Velodysse - Arcachon to Bordeaux

[Cunninp]

I'm looking at doing part of the Velodysse from Arcachon to Biarritz next May, and want to use a road bike. I'm a bit concerned about the quality of the track surface for slim tyres. Has anyone done this part of the route on a road bike? Are there any sections that are too rough and should be avoided? And finally, how easy is it to find quiet roads to detour onto if needed? Many thanks for any help.

[Audax67]

If you go here: http://www.velodyssey.com/troncons/laca ... n-arcachon

and look at the intersections between the roads and cycle paths with Streetview you'll get an idea. I've looked at a couple and they look OK.

[dodger]

Rode most of it 3 years ago and it was fine - mainly tarmac and mainly boring.

[bikepacker]

Very boring, as is much of Aquataine. If riding in summer you will encounter lots of very slow leisure cyclists, threading your way through them can be very time consuming.

[robing]

I did this section last week I'm cycling Bayonne to Dieppe, now at alencon. I think you could do it on a road bike. It's pretty much all tarmac. And yes in certain sections near the main towns you get lots of daytripper cyclists who are slow and can get in the way. Also beware of tree routes under the tarmac, they can make the surface uneven.

[Cunninp]

Thanks all for your responses. Sounds like it would be OK, I think we'll probably detour into nearby roads in places to avoid getting held up.

[DaveP]

Did it last year, but going North from Bayonne. Its nearly all tarmac. The hardpack bits were not many, not long and not chewed up by heavier vehicles. In places some of the tarmac was a bit weathered and suffering from tree root heave but the worst of that was further North, approaching Lacaunau. When you are in the forest you are quite isolated much of the time so make sure you have everything you need, especially water. A road bike should cope with the journey, the question should be "Can you hang enough water bottles on it?"
For the same reason I don't think you would find it particularly easy to casually change to a local road for a change of scenery as you wont come across them all that often. Enjoy it for what it is - a peaceful, unexciting trundle through the trees.
We did it in early July, and this section wasn't really crowded. Montalivet through Royan, that was the busy bit.

[robing]

A good tip that an Australian couple told me was on the stretch north of Arcachon, on the other side of the Basin. Rather than take the velodyssey here, go slightly inland and take a parallel cycle way which goes as far as Hourtin Ville. The velodyssey on this stretch is very up and down because of the sand dunes. But this parallel path is flat, straight and very smooth. There's also an excellent campsite in Hourtin ville which only charges €7 for cycle campers.

It's very easy to wild camp in the forest just off the velodyssey. I did this and it was wonderful, I was very well hidden. But the sangliers kept me awake at night! Also, because it's so dry here, no mossies whatsoever (unlike further up near Ile d'oleron where they were horrendous.)

[MrsHJ]

Very boring, as is much of Aquataine. If riding in summer you will encounter lots of very slow leisure cyclists, threading your way through them can be very time consuming.

Am I the only tourer who quite likes the zen of straight roads? It's some years since I did this section (before it became the velodysee so obviously our route won't have been exactly the same) but I remember either forest roads through the dunes or dead straight D roads through the forests. However him indoors and I enjoyed the longer evening time together and also had some mental space to prepare ourselves for the Pyrenees.

[MrsHJ]

[DaveP]

I did wonder beforehand if the delights of cycling through the pines would pall before we reached - mmm - Montalivet or thereabouts. Mentioned it to the rest of the party and then let it drop.
In practice, although you couldn't really pass it off as "exciting" I relaxed into it and found the days and the kilometres rolled peacefully under my wheels...

Does that count?

[MrsHJ]

I did wonder beforehand if the delights of cycling through the pines would pall before we reached - mmm - Montalivet or thereabouts. Mentioned it to the rest of the party and then let it drop.
In practice, although you couldn't really pass it off as "exciting" I relaxed into it and found the days and the kilometres rolled peacefully under my wheels...

Does that count?

Yes, precisely that. We also had a very fast day into Dax when the rained poured down on us and made for either very fast roads or riders not inclined to stop. In any case we put up at a hotel to dry out and that was the end of the flat. We then headed up to st jean pied port and the roncevalles pass.

[dodger]

Hi Mrs HJ
Interested in your route from Bayonne to St Jean. I broke off my trip to Santiago after many days of foul weather and a lousy forecast so never got round to planning this bit. Perhaps the route would have been more interesting in the sun!

[Spitdiss]

followed the route from Biarritz northwards to Roscoff in June

whilst tarmac most of the way that you are considering can be bit bumpy with tree roots under the road surface

my fellow traveller used a Ribble road bike frame but put larger tyres on it and reduced the gearing to cope with carrying a load

some pics and video on my blog


https://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?o= ... 17464&v=1d

Matt

[bretonbikes]

Very boring, as is much of Aquataine. If riding in summer you will encounter lots of very slow leisure cyclists, threading your way through them can be very time consuming.

I'm going to second that;-) Mindnumbing...

Personally I'd cut well inland (like 30 miles from the coast) where there are gentle hills to roll over, something other than trees and much more chance of pretty villages;-) But it does add to time of course.