Velodyssey, the Atlantic cycling route

Whether you’re looking for a challenge or a leisurely cycle ride, Velodyssey has something for everyone.

Get on your bike and experience the wild beauty of a cycle route covering more than 1,200 kilometres from Brittany down the Atlantic coast to the border with Spain. The sea is never very far away as you discover the best each region has to offer along France’s longest waymarked cycle trail.

With our interactive maps and recommendations of the most suitable places for cyclists to stay, you can plan your very own Velodyssey in advance or just take off on the spur of the moment. You’ll find special offers, our pick of the best attractions to visit and reviews by those who’ve done the route. A voyage of discovery awaits you!

interactive map - click on the sections

La Vélodyssée from France Vélo Tourisme on Vimeo.

Photo albums

All photo albums

Previous item

The area of Abbadia

The property of Coastal Conservation Commission and managed by the town of Hendaye, the area of Abbadia offers 65 hectares of unspoilt nature.

Buckland Abbey

This former Cistercian abbey was being occupied by the famous seafarer Sir Richard Grenville. In 1581 it was sold to Sir Francis Drake ...

The Citadel of Bayonne

History lovers will be charmed by this fortified town, dating back more than 15 centuries.

The Courant d’Huchet

Blessed with exceptional landscapes and remarkable flora and fauna, the Natural Reserve of Courant d’Huchet (an overflow of the Léon Lake) snakes its way down to the ocean through a luxurious forest tunnel to earn its name of “The Amazon of the Landes”.

The Landes Forest

The largest planted forest in Europe, it is renowned for the quality and abundance of its flora and fauna; indeed, the Landes forest massif stands apart, and continues to be preserved, for its unique species of maritime pine.

The Dune of Pilat

A short cycle ride from Arcachon Bay, and opposite the point of Cap Ferret, is a sand giant: the ‘Dune of Pilat’. Some 104 metres tall, it is the highest sand formation in Europe.

The Cordouan Lighthouse

Among the rare lighthouses classified as historical monuments, this 68 metre tall giant watches over the coast seven kilometres off the Gironde Estuary.

Seudre Estuary, Oyster farming ponds

Poised betwixt the land and the sea, the Charente-Maritime area has four rivers reaching the ocean via its own estuary.

Fort Boyard

Mid-way between the Aix and Oléron islands, this symbol of the Charente-Maritime was built to defend the coastline and its islands.

The Poitevin Marshes

Have your cameras at the ready for this ‘Grand Site de France’ at the heart of the Atlantic coast.

The Payré Estuary

For evidence of the ice age, look no further. Here the sands of the Loire were brought together, creating the terrain which man would use, in the 19th century, for developing oyster farming.

The Loire Estuary

From Nantes to Saint-Nazaire the estuary provides a wealth of landscapes which see Mother Nature and man jostling with each other for position along the banks of the river.

Redon

At the crossing of the waterways of the Vilain, Oust and the Nantes-Brest canal, Redon abounds with bridges, gangways and locks.

Castle of the Dukes of Brittany

The last castle on the banks of the Loire before reaching the Atlantic, the Castle of the Dukes of Brittany is a compelling part of Nantes’ heritage.

Oust Lower Valley

To the west of Redon sits the ‘Large Natural Site’ of the Oust Lower Valley which extends over 19kms and offers magnificent and varied landscapes - steep granite cliffs, woods and forests as well as marshes - before rejoining the Nantes to Brest canal.

Guerlédan Lake

The largest lake in Brittany – 12 km long and covering an area of over 400 hectares - Lake Guerlédan is nestled right in the heart of the massive Quénécan Forest, and lies between Mûr-de-Bretagne and the Abbey of Bon Repos.

Josselin Castle

On the banks of the River Oust, Josselin Castle, founded in the early 11th century, is an important stage on the ‘Route of the Dukes’.

The Abbey of Bon-Repos

Located on the Nantes to Brest Canal, the Cistercian Abbey of Bon-Repos welcomes thousands of visitors each year.

Morlaix

The historic wealth of Morlaix originated from the linen cultivated and woven in the region, and its international trade helped make the port one of the most important in Brittany.