Looking for a baggage transfer service for La Vélo Francette from La Rochelle to Caen? Here are some services we've come across.
Suggested La Velo Francette itinerary here
- Baggage transfer for cycling in Burgundy
- Baggage transfer for cycling the Canal du Midi
- Baggage transfer for cycling the Loire Valley
- Baggage transfer for cycling in the Provence/Camargue
- Luggage store at Charles de Gaulle Airport
Requests for advice about luggage transfer services come thick and fast here at Freewheeling France. Many people want to cycle independently but without the hassle of carrying everything with them. Or perhaps they're cycling a one-way route rather than a circular one, and they have a bike box they need to get to the airport at the other end, or suitcases they need for another portion of their trip. Not everything always fits into panniers and bike bags.
If you need luggage transfer, the first port of call should be your hotel or B&B. Often they will be able to help arrange baggage transfer locally through a local cycle tour operator, bike shop or hire outlet, or via a local taxi service.
Sometimes the hotel or B&B owner will offer to provide the service themselves for a fee. Note that accommodation providers who are a part of the French Accueil Velo scheme MUST either provide luggage transfer themselves (for a surcharge) or be able to arrange it locally for you.
Luggage transfer costs vary widely and often depend on the number of bags and the distances involved. Often by breaking down the costs and arranging stage-by-stage transfer locally can be cheaper than looking for a provider to cover your whole itinerary.
Baggage transfer on La Vélo Francette
We trialled several luggage transfer services on our La Velo Francette trip. Here are some services we found on the various legs of our journey.
La Rochelle to Niort: La Bicyclette Verte.
Parthenay: Madame et Monsieur Fourniau at our B&B, Villa Ayrault, offered luggage transfer. You can read more about their B&B here.
Thouars: Luggage transfer was arrange by our hotel, Hotel de la Gare , which carries the Accueil Velo logo.
Saumur to Angers: Bagafrance (operates along the rest of the Loire as well, plus the Canal du Midi). Both the Hotel de Londres in Saumur and Hotel de l’Europe in Angers are Accueil Velo hotel and could advise about baggage transfers.
Mayenne: The Parc Hotel in Chateau-Gontier and Hotel La Marjolaine near Moulay, just short of Mayenne itself, are Accueil Velo hotels and can help arrange luggage transfer.
Domfront: Local taxi services. The local tourist office helped us, but at Katherine and Christophe at La Maison 1833 B&B would have only been too happy to also help us sort it as well.
Pont d'Ouilly to Caen: Taxi Abeilles