The Vélodyssée and the Ile de Ré

A cycling adventure along the Atlantic coast

The Vélodyssée is the name given to the exceptional cycle route that runs along the Atlantic from Brittany to the Basque Country. It crosses part of Finistère, Morbihan, Loire-Atlantique, Vendée, our beloved Charente-Maritime, continues into Gironde, skirts Landes and then Pyrénées-Atlantiques. The Vélodyssée stretches over 1,200 km of cycle paths and greenways, mainly bordered by the Atlantic Ocean.

The Vélodyssée in Charente-Maritime begins in the north with the Pont du Brault crossing, the border with Vendée along the Sèvre Niortaise. This first section of the Charente-Maritime cycle route is a true nature stage, first following the Sèvre Niortaise estuary and then the canal from Marans to La Rochelle.

Once in La Rochelle, a stopover is a real possibility! La Rochelle, with its half-timbered houses, arcaded streets, medieval towers, market, old port and Minimes port, museums, aquarium, concert halls and events such as the Grand Pavois and Francofolies, makes this departmental capital a great place to live.

A break on the Ile de Ré

The Vélodyssée then takes you directly to Châtelaillon-Plage, Fouras, Rochefort, Marennes and Royan, but before continuing to the south of the département, a visit to the Ile de Ré is a must. La Rochelle and the Ile de Ré are linked by excellent cycle paths. It takes less than 20 minutes to reach the Ile de Ré bridge from downtown La Rochelle. The bridge also has a two-way lane reserved for bicycles, and of course passage is free and completely separate from car traffic.