Atlantic Coast of France
6 nights from €1740
4.67From the 'White City' of La Rochelle to the 'Wine City' of Bordeaux
Embark on an unforgettable cycling adventure along France’s stunning Atlantic coast, where breathtaking ocean vistas, historic towns, and cultural treasures await. From the charming port city of La Rochelle to the elegant streets of Bordeaux, this tour takes you on a journey through picturesque landscapes, rich maritime heritage, and renowned culinary delights.
Pedal through the historic naval town of Rochefort, discover the traditional oyster farms of Marennes, and marvel at the shimmering salt pans of the Seudre Estuary. Ride past the grand Belle Époque villas of Royan, soak in the coastal beauty of Talmont-sur-Gironde, and follow the scenic paths of the Vélodyssée and Canal des 2 Mers, two of France’s most spectacular cycling routes. As you wind your way along the majestic Gironde Estuary, the striking coastal panoramas will accompany you every step of the way.
Daily Program
Day 1: Arrival in La Rochelle
Enjoy the charms of the city with its atmospheric towers and remains of the old defensive walls.
Day 2: La Rochelle – Rochefort
37 miles/60 km; elev. +176m
From the famous towers of La Rochelle harbor, ride along the oceanside cycling path to Châtelaillon-Plage, a seaside city. You'll eventually reach the astonishing city of Rochefort, following the beautiful banks of the Charente River.
Day 3: Rochefort – Royan
44 miles/70 km; elev. +300m
Follow a cycle path from Rochefort to the salt pan, crossed by several small canals. Marennes is the first oyster farming pool in Europe where you can discover regional food. Continue your journey between the salt pans and the Seudre Estuary. After Palmyre, the 'Coast of Beauty' makes for an enchanting experience as you enjoy sea views along the cycle path to Royan, known for its Belle Epoque villas.
Day 4: Royan – Mortagne-sur-Gironde
22 miles/35 km; elev. +200m
On a lovely, shaded cycling track by the sea, your journey will take you from paths to small roads before you reach Talmont-sur-Gironde, known as one of the 'most beautiful villages in France'. You'll then ride to the magical Mortagne-sur-Gironde harbor.
Day 5: Mortagne sur Gironde – Blaye
37 miles/60 km; elev. +120m
The numerous small marinas along the river banks of the Gironde make for stunning stopping places. You will join Blaye by a beautiful cycle path, leaving Charente Maritime to continue the route of the Canal of the 2 Seas.
Day 6: Blaye – Bordeaux
34 miles/55 km; elev. +250m
Cross the Gironde Estuary to join Lamarque and the region of Médoc, famous for its award-winning wine. You'll reach the heart of Bordeaux, riding along small roads in the midst of the verdant vineyards.
Day 7: Departure during the day
Hotels
These are sample hotels and may vary based on availability.
You will enjoy superior accommodation in 3- and 4-star hotels.
La Rochelle: Hotel Central Park
Rochefort: Hôtel de La Corderie Royale
Royan: Résidence de Rohan
Mortagne sur Gironde: Clos de Bellevue
Blaye: Guest room Clos Reaud
Bordeaux: Hotel de Normandie
Interested in visiting other areas before or after your tour? Visit our hotels page to learn more about lodging options.
Bikes
Standard touring bike
VTC GITANE bike - 21 speed gears
Included in this tour
A bike that favors an upright, comfortable position, ideal for leisure riding.
Step-through frame (as pictured) - sizes available up to 183 cm / 72 inches
Men's frame (cross-bar frame, not pictured) - sizes available for 183 cm / 72 inches or greater
- 1 rear pannier
- 1 front pannier with a map holder
- 1 repair kit
- 1 smartphone holder
- 1 lock
- 1 bottle cage
Electrically-assisted bike
MOUSTACHE e-bike or similar
- 1 rear pannier
- 1 front pannier with a map holder
- 1 repair kit
- 1 smartphone holder
- 1 lock
*More about electrically-assisted bikes >
Bike Protection:
Bike protection can be purchased at the time of booking. You can read more about that HERE.
Pedals:
The bikes will have flat pedals. If you want to bring your own pedals, please bring your own shoes and also the necessary equipment to change the pedals.
Helmets:
Helmets are available(please inquire). The use of a helmet is mandatory for children less than 12 years old (whether riders or passengers). We recommend that you bring your own helmet for safety and hygiene purposes.
Dates & Prices
Questions about pricing or options? Call +1-215-613-0874 to talk to a Tour Advisor now.
Loading dates and prices…
Surface and terrain
You'll cycle on paved routes and cycle paths on this tour. You'll enjoy rolling terrain each day, and average distances of 35 miles per day.
How to get there
Tour start
Nearest airport: Paris, France
Nearest train station: La Rochelle, France
Tour end
Nearest airport: Paris, France
Nearest train station: Bordeaux, France
From Paris: Montparnasse train station >> La Rochelle Ville train station (about 3h by TGV train).
To La Rochelle: Bordeaux St Jean train station >> La Rochelle train station (about 2h15 by train).
To Paris: Bordeaux St Jean train station >> Paris Montparnasse train station (about 2h10 by TGV train).
Tips on getting to and from your tour.
Reviews
- ★★★★★ Richard Olson
Enjoyable journey
Once you have seen the major tourist attractions in France, this is a great way to see and experience smaller towns and the Atlantic coastline. Many uncrowded beaches- this area is popular for French tourists but without the crush of international tourists. You will interact with many that speak relatively little English- for us, this made the trip more interesting.
Our bikes were reliable, well-fitted, and well-tuned. We encountered no mechanical difficulties. (If you do get a flat tire, you are expected to know how to deal with it, which was fine with us.)
The routing was excellent, with mostly car-free paths or single lane roads that had only farming-related (slow) vehicles. Mostly asphalt surfaces, occasional crushed limestone, and rarely dirt paths. Many options for stopping at excellent cafes or restaurants, including one place we found out (upon leaving) has a Michelin star. The north to south routing is desirable, as the scenery gets better each day. The routing app worked extremely well, but it was nice to also have the printed maps as a backup.
Not crowded- there were a moderate number of other bikers, including some long distance riders (Norway to Spain).
We enjoyed having our hotels chosen for us- this added an element of surprise and anticipation to each day. Accommodations were varied in style, but they were all outstanding- with excellent breakfasts, and located in nice towns with many restaurant options. Hotels all welcomed bike-tour customers (generally treated us like VIPs.)
- What was the date of your tour?
- July 2024
- How many tours have you completed?
- 7
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
BikeTours.com staff reply from Jan
Great pics and review! Thanks for your business.
- ★★★★★ Keith Veenstra
Good bike ride
Enjoyed the bike experience not new to France so the it wasn’t wow. The accommodation was good and varied enjoyed the châteaux very much . App was very good, bikes excellent. Have done numerous similar bike tours and this rates well.
- ★★★★★ Ronan Gardiner
Incredible Trip
From spectacular coastline to fields of sunflowers to rolling vineyards, this tour offers a "nature bath" that ignites all the senses. Add to that, beautiful overnight towns, historic hotels and incredible food and wine - what's not to love!
This was our second bicycle trip in France (the first was in the equally incredible Loire Valley) and it will certainly not be our last. The distances were just right (the shorter but hillier day was actually the toughest), the bikes were terrific, as was the Roadbook for Discovery AP that served as our guide. Our bags were waiting for us at every overnight town and the entire trip was seamless.
We traveled in late June / early July and there were surprisingly few tourists in the towns we visited. Restaurants and sight seeing activities were therefore easily accessible, requiring no advance reservations. We added a couple of nights in La Rochelle pre-trip and in Bordeaux post, which we would highly recommend, we actually wished we'd had more time in Bordeaux - a spectacular city with lot's to see and do .... and eat and drink. Bon voyage!- What was the date of your tour?
- June/July 23
- How many tours have you completed?
- 3
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
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