Estuary from Nantes to St-Brevin

The many contemporary art installations along the route act as so many beacons: Le Pendule (The Clock), The Settlers, the Château du Pé artists’ rooms, Misconceivable, the Jardin étoilé (Starry Garden), plus, arriving at Mindin Point, an ocean serpent… this cycling outing leads you rapidly into a fantastical world. This is a fine cycling trip for encouraging the imaginations of all members of the family!

The route

Entirely signposted from Nantes to St-Brevin, as it follows the shared route of two major cycle routes, La Loire à Vélo and La Vélodyssée.

Practical advice

The 3km-long, spectacular cable suspension bridge linking Saint-Nazaire to Saint-Brevin rises high above the Loire Estuary, offering amazing views for those crossing it by car. Unfortunately, the bridge is not properly adapted to cyclists and may be seen as an obstacle on a cycling trip!

There are several possible options for crossing St-Nazaire Bridge with a bike:

• Free bike shuttle service over the Pont de St-Nazaire – for information, call +33 (0)2 51 82 62 62
• Bus line N°317 linking Saint-Nazaire Station to Saint-Brevin Station, the crossing taking c.15-20mins, with roughly one bus an hour during operating periods. These buses only have 8 spaces for bikes. Note carefully that you must reserve places for your bikes the day before travelling on tel: +33 (0)2 40 21 50 87 (9am-4pm; just to 12 midday Fridays).
• The link across the bridge can also be tackled thanks to taxis equipped with bicycle racks, operating from both Saint-Nazaire and Saint-Brevin-les-Pins. These taxis can transport four people + four bikes. Check on possibilities for the transportation of more complex bikes (such as tandems and bikes with children’s trailers) by telephoning in advance – Taxis Saint-Brevin-les-Pins: +33 (0)2 40 27 23 07; Taxis Saint-Nazaire: +33 (0)2 40 66 02 62)

Don’t miss

Make the most of this great cycling outing to discover the collection of contemporary works and installations along the Estuaire arts trail. Exploring this open-air museum, you can view these specific works on this outing: 

• Le Pendule (The Clock) by Roman Signer, in the former fishermen’s village of Trentemoult
• The Settlers by Sarah Sze at Port-Lavigne (Bouguenais), La Roche Ballue (bathing pool)
• Misconceivable by Erwin Wurm, on the Canal de la Martinière (Le Pellerin)
• Le Jardin étoilé by Kynia Maruyama, beside the Loire at Paimboeuf
• Serpent d’Océan by Huang Yong Ping at Saint-Brevin