Cycle tour through the Poitevin Marshes

From the Poitevin Marshes to the Atlantic coast, explore the hidden gems of Poitou-Charentes region.

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Ref: PC0302CO

Atlantic Coast
5 day(s)
Moderate
~ 52 km/day
Itinerant

When travelling?

From March to the end of October

Minimum age

10 y/o

Related categories:

Nature

Discovering the Poitevin marshes by bike between Niort and La Rochelle.

Explore the Poitevin marshes by bike for 5 days. You start your bike trip in Niort where you can admire its imposing keep, then you cycle on small roads and along the 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 Fontenay-le-Comte before leaving the wild Marais Poitevin to reach the beautiful port city 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.

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Program

Day 01

Arrival in Niort

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

Day 02

Niort – Coulon

46 km
+ 80 m

You take the Coulée verte to leave Niort and enter the quiet little streets of the Marais Poitevin. Through small, quiet and charming villages you reach Arçais, the “Green Venice” of the marshes. After lunch at the port, you can board boats and navigate through the meanders of the canals to discover the richness of the flora and fauna (coypu, angelica root, local emblem, etc.).

In the afternoon, discover the picturesque charm of wild nature by Vélo Marais and road via Saint-Georges-de-Rex to Coulon, a small typical village with white stone houses. At the Musée du Marais Poitevin you can complete your knowledge of the region.

Day 03

Coulon – Fontenay-le-Comte

52 km
+ 89 m

You leave Coulon through the marshes by riding on the dam. You cross a large part of the wet marshes. Your bike ride leads you to Maillezais famous for its 11th-century abbey, where the history of the Marais Poitevin started. Your bike route takes you then to the town of Fontenay-le-Comte, where you can enjoy a leisurely stroll, visit the many churches and the Renaissance castle of Terre-Neuve.

Day 04

Fontenay-le-Comte – La Rochelle

58 km
+ 69 m

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, like the remarkable old fortified harbor.

Day 05

Departure from La Rochelle

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

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Accommodation

Comfort

Well-located stops along our cycling routes, combining comfort and quality, secure bike storage, local tips, and a friendly atmosphere.

Breakfast
3 stars

*Typical example of accommodation corresponding to the proposed category. These photographs are for illustrative purposes only.

Equipment

For this trip, bicycles are equipped with 2 waterproof saddle bags with a 10 to 20 L capacity each to carry your luggage. Do not forget to put your items in a soft travel bag to be able to place it easily in your saddle bags.

For more comfort, you can choose to add luggage transport in your booking:

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'll need during the day (included in your bike rental).
We advise you to take an extra set of clothes with you if you expect to arrive before 5 p.m. at your accommodation.

Our word of advice : as we know from experience, we strongly recommend you to avoid wearing a backpack during your cycling trip.

On your arrival day, we provide you with:

a touring bike suited to your size;

equipment: a front panier, a saddlebag (or two if luggage transport is not included), a helmet (on demand), complete repair tool kit.

We also offer on this trip:

electric assisted bikes for adults (+1m55);
children bikes suited to their size;
children equipment (trailer, seat, trailer bike, follow-me system);

You can of course also bring your own bikes, in this case a discount will be applied.

For this trip, you can also use our smartphone app featuring GPS guidance (without extra fee). You will find in the app all the information given in the map and step-by-step roadbooks. You will be located on the itinerary with the GPS device of your phone. The route and directions to follow will be both viewable on the screen of your phone and announced aloud. As you ride along the itinerary, you will be given information about visits, restaurants, services and useful alerts on the way. -> You need to have a smartphone and download Le Velo voyageur app on your Apple or Android store before the trip. All details regarding the download and use of the app will be given after we have confirmed the booking and the balance is paid. Once the trip is downloaded, the GPS guidance can be used off-line.

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 with all the information you need to enjoy the itinerary and its points of interests. We can send printed travel documents (extra cost of €15 for printing and postage, in France only), which include:

a roadbook with maps that we drew at the easiest scale to follow on a bike;
a roadbook with step-by-step description giving the direction to follow at each intersection and highlighting the points of interest.

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Information

Beginning of the trip

As the first day is a non-biking day, you’ll arrive at your leisure, depending on your route. Please note that rooms are usually available by mid-afternoon, depending on your accommodation. Please let us know if you are arriving late.

To get to the 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, thetrainline.

Car park

IIf 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.

storage facility for the duration of your trip (upon availability).

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From

609 €/pers.

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Ref: PC0302CO

Atlantic Coast
5 day(s)
Moderate
~ 52 km/day
Itinerant

When travelling?

From March to the end of October

Minimum age

10 y/o

Related categories:

Nature

Tried and tested stays!

Experience
15 years' experience in cycling to advise and satisfy you
Tested & Approved
The whole team goes out into the field to design the itineraries and select the best partners (accommodation, bikes, etc.).
Quality of service
A dedicated customer service team available and ready to listen, from the moment you book until you return from your holiday.
Secure payment
Individual or fractional payment by secure means via our website