Why La Vélodyssée ?

The ambition of the project partners is to offer sustainable tourism in response to customer demand and make the most of the land whilst promoting green transport.

The Atlantic cycle-route, today known as La Vélodyssée, is a route structured around the national layout of cycle-routes and greenways and is built into the European cycle network:  EuroVelo.

It’s the longest open cycle route in France!

Alternating between greenways on designated lanes and small, shared roads, the current route is temporary in some parts.  It has brought together local and tourist bodies in an ambitious, collaborative project which promotes sustainable transport.  Numerous improvements will be gradually carried out, both on the route itself as well as to the services offered to cyclists.

A collective project

La Vélodyssée is a collective project from Roscoff to Hendaye involving 3 Regions, 9 Departments, 3 CRTs (Regional Tourism Committees) and 9 CDTs (Departmental Tourism Committees), all working together for a common cause with the support of the State.

While cycle-friendly developments on the Atlantic cycle route were started in some departments over 10 years ago, the project to make this route – now known as La Vélodyssée – attractive to tourists was begun towards the end of 2008.  It came to fruition in 2012 thanks to the enthusiasm and determination of 13 public bodies (regional and general councils) as well as three regional tourism committees and 9 departmental tourism committees, supported by ADN (National Federation of Institutional Tourism Organizations), Vélo & Territoires (National network which aims to develop the use of bicycles in all territories)à.

Partners

• Conseil Régional de Bretagne
• Conseil Régional du Tourisme de Bretagne
• Conseil Départemental du Finistère
• Conseil Départemental des Côtes d'Armor
• Côtes d'Armor Destination
• Morbihan Tourisme
• Conseil Régional des Pays de la Loire
• Agence régionale - Pays de la Loire Territoires d’Innovation
• Conseil Départemental de la Loire-Atlantique
• Loire-Atlantique Tourisme
• Conseil Départemental de la Vendée
• Vendée Expansion
• Conseil Départemental de la Charente-Maritime
• Charente-Maritime Tourisme
• Conseil Régional de la Nouvelle-Aquitaine
• Comité Régional du Tourisme de la Nouvelle-Aquitaine
• Conseil Départemental de la Gironde
• Gironde Tourisme
• Conseil Départemental des Landes
• Comité Départemental du Tourisme des Landes
• Conseil Départemental des Pyrénées-Atlantiques
• Comité Départemental du Tourisme Béarn Pays-Basque

Other national or regional partners proud to support La Vélodyssée®:

Réseau National des Destinations Départementales (Rn2d), Association des Départements et Régions Cyclables (DRC), les services de l’Etat, GIP Littoral Aquitain.

Who does what?

• Project coordination is carried out by Charente-Maritime Tourisme (the Departmental Tourism Committee for the Charente-Maritime), which regularly organises formal, technical and political meetings required to push the project forward.
• The participating departments establish the route, in partnership with towns and communities within the regions it crosses.
• Regional and Departmental Tourism Committees offer their assistance to structure and capitalize upon the tourist facilities available in the regions it crosses.  They implement the national brand Accueil Vélo (bikes welcome) along the route in liaison with France Vélo Tourisme.
• ADN, Vélo & Territoires have contributed to the development of this project through organising route committees.
• France Vélo Tourisme offers its management skills and is in charge of promotion of the route on a national level, particularly through its website www.francevelotourisme.com.