From Nantes to La Rochelle by bike

Cycling from Nantes to La Rochelle via La Vélodyssée

Starting from Nantes, this route on La Vélodyssée takes the direction of Pornic and the côte de Jade along the Loire estuary. The Atlantic coast is open to you as far as La Rochelle along the beaches of the Vendée, passing by the mythical passage du Gois and its access to the island of Noirmoutier, the salt marshes of Olonne. The route crosses many small fishing ports and seafood production, the opportunity to fill up with oysters, shellfish, mussels or fish !

La Vélodyssée - Alexandre-Lamoureux

The Nantes–Saint-Nazaire Estuary: an open-air museum

A selection of 30 works by leading artists, dotted along the 60 km stretch of the Loire Estuary. Each piece leads visitors to an unusual spot or a remarkable site within the estuary, showcasing its natural, maritime and industrial heritage.
By bike, you can explore the artworks up close along this shared section of the Loire à Vélo and the Vélodyssée cycle routes.

La Vélodyssée - A.Lamoureux

The Passage du Gois and the island of Noirmoutier

The Passage du Gois is a submersible road unique in the world for its length (4.5 km). At low tide, you can use it to reach the island of Noirmoutier. Be sure to check the tide times in advance.
You can also access the island of Noirmoutier directly via a bridge with a cycle path linking the town of Fromentine to the island via the D38 (free bridge).

J. Damase

Cycling along the beaches of the Vendée

This route is unique in that it runs as close as possible to the beaches. You’re sure to be tempted to take a quick dip, try your hand at sand yachting on the wide beaches of the Vendée, or enjoy a spot of surfing...

La Vélodyssée - Aurélie Stapf

La Rochelle and the Île de Ré

This cycle tour ends on a high note with a finish in La Rochelle and the promise of a well-deserved swim in the Atlantic Ocean! It’s also the call of the islands, with the Île de Ré in particular beckoning you. Perhaps this is the chance to extend your cycling adventure...

Tailor-made itineraries

35 Nantes / Le Pellerin

24 km

1 h 38 min

I cycle often

Contemporary art features large along the Loire’s long estuary and this stage shared by the Loire à Vélo and Velodyssey cyles routes. The installations are startling, set in unusual locations. They offer joyous surprises close to the city of Nantes.

36 Le Pellerin / Paimboeuf

26 km

1 h 42 min

I begin

The calm Canal de la Martinière acts as your guide on this stage shared by EuroVelo 6 and the Loire à Vélo cycle routes. You cycle along quiet little roads, in the midst of landscapes typical of the Loire estuary, with broad marshes and meadows spreading out from the great river.

37 Paimboeuf / St-Brevin-les-Pins

12 km

47 min

I cycle often

This is the last stage on the Loire à Vélo cycle route, but it also offers you the opportunity of joining the Velodyssey cycle route as it runs alongside the Atlantic. The Loire is strongly affected by the tides here and arriving at the end of the stage, you end up in a typical seaside resort!

14 St-Brevin-les-Pins / Pornic

40 km

2 h 38 min

I cycle often

This stage of La Vélodyssée starts by crossing St-Brevin between the sea, dunes, pine trees and villas. It continues into the countryside of the Pays de Retz towards St-Michel-Chef-Chef and the charming tourist seaside resort of Pornic.

15 Pornic / Bouin

34 km

2 h 15 min

I cycle often

La Vélodyssée route continues its tour of the Bay of Bourgneuf, brushing past the Breton Marshes in the search for out-of-the-ordinary landscapes in an area rich in birds local to the region. Human activity makes itself felt in the form of the fisheries and the small working ports which dot the coastline. One last gourmet stage on the Loire-Atlantique, La Vélodyssée route continues its tour of the Bay of Bourgneuf. We find ourselves in oyster country, encountering numerous little oyster ports and pits used to cultivate the oysters.

16 Bouin / La Barre de Monts - Fromentine

34 km

2 h 17 min

I cycle often

The last stage of La Vélodyssée in the Bay of Bourgneuf-en-Retz (your pedals keeping time with the sweeping circles of its wind turbines!) before arriving at the very lively Port-du-Bec in Epoids. The highlight of the day will be crossing the famous Gois causeway to the Island of Noirmoutier, tides permitting!

17 La Barre de Monts - Fromentine / St-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie

36 km

2 h 23 min

I begin

This stage of La Vélodyssée focuses entirely on the sea, the beach, the forest and the dunes. There are 18 kms of cycle paths winding through the national forest of Pays de Monts, after which you come to the very lively seaside resort of St-Jean-de-Monts. Before reaching the Vendéenne Cove and its famous boulders at Sion-sur-l’Océan, La Vélodyssée heads towards an old fishing village in the commune of St-Hilaire-de-Riez, adjoining St-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie. A superb stage.

18 St-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie / Les Sables d'Olonne

37 km

2 h 28 min

I cycle often

St-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie, working port, well-known seaside resort, significantly located on a river whose name means ‘life’… all this and the Grande Plage… altogether an unmissable location on La Vélodyssée! Take time to stroll around before continuing on the route which gets closer to the coast towards Brétignolles-sur-Mer and Brem-sur-Mer.The route stretches along the coast and snakes through the Avocettes road between the Olonne forest and the ancient salt marshes which extend between Brem, the Isle of Olonne, Olonne-sur-Mer and Les Sables-d’Olonne.

19 Les Sables d'Olonne / La Tranche-sur-Mer

44 km

2 h 56 min

I begin

In this fairytale setting are both Les Sables (world capital of yacht racing) and La Rochelle, (the ‘broken rebel’ capital of Aunis) centre stage. The Vendéenne coast brings the cycle routes back to the Poitevin Marshes. Once past the Sèvre Niortaise River, we find ourselves at Charente-Maritime and the Marans canal which leads straight to the Old Port. After St-Vincent, La Vélodyssée winds its way into the large national forest of Longeville, drawing close to the sea on two occasions from where beautiful beaches can easily be accessed, such as Les Conches. A quick dip is a must on this stage!

20 La Tranche-sur-Mer / Marans

46 km

3 h 05 min

I cycle often

La Belle-Henriette Lagoon, separated from the sea by a narrow band of sand, and then your arrival into La Faute-sur-Mer which stretches endlessly towards the point of Arçay, mark this stage of La Vélodyssée. The route then heads into St-Michel-en-l’Herm through the dried marshes of Marais Poitevin a great expanse of marshes and cultivated land dotted with farms and sheds. The crossing of the Pont du Brault takes us into Charente-Maritime in the ancient district of Aunis. Marans, the capital of the dried Marais marshes, was once a very important look-out point.

21 Marans / La Rochelle

25 km

1 h 42 min

I cycle often

Nature takes centre stage during this leg of the journey, as you cycle past the water that flows through the charming canals which join the Poitevin marshes. We pass Marans, the ancient watchtower on the estuary of the Niort Sèvre which looks out over the marshes, and follow the canal that leads us to La Rochelle and onto the ocean.