Published by Lyn on 3 May 2015
Still packing panniers and writing to-do lists for the mini-cyclists and Mr Freewheeling France for while I'm away, but here's a quick itinerary of our La Velo Francette ride starting tomorrow.
La Rochelle at night. Photo: Barth1003
***UPDATE*** Here are the links to my day-by-day accounts of the riding this route. (See below for the itinerary + hotels/B&Bs list as promised)
- La Rochelle to Arçais on La Vélo Francette (and partly concurrently on La Velodyssee)- 74km
- Arçais to Niort on La Vélo Francette - 36km
- Niort to Parthenay on La Vélo Francette - 61km
- Parthenay to Thouars on La Vélo Francette -76km
- Thouars to Saumur on La Vélo Francette -51km
- Saumur to Angers on La Vélo Francette (and concurrently on Loire à Vélo) - 62km
- Cycling Angers to Mayenne on La Vélo Francette - 121km (over 2 days)
- Cycling Mayenne to Domfront on La Vélo Francette - 42km
- Cycling Domfront to Pont-d'Ouilly on La Vélo Francette - 50km
- Cycling Pont-d'Ouilly to Caen on La Vélo Francette - 57km
See here for an overview of La Velo Francette.
Original post >>>
I'm still packing panniers and sorting out kids and Mr Freewheeling France for while I'm away, so excuse any typos but I thought I'd quickly post our itinerary for this week in case I don't get time later on tonight.
We'll be blogging and posting on Facebook and Twitter as we go, so it would be great if you could join us on our ride.
I'm super excited to be riding with an old, old friend from my university days, Nicky. She's a foreign TV correspondent in her non-cycling life, so I'm hoping the French countryside will be a nice anecdote to her last few months in Pakistan, Afghanistan and other exotic places (I hope she won't get bored!)
We're staying in B&Bs and hotels the whole way, each of them recommended by the local tourist boards as being bike-friendly and keen to welcome cyclists on La Velo Francette.
This is (very, very briefly) what we've got lined up. Watch the website this week and next for updates.
Monday, May 4
Train from Bordeaux to La Rochelle in the Charente-Maritime department of Poitou-Charentes.
Check out La Rochelle + afternoon ride on Ile-de-Re
Overnight: Vue Sur Cour B&B
Tuesday, May 5
La Rochelle to Arçais in the Deux-Sèvres department
Distance: 57k
Aiming for lunch in Maran and an evening potter around the Marais Poitevin
Overnight:
L’Hotel Maison Flore in Arçais
Wednesday, May 6
Arçais-Niort
Distance: 40km
Very excited about further exploring the Marais Poitevin.
Aiming for lunch in Coulon
Overnight at Maison La Port Rouge, Niort.
Thursday, May 7
Niort to Parthenay
Distance: 56km
Richard the Lionheart territory
Overnight (and dinner) at Villa Ayrault B&B
Friday, May 8
Parthenary to Thouars
Distance: 67km
Think medieval streets, pretty villages and bird reserves.
Looking forward to meeting with Willy Aubineau, the man behind the Velo Francette project.
Overnight at Hotel de la Gare, Thouars.
Saturday, May 9
Thouars to Saumur (into the Maine-et-Loire department of Pays de la Loire)
Distance: 52km
Over the Thouet Valley to the confluence with the Loire for chateaux, river routes and white wine.
Overnight at Hotel de Londres in Saumur.
Sunday, May 10
Saumur to Angers
Distance: 66km
Ride a stretch of the Loire à Vélo.
Overnight at the Hotel de l’Europe in Angers.
Monday, May 11
Rest day Angers for more chateaux, wine and river routes.
Overnight again at the Hotel de l’Europe in Angers.
Tuesday, May 12
Angers to Château-Gontier in the Mayenne department of Pays de la Loire.
Distance: 55km
Towpaths along the Mayenne.
Overnight (and dinner) at Parc Hotel et spa at Chateau-Gontier
Wednesday, May 13
Château-Gontier to Moulay
Distance: 66km
Art history and pretty Mayenne countryside.
Overnight at Hotel La Marjolaine.
Thursday, May 14
Moulay to near Domfront in the Orne department of Lower Normandy
Distance: 56km
Lakes, forests and velorails + the Green Maxi Festival in Domfront.
Overnight (and dinner) at La Maison 1833.
Friday, May 15
Domfront to Pont-d'Ouilly in the Calvados department of Lower Normandy
Distance: 56km
Calvados and cafe (there’s a coffee festival on - woohoo).
Overnight (and dinner) at Le relais du Commerce.
Saturday, May 16
Pont-d'Ouilly-Caen 58km
Caen-Oiustreham voie verte: 15km
To the seaside!
Evening train home via Paris.
