Eurovelo 6 from Nantes.

Cycle-touring, Expeditions, Adventures, Major cycle routes NOT LeJoG (see other special board)
toadoftoadhall
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Joined: 10 Jul 2018, 11:17pm

Eurovelo 6 from Nantes.

Post by toadoftoadhall »

Anyone done the 6 from Atlantic eastwards.
Looking for any information. Flixbus to Nantes on may 31st, then down the river Loire-Atlantique as far as I can ride for a month or so.
Psamathe
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Re: Eurovelo 6 from Nantes.

Post by Psamathe »

Yes. Except I started a short distance inland (at Langlais)

Any information is very very broad. e.g. It's a cycle route ac ross France - any help? Question(s) need to be a bit more specific.

My daily diary https://psamathe.net/tag/eurovelo-6/ (and being a "diary" the posts are in date order, the western end being "Older" so you'll need to scan back i.e. they might appear in the "wrong" order but I did west to east).

Ian
RobinS
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Re: Eurovelo 6 from Nantes.

Post by RobinS »

We rode down from St Malo to Nantes, then eastwards as far as Bratislava, camping all the way. Lovely route, mainly plenty of food shops and campsites. Off road cycle routes or quiet roads. Ask away if you have any specific questions.
toadoftoadhall
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Joined: 10 Jul 2018, 11:17pm

Re: Eurovelo 6 from Nantes.

Post by toadoftoadhall »

How far was it between the campsites, were they only near large towns? Did you do any wild camping along the way, was it possible? How did you get back. Getting to Nantes on the Flixbus. Not sure how long I want be be away and wondering if I should book my way back.
And thanks.
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MrsHJ
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Location: Dartmouth, Devon.

Re: Eurovelo 6 from Nantes.

Post by MrsHJ »

How far do you reckon you’ll get- I’m thinking a month from the Atlantic would mean somewhere between Regensburg and Vienna for me? (I do 65/70km a day pretty steadily but get bored and cocyx issues with more time on the bike these days).

I’ve got it outlined on cycle.travel for when I get round to it in thirds so I guess I’m thinking about 3 weeks including travel there and back per section.

Sorry I can’t answer the specific question- it’s too long since I camped on the Loire although my guess is there’ll be plenty everywhere.
Psamathe
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Re: Eurovelo 6 from Nantes.

Post by Psamathe »

toadoftoadhall wrote: 13 May 2023, 3:28pm How far was it between the campsites, were they only near large towns? Did you do any wild camping along the way, was it possible? How did you get back. Getting to Nantes on the Flixbus. Not sure how long I want be be away and wondering if I should book my way back.
And thanks.
Plenty of campsites. "Worst" stretch was somewhere along Doubs where a 40 mile gap between campsites. There were some a bit closer but it meant a detour off up into the hills and not that much shorter.

If you have a smartphone or tablet download Archies app - that gives a good indication. Useful when actually making the trip as well.

Ian
Psamathe
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Re: Eurovelo 6 from Nantes.

Post by Psamathe »

Which has reminded me of an unrelated consideration (the Doubs valley reminded me),

Eastern French EV6: if you are using computer generated routing systems (cycle.travel, RideWith GPS, etc. - they all show the same effects), the route altitude profile will show as very very hilly with high total assent & descent and with altitude plots making the ride look "a challenge". It isn't, you're along beside rivers & canals.

The reason what all the computer route creators show such a hilly ride is because it is a hilly area but you are sticking on towpaths beside the rivers & canals (good width tarmac paths really great and easy for cycling). Computer route creator software does not have exact altitude measurements for the points you are cycling but it has to do a mathematical interpolation between a grid of altitude points it does have altitude points for (normally data from SRTM - NASA Space Shuttle Radar Topography Mission). So e.g. for a point on the cycle path the software might have to use points either side one or both on a hill either side of the path giving a false high altitude; then next point maybe one point os in the valley so the maths created a lower estimated/calculated point; next maybe points both on hills either side, etc., etc. So it thinks you're going up and down between these points 'cos it doesn't know there is a cycle path flat and level beside the river/canal.

Another example is Besançon where the river does an tight loop with a high peninsula you travel across. It would be a real climb and scary descent if there was not a tunnel you cycle through.

773B9AE7-CC60-4275-B82A-BDF0C84FE1DC-544x640.png
Ian
djb
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Joined: 24 Mar 2013, 9:27pm
Location: Canada eh

Re: Eurovelo 6 from Nantes.

Post by djb »

toadoftoadhall wrote: 13 May 2023, 3:28pm How far was it between the campsites, were they only near large towns? Did you do any wild camping along the way, was it possible? How did you get back. Getting to Nantes on the Flixbus. Not sure how long I want be be away and wondering if I should book my way back.
And thanks.
we did nantes to switzerland but its been at least four years now, and returned to Canada by plane from Switzerland, so cannot comment on your return.
The part of eurovelo 6 that we did had fairly easily manageable campgrounds distances, and I was able to also fairly easily find campground info. We had difficulties getting a French sim card to work in our phones (Orange brand, but this was a specific problem with our N American phones not working with an Oranges / european technical thing--so we only had internet access at French campgrounds. I had however downloaded open source maps of the areas we were biking through, so had that offline to help figure out where we were if we strayed off the EV6 route.
If you are able to have a working data phone, this will help in planning a few days in advance for camping etc.
As for wild camping, we didnt do it, but if one is discreet and do not leave garbage around, its always a possibility--but depends where of course.
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Tigerbiten
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Re: Eurovelo 6 from Nantes.

Post by Tigerbiten »

I did it years ago. Campsite where easy to find.
Two option I can think of if doing around 50 miles a day.
Nantes - Basel -Vienna, ~1,400 miles. Keep going on the EV6 and arrange a lift home from Vienna.
Nantes - Basel - Rotterdam. ~1,400 miles. Turn north on the rhine and cycle back to the UK.

Luck ....... :D
toadoftoadhall
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Joined: 10 Jul 2018, 11:17pm

Re: Eurovelo 6 from Nantes.

Post by toadoftoadhall »

Thank you everyone.
Ferry to St Malo june 1st, then cycling down to Nantes, or train if possible with bike.
I will be doing 30 to 40 miles per day, but as I'm retired , having a few days off, or staying at places I like a bit longer no rush. Hot days and campsite with pool and I'm in.
toadoftoadhall
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Joined: 10 Jul 2018, 11:17pm

Re: Eurovelo 6 from Nantes.

Post by toadoftoadhall »

BTW Archies camping app looks good, at £3. Thank you for that Ian.
toadoftoadhall
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Joined: 10 Jul 2018, 11:17pm

Re: Eurovelo 6 from Nantes.

Post by toadoftoadhall »

BTW Archies camping app looks good, at £3. Thank you for that Ian.

Tinteniac is probably my first stop, outside Rennes.
Eng7166k
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Re: Eurovelo 6 from Nantes.

Post by Eng7166k »

In 2014 set off from St Malo to Nante to start ev6. Unfortunately whilst crossing the Barrage de la Rance leaving St Malo, came off the bike in heavy ferry traffic, and ended up with 3 fractures in left arm and broken right elbow. Trip over before it even started.
My own fault new front pannier bags clipped dwarf wall and got a wobble on. Few years later crossed Barrage again, this time walked bike over.
thelo
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Joined: 25 Dec 2022, 1:52pm

Re: Eurovelo 6 from Nantes.

Post by thelo »

Hi , it is possible to take your train to St Malo with your bike with TER trains, plenty of rooms for bikes - 36€
In France all along rivers and canals you can easily do wild camping as long as being clean .
ossie
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Re: Eurovelo 6 from Nantes.

Post by ossie »

Psamathe wrote: 13 May 2023, 5:48pm
Another example is Besançon where the river does an tight loop with a high peninsula you travel across. It would be a real climb and scary descent if there was not a tunnel you cycle through.


773B9AE7-CC60-4275-B82A-BDF0C84FE1DC-544x640.png

Ian
I did that very tunnel. At the time it was heaven sent not just for the reasons you give above but it was shelter from some very inclement weather. It was only on my return to the UK several weeks later I realised that I'd missed out on a lovely town.
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