La Vélodyssée along the Atlantic
Aug 14th, 2018 | 03:20 AM
#1
Original Poster
Joined: Jan 2003
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La Vélodyssée along the Atlantic
We are making plans to cycle (parts of) La Vélodyssée in the Gironde and Landes depts, visit Bordeaux and enjoy the beaches.
Which part of the route is nicer: between Soulac-sur-Mer and Arcachon or between Arcachon and Moliets? Both for cycling, for pretty villages and for beaches.
Trying to divide our time between two locations. We come from Belgium by car and have our own bikes. We have 10 days in total for this part of the trip and don't mind driving a bit to cycle a next part of the route (we do not want to change hotels every day and prefer cycling out of two locations).
Any suggestions would be very welcome!
Which part of the route is nicer: between Soulac-sur-Mer and Arcachon or between Arcachon and Moliets? Both for cycling, for pretty villages and for beaches.
Trying to divide our time between two locations. We come from Belgium by car and have our own bikes. We have 10 days in total for this part of the trip and don't mind driving a bit to cycle a next part of the route (we do not want to change hotels every day and prefer cycling out of two locations).
Any suggestions would be very welcome!
Aug 14th, 2018 | 07:45 AM
#2
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 30,648
Likes: 4
I've cycled most of it and my thoughts would be as follows,
1) getting around the Arcachon basin is a pain, as the bike path is nothing but a long strip on the road/pavement with 2 storey houses/shops on either side, mile after mile. Avoid July and August for the nose to nose traffic.
2) to the north it basically either beach front or dull as ditch water wide tarmac next to large stands of trees, (occasionally going onto a road for a bit)
3) as above but more trees.
What you will find is that local tourist offices have guidance to local bike paths which are frankly a lot more interesting to go off on which will fit better with your base centred cycling. If you are hoping for any support from the trains they basically don't run from north of Bordeaux up to the very tip as they use replacement buses.
I'd recommend looking at some of the piste based routes out of the south of Bordeaux itself as more pleasant especially going inland or do theVélodyssée
north to La Rochelle which is frankly a much nicer more quirky route. You could do that as two bits, the bit around Soulac, then catch the ferry north and do another set of rides around sayy Rochefort with the majority of the time based here.
The more famous beaches are to the south of the Gironde, the more beautiful beaches are on the north banks of the Gironde and on the Atlantic coast north of the Gironde.
Come back if you want more detail.
1) getting around the Arcachon basin is a pain, as the bike path is nothing but a long strip on the road/pavement with 2 storey houses/shops on either side, mile after mile. Avoid July and August for the nose to nose traffic.
2) to the north it basically either beach front or dull as ditch water wide tarmac next to large stands of trees, (occasionally going onto a road for a bit)
3) as above but more trees.
What you will find is that local tourist offices have guidance to local bike paths which are frankly a lot more interesting to go off on which will fit better with your base centred cycling. If you are hoping for any support from the trains they basically don't run from north of Bordeaux up to the very tip as they use replacement buses.
I'd recommend looking at some of the piste based routes out of the south of Bordeaux itself as more pleasant especially going inland or do theVélodyssée
north to La Rochelle which is frankly a much nicer more quirky route. You could do that as two bits, the bit around Soulac, then catch the ferry north and do another set of rides around sayy Rochefort with the majority of the time based here.
The more famous beaches are to the south of the Gironde, the more beautiful beaches are on the north banks of the Gironde and on the Atlantic coast north of the Gironde.
Come back if you want more detail.
Last edited by bilboburgler; Aug 14th, 2018 at 07:48 AM.
Aug 14th, 2018 | 09:32 AM
#3
Original Poster
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 3,299
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Thanks, although your reply is not what I was hoping for. 
We will be in the Rochefort area before heading south, and will have cycled between Rochefort and Marennes/Ile d'Oléron. Might add a few days and start in La Rochelle.
As to your suggestion for the more inland route south of Bordeaux, I wonder if this area is flat. That's why I wanted to cycle along the coast. I liked the idea of being close to the ocean, cycling under the pine trees. Would Arès be a good base if we go ahead with our initial plan (cycling to the north)?
We will be in the Rochefort area before heading south, and will have cycled between Rochefort and Marennes/Ile d'Oléron. Might add a few days and start in La Rochelle.
As to your suggestion for the more inland route south of Bordeaux, I wonder if this area is flat. That's why I wanted to cycle along the coast. I liked the idea of being close to the ocean, cycling under the pine trees. Would Arès be a good base if we go ahead with our initial plan (cycling to the north)?
