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La Rochelle coast and countryside

Cycle tour from Poitevin Marshes to Ile de Ré

From the Poitevin Marshes to Ile de Ré, discover the many treasures of Poitou-Charentes.

Reviews (6) :
4.50 / 5
Reference PC0801
  • Itinerant trip
  • 8 days
  • Moderate
  • From April to October
  • Minimum age 9 year
1169€ / pers.
  • Itinerary
  • You start your bike trip in Niort and discover the small roads and narrow canals of the Poitevin marshes. You cross the small villages, discover the fauna and flora of the marshes with a guide on a boat and visit the magnificent abbey of Maillezais.
    Stop in the city of art and history of Fontenay-le-Comte before leaving the wild Marais Poitevin to reach the beautiful port city of La Rochelle. The next day you ride to the island Ile de Ré where you will discover the long fine-sand beaches, the salt evaporation ponds of Loix and Ars-en-Ré, the fortified city of Saint-Martin-de-Ré or the producers of Pineau wine. Your bike trip ends in La Rochelle.

    Day 1

     
     

    Niort

    You arrive at your own pace in the small town of Niort. You can stroll through the old town, admire the dungeon and the old district.

    Day 2

     
     

    Niort - Coulon

    Bike
    46km
    You ride along on the bike path along the river to leave Niort and reach the small country roads in the marshes. Through the quiet and lovely small villages, you reach Arçais also called the “Green Venice of the Marais Poitevin”. After a lunch on the harbor, you can board small boats and navigate through the narrow canals to discover the rich flora and fauna (coypus, the “angélique” a local plant, etc.).

    In the afternoon, your bike tour take you to the picturesque charm of the wild marshes through Saint-Georges-de-Rex before reaching Coulon, a small village with white stone houses. You can visit the interesting museum of the marshes to complete your knowledge of the region.

    Day 3

     
     

    Coulon - Fontenay-le-Comte

    Bike
    54km
    You leave Coulon through the marshes of the Marais Poitevin by riding on the dams. You cross a large part of the wet marshes. Your bike ride leads you to Maillezais where you visit an abbey of the 11th century, one of the starting point of the history of the Marais Poitevin. The bike route takes you then to the city of Fontenay-le-Comte, where you can enjoy a leisurely stroll, visit the many churches and the Renaissance castle of Terre-Neuve.

    Day 4

     
     

    Fontenay-le-Comte - La Rochelle

    Bike
    58km
    You follow the Vendée river to Marans and enjoy the charm of the marsh Marais Poitevin. In the afternoon, you ride through La Rochelle countryside following a canal before reaching the old port of La Rochelle.
    The city prosperous past can be easily noticed thanks to its nice architecture from which the old fortified harbor is remarkable.

    La Rochelle offers a wide range of cultural and touristic activities. Do not miss La Rochelle aquarium. The city is very well equipped with cycling paths, which makes it perfect for discovering it on a bicycle.

    Day 5

     
     

    La Rochelle – Le Bois-Plage

    Bike
    27km
    Facing La Rochelle, Ile de Ré is just a few pedal strokes away. You ride on the cycling paths along the coast to the bridge of Ile de Ré. You continue along the coast to La Flotte then through the vineyards to Le Bois-Plage-en-Ré.

    Day 6

     
     

    Suggested day trip : through the swamps of Loix or Ars-en-Ré

    Bike
    28/38km
    You start by riding through Saint-Martin-de-Ré where you can admire the Vauban citadel. Then, you continue along the coast to the delightful fishing village of Loix before riding back to Bois-Plage-en-Ré.

    You can extend the day trip to Ars-en-Ré, listed among the most beautiful villages of France.
     

    Suggested day trip : the big tour of Ile de Ré

    Bike
    60km
    This day trip for the most courageous leads first to Saint-Martin-de-Ré and then to the end of the island: the Portes-en-Ré. Then, you ride through the pine forest to the famous lighthouse of Ile de Ré: the lighthouse of whales before riding back to Le Bois-Plage.

    Day 7

     
     

    Le Bois-Plage – La Rochelle

    Bike
    29km
    You discover the coast with the fine-sand beaches and the delightful village of Sainte-Marie-de-Ré before taking back the bridge to La Rochelle.

    Day 8

     
     

    Departure from La Rochelle

    After breakfast, you leave for your next destination or extend your stay as you wish.
       

    Visit of the Towers of the Old Port of La Rochelle 2h

    9,50 € / adult
  • Accommodation
  • Category B

    You stay in **/*** hotels. Breakfast is included.
    * Example of the type of accommodation
  • Bikes, luggage and documents
  • Bikes

    On your arrival day, we provide you with:

    • a touring bike adjusted to your size or a tandem
    • equipped : front rack pack with an integrated file compartment, saddlebag, helmet (on demand), reflective vest, repairing toolkit with patches etc.

    We also provide you with the appropriate equipment for your children : baby seat, bike trailer or trailer bike depending on their age and size.

    Electric bikes are also available for adults (+1m55).

    You can of course also bring your own bikes, in this case a reduction will be applied (see the Tarif tab)


    Luggage

    Our services include luggage transport in order to let you enjoy your trip comfortably and without stress :
    • We transport your luggage from one accommodation to the next using a private vehicle.
    • Your luggage is directly delivered in your accommodation before you arrive.
    • We provide a saddlebag for the things you shall need during the day.

    Our word of advice : as we know from experience, we strongly recommend you to avoid wearing a backpack during your cycling trip.
    If you expect to arrive at the next accommodation before 5 p.m., we recommend that you take an extra set of clothes with you in your bicycle bag.

    GPS tracks


    For this trip, we also provide the GPS tracks on demand in the .gpx format at no extra cost.



    Travel documents

    A cycling holiday is the best way to explore a region and discover its culture, landscapes and local traditions.

    Your tour is self-guided to give you the freedom to ride at your own pace. You will be provided all the information you need to enjoy peacefully the itinerary and its interesting sites.
    You will have in your travel documents :
    • a detailed map (A4 format) of the itinerary that we drew at the easiest scale to follow for a bicycle rider
    • a step-by-step description of the itinerary (bound A5 format) giving the direction to follow at each intersection
    • a tourist leaflet containing a brief presentation and useful practical information (opening time, price, contact) about the points of interest along the way

    Example of a map and a step-by-step description

  • Practical information
  • To get to departure point:

    • By plane: flight to La Rochelle, then take a train to Niort.
    • By train: from Paris Montparnasse station, you can take a direct TGV (fast trains) to Niort. The duration of the trip is about 2h30. To plan your trip, www.raileurope.com.

    Parking

    If you drive to Niort, you can park your car in a secured car park located in the city center: parking St Jean (Place Saint Jean) or parking Espace Nortiais (Rue du Mûrier).


    To get back to starting point:

    Regional trains take you back to your starting point if you wish. They are accessible without booking in advance and bicycles are free. You have to buy your ticket on spot. You will find the timetable of the day in your travel documents.

    We can also organise a transfer in a private vehicule on demand.


    Meeting time:

    The first day is an arrival day without cycling. You arrive whenever you want depending on from where you come. Please note that rooms are usually available in the middle of the afternoon depending on your accommodation. We thank you to advise us if you plan to arrive late.


  • Reviews
  •   Memory of the trip  

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    6 bike travelers reviews 4.50 / 5

    Sportive and luxuous

    On the 2022-07-26 by Caroline
    We really loved the trip, organised by vélo voyageur. Great hotels with good food and great routes every day. GOOD VALUE FORT THE MONEY!

    Dommage .....

    On the 2021-09-26 by Sylviane
    Très bonnes prestations hôtelières et de restauration (choix et qualité des repas) Une mention spéciale à la qualité de l'accueil que Jonathan ( hôtel de la Paix La Rochelle) réserve à ses clients : toujours prêt à aller au devant de leurs besoins avant même qu'ils soient exprimés. Dommage que vos vélos ne correspondaient pas à ce que nous attendions.

    Balade en RE majeur

    On the 2020-09-07 by Gerard
    Belle semaine organisée par LE VELO VOYAGEUR cette semaine dernière, où nous avons particulièrement apprécié la préparation de notre randonnée, les circuits recherchés et très agréables à vélo dans les paysages verdoyants de la Sèvre-Niortaise et l'Ile de Ré, la coordination globale, pour nous permettre une belle semaine que nous pouvons recommander à des pratiquants réguliers. Les hébergements sont particulièrement choisis avec des hôtels particuliers qui savent bien accueillir et nous offrir de belles prestations.

    Séjour parfait

    On the 2020-07-27 by Marie
    Nous avons fait le circuit de Niort à l'île de Ré, tout était parfait, le circuit est très beau avec des paysages variés, ce qui nous a permis de découvrir le marais poitevin. Nous avons ensuite passé un très bon séjour sur l'île de Ré dans un hôtel très agréable à deux pas de la plage.

    Belles découvertes

    On the 2019-08-25 by Matthieu
    Un circuit riche en jolis paysages, avec des villes étapes culturellement intéressantes.

    Very pretty trip, easy cycling

    On the 2016-09-10 by Aoife
    We were a group of five and thoroughly enjoyed this trip. The terrain is pretty flat so the cycling was very manageable despite hot weather. The area is lovely and there is a nice contrast between the Marais Poitevin and the Ile de Re. The organisation was very good and the bikes were good quality.
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