4 days of outdoor activities
Experience a concentrated cocktail of sensational thrills with this route in the heart of the pine forests! Just imagine: climbing to the top of a lighthouse + cycling through a forest + surfing the Atlantic waves + paddling up the Courant de Contis river = a 100% fresh air break in the Landes ! Ideal family stay with 4 days of cycling and only 2 different campsites, take the opportunity to explore the surrounding areas in the middle of the forest and get your fill of activities. The children will be delighted!
đ The highlight of this route: climbing the 187 steps of the Contis Lighthouse to admire the 360° panoramic view over the Ocean and the forest. Breathtaking!
đ 100 km
â±ïž 4 stages
đ Contis-Plage âĄïž Mimizan-Plage âĄïž LĂ©on
đČ I begin / In Family
Day 1: Contis-Plage <> Mimizan-Plage (32 km round trip)
Welcome to the 5-star Yelloh Village Lous Seurrots camp site (Accueil VĂ©lo accredited). Having settled into your overnight accommodation and left your car behind, youâre now ready for a short warm-up exercise before starting the main ride on La VĂ©lodyssĂ©e: itâs a visit to the Contis Lighthouse. Located just a few hundred meters by bike away from the campsite, the lighthouse beckons you to climb its 187 steps and to enjoy the breath-taking view over the Ocean and the pine forests. Then head North towards Mimizan-Plage where youâll arrive for lunch in a nearby restaurant or picnic area.
In the afternoon, the choice is yours : go to the Tourist Office where Katia will take you on a guided tour of a paper mill (get details beforehand at the Tourist Office) or go for a dip in the Ocean or maybe play on the Lespecier beach (on the way back to Contis).
Back at the Lous Seurrots camp site, itâs time for an ice cream and a well-deserved break by the side of the lovely water park swimming pools. The more energetic or older family members could go paddle-boarding down the Courant de Contis River with the Max Respect Surf School â a fun way to end an already sensation-packed day.
Day 2: Contis-Plage > Vielle-Saint-Girons (26,7 km)
Before leaving the Lous Seurrots camp site, pack a few clothes and your toothbrush (youâre not coming back to the camp site this evening) and get on your bikes on La VĂ©lodyssĂ©e for a morningâs ride in the shade of the pine trees â this time heading southwards. You are at the heart of the Landes pine forests!
Stop for a picnic at the Vielle-St Girons beach where adults and kids alike will enjoy the afternoon â playing on the beach or learning to surf with a qualified instructor from the Surf School Max Respect. Pick up your bikes again and make for the Jaougotte camp site (also Accueil VĂ©lo accredited) where you will stay the night.
Day 3: Vielle-Saint-Girons <> LĂ©on (15 km)
An early wake-up call to travel âby bus or by bike (but, take care, in LĂ©on, you will sharing the road with cars), from the Le Col Vert camp site to the centre of LĂ©on. Stroll around this traditional village and take advantage of the market (open every day in summer).
For lunch at midday, there are lots of options. Sample the famous local gastronomy in one of the village restaurants, or bring a picnic and cycle or take the shuttle bus (a 5 mn ride) to the LĂ©on Lake. There you will be spoilt for choice for kidsâ activities: a boat trip with the âBateliersâ (boatmen) of the Courant d'Huchet (make sure you book a few days ahead), or a visit to the Maison de la RĂ©serve, a landscaped nature trail walk. Listen to the silence and take a big deep breath of fresh air!
Remember if youâre not going back by bike: check the shuttle bus times so that you can get back to the Jaougotte camp site!
Day 4: Vielle-Saint-Girons > Contis-Plage (26,7 km)
After a good nightâs rest, youâre ready for another morningâs cycling back towards the North on La VĂ©lodyssĂ©e and the Lous Seurrots camp site where you stayed on the 1st day. Donât worry, the return journey through the forest will be different from the outward trip, and not at all monotonous. Remember, youâre in the depths of the forest and the light and sounds of nature change constantly from one day to the next.
Stroll around the streets of Contis, visit the village surf shops or go for a drink. The seaside resort of Contis-Plage is a real haven of peace. Make the most of it!
Youâre back now! As we said, this trip is 100% fresh air in the Landes!
âčïž ALL THE PRACTICAL INFORMATION
âĄïž Type of route: round trip
đ Access to the route
By car, parking possible:
- Contis-Plage: inquire at Camping Lou Seurrots.
đČ Bike hire
In Contis-Plage or Saint-Julien-en-Born, Brooks Bikes offers a wide choice of bicycles and accessories for rental, they can even deliver bicycles to you at the campsite at the starting point, inquire
đ Finding your way around
There are a number of paper guides to help you follow this route, find the references.
Tailor-made itineraries
Tailor-made itineraries
32 Parentis-en-Born / Mimizan-Plage
