La Vélidéale - Sébastien Laval

Grand tour à vélo entre Loire, Vienne et Marais poitevin

625 km à vélo de la Loire à la Venise Verte

Cap sur un grand tour à vélo qui débute à... Tours. Une aventure cyclable en quatre mouvements, entre rivières, vallées et petit patrimoine d’exception. Depuis la royale Loire jusqu’aux rives de la Vienne, chaque coup de pédale ouvre un nouveau chapitre : cités médiévales, abbayes romanes, paysages vallonnés et haltes gourmandes rythment la route. De Confolens à Niort, l’itinéraire teinte cette aventure d'une atmosphère bucolique, entre trésors du Mellois et reflets paisibles de la Venise Verte. Puis vient le fil du Thouet, jalonné de petites cités de caractères, jusqu’à Saumur et son emblématique silhouette dominant le fleuve. Enfin, la Loire à Vélo vous ramène à Tours, entre jardins, vignobles et villages troglodytiques. Une boucle d’exception, pour cyclistes aguerris en quête de liberté, d’évasion et d’authenticité.

Départ : Tours
Distance : 625 kilomètres
Balisage : boucle vélo 100% balisée dans les 2 sens / empruntant plusieurs itinéraires
- La Scandibérique (Tours - Confolens)
- La Vélidéale (Confolens - Niort)
- La Vélo Francette (Niort - Saumur)
- La Loire à vélo (Saumur - Tours)

CD 86 - Emanuel Berthier - La Scandibérique

De la Loire à la Vienne

On quitte provisoirement la capitale de la Touraine et la Loire pour rejoindre la vallée de la Vienne et ses villages pittoresques au patrimoine marqué par le passage de Charles Martel. Sainte-Maure-de-Touraine invite à une pause gourmande autour de son célèbre fromage de chèvre. Plus au sud, la Vienne et l'itinéraire vélo de La Scandibérique devient fil conducteur, offrant de superbes paysages jusqu’à Châtellerault et son passé industriel avec son ancienne manufacture d'armes. Puis viennent la Réserve du Pinail, la cité médiévale de Chauvigny et les piles mystérieuses de Lussac-les-Châteaux sur la Vienne. Après votre passage sous l’impressionnant viaduc de l’Isle-Jourdain et les villages paisibles qui entourent cette douce vallée, Confolens s’impose comme une étape de caractère, entre art, patrimoine et douceur fluviale.

Ruffec - Sébastien Laval

De la Vienne au marais Poitevin

Depuis Confolens, cité médiévale où résonnent chaque été les danses et musiques du monde, vous suivez désormais l’itinéraire de La Vélidéale qui, le temps d’une traversée des paysages vallonnés de Charente, vous conduit à la découverte de trésors insoupçonnés. Ici, chaque détour révèle son lot de merveilles : le château de Saveilles, l’église romane de Raix, ou encore les cités de caractère de Verteuil-sur-Charente et Nanteuil-en-Vallée. Plus loin, la vallée de la Boutonne mène à Chef-Boutonne et au château Renaissance de Javarzay, idéal pour une halte culturelle. Puis le pays Mellois s’ouvre, avec l’Abbaye Royale de Celles-sur-Belle, ses églises romanes et les mystérieuses mines d’argent des Rois Francs. Le parcours vélo s’achève à Niort, au cœur de la Venise Verte, où les reflets paisibles des canaux invitent à la détente.

Instapades Studio - La Vélo Francette

De Niort à Saumur, au fil du Thouet et des cités médiévales

Depuis les donjons de Niort, ce parcours vélo remonte doucement vers le pays de Gâtine en empruntant La Vélo Francette, alternant chemins agricoles et petites routes champêtres. Les panoramas vallonnés révèlent un bocage préservé, jusqu’à Parthenay, cité médiévale animée, véritable balcon sur le Thouet. Le parcours enchaîne ensuite découvertes et pauses nature : Airvault et son abbatiale, Saint-Loup-sur-Thouet et son château insulaire, le lac du Cébron, puis Thouars, ville d’Art & d’Histoire dominée par son centre historique et son parc Imbert. Plus au nord, Montreuil-Bellay charme par ses remparts, son patrimoine et ses coteaux viticoles. Enfin, l’arrivée à Saumur, blottie au bord de la Loire et dominée par son château emblématique, conclut en beauté cette traversée ponctuée de villages de caractère, de paysages fluviaux et de trésors patrimoniaux.

D. Darrault - CRT Centre-Val de Loire

De Saumur à Tours, la Loire en majesté

Depuis Saumur et son château dominant la Loire, vous partez pour une aventure ligérienne à contre-courant avec au choix longer le fleuve par une voie verte paisible ou grimper les coteaux viticoles pour profiter de panoramas grandioses et s'enfoncer dans les villages troglodytes. À Candes-Saint-Martin, la rencontre de la Loire avec la Vienne compose l’un des plus beaux paysages du Val de Loire. Les moins pressés feront le détour par Chinon ou l'abbaye de Fontevraud. Enfin, Villandry et ses célèbres jardins annoncent le retour vers Tours. Une étape entre nature royale, patrimoine d’exception et douceur de vivre ligérienne.

Côté pratique :

Accès en trains :
Hébergements / restaurants / sites de visites : rendez-vous sur les cartes des étapes ci-dessous et affichez les différentes catégories.

Tailor-made itineraries

26 Tours / Sainte-Maure-de-Touraine

44 km

2 h 54 min

I cycle often

The Loire, Cher and Indre are the three major rivers you’ll ride alongside, in that order, on this Scandibérique stage leading you south. You cross an agricultural plateau, the town of Ste-Maure de Touraine at its heart, to link up with the Vienne Valley. Following minor roads from village to village, enjoy remarkable discoveries, some marking the time Frankish leader Charles Martel fought off Arab invaders in these parts in the 8th century. Spot parks, keeps, churches, statuary, reliquaries… The markets are packed with fine local produce. On a picnic, savour different Sainte-Maure goat’s cheeses (laitier and fermier), with their distinctive cylindrical shape and straw through the middle. At the end of your meal, see who draws the short straw to have to transport all the local goodies you’ve bought to your next stopover!

27 Sainte-Maure-de-Touraine / Châtellerault

41 km

2 h 45 min

I cycle often

Here, following the Scandibérique brings you back beside a river, this time the Vienne, at Marcilly-sur-Vienne. This stage follows its west bank, offers views of lovely landscapes. Vaux-sur-Vienne, climbing the slope from the river, is a village in a lovely green setting from which to embark on walks. Finally, the town of Châtellerault comes into view. Before and after World War I, it was known for manufacturing Lebel guns; after the factory closed in 1968, it was subsequently transformed into an ice-skating rink and cultural space, a sign of peace for future generations.

28 Châtellerault / Lussac-les-Châteaux

58 km

3 h 50 min

I cycle often

Châtellerault boasts an impressive historical legacy and on a stopover here you can even discover its industrial heritage. As well as the charming town centre where the fully restored Italian-style Blossac Theatre stands out alongside Renaissance-style monuments, the former arms factory, with its two imposing brick chimneys, also grabs visitors’ attention. Continuing along the Scandibérique, many surprises await, notably at Vouneuil-sur-Vienne, with Le Pinail Nature Reserve, or then at Chauvigny, its medieval centre rising from its rocky outcrop. Lastly comes Lussac-les-Châteaux and the five mighty pillars of the former drawbridge to its single château!

29 Lussac-les-Châteaux / Confolens

53 km

3 h 31 min

I cycle often

From Lussac-les-Châteaux to Availles-Limouzine, the Scandibérique follows small, bucolic roads with little traffic. The rolling plains start to have more pronounced slopes, meaning you have to make more physical effort, plus the landscapes will take your breath away! Look out for spots beside the Vienne from which you can go bathing in the river for a refreshing break. The majestic viaduct at L’Isle-Jourdain takes you across the river, which you then leave behind, riding on to Availles Limouzine. The art works scattered around the Château de Lessac are bound to leave you thinking. At the town of Confolens, give your ‘pins’ a break by taking the little tourist train!

7 Confolens / Champagne-Mouton

36 km

2 h 23 min

I begin

The little town of Confolens makes an irresistible stopover along the Vélidéale cycle route. It boasts remarkable heritage features that it puts lovingly to the fore, hence its designation as a Petite Cité de Caractère. A trail incites you to learn about the varied curiosities dotted around the medieval settlement. For the last 60 or so years, the weekend around 15 August sees the arrival of dancers and musicians from around the world for its Festival d'Art et de Traditions Populaires. Leaving Confolens, you once more follow the Vienne River, up to Saint-Germain de Confolens, a village whose sublime castle perched on its rocky promontory dominates a wide area. Then our cycle route heads off straight westwards to cross the Charente River at Alloue, where the Maison Maria Casarès stands out, a fortified medieval house lived in by a famous French actress from 1961 to 1996, and now an artists’ residence. Ride on to Champagne-Mouton, a little place, but where you’ll find stores to stock up on provisions.

8 Champagne-Mouton / Ruffec

32 km

2 h 08 min

I cycle often

Your cycling adventure continues on towards Ruffec, taking you via two further Petites Cités de Caractère, Nanteuil-en-Vallée and Verteuil-sur-Charente, each inviting you to enjoy a refreshing pause. Nanteuil-en-Vallée, with its cobbled streets and typical historic Charentais-style houses, is full of charm, its main attractions the vestiges of its medieval abbey and a 1920s garden, the Jardin de l'Argentor. As to Verteuil-sur-Charente, its impressive château looks down on the Charente River, while its Romanesque church conceals one of the Charente’s most dramatic Entombment of Christ scenes, featuring life-size terracotta figures. Next, it’s on via the village of Barro to Ruffec, the first offering tranquillity, the second shops, so that you can regather strength before riding onwards.

9 Ruffec / Chef-Boutonne

40 km

2 h 39 min

I cycle often

The Vélidéale cycle route guides you from the département (French county) of Charente into that of Deux-Sèvres to enter the Mellois area, riding along bucolic little country roads. Dotted along the way are little gems that will pique your interest: in Raix, the Romanesque church of Saint-Barthélemy; in Paizay-Naudouin-Embourie, the 14th-century Château de Saveilles, displaying an intriguing mix of medieval fort and later, Renaissance style; and in Chef-Boutonne, the Château de Javarzay, one of the earliest Renaissance châteaux to be built in the old region of Poitou. Chef-Boutonne was also the birthplace of a pioneering 19th-century French industrialist, Jean-François Cail, who built metallic structures and an industrial farm as well as advocating social responsibility. All told, this unexpected local heritage will satisfy the curiosity of cyclists who like to learn as they ride along!

10 Chef-Boutonne / Melle

33 km

2 h 11 min

I cycle often

From Chef-Boutonne, the Boutonne Valley serves as your thread along a route with a royal twist; the Pays Mellois area boasted silver mines exploited for the French kings... back in Carolingian times! Today, you can cover this territory on a family-friendly, refreshing stage that runs beside local rivers. This part of the Vélidéale cycle route encourages you to discover Romanesque architecture and enjoy breaks in green settings. After the Boutonne River, it’s the turn of the Béronne River to guide you up to the little town of Melle via an interweaving series of pretty minor roads that it’s a delight to meander along.

11 Melle / Niort

37 km

2 h 27 min

I cycle often

On this stage of the Vélidéale cycle route, you ride off from the Pays Mellois area making use of a greenway called the Ruban Vert (or Green Ribbon), taking you along a raised former railway line, up to Prahecq. This stretch proves both peaceful and accessible to most. Then, to shift from the Mellois area to the Niortais, it’s only a short stretch, through a tunnel of greenery in the warmer seasons. You reach the centre of the city of Niort via the Avenue de Limoges, cycling up to La Brèche, a major public park, and Le Port Boinot, the river port, both providing important green spaces for the town. Plus, you’re now on the edge of the splendid Marais Poitevin marshes.

12 Niort / Champdeniers

26 km

1 h 43 min

I cycle often

Leaving Niort, the Vélidéale shares the ride to the town of Parthenay with another western French cycle route, La Vélo Francette. At the level of Echiré, gourmets among you may which to leave the route to stop at the Atelier de l'Excellence du Beurre d'Echiré (dedicated to the fine butter made here, and its multiple uses), while later on, all will want to admire the Château du Coudray-Salbart as you reach Ternanteuil. The stage ends at Champdeniers-St-Denis, which has some small-scale architectural delights for you to uncover.

13 Champdeniers / Parthenay

29 km

1 h 55 min

I cycle often

Riding from Champdeniers to Parthenay, you’ll cross the beautiful village of Saint-Marc-la-Lande which boasts a magnificent collegiate church, a commandery (once owned by a military religious order), a medieval-inspired garden and a conservation orchard. As you cycle on further, note how granite stone gives way to limestone as you enter an area known as the Gâtine Poitevine. Riding merrily along, you’ll be delighted to encounter a charming village or two, a mysterious river, a legendary centaur, a ford, old landscapes composed of hedge-divided fields, a medieval town... Arriving at Saint-Pierre-de-Parthenay-le-Vieux, admire the sublime church, its construction even attributed by legend to the Fairy Mélusine… Reaching the outdoor leisure centre, or Base de Loisirs, at Parthenay, dismount to enjoy a picnic on the banks of the Thouet River before heading into town to discover its historic centre and fine heritage.

18 La Vélo Francette from Airvault to Parthenay

37 km

2 h 28 min

I cycle often

An unforgettable stage, along quiet roads. The village of Airvault, with its abbey church, covered market and underground fountain, sets the tone. Next, the moated château and village of St-Loup-sur-Thouet will surprise you. Then the Lac du Cébron provides room to relax before continuing along the Thouet, crossing via a railway viaduct to reach the haughty medieval fortified town of Parthenay.

17 Thouars / Airvault

29 km

1 h 57 min

I cycle often

After visiting the historic heart of Thouars, take in the Imbert Floral Park, with its lovely terraces above the River Thouet. Leaving this Ville d’Art & d’Histoire, you can continue to appreciate to the full the charms of the Thouet’s riverbanks. As you cycle along, enjoy glimpses of waterfalls, wooded slopes and lovely historic buildings.

16 Montreuil-Bellay / Thouars

26 km

1 h 45 min

I cycle often

From Montreuil-Bellay, you descend back down to the Thouet River, heading for Thouars. The véloroute runs peacefully beside the river. La Ballastière Lake makes for a pleasant stop before you continue towards Taizon. Here, in centuries past, travellers had to pay a toll to cross the bridge. You can make out the town of Thouars on the horizon…

15 Saumur / Montreuil-Bellay

21 km

1 h 22 min

I cycle often

La Vélo Francette leaves Saumur via a pretty greenway beside the Thouet River. Then the route adopts farm tracks and quiet country roads. Crossing villages, fields and the sloping vineyards of the Saumurois area, this stage finishes at the foot of Montreuil-Bellay, an historic fortified town on Anjou’s southern border and listed as a member of Les Plus Beaux Détours de France and a Petite Cité de caractère, given its many charms.

24 Candes-St-Martin / Saumur

17 km

1 h 12 min

I begin

This Loire à Vélo stage from Candes-St-Martin to Saumur takes you from Touraine into the famous neighbouring county of Anjou, offering a wealth of discoveries, alternating between wine and subterranean (or troglodyte) sights. Either stick to greenways down by the Loire, or choose the higher, more demanding route on small country roads, through vine-covered slopes, ending with a dramatic arrival at Saumur Castle.

23 Rigny-Ussé / Candes-St-Martin

25 km

1 h 35 min

I begin

This Loire à Vélo stage is marked by atmospheric islands in the Loire colonized by birds. At the Indre River’s confluence with the Loire, the setting is unspoilt. Further west, enjoy one of the most magnificent panoramas on the Loire à Vélo and Eurovelo 6 routes from gorgeous Candes-St-Martin, looking onto the confluence of Vienne and Loire rivers. This stage is easy, alternating between greenways and quiet country roads.

22 Villandry / Rigny-Ussé

21 km

1 h 22 min

I begin

This is a star-studded Loire à Vélo stage, taking you from the glorious Château de Villandry, with its stunning gardens, on via the confluence of Loire and Cher rivers to the fairytale Château d’Ussé. On this stage, you cycle along a raised levée beside the Loire, allowing you wonderful views of the great river. This is a special stage, mainly along shared country roads.

21 Tours / Villandry

22 km

1 h 27 min

I begin

Touraine is known as ‘le Jardin de la France’ (The Garden of France) and Tours is a perfect central gateway for exploring it. This Loire à Vélo stage leads you along the south bank of the Cher River to the Château de Villandry, a major stop, with its world-famous gardens, before rejoining the Loire. Either side of Villandry are picturesque cycle paths leading to the great river. This stage proves extremely enjoyable.

Grand tour à vélo entre Loire, Vienne et Marais poitevin