STORY OF A BICYCLE ODYSSEY BY CORENTIN WARO
WHEN FRANCE CLOSES ITS BORDERS, OR HOW TO TRAVEL DIFFERENTLY
Let's look on the bright side of this pandemic, of the closing of these borders, and take the time to discover our great country. That's what my partner Mathilde and I decided to do last summer. Aware of how lucky we are to live on the Basque coast, we feel that the population is much more sensitive to protecting our environment than those living in the big cities.
Coming from Lille, I must confess that seeing someone throw a cigarette butt into a gutter didn't alert me more than that, just like taking a plane to travel cheaply to the other end of Europe and enjoy the sunshine we miss in the north.
Since 2012 and my arrival in the Basque country, I've learned to appreciate the importance of protecting our environment. All the more so thanks to the Flocon à la vague with which I'm involved. Our consumption choices have a direct impact on our environment. So we took the bull by the horns, both having a taste for adventure, and were looking for a 2-week stay in France combining roaming, adventure, physical exertion and discovery of local gastronomy.
Our choice came down to 2 potential tours:
- Down the Rhône from Lake Geneva to its mouth at Marseille
- Crossing the Bicycle Odyssey between Cap Ferret and Pornic, to join friends there and finish off the vacation.
Once we had gathered all the information we needed to plan these trips, we realized that we didn't have the skills required to go down the Rhône. So here we are, preparing for our cycling trip.
After reading various feedbacks, we decided to do long stages, which I absolutely don't advise families to do: limit yourself to a single stage. You'll find the full list of stages on the website : https://www.lavelodyssee.com/
As for equipment, we had 2 good-quality vtc bikes, and we had also bought a second-hand trailer to attach behind the bike to carry our belongings. So we had no luggage on the bikes, just one of the 2 bikes pulling the trailer. We had taken care to buy spare inner tubes and puncture-proof spray. As far as food was concerned, we had planned to dine in restaurants and have lunch as we wished. However, for snacks, we had arranged for dried fruit and fruit compotes.
After a few days' rest on the banks of the Arcachon Basin, we were ready to set off. My parents-in-law decided to accompany us all the way to Lacanau for the first 25 kilometers.
DAY ONE: LÉGE-SAINT PALAIS SUR MER 133 KM
The first day promises to be complicated, given that we've never tried our bikes over long distances. We set off around 8 a.m., assisted by Jacques and Françoise (Mathilde's parents). After 1 hour 15 minutes in the pines, we arrived at Lacanau, our companions' final destination. So far, we're still in great shape.
After 4 hours of cycling on super bike paths in the pines, we come across the Montalivet market. We decided to buy some charcuterie and cheese and break bread on a town bench, to recharge our batteries and set off on more adventures through the pines under the blazing August sun, including a crossing of the Gironde estuary via the ferry between Le Verdon sur mer and Royan. It was very simple and I found the price of the crossing very modest (6 euros for a souvenir).
After this short crossing, we put our bikes back on and headed out of Royan towards Saint Palais Sur Mer along the coast. A few last efforts later and we're back on the domaine de Saint Palais; Superb 3-star hotel at very reasonable prices, with a great breakfast.
For dinner, we stop by chance in the restaurant chez Bob which I think must be the historic restaurant in Saint Palais, offering an extensive menu with a selection of quality products. After a well-deserved meal after a hard day's cycling, we were ready to continue our adventure.
DAY 2: SAINT PALAIS SUR MER - ROCHEFORT 80 KM
We woke up with a few cramps in our legs, as we hadn't taken the time to stretch the day before. Fortunately, the sun was there to accompany us. After a great breakfast in the hotel park, we set off again for 80 km, 50 km less than the day before. The Vélo-odyssée offers a royal stage with sea views, a cycle path winding through the coastal forest and serving pretty beaches. We then discover the magnificent oyster basins of Marennes.
We find a superb little restaurant facing the ocean: La Plage I highly recommend the starter, which features oysters in 3 different forms, as delicious as any of the restaurant's dishes. After this fabulous meal, we took the time for a nap by the water so as not to suffer too much from digestion on the bike. When it was time to get back on the bike, the desire wasn't as strong as it had been the first time, especially as we were stopping off in Rochefort that evening.
For this evening, no seaside resort, but a hotel in the center of town, which lends itself more easily to accommodating commercials on the road (as I'm used to doing when prospecting) than a hotel where tourists come to enjoy the town. In fact, it was a bit strange, as we seemed to be in a dead town, with most of the restaurants closed and the town deserted, so we took the time to go and see the Hermione. After finding a decent restaurant, we didn't dawdle and headed back to the hotel.
THIRD DAY: ROCHEFORT - L'AIGUILLON SUR MER 100 KM
Here we are, on our 3rd day of cycling, 210 km into our legs, and the only thing we can say is that we're feeling it. We can't wait to leave Rochefort and get back to the coast. Luck is always on our side, and the sun is always out.
After a hearty breakfast, we set off for La Rochelle. The cycle path through the marshes is as pleasant as ever, and we feel as if we're somewhere else, but certainly not in France. Wild animals are everywhere, living peacefully, and we come across the occasional fisherman who seems to be having a good time. In the distance we see the towers of La Rochelle, tourists flocking around the old town - a real return to civilization for us after a few hours pedaling through this no-man's-land. Happy to be halfway through the day's journey, but aware of the road ahead, we decide to keep going without marking time, just stopping to buy sandwiches to eat once we're back in the ocean. So we headed for the little village of La Pelle and its Carrelets (a fishing hut built on stilts). Once we've swallowed our sandwiches, we take the time to lie down on the sand at the foot of the carrelets to rest our legs and let the hours pass when the sun is at its zenith.
Heading for l'aiguillon sur mer, we take in another magnificent view. We then arrive at the large bay of aiguillon, which gently leads us to the village. We then reach the magnificent"Maison Saléewhich is a remarkably authentic bed & breakfast: the owner is very friendly and immediately puts us at ease, advising us on the best places to eat in the area. We decide to continue on foot towards the beach to enjoy a simple meal in a small local crêperie. Note the huge Luna Park on the bridge between aiguillon and la Faute / mer.
DAY 4: AIGUILLON/MER - BRÉTIGNOLLES/MER 77 KM
The legs are getting heavier and heavier, but the day is off to an excellent start thanks to our host's superb home-cooked breakfast on the little terrace facing the sun. I can't wait to start pedaling, because today we'll be passing through Les Sables d'Olonnes, a town I've been dreaming of since I was a child, as it's the starting point for the Vendée Globe ("race"). around the worldnon-stop, non-assisted, single-handed race around the world on monohull yachts ). So it's with great enthusiasm that we set off again, but as usual, it takes a good 10 km to get the real feeling back in our legs, which are so tense. The view is magnificent, as we skirt the coast with the dunes on one side and the cycle path on the other.
We start to see the Sables d'Olonnes in the distance, and a restaurant on the right of the road catches my eye: Les chardons "It's an Italian restaurant that sublimates its dishes with super products. I absolutely recommend the truffle pizza. It was a real moment of happiness to stop off at this restaurant, especially as the weather was beginning to cloud over. Now we're heavier and ready to hit the road again.
After the long-awaited passage through the pretty seaside town of Les Sables d'Olonnes, we continued along the coast to Bretignolles sur mer and its Michelin-starred hotel/restaurant very good value for money. So we decided to treat ourselves for our last night, knowing that it offered a very reasonable stopover package. After a shower, and having put on our best clothes, we headed for the restaurant for a 3-course starred menu based around the sea, which was a real treat for our taste buds. Now we're ready to sleep soundly before the last leg and the long-awaited arrival at our friends' homes.
DAY FIVE: BRÉTIGNOLLES/MER - PORNIC 85 KM
The day got off to a superb start with breakfast in the Michelin-starred restaurant (included in the stage package), and it was clearly the best breakfast I've ever tried in my life (so much fresh produce, homemade bread and brioche, cheese from local producers...). Once all this goodness had been wolfed down, it was time to head for Pornic to meet up with our friends.
We opted not to follow the Vélo-odyssée to save time and, above all, kilometers, and to cut through the countryside, as it was all small departmental roads where we suspected we wouldn't encounter too many cars. So we left the seaside. Even if the first pedal strokes are hard, I'm so enthusiastic about the idea of meeting up with my mate and giving my buttock muscles a good rest that the pedal stroke accelerates, as does the speed of my boat (my bike + the trailer I've now been towing for 390 kilometers).
After a short stop in a small village square, where we'd made sure to buy some food for a quick bite to eat, the kilometers rolled on to Pornic. Then, at around 3 p.m., we finally put the bikes down on Antoine's doorstep, our host for the week. On the agenda: surf, sun, drinks and fun.
I'm writing this story almost 1 year after we did it, and it gives me great joy to recall all the magnificent scenery we passed through. I would recommend this Vélo-odyssée adventure to anyone. Choose your route, the length and duration of your trip according to your physical abilities, especially if you're taking your children. As for all the addresses I've mentioned in this article, I recommend them with my eyes closed. Above all, I hope that the story of our adventure will inspire you to embark on an "adventure vacation" without going to the other side of the world.
Corentin, Victorine's brother and Plaids Cocooning sales manager
