La Vélodyssée en Gironde
Aurélie Stapf - La Vélodyssée

Grand Tour de la Gironde et de la Charente

De l'Atlantique aux vignobles classés UNESCO : lancez-vous dans un grand tour mythique !

Ce périple à vélo exceptionnel vous invite à explorer la richesse de la Nouvelle-Aquitaine, de l'océan à la vigne, en passant par ses plus belles cités. Ce circuit de 495 km, idéal à faire sur une semaine, est réservé aux cyclistes habitués qui souhaitent vivre une grande aventure vélo. Vous suivez les sections de plusieurs itinéraires vélo : La Vélodyssée, La Flow Vélo et La Scandibérique pour découvrir un patrimoine unique. De Bordeaux à Saint-Émilion, en passant par Royan et Rochefort, ce grand tour cyclable est la promesse de s'évader pleinement. Il allie richesse culturelle, historique et gastronomique du Sud-Ouest.

  • Départ : Bordeaux
  • Distance : ~ 500 kilomètres
  • Balisage : tour 100% balisé dans les 2 sens / empruntant plusieurs itinéraires
Cap sur l’océan : de Bordeaux aux plages sauvages du Médoc
Alexandre Lamoureux - La Vélodyssée

Cap sur l’océan : de Bordeaux aux plages sauvages du Médoc

Votre aventure à vélo commence à Bordeaux, cité UNESCO au charme vibrant, avant de filer à deux roues vers l’océan.  Une piste cyclable ombragée vous mène en douceur vers la côte, bientôt les serviettes sortiront des sacoches ! En suivant l'itinéraire de La Vélodyssée, vous glissez entre lacs, dunes et réserves naturelles le long de la côte girondine. À Soulac-sur-Mer, flânez dans cette cette élégante station, entre villas néocoloniales et sa basilique classée à l’UNESCO. Sur le front de mer, la silhouette du phare de Cordouan se dessine au large… Peut-être l'occasion d'organiser une excursion en bateau vers le “roi des phares” ?

Sur les traces des corsaires : l'aventure maritime de Royan à Rochefort
TTW Production - Charente Maritime / La Flow Vélo

Sur les traces des corsaires : l'aventure maritime de Royan à Rochefort

Après la traversée de l'estuaire de la Gironde en bac, Royan vous accueille avec son étonnant mélange d’architecture moderne et Belle Époque. Vous reprenez ensuite La Vélodyssée vers Marennes, royaume de l’huître. Une halte gourmande et iodée au port de la Cayenne et ses cabanes colorées s'impose. Poursuivez vers Rochefort au fil de l’eau et des marais. Ne manquez pas le détour par Brouage, cité fortifiée classée parmi les « Plus beaux villages de France ». L'arrivée à Rochefort dévoile un patrimoine maritime remarquable : Corderie Royale et Arsenal des Mers...

Arche à Saintes
TTW Production - La Flow Vélo

Entre vignes et pierres à vélo : une immersion culturelle en Charente

Depuis Rochefort, La Flow Vélo vous entraîne le long des rives et méandres paisibles de la Charente, dévoilant un patrimoine naturel et fluvial d’une grande richesse. Vous rejoignez Saint-Savinien-sur-Charente, charmant port fluvial animé, avant de poursuivre vers Saintes, véritable musée à ciel ouvert avec avec ses arènes gallo-romaines et sa cathédrale Saint-Pierre. Le parcours continue en douceur vers Cognac, où les grandes maisons de ce célèbre spiritueux vous ouvrent leurs chais et leurs savoir-faire. Poursuivez vers Châteauneuf-sur-Charente pour une parenthèse enchantée, dans une ambiance typiquement charentaise...

Vignoble et vélo en Gironde
Emmanuel Berthier - La Scandibérique

Les grands vignobles UNESCO en ligne d’horizon

Depuis Châteauneuf-sur-Charente, La Scandibérique vous guide à travers les paysages tranquilles de la Haute Saintonge, jusqu’à Montguyon et son château médiéval. Reprenez la route vers Clérac et Guîtres, où l’imposante abbatiale Notre-Dame offre une belle pause culturelle. Le retour sur Bordeaux traverse ensuite les prestigieux vignobles de Pomerol, Fronsac et Saint-Émilion. Flânez dans les ruelles pavées et laissez-vous envoûter par le paysage viticole inscrit au patrimoine mondial de l’UNESCO. La piste cyclable Roger Lapébie vous reconduit en douceur sur Bordeaux en passant par Créon et Latresne. La boucle est bouclée !

Côté pratique :

Traversée de l'estuaire de la Gironde en bac + vélo (Le Verdon <> Royan)

3€/adulte - 2€/vélo - Acheter son billet en ligne

Tailor-made itineraries

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Tailor-made itineraries

Hourtin-Plage / Lacanau-Océan

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…
Montalivet-les-Bains / Hourtin-Plage

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!
Montalivet / Royan

11 Montalivet / Royan

30 km
2 h 00 min
I begin
The next stage is extremely pleasant and forested, leading to Soulac-sur-Mer. Stop off to enjoy this charming seaside town with its lively narrow streets and villas before heading for the river Verdon at the Pointe de Grave. Opposite the Cordouan lighthouse, the oldest French lighthouse still in operation, the Pointe du Médoc is a multifaceted area depending on whether you explore it by bike on the Atlantic side to the west or the Gironde estuary and vineyards. At the Verdon's landing stage, the ferry crosses Europe's largest estuary. Take advantage of it: bicycles are transported for free!
Marennes / Royan

24 Marennes / Royan

45 km
3 h 01 min
I begin
The Marennes Country, home to the leading oyster farms in Europe, spreads over salt marshes and the Seudre estuary. Here cycle paths are numerous and a truly memorable part of the route takes you through the forest of Coubre as La Vélodyssée reaches La Palmyre.This part is fit for a king, with splendid sea views. Following cycle lanes throughout, it weaves through the coastal forest and array of pretty beaches, one of which is the charming St-Palais, along the coast road to reach the striking cliffs and sandy beaches either side of the beautiful streets of Royan. All you have to do is to catch the boat!
Rochefort / Marennes

23 Rochefort / Marennes

38 km
2 h 31 min
I cycle often
It’s with great regret that we leave behind Rochefort and its gardens on the banks of the Charente. We take the former steam-train tracks – now the greenway – and La Vélodyssée meets the marshes, criss-crossed with little channels, before heading onto the oyster centre of Marennes (some sections under construction).
Saint-Savinien / Rochefort

11 Saint-Savinien / Rochefort

42 km
2 h 36 min
I begin
Leaving Saint-Savinien, you first repeat a bit of the way from the end of the previous stage, then head through fields and villages along pretty stretches of the towpath beside a little canal parallel to the Charente River. Switch bank just before Cabariot to reach Tonnay-Charente and its striking 19th-century suspension bridge. La Flow Vélo next adopts the same path as La Vélodyssée cycle route up to the river port of Rochefort. At Rochefort, discover, on foot, this town’s exceptional Ancien Régime maritime past, clearest at the majestic Corderie Royale ropery and the life-size replica of Lafayette’s frigate, L'Hermione.
Saintes / Saint-Savinien

10 Saintes / Saint-Savinien

27 km
1 h 46 min
I begin
After Saintes, you feel the pull of the ocean. The rivers become tidal and there are regular river ports along the way, great places to halt at. This stage, though, mainly takes you through countryside a bit away from the Charente River. However, Port d’Envaux and the châteaux of Panloy and Crazannes will stop you in your tracks. Then you arrive at Saint-Savinien-sur-Charente, nestled in its meander. Take a break here and savour the charm of this village, one of the most picturesque in the county of Charente, designated a Petite Cité de Caractère. Imagine how beautifully-cut stone from the surrounding quarries was once shipped out from here to Ghent, Antwerp and even London.
Cognac / Saintes

9 Cognac / Saintes

40 km
2 h 35 min
I begin
Riding off along the town of Cognac’s quays makes for a fine start to the next stage of La Flow Vélo. Along this bucolic stretch, you’ll encounter several tributaries of the Charente River heading for the town of Saintes. Little chain-operated ferries enable you to cross the waters at Rouffiac and Chaniers in a fun way, plus there are simple riverside inns (guinguettes) to enjoy. The cycle route continues on through riverside flood meadows to Saintes, a place boasting 2,000 years of history for you to explore. Wandering around the streets on foot is the best way to take in the many sights of this deeply historic town going back to Gallo-Roman times.
Châteauneuf-sur-Charente / Cognac

8 Châteauneuf-sur-Charente / Cognac

34 km
3 h 26 min
I begin
Taking you through the heart of the Charentais vineyards, La Flow Vélo zigzags between river and vineyards. The neat lines of cognac-making vines contrast with the wild islands in the Charente. A detour to Jarnac is very much worth while. Producing cognac spirit made the town’s fame, added to by the fact that François Mitterrand (French President from 1981 to 1995) was born here. On Quai de l’Orangerie, picture how boats were once filled with cognac barrels before sailing down the Charente. Further on, after a big meander in the river, the town of Cognac itself comes into view, full of history and heritage. Break your journey here and visit some famous cognac-makers, sampling the refined local spirit.
Angoulême / Barbezieux-Saint-Hilaire

33 Angoulême / Barbezieux-Saint-Hilaire

48 km
2 h 52 min
I begin
Once you’ve enjoyed your fill of cartoons in Angoulême, including on its giant painted walls, time to pick up the thread of the Scandibérique again. The route crosses the city peacefully via the Coulée Verte beside the Charente, which you continue to follow, the river’s banks dotted with little ports and locks, the slopes above producing cognac and pineau. Châteauneuf-sur-Charente is well worth a halt, one of the historic ports for transporting cognac, a spirit known around the world since 1700, and a leading French export today. The final stretch of this first stage connecting two renowned viticultural areas, the Charente and the Bordelais, continues through vineyards to Barbezieux-St-Hilaire.
Barbezieux-Saint-Hilaire / Clérac

34 Barbezieux-Saint-Hilaire / Clérac

39 km
2 h 34 min
I begin
This Scandibérique stage leads via the county of Charente’s vineyards on to forests typical of the neighbouring county of Charente-Maritime and continues to the border between the historic areas of the Saintonge and the Périgord. Cruise easily along the Galope Chopine Greenway from Barbezieux St-Hilaire to Clérac, the way increasingly wooded. The medieval Château de Montguyon, an imposing fort ravaged by time, offers a tempting reason to deviate slightly from the Haute-Saintonge greenway. Just a few arrows’ lengths further on, cycling into the heart of the Double Saintongeaise Forest (40,000 hectares of woods stretching between Montguyon, Montlieu la Garde and Montendre) you reach Clérac. This stage provides plenty of invigorating country air!
Clérac / Libourne

35 Clérac / Libourne

46 km
3 h 05 min
I cycle often
Clérac offers a haven of peace, nestled in its green wooded corner at the southern edge of the Saintonge area. The Scandibérique then leads you into the Bordelais area. At first, up to Guîtres, as well as the green of the pines, the bright white of former kaolin clay mines stands out, while the lakes that have formed in these pits reflect the deep blue of the sky. Next, the scenery changes, as you cycle beside the Isle River, the slopes covered with world-famous vineyards as you approach Libourne, an historic port at the confluence of the Isle and Dordogne Rivers. By now, the feel is very southern!
Libourne / Créon

36 Libourne / Créon

39 km
2 h 29 min
I cycle often
This Scandibérique stage is associated with luscious ruby reds, as you cross the dense vineyards of the St-Emilion area, or Jurisdiction, a UNESCO World Heritage Site! The wines here age extremely well, turning darker with age. Wander around St-Emilion’s spectacular, steep, ramparted streets before crossing the Dordogne River. You then climb through more vineyards to join the Roger Lapébie Greenway. At the spot where you join this beautiful path for non-motorized traffic, take care to turn right towards Créon to then carry on smoothly towards Bordeaux; if you turn left, you head off towards the town of La Réole and the Canal des 2 Mers à Vélo cycle route… but that’s a completely different cycling adventure!
Créon / Bordeaux

37 Créon / Bordeaux

25 km
1 h 38 min
I begin
The vine-covered limestone plateau between the Garonne and Dordogne Rivers east of Bordeaux is known as l’Entre-deux-Mers, the area ‘between the two seas’! The Roger Lapébie Greenway takes you amidst vineyards, via the east bank of the Garonne, to the great wine city. Cross the Pont de Pierre, the town’s oldest bridge, for the historic quarters of St-Michel and St-Jean. Bordeaux is a great place to explore by bike before continuing on the Scandibérique. This beautifully modernized town merits a cultural break of several days. Once you’ve admired your reflection, together with that of this handsome city, in the mirrored pool beside the quays one last time, it’s time to head south for the landscapes of Gascony’s Landes, including the largest man-made forest in Western Europe.