EUROVELO ROUTES

Escape by bike in Europe on the eurovelo routes

Over the past few decades, great cycling routes have been developed across Europe. Under the EuroVelo label, they make it possible to travel by bike on dedicated roads or with low car traffic. Their establishment was accompanied by the development of infrastructures suited to welcoming cyclists. Thus, accommodation providers, bicycle shops, touristic sites and even restaurateurs have created specific spaces to accommodate more bicycle travelers each year.

Crossed by 9 EuroVelo routes, France has become a destination of choice for bicycle tourism. Beyond the assets that have enabled it to become the first tourist destination in the world, there is a continuous improvement in infrastructure dedicated to bicycle tourism and the appearance of specialized services.

The Vélodyssée-eurovelo 1 along the Atlantic Ocean

EuroVelo 1, known in France as La Vélodyssée, is the longest marked route in the country. It links Roscoff, in the north of Brittany, to the Basque Country near the Spanish border. Its route runs along the Atlantic Ocean for more than 1,200 kilometers and allows you to cross unspoiled wilderness and discover regions and landscapes of great diversity.

From the English Channel to the North Sea on the VéloMaritime-eurovelo 4

Along the North Sea and the English Channel, EuroVelo 4 takes the bike traveler from the beaches of Dunkirk to Brittany where it joins the EuroVelo 1 route. Also called VéloMaritime, this route has some gems such as the cliffs of Etretat or Mont-Saint-Michel and its famous bay. Along this route you can travel through regions marked by the Second World War like the Normandy landing beaches, and cross remarkable natural spaces.

The Valley of the Kings on the Loire à Vélo-eurovelo 6

The Loire à Vélo follows the EuroVelo 6 route which links the Atlantic Ocean to the Black Sea. It’s the most popular cycling route in France, it gives access to many sites of interest, including the famous castles of the Loire. In a natural environment that has kept its wild character and classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, cycling holidays in the Loire Valley place the traveler on the steps of the Kings of France.

Across western France on the Vélofrancette

By taking the side roads, the Vélofrancette offers an interesting alternative to cross the west of France outside the EuroVelo circuits. It gives you access to rural France, its small quiet villages and its bucolic landscapes. Many cultural and historical sites are scattered along its 600 km marked out through 3 regions and as many natural parks.

Some must-sees along these major routes

Several trips to France will be necessary to discover all these points of interest. But some of them may help you choose your cycling trip on one of the great cycling routes that France offers.

• All the colors of Brittany: along the coasts of Emerald and Pink Granite and immersed in its typical ports by the VéloMaritime; through its hilly countryside by taking the Vélodyssée, Brittany will reveal all its charms between land and sea.
• Mont Saint-Michel and its bay: essential, unique, splendid. There is no shortage of superlatives to describe this architectural gem located on the layout of the VéloMaritime.
• The landing beaches: Omaha beach, Sword beach, Utah Beach… So many names suggestive of beaches which still testify today to what was one of the great events of the Second World War.
• The cliffs of Etretat: pebble beaches, a natural arch spanning the sea, sheer cliffs of more than 90 meters … A surprising panorama awaits you on the VéloMaritime.
• La Rochelle: city and port of art and history that marks an unmissable stop along the Vélodyssée. Facing it, the islands of Ré and Oléron invite you to a nature getaway at only a few pedal strokes away.
• The Loire Valley Castles: Chambord, Chenonceau, Amboise, Chaumont… So many remarkable sites scattered along the Loire à Vélo that offer you an immersion in the heart of the History of the Kings of France.
• The Dune du Pilat: the highest dune in Europe and its 107 meters await you in an exceptional natural site on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean south of the Arcachon Bay on the Vélodyssée route.
• The vineyards of Bordeaux and the Loire Valley: for wine lovers or their bucolic landscapes, the vineyards of western France contribute to the charm of many great cycling routes in France.
• Regional Natural Parks: traveling on long bike routes also means having the privilege of crossing unspoiled natural areas. Armorique, Normandie-Maine, Marais Poitevin, Loire-Anjou-Touraine, Cotentin and Bessin Marshes, Landes de Gascogne… Names that are invitations to discover terroirs and traditions.