© Cyrille Motte
Jour 2 : Royan > Carcans Plage © Cyrille Motte
south

La Rochelle to Biarritz with friends

A France Atlantic coast road trip with friends, with a few surprises along the way...

What route did you travel on and what were your motivations?

We chose to travel from La Rochelle to Biarritz. We really liked the idea of doing a France Atlantic coast road trip and being able to take a detour at any time to go have a meal on the beach and go for a dip in the ocean. The original goal was to go surfing in Biarritz, but in the end, none of us was brave enough to hire surfboards on the last day. The total route was about 450 kilometres. 

What was your general impression of the itinerary on La Vélodyssée?

It was a pleasant itinerary. However, I would not recommend using a road bike since certain portions of the trail are quite rough. But the vast majority of the cycling path is very pleasant to ride on and is well maintained. You cross paths with many people travelling by bike, and they all have their own stories, anecdotes, and plans they can share with you.  

What will you remember most about your adventure on La Vélodyssée?

Travelling as a group by bike is a great way to build closer relationships because you have to all move at the same pace and help each other out when problems arise. What’s more, the “bikepacking” community is very open, welcoming, and kind. You’ll meet many travellers who will be happy to ride with you for a while and chat. 

What was your exact route? 

Day 1: La Rochelle > Royan
Day 2: Royan > Carcans Plage
Day 3: Carcans Plage > Dune du Pilat
Day 4: Dune du Pilat > Mimizan
Day 5: Mimizan > Vieux-Boucau
Day 6: Vieux-Boucau > Biarritz

▼ The boys’ adventure ▼