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 ▼

Add to a roadbook

Day 1: La Rochelle > Royan

After a short night cadenced by the sound of raindrops on the tent, we packed our gear to head off on the second leg of our journey (the first being the train ride), which would take us to Royan. We had around 100 km ahead of us, with a planned arrival in the mid-afternoon, if everything went according to plan. Our first problem arose right as we were supposed to leave: two flat tyres. So, we had to delay our departure a few minutes while we changed the inner tubes. Finally, we were off. With the route map loaded into a watch, all we had to do was follow the directions and admire the landscapes. The days was very cloudy, but the first few kilometres were very pleasant, on cycling paths through the countryside and by the seaside.
Some portions of the route that were in poor condition presented a challenge for one of us who had opted for a road bike. We had to be careful to not pop another tyre. We continued without a hitch and rode for 30 or so kilometres with a couple on electric bikes. We were able to share our respective experiences and itineraries. We parted ways just after the Rochefort transporter bridge. We arrived in Royan in the late afternoon with smiles on our faces, in spite of some rain showers.

Day 2: Royan > Carcans Plage

The third day of our France Atlantic coast road trip. We got up fairly early to be sure to not miss the ferry from Royan to Soulac. We had barely enough time to have a cup of coffee before getting back on our bikes. We arrived at the ferry after a few minutes and boarded for the crossing. The rain reared its ugly head, along with another problem that was beginning to be a regular thing: a flat tyre. Changing an inner tube in the rain is no walk in the park. Thankfully, a fisherman came by to reassure us that the rain would stop in a few minutes. We spent some time talking with him about travelling by bike and his passion for fishing. The rain cloud passed, the rain stopped, and we got off the ferry to continue on our way to Carcans Plage, the site of our third campsite.

This portion was very pleasant and we were able to make progress quickly. This part of the cycling path is in very good condition, which enabled us to travel several dozen kilometres at a solid average of 28 km/h. At that speed, we didn’t really have the time to admire the landscapes, but we had a goal in mind: to be able to spend part of the afternoon at the beach in Carcans.

Mission complete: we arrived in the mid-afternoon and were able to enjoy the late afternoon with our feet in the water and a cocktail in hand.

Day 3: Carcans Plage > Dune du Pilat

On our fourth day since leaving home, we continued our journey from La Rochelle to Biarritz with the Dune of Pilat as our next goal. Still guided by the directions on the watch, we followed the cycling path through the forest. We wound our way between pine trees and crossed paths with many cyclists until we reached Cap Ferret. After having a picnic lunch while looking out on the Dune of Pilat and a little relaxation on the beach, we took the ferry to Arcachon. Because of our first few physical mishaps, we had to make a quick stop at a chemist’s before heading to our campsite just behind the Dune of Pilat.

Day 4: Pilat > Mimizan

After spending an evening on the dune with sublime views of Arcachon Bay, we headed off the next morning towards Mimizan. As had been the case since the beginning of our adventure, the goal was to travel two thirds of the total distance before lunch so that we could have an easier ride in the afternoon and take advantage of the campsite’s pool for a bit in the late afternoon. The route was a bit hillier than before, but it was nothing we couldn’t handle. When we came across a bicycle shop, we took the opportunity to replenish our stock of inner tubes.

Day 6: Vieux-Boucau > Biarritz

The final leg of our journey. This time, the goal was to arrive in Biarritz before noon to be able to enjoy the city for a bit before heading home the next day. There were tons of people on this portion of the trail, making the route a bit more broken up and chaotic, especially in Hossegor. We travelled for a while with an Austrian, who told us that he wanted to continue riding into Spain. Unfortunately, another flat tyre forced us to stop once again. Twenty minutes later, we were back on our way to Biarritz.
The city is very hilly, but before long we made it to the main beach, where surfers, swimmers, and tourists intermingle. We took the opportunity to sit on the patio of a restaurant and have some chipirons (the local name for squid) to celebrate the end of our adventure from La Rochelle to Biarritz. We had a relaxing rest of the day and were good little boys as we prepared to get back on the TGV train to Paris the next day.