740 km pour le premier voyage à vélo d'Isabelle et Jean-François
Détails du parcours
- Durée : 12 jours
- Départ / Arrivée : Ouistreham - La Rochelle
- Distance : 740 km
Une 1ère aventure à vélo électrique
Nous somme deux couples de jeunes retraités, nous avons rejoint nos amis montagnards (près de Chambéry ) à Ouistreham et nous venons de Cadenet, dans le Luberon.
Nous partons 12 jours pour faire les 650 km de La Vélo Francette, qui se transforment finalement en 740 km avec les détours gîtes, visites et imprévus divers.
C'était une première aventure pour nous, sur un si long parcours, en VAE tout de même, mais nous n'avons rencontré aucun problème !
Une préparation aux petits soins
Nous avons pris la voiture pour La Rochelle où nous l’avons laissée dans un parking d’hôtel pour prendre le train avec nos vélos pas toujours simple de descendre un escalier avec les vélos ou de les ranger dans le train, avec beaucoup de monde c’est chaud !
Mais tout c’est bien passé avec souvent l’aide du chef de train. Arrivée à Caen, où ils nous restent 15 km pour rejoindre nos amis à Ouistreham, qui eux laissent leur camping-car dans un camping.
Nous avons organisé notre voyage en gîte tous les soirs avec une moyenne de 65 km par jour, départ de bonne heure pour éviter la chaleur (août). Environ 40 km le matin et tranquille l’après-midi !
Leurs coups de ❤
- Les pistes cyclables superbes (le + : souvent à l’ombre !)
- Le calme : souvent tranquilles et seuls sur les routes !
- Un très bon balisage !
Nous avons aussi fait de belles rencontres, découvert des lieux merveilleux tout au long de cet itinéraire cyclable !
Custom route
Custom route
1 Ouistreham / Caen
Start at Ouistreham, the Normandy ferry port north of Caen, its strand renowned as Sword Beach, its codename during the Allied liberation of France that began on D-Day, 6 June 1944. Take the towpath-turned-greenway beside the Canal de l’Orne; pay homage to the British airborne troops who took the vital crossing nicknamed Pegasus Bridge the night before D-Day. A cycle track leads on to the marina in central Caen. This city boasts splendid buildings dating back to William the Conqueror’s reign, while the Mémorial de Caen is a major war museum.
2 Caen / Thury-Harcourt
Once you’ve gone round Caen’s marina, explore the city via its ‘green lungs’, notably the racecourse and a special Espace Naturel Sensible, an environmentally protected area. Continue south beside the Orne River, taking the greenway into La Suisse Normande’s hills. This portion runs along a former railway line, offering an exceptionally peaceful route, a delight for nature lovers.
3 Thury-Harcourt / Pont d'Ouilly
La Vélo Francette’s stage through the heart of La Suisse Normande’s hills is very nature-friendly. Cyclists follow the meanders and dramatic granite forms of the gorges of the Orne Valley, in part on a greenway, while canoeists appreciate the river itself. The waterside villages, such as Thury-Harcourt, Clécy and Pont-d’Ouilly, provide delightful stops and riverside terraces along the way.
6 Flers / Domfront
You change cycle track after Flers station. Crossing the outskirts of town, near La Selle-la-Forge, at the place named Fumeçon, a greenway’s compact track takes you down a gentle slope to the Varenne River, which you’ll get close to many times along this stage. The local heritage recalls the area’s mining past as well as its agricultural past. Take it all in on what is a peaceful stretch for cyclists.
7 Domfront / Mayenne
The route leaves the southern Norman hilltop town of Domfront, taking you on a long stage going via roads and greenways beside the Varenne River up to the Mayenne River and on to Mayenne-town. Three remarkable sights on the Varenne are the mills of Moulin de Varenne, Moulin d’Ambloux and Pont des Planches. The village of Ambrières-les-Vallées offers a last view of the Varenne before you join the banks of the Mayenne. Works are in progress, but the signposts will guide you throughout the deviation.
8 Mayenne / Laval
After visiting the historic town of Mayenne, with its castle dating back in part to Carolingian times, head south via the Mayenne Valley. This La Vélo Francette stage is well suited to families, following the riverside towpath in a lovely natural setting punctuated by lock-keepers’ houses and beautiful old homes. The town of Laval is a delight to walk around.
9 Laval / Château-Gontier
The start of this stage affords fine views of the town of Laval and its two châteaux. The nine-arched railway viaduct here also has a footbridge open to cyclists, and links the Mayenne River’s east bank to Laval’s town centre and its river port. South of Laval, admire the well-known Abbaye du Port Salut (historically connected with popular Port-Salut cheese) before discovering more of the natural beauty of the Mayenne River.
10 Château-Gontier / Le Lion-d'Angers
Travelling along the Mayenne Valley, each meander reveals new delights to spur you on, with a château here and a mill there, or then a waterside village with a river port. Before the town of Le Lion-d’Angers, you’ll get a notion of the importance of the equestrian professions around here as you pass the Domaine de l’Isle-Briand, home to a world-class national stud farm that hosts equestrian events.
11 Le Lion-d'Angers / Angers
After the picture-postcard equestrian grounds at L’Isle Briand, with its château and national stud farm, plus the Mayenne and Oudon confluence, you cross the low-lying ends of several river valleys that form one of the most exceptional areas of wetland in Europe, going right up to Angers, a famed historic Plantagenet city. Up to that town’s Pont Jean Moulin bridge, the rural atmosphere remains almost untouched.
12 Angers / Bouchemaine / St-Mathurin
La Vélo Francette shares the way with the Loire à Vélo cycle route for some way from Angers eastwards, leading you out of the city via the Maine River and the Lac de Maine, with its green surrounds. At the village of Bouchemaine, at the confluence of Maine and Loire, you might try one of the restaurants on the quays. Most of this stage is along traffic-free tracks up to La Daguenière, then you join quiet roads up to St-Mathurin-sur-Loire.
14 St-Mathurin / Saumur
This stage is shared by La Vélo Francette and the Loire à Vélo. Two options: either follow the route from Gennes along the Loire’s south bank up to Saint-Hilaire-St-Florent (on the western side of Saumur town); or cross the bridge at Gennes and follow the alternative route along the north bank of the Loire to Saumur. Whichever way you opt for, the waterside stretches passing Loire flora, fauna and traditional boats are glorious.
15 Saumur / Montreuil-Bellay
La Vélo Francette leaves Saumur via a pretty greenway beside the Thouet River. Then the route adopts farm tracks and quiet country roads. Crossing villages, fields and the sloping vineyards of the Saumurois area, this stage finishes at the foot of Montreuil-Bellay, an historic fortified town on Anjou’s southern border and listed as a member of Les Plus Beaux Détours de France and a Petite Cité de caractère, given its many charms.
16 Montreuil-Bellay / Thouars
From Montreuil-Bellay, you descend back down to the Thouet River, heading for Thouars. The véloroute runs peacefully beside the river. La Ballastière Lake makes for a pleasant stop before you continue towards Taizon. Here, in centuries past, travellers had to pay a toll to cross the bridge. You can make out the town of Thouars on the horizon…
17 Thouars / Airvault
After visiting the historic heart of Thouars, take in the Imbert Floral Park, with its lovely terraces above the River Thouet. Leaving this Ville d’Art & d’Histoire, you can continue to appreciate to the full the charms of the Thouet’s riverbanks. As you cycle along, enjoy glimpses of waterfalls, wooded slopes and lovely historic buildings.
18 Airvault / Parthenay
An unforgettable stage, along quiet roads. The village of Airvault, with its abbey church, covered market and underground fountain, sets the tone. Next, the moated château and village of St-Loup-sur-Thouet will surprise you. Then the Lac du Cébron provides room to relax before continuing along the Thouet, crossing via a railway viaduct to reach the haughty medieval fortified town of Parthenay.
19 Parthenay / Champdeniers-St-Denis
From Parthenay, the Thouet à Vélo cycle route branches west via Secondigny towards the Thouet’s source, heading into the county of Vendée. La Vélo Francette continues southwestwards towards the town of Niort. You cross the Pays de Gâtine, a hillier area; turning many a corner, magnificent views open up of the unspoilt countryside and hedgerows. Savour this stage along quiet country roads.
20 Champdeniers-St-Denis / Niort
Champdeniers-St-Denis makes for a surprising stop, with its amenities and its remarkably rich local heritage. The route then alternates between quiet roads and farm tracks as it heads on to join the banks of the Sèvre Niortaise River at the level of Ternanteuil. After a big meander, the route arrives in the city of Niort, taking you to the base of its towering twin keeps.
21 Niort / Coulon
You stick close to the water’s edge, following the meanders of the Sèvre Niortaise River, alternating between the towpath and quiet riverside roads. The sites of Roussille or La Garette offer ideal spots for a pause in these winding parts. Or consider a longer halt at the little capital of the Marais Poitevin, the gorgeous, watery village of Coulon.
22 Coulon / Damvix / Bazoin
Coulon, located at the heart of the wet marshes of the Marais Poitevin and set so prettily beside the Sèvre Niortaise River, can offer cyclists on La Vélo Francette all the amenities they need. After crossing through the marshes, you rejoin the Sèvre Niortaise after Irleau. Approaching Damvix, the canalised river takes a straighter line, as though in a rush to join the ocean.
23 Damvix / Bazoin / Marans
The Sèvre Niortaise remains your guide on this stage, except on two stretches, one where you follow the Canal du Nouveau Béjou, the other the Canal du Pomère. Enjoy the ballet of little boats exploring the wetlands around these parts. You arrive at Marans via its quaysides, allowing you to appreciate how this little town lives via its waterways. Marans traditionally stood guard over the canal, marshes and river estuary; today it stands out because of its futuristic bell tower.
24 Marans / La Rochelle
This final stage of La Vélo Francette shares the way with the longer La Vélodyssée cycle route. You follow the Canal de Marans towards the sea before branching off for the great city of La Rochelle via the Canal de Rompsay. Although this stage is easy, it allows you to end La Vélo Francette with a flourish – plus there’s the possibility of a dip in the Atlantic! Islands beckon just off the coast, if you wish to prolong your experience of douce France!
