Stuff to see between Bilbao & St. Malo

[Dave Davenport]

We're catching the ferry to Bilbao on the 17th and cycling back to St. Malo, route will be something like; follow the coast to Royan, la Rochelle then roughly in the direction of Nantes & Rennes.

Any recommendations for places / things to see on our route?

 

[rich p]

We're catching the ferry to Bilbao on the 17th and cycling back to St. Malo, route will be something like; follow the coast to Royan, la Rochelle then roughly in the direction of Nantes & Rennes.

Any recommendations for places / things to see on our route?

Bordeaux is a nice city, as they go.

Have a good trip Dave, and go easy on the sauce, mate!

 

[Tim Bennet.]

France?

 

[Dave Davenport]

Bordeaux is a nice city, as they go.

Have a good trip Dave, and go easy on the sauce, mate!

You don't expect me to spend 36 hours on the Pride of Bilbao sober do you?!

 

[rich p]

You don't expect me to spend 36 hours on the Pride of Bilbao sober do you?!

Point taken!

 

[Speck]

We're catching the ferry to Bilbao on the 17th and cycling back to St. Malo, route will be something like; follow the coast to Royan, la Rochelle then roughly in the direction of Nantes & Rennes.

Any recommendations for places / things to see on our route?

We have just had a week in Josselin on the Nantes - Brest Canal, have look at my photo's in the gallery.

John

 

[psmiffy]

Spanish coast is pretty good going east – but you sometimes have to make an effort to see it – San Sebastian is OK although the traffic can be interesting – SS campsite is on top of a good hill – can be crowded – Hendaye OK – St Jean de Luiz is very pretty – Biarritz interesting sort of place, sandstone bluffs but a bit poncy for my taste.

North of Bayonne there to Arcachon there good cycle paths but too many trees and sand dunes – OK if you like beaches and trees – personally I would come inland a bit every now and then for a bit of variety – biggest sand dune in France at Piyla. North of Arcachon to the ferry at Le Verdom sm again there are good paths but too many trees – If you have not been to Bordeaux maybe divert and then cycle up the Gironde Estuary through the vineyards - cross over on the ferry at Paulliac.

Royan is niceish and round the coast to Rochefort is pleasant – Transporter bridge at Rochefort – La Rochelle is a gem – along the coast to almost St N is a nice cycle (bridge is a pig but you are going to Nantes anyway)

Personally I would follow the coast till at least Vannes or Lorient before cutting across to Dinan – very pretty – and on to St Malo

My 2009 CGOB does St Malo to Locaneau/Bordeax – back to front for you but never mind

 

[bikepacker]

If you take the coastal route up to Soulac and the ferry across from the Point to Royan, have a coffee in the bar on the ferry. Best coffee I ever tasted and others have thought the same.

Also take in Vitre, it is a lovely old town.

 

[Shadow]

Hendaye OK – St Jean de Luiz is very pretty – Biarritz interesting sort of place

beat me to it; a lovely area, some towns will be very busy at this time of year; inland there are the Pyrenees foothills; do try the local specialties: 'piperade' to eat, washed down with some Txacoli!

biggest sand dune in France at Piyla

was also going to mention this, not just France but largest in Europe!, worth getting off the bike to work different leg muscles!!!

 

[psmiffy]

Piyla claims to be the biggest in Europe and I was going to describe it as such - until I remembered that i have cycled over something that was definetly a sand dune and was probably bigger somewhere further north - Scandinavia?