All in the saddle for an active holiday

Vélodyssée, the Atlantic in freewheel mode

A classic route from Brittany to the French Pays Basque, the section in Nouvelle-Aquitaine extends 550 km from La Rochelle to Hendaye. Along the way there is no shortage of activities: swimming or water sports, discovering oyster beds and small fishing villages, going down the Huchet stream, visiting the major seaside resorts of La Rochelle, Arcachon, Biscarrosse, Biarritz. From Lacanau to Hossegor, from Biarritz to Guéthary, it is packed with must-visit destinations. There is time along the way to stow your bike and take a surfing lesson.

• ROUTE 1: La Rochelle - Royan (132 km). From the port of La Rochelle, the route leads to Châtelaillon-Plage and the royal city of Rochefort, home port of the Hermione. After a few charming detours, cross the Seudre marshes and then the Marennes oyster beds and arrive in Royan through the pine forests.
• ROUTE 2: Royan - Lacanau (82 km).  Take the bicycles on board the ferry for the Royan - Le Verdon crossing. Discover the most beautiful seaside resorts of the Médoc Atlantique: Soulac-sur-Mer with its 1900s architecture, the naturist resort of Montalivet-les-Bains, and Hourtin and Carcans with their freshwater lakes ideal for family swimming. In the pine forest, cycle paths linking welcome stops lead to Lacanau, a surfer’s paradise.
• ROUTE 3: Lacanau - Arcachon (79 km). From the Porge forest to the salt meadows, crossing the villages and oyster ports of the Arcachon Bay with their brightly coloured fishermen’s huts and narrow alleys. The itinerary goes around the basin to reach Arcachon from Cap Ferret. Sunset on the Dune of Pilat.
• ROUTE 4: Arcachon - Capbreton (162 km). Between lakes and forests, ride along the most beautiful beaches, resorts and surf spots of the Côte d’Argent: Biscarrosse, Mimizan, Seignosse and Hossegor, to reach the lively port of Capbreton.
• ROUTE 5: Capbreton - Hendaye (80 km). An itinerary in the heart of the Pays Basque, from Bayonne, the proud capital, to Biarritz, following the Corniche road to Saint-Jean-de-Luz and Hendaye on the Spanish border.

The Scandibérique along the way of Saint-James

This is the French part of EuroVelo 3, the Scandibérique, a European cycle route linking Norway to Santiago de Compostela. In Nouvelle-Aquitaine, it crosses the Charentes, the Bordeaux vineyards, the Landes forest and ends in the Pays Basque at Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, on the Way of Saint-James. Between plains and hills, historic cities and protected natural areas, the Scandibérique is an invitation to travel. Two sample routes:

• ROUTE 1: Angoulême - Libourne (150 km). Leave Angoulême, city of the Comic Strip and the Image, then make a gourmet stopover in the village of Barbezieux and ride by the Touvérac ponds. Continue through the countryside and stop for a tasting in the Cognac houses. The next day, explore the vineyards around Saint-Emilion, a medieval jewel whose wine-growing landscape is classed by UNESCO. End the day in Libourne. 
• ROUTE 2: Agen - Mont-de-Marsan (120 km). A trip to the heart of the Lot and Garonne Valleys, to discover the villages of Barbaste, Nérac and Poudénas. Continue to the Landes - Armagnac forest with a visit to Labastide d’Armagnac for a tasting and gourmet break in Villeneuve-de-Marsan. End the day in Mont-de-Marsan, the city of three rivers known for its fairs and its historical heritage.