The great bike tour around Bordeaux
Pricing informations
Tour description
The great bike tour around Bordeaux, in Gironde
With Bordeaux bike tour, all the jewels of Gironde can be seen along this bike road. 480 km of cycle path to discover majestic Châteaux, famous vineyards, regional culinary specialities and UNESCO World Heritage landscapes in one of the most beloved parts of France. Cycling through many famous Bordeaux wine regions and alongside the Garonne and the ocean to the historic centres of Bordeaux and Blaye. You’ll have plenty of time to sample the famous appellations of Sauternes, Blaye and Margaux.
You will cycle along the Gironde Estuary from the quays of the Garonne in Bordeaux. You will cross the vineyard of Blayais, Médoc and Entre-deux-Mers. More south, you will taste the forest of the Landes de Gascogne Natural Regional Park where you’ll discover the exceptional scented landscapes of the smell of pine trees. Then you will reach the Arcachon Bay and the coastline with its beaches, dunes and great lakes.
Anyone can go from site to site at their own place. Some options permit to discover as well the Sauternais and Saint-Emilion. This great bike tour around Bordeaux is a real opportunity to see the best of the Gironde department. You ll have the chance to live an unique experience, through many areas .
The route that we suggest includes part of the routes of the Canal des 2 Mers by bike and the Vélodyssée. . This bike route follows small roads and paths along the Gironde, ideal for a magical stay with couples or friends! You can also come in family!
The development along the banks of the estuary still requires a final touches. So you will have to travel a few kilometers from small paths with more pronounced relief. In Blaye, you’ll take the ferry and after crossing the Médoc, your stay will end in the wine capital: Bordeaux.
- The diversity of the Bordeaux vineyards
- The Landes de Gascogne Regional Nature Park
- The ocean coast and the Great Lakes of the Atlantic coast, from the Arcachon bay to Royan
- The Gironde estuary, wild, between limestone cliffs and wet meadows
- UNESCO-listed heritage all along the route
Program
Accomodations in Bed and Breakfast in hotels**** in the heart of Bordeaux. Welcome pack of the area and circuits will be given as well as your bike.
Bordeaux, the former “Burdigala” Roman, inseparable from its vineyard … radiates plenty of stones in her dress to provide fireworks. The Garonne River, heart of the city, welcomes walkers on the banks or boat trips. Everyone can take ownership of the docks, hoping to see the landing of a cruise ship, “amazing sight” a giant of the seas in the city center
Night and breakfast in hôtel***.
This route allows you to discover the Entre-Deux-Mers region of 55 km of track / greenway and lanes… Enchanting
You will leave Bordeaux on the bike route who follows the Garonne warerways and its beautiful landscaped quays, then you will follow the greenway trail, winding through the hillsides of the Entre-Deux-Mers through Creon and Sauveterre de Guyenne, which are magnificent fortified walled towns. Finally, by small roads surrounded by vineyards, you will cycle to your accomodation.
Night, dinner and breakfast in charming guest-houses
From Sauveterre de Guyenne to Bazas
Between Sauveterre-de-Guyenne and La Réole, the cycle route passes through gently rolling and highly picturesque landscapes. La Réole, a medieval town founded in 977 on the banks of the Garonne, is the smallest «Town of Art and History» in France.
At Fontet, the route joins the Canal de Garonne. It is here that «Le Canal des 2 Mers à vélo» bicycle route continues on its way under a canopy of plane trees until reaching Toulouse, or even Sète and the Mediterranean sea. «Bike around Bordeaux» cycle routes, however, goes towards Bazas via “Véloroute” . By taking a detour through Castets-et-Castillon, you’ll be able to see the beginning of the Canal with its locks and to take advantage of all the services that this small port has to offer. Bazas is a famous medieval town with a beautiful cathedral, and an important place for the Santiago de Compostela pilgrimage trail..
Night and breakfast in hôtel***.
Departure from Bazas to join the cycle path in Uzeste. Passing through Uzeste, you can admire the collegiate church housing the tomb of Pope Clement V (it is also worth visiting his château in Villandraut).
After crossing Villandraut and the river Le Ciron, you come in the pignada, a logged pine forest, planted by man since the 19th century. The itinerary goes on to Budos, then through the valleys carved out by the River Ciron, to Leogats and Nouaillan. You then carry on to Balizac where you enter the Landes de Gascogne Regional Nature Park.
You will be riding along a lovely little forest road offering great variety and taking you westwards. Heading towards Louchats, the pine forest becomes denser and the scent of pine resin richer. Leave your bicycle at the site of the lagoons of Gât-Mort and discover the water beneath the carpet of fern.
Make a stop at the lakes of Hostens offer plenty of shade by the shore, perfect for an afternoon nap. The road will then take you, between pine trees and heather, to the small town of Le Barp.
Stay in a charming little hotel**, stone built, with a swimming pool.
Night and breakfast in hôtel***.
L’itinéraire empruntera une petite route où la forêt de pins s’estompe peu à peu pour retrouver la piste cyclable à Salles le long de la rivière l’Eyre que vous suivrez jusqu’à Mios. Vous atteindrez ensuite le bassin d’Arcachon au niveau du Parc Ornithologique du Teich fenêtre maritime du Parc Naturel Régional. Les sites pour pique-niquer ne manquent pas, il suffit de choisir !
Option 1 : Etape aux environ d’Andernos
Vous progresserez à vélo vers le très pittoresque Port de Biganos pour aborder une succession de petit ports dont celui d’Audenge où d’anciens bassins servent de piscines. En longeant les digues du domaine de
Graveyron, et ses réservoirs à poissons, vous profiterez des vues splendides sur le bassin et observerez les nombreuses espèces d’oiseaux migrateurs. Vous atteindrez finalement Andernos Les Bains, très agréable station balnéaire. Pour votre soirée vous pourrez profitez des nombreuses animations, bars et terrasses face à la mer, à Andernos ou les villages voisins.
Dîner et Soirée libres.
Nuit en Bed and Breakfast en hôtel**. Soirée libre.
Option 2 : Etape à Arcachon
Vous choisirez d’emprunter le sentier du Littoral, en profitant de l’air salé et marin du bassin et en traversant les ports ostréicoles de Gujan Mestras pour rejoindre Arcachon par les petits ports ostréicoles magnifiques et sauvages.
Bordée de tamaris, d’arbousiers, de joncs saules et de prunus sauvages, la promenade saura aussi ravir les amateurs de botanique.
Vous serez attendu au cœur d’Arcachon, pour une soirée sur le front de mer.
Nuit en Bed and Breakfast en hôtel***. Soirée libre.
Journée optionnelle : La dune du Pyla 24 km
Vous pédalerez en direction de la dune du Pyla, la plus grande dune d’Europe avec ses 107 mètres de haut, 2700 mètres de long et 500 mètres de large. La dune, de formation récente (elle ne mesurait que 35 mètres de haut en 1855), n’est toujours pas stabilisée et avance vers la forêt de 3 à 4 mètres par an. Après avoir posé vos vélos pour un moment, vous grimperez jusqu’au sommet de la Dune, par un escalier ou un sentier fléché. Pour votre retour, vous longerez les plages sur une magnifique piste et vous gagnerez le Pyla sur Mer puis le Moulleau, faubourg à l’ouest d’Arcachon, lieu très animé l’été avec ses boutiques et ses cafés branchés. Vous découvrirez la fameuse église « Notre dame des Passes », de style byzantin, construite au sommet d’une dune, par les Dominicains. Elle abrite la Vierge de l’Avent, une des 3 statues en France représentant la Vierge en état de grossesse. Puis vous rejoindrez Arcachon et votre hôtel.Nuit en Bed and Breakfast en hôtel***. Soirée libre.
1/ From Andernos, the pleasure to pedal in the heat, accompanied by the “cigales” song and the pine odours. You will leave Andernos and will pursue your circuit towards the saint Brice’s magnificent site, which mixes forest and natural bank of the “Bassin d’Arcachon” and then the Oyster-farming port of Ares.
2/ From Arcachon, take the boat to cross the Bay of Arcachon to reach the Cap Ferret and ride throughout the other side of the Bay. Leave your bicycle to walk up to the top of the lighthouse. Keep going cycling to reach the very pretty oyster village of l’Herbe, the reservoirs as well as the Tapper’s Shack.
In both cases, a cycle track, between ocean and forest, along the fine sand beaches where the ocean comes to smash in magnificent rollers, will slowly leads you, après des baignades bien méritées, to the seaside resorts of Le Porge and Lacanau Océan renowned for its surf spot.
Night and breakfast in hôtel****.
Get on your bike and go on the journey to the north following the Vélodyssée. Here the road bike continues on a bike path among the pines, between lakes and oceans.Leave the lake of Lacanau and join a charming shady trail cut in the dunes of the seaside resort of Carcans Maubuisson and the lake of Hourtin. Follow the lake and then the « route des phares » and after a last ocean break at Hourtin Plage, head north to Montalivet baths.
Night and breakfast in hôtel**.
Sandy beaches as far as the eye can see,. The seaside resorts of Le Porge, Lacanau, Carcans, Hourtin, Vendays-Montalivet and Soulac-sur-Mer are just some of the stops along the way where you can explore and relax. You can then cross the Gironde Estuary from Verdun in a unique ferry ride to discover Royan in the evening (its marina, cathedral considered as a masterpiece of modern architecture)
Night and breakfast in hôtel***.
You will leave Royan by taking the “boulevard Garnier” and its beautiful villas from the XIX century.
You will stop at the Park of the estuary, « pole nature » de la Charente Maritime. You will enjoy its unique feel and wooden area, dominating the estuary. The Park offers interactive exhibition and animations allowing you to discover “everything” about the estuary.You will cross Saint-Seurin-d’Uzet, the old capital of Caviar, with its port almost located in the centre of the village. More south, you will visit the wine-maker of Mortagne to discover all about the Pineau, Cognac and Charentais wine.
Mortagne-sur-Gironde, lays on the with cliffs, its fishing and sailing port make it a unique site in the area.You will stay in a charming guest house, opposite the port…
In the guest house the rooms are spacious, bright with own suit.
Night, dinner and breakfast in charming guest-houses
Go on along the Estuary on a very nice cycling path between marshes and dykes until Vitrezay, the gateway to Gironde. After a visit to the «Terres d’Oiseaux» bird sanctuary, a beautiful «Voie Verte» cycle track leads to the Blaye Citadel, built by Vauban and listed by UNESCO world heritage (alongside Fort Pâté and Fort Médoc) as the Vauban lock”. A ferry crosses the estuary from Blaye to Lamarque the next day. It’s maybe time to do a tasting or a guided tour? In Blaye you’ll learn everything you need: winemaking, appelllations, tannins, Wine regions, Grands Crus, grape varieties like Cabernet sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet franc, Petit Verdot, Malbec. And of course The most important white and red wines tastings!
Night and breakfast in hôtel*** or Charming guesthouse.
After crossing the Gironde Estuary, the itinerary leads directly to the heart of the Médoc vineyards, where villages and world-famous wine-making châteaux abound. Fort Médoc is not to be missed. A visit and wine-tasting break is an absolute must before heading on towards more urbanised, but equally interesting areas. The route’s grand finale is the approach to Bordeaux along the quays of the Garonne.
Night and breakfast in hôtel****.
Practical details
Luggages
Documents
Bikes
Accomodations
Support
We take care of transporting your luggage at each change of accommodation so that you travel light and take full advantage of your daily hike.
You leave your luggage at the reception of your accommodation before your departure .
At the end of the afternoon, you will find them at the reception of your new accommodation or directly in your room.
Luggage accepted per person: 1 suitcase or travel bag (20 kg maximum) + 1 piece of hand luggage.
We remind you that rental bicycles are equipped with saddlebags to be used to transport the things you deem useful for the day
Your travel record corresponds to the documents or files you receive before your trip (usually a month before) and upon arrival at the first accommodation.
It includes:
- A welcome letter with the main practical information:
- The time slot for baggage transport
- Details of the delivery and collection of bikes from rental if necessary
- Your local contact and telephone number (s) in case of emergency
- Any additional information
- The logbook travel package including map with the route (to the appropriate scale) and directional, tourist and practical indications
- The necessary voucher (s) to be given to the service provider (s) (only if necessary!)
On request and depending on the circuits:
- The “Evazio” application to download from smartphone for “GPS” navigation with visual guidance (reading of the track on the your smartphone) and / or oral.
- The application also contains practical and tourist information. Once the trip has been downloaded, no internet connection is necessary
- The loan of a GPS device with the pre-recorded tracks
- Sends GPX tracks of each stage to be used with your own navigation support
On this circuit, we suggest that you provide you with the choice and by reservation:
- A hybrid bike suitable for hiking and for the route
- An electric bike adapted to the route
With its equipment:
- 1 rear bag
- 1 handlebar bag
- 1 set of repair
- 1 helmet (on request)
- 1 anti-theft device
- 1 charger (for the electric bike)
For the youngest, we can offer depending on age and size
- A child’s bike
- A baby seat
- A trailer
- A follow-up bike
The bike is delivered to the first accommodation and is adjusted to your size.
At the end of the tour, the bike must be left at the last accommodation with its equipment. We will take care of their recovery.
The tour is available in a “superior” version :
The type of accommodation is classified into 3 ranges:
Comfort : The circuit mainly presents hotels classified 2 and 3 stars (or equivalent) and rooms of host.
Superior : The circuit mainly presents hotels classified 3 and 4 stars (or equivalent) and charming guest rooms.
Luxury : The circuit mainly presents 4 and 5 star hotels or equivalent
Our support team remains available for the duration of your trip.
