Cycle the Atlantic from Nantes to La Rochelle

Take advantage of your last day to discover the city of the Dukes of Brittany on foot or by bike.

Very dynamic, Nantes is constantly reinventing itself without denying its past. Take the time to visit the city's must-see sites, the Saint-Pierre-et-Saint-Paul cathedral, the Dukes of Brittany castle, the Graslin shopping district and its magnificent Pommeraye passageway or the Lieu Unique cultural center installed in the former Lu cookie factory.

This stage follows the south bank of the Loire estuary. You leave Nantes passing by the Machines de l'Île and continue to the charming and colorful district of Trentemoult. The itinerary then continues through the outskirts of Nantes before crossing the typical villages of the hillsides. After Le Pellerin, the atmosphere changes, you ride along the Canal de la Martinière and then arrive in the port of Paimboeuf where you can already smell the scent of the sea. At the end of the stage, you will have a breathtaking view of the Saint-Nazaire bridge at the entrance to Saint-Brévin.

You will ride along the large beaches of Saint-Brévin before driving through the residential areas of Saint-Michel-Chef-Chef. Continue through the fields to the port of Pornic, or extend your itinerary via the Pointe de Saint-Gildas (+15km). Stroll through the lively streets of Pornic, then continue on the cornice where magnificent Belle Epoque villas stand facing the waves. After Les Moutiers, you enter the Breton marsh and enjoy beautiful views of the Bay of Bourgneuf. You end your day in the charming village of Bouin.

You continue through the marshes. Take a detour through the passage of the Gois, a unique submersible road that reaches the island of Noirmoutier. If you arrive at low tide, you will be able to cross the bay by bike on the passage and ride a bit on Noirmoutier. Those who wish can even make a loop to Noirmoutier-en-l'Ile (+29km). At high tide, an alternative route in the hinterland allows you to discover the Daviaud eco-museum and the port of Fromentine. The last part of the route crosses the forest of the Pays de Monts. The bike path undulates through the pine trees to Saint-Jean-de-Monts.

You will find attached the tide times. Please refer to the day of your visit to know the times of low tide. You can cross from 1h30 before until 1h30 after low tide time.

You leave Saint-Jean-de-Monts along the ocean. The sandy beaches give way to the rocky coast of the Vendée coastline. Admire the spectacle of the foam spouting on the rocks. You will then reach Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie, the Mecca of sardine fishing. You continue to drive along the coast and then wind your way through marshes and forests in the Olonne region. You enter Les Sables with a nice panorama on the old district "La Chaume" before reaching the bay.

After having gone along the bay of sands, you drive along a rocky coast, punctuated with small creeks like the Bay of Cayola. Don't miss to make the detour to the beach of Veillon, located on a mouth between marsh and ocean. You can stop a little further on at the oyster port of La Guitière for an authentic oyster tasting! The route then leads you to Saint-Vincent-sur-Jard, where the last house of Georges Clémenceau is located. Finally, you cross the Longevillle forest before arriving at La Tranche-sur-Mer.

This longer but not very difficult stage leads you through the Bay of Aiguillon to Marans. There are many sights to discover along the way, such as the protected lagoon of the Belle Henriette, the Pointe de L'Aiguillon, the limestone plateau of the Ile de la Dive, or the Brault locks. Marans is a pleasant stop, with some pleasant terraces on the quays of the Sèvre niortaise. A canal then leads you almost to the Old Port of La Rochelle.

After breakfast, enjoy one last visit of La Rochelle and its harbor before returning home or extending your stay on your own.