4 Bike Trip Ideas in France

Whether you’re craving a solo micro-adventure close to home or planning a family vacation cycling across France, biking offers a fantastic experience! With over 20,000 km of designated bike routes in France, there’s something for everyone, whether you’re a seasoned cyclist or a beginner. In this article, we’ll present you with 4 ideas for bike trips to enjoy in France.

Are you in search of a bike trip itinerary in France? You’ve come to the right place. Over the past two years, we’ve explored four French cycling routes: La Vélomaritime, La Vélodyssée, La Scandibérique, and La Flow Vélo. These routes span hundreds of kilometers, divided into several stages for cyclists. Don’t worry, you don’t need to cover 1000 km or follow the entire route to embark on a bike trip and have a memorable adventure. In our experience, we’ve gone for 2 days each time, following one or two stages of the route, and thoroughly enjoyed this new mode of travel. In this article, let’s get inspired with 4 ideas for bike trips to undertake in France.

La Vélomaritime

La Vélomaritime is a 1500 km long cycling route that connects Roscoff to Dunkirk, passing through some of the most stunning coastal sites in western France: the Bay of Morlaix, the Pink Granite Coast, Mont-Saint-Michel, the D-Day beaches, the cliffs of Étretat, and the Bay of Somme. We had the opportunity to explore a portion of it during our bike trip in Brittany and were eager to discover a new segment. So, this time, in Normandy, just a stone’s throw from home, we started our route from Ouistreham to Deauville. It’s a delightful stage of about 55 km, allowing you to explore the Flowery Coast and some of the most beautiful beaches in Normandy.

Our itinerary starts in Ouistreham, a charming seaside town that we know well and recommend visiting before starting your cycling day. Although we didn’t take the time to stroll around this time, we made a quick detour to Pointe du Siège, which we believe is the best walk to do in Ouistreham! Once on the bikes, the route follows the Caen Canal to the sea, leading to the Pegasus Bridge. Before crossing, take the time to explore the surroundings. There’s a small museum that narrates the story of the June 6, 1944 liberation. You can also enjoy a coffee in the first house liberated in France, Café Gondrée.

On the other side of the bridge, La Vélomaritime route follows the Orne estuary towards Merville-Franceville. You can stop to visit the House of Nature and the Estuary before continuing along the coast to Cabourg. Take the opportunity to stroll along the seafront promenade, admire the numerous Belle Époque villas, and treat yourself to a crepe in Cabourg’s shopping street. Following the La Vélomaritime route, you’ll then discover the port of Dives-sur-Mer and the charming seaside resort of Houlgate, which is an excellent overnight stop.

For the second stage of our bike trip in Normandy, we head towards Deauville. We didn’t make many stops along the way, but there are beautiful beaches along the coast like Benerville-sur-Mer. The arrival in Deauville is surprising as the route takes us right through the heart of the racecourse. If you’re unfamiliar with Deauville, take the time to stroll along the famous Deauville boardwalk. You can see the names of celebrities written on the barriers separating the beach cabins, as well as the famous Deauville parasols and the American-style lifeguard station on the beach. Even though the official stage of La Vélomaritime ends here, cross the bridge to reach Trouville-sur-Mer. It’s a charming resort town that also deserves a visit!

These are the four ideas for bike trips you can enjoy in France! Each offers a unique experience, allowing you to explore the beauty and diversity of the French landscape at your own pace. So, grab your bike and embark on an unforgettable adventure!

La Vélodyssée

La Vélodyssée is a 1300 km long cycling route that connects Roscoff to Hendaye along the Atlantic coast. The route initially passes through the center of Brittany before reaching the Atlantic coastline all the way to the Basque coast, passing through iconic locations in France such as La Rochelle, the Arcachon Basin and the Dune du Pilat, the Landes coast, and Biarritz. Nearly 80% of the route is on car-free paths, making it the perfect itinerary for families. For our part, we are most familiar with the Breton part of La Vélodyssée. A segment of almost 400 km that follows the Canal from Nantes to Brest along the towpaths.

We completed the segment from Gouarec to Redon (164 km), achievable in 3/4 days depending on your pace and whether you wish to stop to visit the points of interest along the route. For us, we thoroughly enjoyed this portion of La Vélodyssée, which offers numerous discoveries. For instance, on the route between Gouarec and Pontivy, you must make a stop at the site of the Abbey of Bon Repos. The route then passes near Lake Guerlédan. You can choose to bypass it following the official route or alternatively, stop for a picnic by the water. On the same day, you can continue on the section leading you to Pontivy, which is an excellent overnight stop!

For the second day on La Vélodyssée, we leave Pontivy to reach Josselin. On the first part of the journey to Rohan, you’ll encounter a succession of 54 locks over a distance of 20 km. It’s a beautiful stretch where you should have the chance to see several boats and barges pass through these locks. You can also make a detour to the Abbey of Timadeuc before leisurely cycling to Josselin. Here, in this charming Petite Cité de Caractère®, we recommend settling in for the night. Take a few hours to stroll through the historic center, with its pretty medieval streets and colorful half-timbered houses. Also, take the time to visit the Château de Josselin (open until 6 p.m.) which overlooks the Nantes to Brest canal.

From Josselin, although we continue to follow the Nantes to Brest canal, the scenery is different from what we’ve seen in the past two days. The locks become fewer, but we still come across lovely lockkeeper houses along the way. The arrival at Malestroit® is stunning, with some boats and barges reflecting in the canal. We recommend stopping here for lunch and strolling through the historic center of Malestroit® before heading towards Peillac. If you still have energy, you can continue to Redon or spend the night near Peillac. Along the canal between Peillac and Redon, you’ll come across the île aux Pies. You can then stop for a hike, a canoe trip, a climbing session, or a tree-climbing adventure!

The Scandibérique

The Scandibérique is the longest cycle route in France. It’s a cycling itinerary spanning over 1700 km, crossing 20 French departments and 4 regions, passing through major cities like Paris and Bordeaux. Therefore, it offers highly diverse landscapes. For the more athletic, it’s worth noting that the Scandibérique is the French part of EuroVelo 3, which connects Trondheim (Norway) to Santiago de Compostela (Spain). This allows for organizing a beautiful itinerary spanning several weeks across 7 European countries.

For our part, we spent 2 days in Charente to cover the Confolens > Angoulême segment (105 km), achievable in 2 days. This part of the Scandibérique allows you to enjoy the Charente countryside and visit some charming villages like Confolens or Montbron. Among our 4 bike trips in France, this one seemed the most physically demanding to us. Although it remains accessible to all, there can be some serious climbs, and we were glad to have electric bikes at times. It’s also worth noting that this route regularly follows country roads. They are lightly trafficked, but it’s something to consider if you’re cycling with children.

The starting point of our stage on the Scandibérique is Confolens. Before starting, take the time to stroll around. You’ll find the charm typical of Charente villages. Climb up to the orientation table, from where you’ll have a lovely view of Confolens and its orange-roofed houses. You can also walk to the Louis Quériaud Mill, and stroll around the Old Bridge and the Alcide Pautrot Quay. The route then continues along the banks of the Vienne River to Exideuil. You’ll pass through small villages and near the Lakes of Haute-Charente. There was no water when we passed, but it must be beautiful under normal circumstances. The arrival in Massignac is very peaceful, and this is where you can spend the night.

For the second day of cycling, the route continues towards Angoulême. Along the way, there are several typical villages of the region. We didn’t have time to visit them all, but if you have to choose one, we recommend stopping in the village of Montbron for a short stroll. It’s not very large, but there are pretty houses, and you can visit the Saint-Maurice Church. A little further on, don’t miss the village of Marthon and its medieval dungeon. Until Angoulême, the route follows the greenway of the “Coulée d’Oc,” making the journey really enjoyable. If you can, take a few hours to visit Angoulême.

La Flow Vélo

La Flow Vélo is a 350 km long cycling route that connects the town of Le Lardin-Saint-Lazare in Dordogne to the island of Aix in Charente-Maritime. It’s a very pleasant bike route that you can easily cover in its entirety during a week-long bike trip. For our part, we spent 2 days on La Flow Vélo, on the segment from Cognac to Saint-Savinien (61 km). It’s a bucolic and highly enjoyable itinerary, which almost exclusively follows paths reserved for pedestrians and cyclists, making it even more peaceful and suitable for families. This stage can be done in 1 day, but we recommend planning at least 2 days to visit Cognac and Saintes, two very lovely towns.

Our itinerary on La Flow Vélo starts in Cognac. It’s a charming town that deserves to be visited (you can read our article here). Take the time to stroll through the historic center and visit one of the major Cognac houses before starting the bike route. Once you set off, you leave the city center in a few minutes to find yourself in the countryside. The route allows you to constantly follow the Charente River (even if it’s not always visible), passing through pretty shaded paths, greenways, and country roads amidst vineyards. After a small picnic by the water, continue to Saintes. This is where we recommend spending the night. Make the most of the remaining afternoon to visit the historic center and the Abbey aux Dames, which are truly worth a visit.

The next morning, we hit the road towards Saint-Savinien, which will be the endpoint of our journey on La Flow Vélo. It’s a town in Charente-Maritime located halfway between Saintes and Rochefort. On this part of the route, we feel like we’re delving into the countryside, although the Charente River is never far away. If you can, we highly recommend continuing to Rochefort, and even combining the last two stages of La Flow Vélo to do Saintes > Ile d’Aix (89km).

Explore the beauty of France on two wheels, experiencing the tranquility of countryside paths, the charm of historic towns, and the warmth of local hospitality. Whether you choose La Vélomaritime, La Vélodyssée, La Scandibérique, or La Flow Vélo, each cycling route offers its own unique adventure, promising unforgettable memories along the way.

So, saddle up, embrace the freedom of the open road, and let the journey unfold as you pedal through the picturesque landscapes of France. Happy cycling!