cycled parallel to French roads in the summer and seen unhappy stressed families waiting in gridlock).
So, in summary reserve the nice places ahead of time, and inform them if you not going to make it. Perhaps your reservation is on flexible conditions and they can push back a day?
The area along the coast is quite touristy and there are a number of transporters (professionals with vans and trailers) who can help your progress. There is even a local train line, which accepts bikes, along much of the coast.
We took the ferry from Cap Ferrat to Arcachon, and while the cost was more than we expected (around 50€ for bikes and my small family) it certainly saved a long few days (and at least 50€ worth of ice creams) if we had cycled around the interior of the bay.
You will be riding with kids, and occasionally a road panel indicates a nearby destination and is intended for car drivers, yet the distance is markedly less than on the bike path. In my opinion, keep safety as your first priority and stick to the bike route, it might wind its way slowly around but this avoids the busy roads, and at the same time shows you the unknown nice destinations. I remember a scary moment taking on a busy 70km/h piece of road, with my 5-year old following in the path, and I would not do that in the future.
Things break and bend and may not last the distance, but nevertheless a number of repair shops dot the journey. Don’t let this be the reason to not try and do the journey. Instead I suggest that you forget the why nots and focus on the delights of Brittany, the Vendée, and the Landes.
If you are not keen to move every day, then why not choose a base, and use bikes while you are there? The best ‘hub’ for this is in my opinion, the Ile de Re, and then each day you can explore different beaches and sites that radiate out like spokes from this base. In many ways you get the joy of exploring by bike, except without packing up each day. The French call this a ‘star’ itinerary, as you explore like the points of a star, but come back each night. It certainly means less luggage needs to be carried each day.
I want this article to be an inspiration. You might take it and use some ideas to plan a great family adventure. So try the Vélodyssée: cycle route along the Atlantic coast!
You want this to be a success so do lots of planning, gear preparation and route reconnaissance. Read a lot and prepare yourselves, alternatively if you wanted to use us to organize a trip along the Vélodyssée, then get in touch with us here at Trip My France.
If you are taken by Stephen’s travel ethos, read an other of his article on his ‘how to guide’ to gourmet picnic in France with an electric bike.
