From Royan to Hendaye on La Vélodyssée

400km along the Atlantic Ocean

From Royan, head south, starting with the river crossing of the Gironde estuary. Flirt with the many beaches that will punctuate your trip, then join the cycle paths of the Landes that meander between lakes and forests. Swimming will always be within reach of the wheels if you feel like it. Finish your trip by reaching the capital of the Basque Country and touch the Spanish border in Hendaye.

Vélo en famille sur le Bassin d'Arcachon

La Vélodyssée ® J.Damase

A cycle tour around the Arcachon Basin

A small inland sea, a lake opening out onto the Atlantic, the Arcachon Basin is a multifaceted area offering swimming, walks and visits to its coastal towns. From Lège-Cap-Ferret to Arcachon, cycle through the Landes forest, which will provide shelter from time to time!

SIBA - B. Ruiz

At the summit of the Dune du Pilat

To the south of the Arcachon Basin, you’ll spot a mass of sand behind the pine trees from the cycle path. This is the Dune du Pilat, the highest dune in Europe, which is steadily advancing inland. Climbing to the top of this mass of sand will give you the chance to enjoy a unique panorama of the Arcachon Basin and the Atlantic Ocean.

La Vélodyssée ® A.Lamoureux

A cycle route punctuated by the call of the ocean

Between Royan and Hendaye, the Atlantic is never far away and a swim is always a possibility, to be enjoyed on France’s largest beaches, just a short cycle ride from the cycle route. For surfing enthusiasts, Capbreton and Biarritz are also must-visit stops!

La Vélodyssée ® J.Damase

Bayonne, the Basque city, a historic town

Bayonne, the quintessential Basque city and also a City of Art and History, thanks to its fortified medieval quarter, its buildings in the so-called ‘Neo-Basque’ and Art Deco styles, and its narrow streets dotted with colourful shutters, often in shades of green and red.
When it comes to gastronomy, the famous Bayonne ham will of course be part of the trip, but so too will... chocolate! The city was in fact home to the first French cocoa workshops, a history you can discover in detail at the Atelier du Chocolat.

La Vélodyssée ® A.Lamoureux

Biarritz and its beaches

Biarritz, nestled on the Atlantic coast and famous for its surf spots, is a popular seaside resort. The town lies on the border between the Landes coast, with its gentle dunes to the north, and the Basque coast, with its rocky cliffs and crags to the south. The town developed particularly in the 19th century, a period when many buildings were constructed in styles as varied as Art Deco, Neo-Basque and Neo-Gothic.

Tailor-made itineraries

25 Royan / Montalivet-les-Bains

30 km

2 h 00 min

I begin

Upon entering the Gironde, a new world reveals itself to travellers on La Vélodyssée. La pointe de Grave also marks the end of the Médoc, a landscape of great variety, depending on whether you cross the west coast or the estuary and the vineyards. Pleasant cycle lanes wind their way from Verdon to the charming Soulac-sur-Mer with its lively streets and pretty seaside villas, we take the trail towards Montalivet. To the north of this stage, the sea entices you in for a cooling dip; to the south there is a more forested area which is most pleasant in fine weather.

26 Montalivet-les-Bains / Hourtin-Plage

20 km

1 h 20 min

I begin

From Montalivet to Naujac (apart from a large chicane and a gentle bend) you can ride on autopilot on this part of La Vélodyssée as you breathe in the scent of the pine trees – there is very little chance of getting lost here: head directly south through the Flamand national forest. The Côte d’Argent truly is the kingdom of cycle lanes. La Vélodyssée follows the central path to meet Hourtin via the forest. The surrounding area offers numerous choices of where you can stop for a refreshing splash in one of the vast lakes, one of which is Hourtin - the largest in France!

27 Hourtin-Plage / Lacanau-Océan

34 km

2 h 07 min

I cycle a lot

Still in the forest and still on cycle paths. The natural reserves encountered throughout the route demonstrate that these large spaces are populated, rich in wildlife and a lot more diverse that we may first think…

28 Lacanau-Océan / Lège-Cap-Ferret

37 km

2 h 27 min

I begin

A pleasant stage of La Vélodyssée on designated lanes between dunes and the forest. Take time out to stray off the cycle lane and appreciate one of the handful of connections to the sea and enjoy the fantastic ocean views. Take care on the Atlantic beaches! You’re constantly discovering new horizons in the direction of Bassin d’Arcachon Bay. A hugely different atmosphere with a return to the land of oysters. Here we can take a splendid alternative route down the tracks leading to Cap Ferret

29 Lège-Cap-Ferret / Arcachon

42 km

2 h 48 min

I cycle often

Those nostalgic for the trains of yesteryear, welcome! Except for a shared section with traffic between Lège and Arès, La Vélodyssée now follows the former steam-train tracks. We pass stations and you’ll need to “go off the rails” to truly enjoy Arcachon Bay and surrounding villages.The forests of Gironde disappear, to be replaced by urban landscapes during this stage around the Bassin d’Arcachon. A little way after Lanton, we find ourselves in the Regional National Park of the Landes de Gascogne, which is fragrant with the iodised and authentic air of Aquitaine.

30 Arcachon / Biscarrosse-plage

26 km

1 h 43 min

I begin

After an essential trip to the top of the Dune of Pilat to appreciate the beauty of the area and the views, we once again set off on a long crossing through the Landes Forest. Just before the Biscarrosse-Plage, La Vélodyssée takes you seamlessly from La Gironde into the Landes.

31 Biscarrosse-plage / Parentis-en-Born

26 km

1 h 42 min

I cycle often

From Gironde to the Landes nothing really changes, apart from the section of military land which forces La Vélodyssée away from the seafront to make a long detour inland, where the blues of the vast ponds replace that of the sea. You may try out the hydroplanes, common to this part of Biscarrosse!

32 Parentis-en-Born / Mimizan-Plage

31 km

2 h 04 min

I begin

After the Biscarrosse and Parentis Lakes, the trail follows secondary roads and takes us to the more secluded northern lake of Aureilhan. Several access paths later, the trail brings us onto the western bank, for a moment of relaxation and a swim on the beach.

33 Mimizan-Plage / Léon

47 km

3 h 08 min

I cycle often

Having soaked up the atmosphere of the Mimizan-Plage seaside resort, it’s back on the saddle to once more find the inner calm of the forest: its silence and delicate fragrances, with the deep sense of tranquility, and being master of this happy space, far away from the hustle and bustle of the world. La Vélodyssée encourages meditation…The woodland trail bringing a feeling of peace, reinforced by the fragrant pine trees. You have to leave the trail to enjoy the seaside beaches near Contis-Plage or St-Girons-Plage, or those of the Léon Lake beaches that you come to.

34 Léon / Capbreton

33 km

2 h 13 min

I begin

La Vélodyssée now heading north, advances to a few hundred yards from the Côte d’Argent, gradually getting closer to Moliets-et-Mâa and Messanges. The route finally meets the powerful ocean at Vieux-Boucau, the former port (until the river Adour was re-routed to Bayonne in 1578) and today a very pleasant stopping point. Here La Vélodyssée sails past the iconic seaside, surfing and health resorts of Hossegor and Capbreton. These two towns are separated by the Boudigau - the redirected former Adour River – but their names are linked by their proximity and their huge popularity with tourists in the central areas of the Landes.

35 Capbreton / Bayonne

29 km

1 h 55 min

I cycle often

This stage between the Landes and the Basque Country lets us enjoy forest and large beaches as we make our way along beautiful cycle lanes. As we approach Boucau, La Vélodyssée enters more urbanised surroundings. After all, sometimes we must share the highways!

36 Bayonne / Biarritz

16 km

1 h 03 min

I cycle often

37 Biarritz / Saint-Jean-de-Luz

14 km

56 min

I cycle a lot

This stage of La Vélodyssée is punctuated with vantage points enjoying exceptional ocean views but it is sometimes challenging and the route is shared with cars. Don’t think twice about parking your bike occasionally and enjoying the picnic areas, tables and discovery trails on hand throughout this section.

38 Saint-Jean-de-Luz / Hendaye-Plage

21 km

1 h 21 min

I cycle a lot

Final stage of La Vélodyssée before reaching the Spanish border and the rhythm of the Bolero. After St-Jean-de-Luz and Ciboure, comes a glorious end to the course with a route over the Corniche de Socoa cliffs, which from the Fort to the Pointe Ste-Anne promontory offers panoramic views stretching over the Golfe de Gascogne.