La Vagabonde

Description All stages Reviews

In forest

1 week or more

520 Km

I cycle often

Montluçon (03)

Montech (82)

Its northern point in the heart of France, in the town of Montluçon, in the département (French county) of Allier, La Vagabonde cycle route offers riders an adventure across a great patchwork of unspoilt rural areas and a whole string of enchanting villages. The route leads southwestwards as far as Montech, a little town in the département of Tarn-et-Garonne. Embark on this wandering way on wheels, over 500km in length, to be wowed by startling discoveries and unexpected encounters. Riding via Vassivière Lake and the Plateau de Millevaches, the Dordogne Valley and the Quercy Causses (limestone plateaux), and lastly via the Lot Valley to reach the Canal de Garonne (which links with the Canal du Midi to the east – see our section on the Canal des 2 Mers à Vélo), experience concentrated, joyous contemplation of the diversity of ever-so-sweet southwest France. The cycle route sticks to quiet little roads, steering clear of big towns, focusing on delightful countryside. It offers a way to (re)discover many secretive parts of France by bike.

Elevation of the route

5126 m 5025 m

Waytypes of the cycle route

Cycle path: 19,02 km By road: 500,51 km

Surface of the cycle route

Smooth: 10,15 km Unknown: 509,38 km

520km along La Vagabonde

INFORMATION | SERVICES | ACCES | CONNECTIONS

info General information

Signposting

Signposting has been put in place in both directions, La Vagabonde’s logo visible on most signposts.

Cycle route profile

This cycle route is moderately hilly. Stretches take you to over 700m in altitude, notably in the départements (counties) of Creuse and Corrèze. Make sure you have a suitable bicycle and best keep the weight to the front, a help for tackling passes, although these cols never reach 1,000m.
2,542m, in total, of positive shift in altitude | 3,120m, in total, of negative shift in altitude
Maximum altitude: 879m | lowest altitude: 131m.

hotel Services

Book in advance to ride along worry-free, particularly in rural areas, where you need to plan for accommodation well in advance, especially as in summer, holiday accommodation in these parts can often be rented out to tourists for a week at a time.

The topoguide de La Vagabonde is a guidebook dedicated to La Vagabonde cycle route that can help you organize your cycling adventure.

train Trains and transport along La Vagabonde cycle route

Along this cycle route, there are a good number of train stations (gares), listed below, served by regional TER trains, helping you to join the route at various points, or to skip certain stages: Montluçon, Aubusson, Felletin, Pérols s/Vézère, Egletons, Montaignac-sur-Doustre, St-Denis-les-Martel, Rocamadour, Cahors and Montauban

Without dismantling your bike: by prior reservation, with a fee for Intercités trains (10€ at time of writing), but free on TER regional trains
From Paris, three Intercités lines serve stations along La Vagabonde:
Intercités Paris Bercy Bourgogne - Pays d'Auvergne > via Vierzon | or via Riom | or via Châtel-Guyon > Montluçon: journey time on average : 4h41 de trajet en moyenne
Intercités Paris Austerlitz > Brive-la-Gaillarde > Rocamadour : 6h15 journey time on average
Intercités Paris Austerlitz > Cahors : 5h36 journey time on average

Connections to others cycle routes

La Vagabonde is linked to the Tour de Creuse cycle route, even sharing a short stretch with it, between Chambon-sur-Voueize and Aubusson
La Vagabonde is linked to the Vallée du Lot à vélo, sharing a short stretch with it, between Arcambal and Cahors
La Vagabonde finishes at Montech, at the junction with the Canal des 2 mers à vélo cycle route