Cycling Country
May 21, 2012The Pays de la Loire is one of the most popular areas of France for cyclists. The country lanes are quite, the landscape undulates gently, while hotels, B&Bs and restaurants are cycle-friendly. In 2012, the Pays de la Loire is even more appealing, with the completion of the 500-mile/800 km Loire à Vélo cycle trail.
LA LOIRE À VÉLO 2012: A 500-MILE/800 KM CYCLE TRAIL!
June 2012 marks the completion of the longest and most ambitious sustainable tourism project in the past decade. This summer, the 500-mile/800 km Loire à Vélo route opens. Running from Cuffy in the Cher to Saint-Brevin-les-Pins, on the coast in Loire-Atlantique, La Loire à Vélo is a wonderful way to explore the Loire Valley and links everything from heritage to food and wine. Today, the Loire à Vélo is a major attraction in France, with more than 700,000 visitors in 2010!
Did you know?
The Loire à Vélo is part of Eurovéloroute, a trans-European river/cycling project. The Loire Valley trail is a segment of Eurovélo 6, a route that joins the Black Sea to the Atlantic Ocean by following the Loire, the Rhine and the Danube, three of Europe’s most important rivers for history and culture.
www.eurovelo6.org
LA VÉLODYSSÉE: BIKE THE ATLANTIC !
As well as the east-west Loire à Vélo route, June 2012 marks the opening of a north-south trail that links Brittany to the Basque Country, from Roscoff to Hendaye. That’s more than 750 miles/1200 km of signposted cycling, the longest in France. Running through 10 of France’s coastal departments and with the constant backdrop of the Atlantic Ocean, 80% of this route has been finished. In the Pays de la Loire, the Vélodyssée follows the towpath along the Nantes to Brest Canal. Then, after crossing Nantes, it joins a section of the Loire à Vélo trail before connecting with the cycle paths on the Vendée coast.
More information: Comité Départemental du Tourisme de la Loire-Atlantique 0033 (0) 251 72 95 42, www.lavelodyssee.com
Did you know?
The Vélodyssée is the French part of Eurovélo 1. This trans-European cycle route runs through Portugal, Spain, France, Britain, Ireland and Norway and is a major attraction for cyclists visiting France.
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