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Vélodyssée, Vélocéan, Loire à Vélo… Six ideas for bicycle routes in the Pays de la Loire

2020-04-25T06:19:53.755Z


Hillsides of vines, forests, royal castles and an ocean ... With 3000 km of cycle routes, the Pays de la Loire is a great playground for fans of the little queen. What pedaling in the great outdoors for a weekend, a week and more if affinities!


The Loir Valley by bike, between castles and vineyards

Do not confuse the Loir valley and the Loire valley… A sub-tributary of the Loire, the Loir has no reason to be ashamed of its destiny since it crosses four departments and two regions. 320 km long, the Loir Valley by bike - V47 is for sweet dreamers who seek to stroll their noses in the wind more than hanging a cycle route on their hunting board. The start is at Saint-Eman (Eure-et-Loir) and ends at Angers, where our route connects to that of La Loire à Vélo. Along the way, we will have seen picturesque villages, well-combed vines, orchards and troglodyte houses dug in the tufa. We also learned that the famous "Rustines", trademark registered by Louis Rustin, were manufactured in the Loir valley. We can also be satisfied with the Château du Loir / Angers portion (135 km, 3 days), which takes us across ponds, meadows and hedged farmland, but also visit castles (Le Lude and its French gardens, Durtal, Villevêque) and the famous zoo of La Flèche, one of the most beautiful in Europe. Less long ? Opt for a day trip between Le Lude and La Flèche (21.5 km, 1.5 hrs).
www.vallee-du-loir.com

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La Vélodyssée, 1290 km by bike along the Atlantic Ocean

Cayola bay in Les Sables d'Olonne. Aurelie Stapf / La Vélodyssée press photo

It is the longest cycle route in France and the most salty! Inaugurated in 2012, the Vélodyssée links Roscoff (Finistère) to Hendaye (Pyrénées-Atlantiques). No less than 38 stages (from 14 to 50 km) are necessary to cover its 1,290 km across nine departments. After a breakthrough in the interior of Brittany, the route follows the sea from the Loire estuary. One of the most spectacular parts connects Nantes to Les Sables d'Olonne (250 km): 4 to 6 days of gentle roaming to discover the pretty villages of Trentemoult and Paimboeuf, the in situ works of art along the Estuary route, the intimate coves of Saint-Michel-Chef-Chef, the fisheries of the Côte de Jade, the oyster parks of Bourgneuf bay, the Passage du Gois, the saltworks at Sables-d'Olonne and Cayola bay… to be bored ! With 72% of car-free green routes and a fully marked route, the Vélodyssée has everything to seduce, especially families.
www.lavelodyssee.com

The Loire à Vélo, 900 km along the water

Crossing the island of Nantes by bike. A. Lamoureux / The Loire à Vélo photo press

From Nevers to Saint-Brevin-les-Pins, the Loire à Vélo runs along the “river of kings” through the emblematic landscapes of the Loire Valley and Pays de la Loire: Renaissance castles, the vineyards of Touraine and Anjou, the troglodytes of the Saumurois and the Loire estuary, without counting Orléans, Tours, Angers and Nantes… A 900 km route which crisscrosses an area listed as World Heritage by Unesco, bathed in a certain sweetness of life. Undoubtedly one of the most beautiful cycle routes in France. Another strong point: it is well marked and secure, therefore ideal for families or for a first experience of cycling. The arrival on the ocean by the Loire estuary is a highlight. No time to cycle in its entirety? The section between Angers and Nantes (125 km) will only take you three days. On the menu: villages of mariners, small towns of character (Béhuard), wine break (Savennières), wink to Julien Gracq (Saint-Florent-le-Vieil), picnic by the water ...
Good for to know: throughout the year, the Loire à Vélo Train offers cycle tourists free and reservation-free transportation of their bikes between Orléans, Tours, Nantes and Le Croisic. Up to 3 trains per day. www.loireavelo.fr.

Read also: Summer holidays 2020: the Figaro Voyage guide to stay in France

La Vélocéan, 148 km to discover the Loire-Atlantique coasts

Cycling development on the Wild Coast between Le Pouliguen and Le Croisic. J. Damase / Vélocéan Press photo

A stroll on the seafront on the Vélocéan allows you to discover the northern coast of Loire-Atlantique, overlooked by the Vélodyssée. A little west wind refreshes us as we go up the coast between Saint-Nazaire and Saint-Molf (148 km). The cycle route is divided into five routes, ranging from 16 to 30 km, with the possibility of carrying out several on several over one or more days. Along the way: the Loire estuary, the Croisic peninsula, the Guérande salt marshes… A slightly retro atmosphere in the first part, which links Saint-Nazaire to Le Croisic via La Baule: the pretty seafront from Saint-Nazaire, the beach of Monsieur Hulot in Saint-Marc-sur-Mer, the tumulus of Dissignac, the seaside villas of Baule-les-Pins, the fishing port of Pouliguen. You can also reach the medieval city of Guérande in a few pedal strokes.
www.francevelotourisme.com.

La Vélo Francette, terroir and heritage

The castle of Angers on the route of the Vélo Francette and the Loire à Vélo. J. Damase / La Vélo Francette Photo press

The heritage of Mayenne and Anjou is discovered on the water along this bucolic route. La Vélo Francette, which links Ouistreham (Manche) to La Rochelle (Charente-Maritime), alternately crosses Mayenne and Maine-et-Loire via Laval, Angers or Saumur. If you only have three days, it is best to join Angers from Laval (100 km). No major difficulty, but little-known treasures to don like pearls: the famous Abbey of Port-Salut, the hills of Mayenne, the Isle Briand estate and its national stud farm… You only have one day ? The 46 km between Laval and Renazé (3 hours) allows you to discover an old railroad, cross the Vicoin valley on a viaduct and visit the amazing naive concrete creations of the Robert Tatin Museum in Cossé le Vivien, a masterpiece of naive art.
www.lavelofrancette.com

The V44, from Sarthe to the Loire Valley by bike

In Le Mans, the Cité Plantagenêt, along the V44. Maxime Oudoux / Photo press

The Sarthe and Maine-et-Loire well deserve this route, which runs along the greenways and small country roads. Departing from Alençon (Orne), the V44 soon explores the Alpes Mancelles, the "mountains closest to Paris". Remember to change gear because the balconies of the Sarthe valley deserve! Along the route, a "most beautiful village in France" follows a "small town of character" up to Le Mans. The old medieval center deploys its half-timbered houses, its Renaissance residences, its cathedral and its Roman enclosure. A real film set. Rest assured, the cobbled alleys of old Mans only last a moment ...
On the banks of the Loir, La Flèche reveals its amazing heritage: a mill that makes ice (from the Bruère), the Halle theater with wheat like a candy box, without forgetting the Prytaneum national military, real city in the city. As for the famous zoo of La Flèche, the oldest private animal park in France, we no longer present it. Giraffes, elephants, polar bears, rhinos, white tigers roam the heart of a pleasant pine forest. Then it is the gently sloping descent to the Loire Valley. Saumur marks the arrival of the journey. Perched on its ramparts, the castle shines in its tufa stone. You have the right to get off your bike to quietly stroll the elegant alleys of the city of the Cadre Noir (we no longer talk about biking, but horse riding…). If you only have three days, choose the route between Le Mans and Saumur.
www.francevelotourisme.com

Source: lefigaro

All news articles on 2020-04-25

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