Marais Poitevin, Vendée and Puy du Fou
Cycling in the Vendée from La Rochelle

"What I loved about this trip: gliding through the heart of the "Green Venice" in a rowboat, walking through the medieval streets of Vouvant, admiring the view from Saint-Michel-Mont-Mercure, thrilling at the Puy du Fou, strolling along the long wild beaches of La Tranche-sur-Mer and finishing in style in the Bay of Aiguillon... A perfect blend of nature, history and fresh air... Luke"

"What I loved about this trip: gliding through the heart of the "Green Venice" in a rowboat, walking through the medieval streets of Vouvant, admiring the view from Saint-Michel-Mont-Mercure, thrilling at the Puy du Fou, strolling along the long wild beaches of La Tranche-sur-Mer and finishing in style in the Bay of Aiguillon... A perfect blend of nature, history and fresh air... Luke"

  • Loop from La Rochelle

  • 8 days - 7 nights

  • Level: Intermediate

  • Family

    Families

  • PMR & Handicaps

    PMR & Handicaps

  • Icon of a rotating white smartphone with waves on a yellow background.

    +33 7 64 49 09 28

Highlights of the trip

  • Explore the Vendée countryside and coastline between marshes, bocage and ocean beaches.

  • From La Rochelle to the Marais Poitevin, from medieval villages to the panoramas of the bocage, via the Puy du Fou and the long beaches of La Tranche-sur-Mer, this tour is a total immersion in the history, nature and culture of the Vendée.

  • Experience 1 full day at Puy du Fou

  • On this unique tour, follow the famous cycle routes: La Vélodyssée, La VéloFrancette and the "Vendée à Vélo".

  • Between abbeys, castles and nature reserves, enjoy each stage at your own pace.

  • Enjoy comfortable accommodation, varied entertainment and changing landscapes for a trip to be enjoyed as a couple, with family or friends, on a classic bike, VAE or Pino tandem for even more sharing.

100% customized travel

A cyclo-voyage loop from 8 days and 7 nights departing from La Rochelle on a classic bike, a VAE or a semi-recumbent Tandem Pino.

Itinerary

Steps

Day 1: Arrival in La Rochelle

The adventure begins...
Your hotel room awaits you, equipped with everything you need for a successful trip: panniers, GPX itinerary, and a detailed travel log to record your favorites.
Welcome by the Toog team, handover of bikes and initiation to Tandem piloting (if applicable).
Settle in, breathe in the sea air, and set off to explore La Rochelle, this historic city with its lively streets and picturesque old port. Dine in front of the illuminated medieval towers, and let the excitement of tomorrow's departure lull you to sleep.

Day 2: La Rochelle - Maillezais > 51 km

The journey begins, as you leave La Rochelle for the land of the Marais Poitevin. The road, dotted with canals and green meadows, leads you to Maillezais, famous for its majestic abbey.
Settle into your accommodation, then embark on a boat trip on the "Venise verte", departing from the Embarcadère de l'Abbaye or Petit Port Sauvage. Let yourself glide along the water, lulled by the lapping of the oars and the song of the birds.

Tomorrow, we head for the rolling countryside of the Vendée bocage...

Day 3: Maillezais - La Châtaigneraie > 67 km

Head for history and ancient stones.
Start your day at the Abbaye de Nieul-sur-l'Autise, a Romanesque jewel nestled in a charming village. The route then takes you to Fontenay-le-Comte, where castle and church stand proudly. After passing near the Mervent dam, you reach Vouvant, one of France's most beautiful villages, with its medieval streets and legendary keep.

La Châtaigneraie welcomes you for the night, before a new stage rich in discoveries the next day.

Day 4: La Châtaigneraie - Les Herbiers > 65 km

An itinerary punctuated by unexpected sights.
You'll pass the Carrières de Cheffois, then the Manoir des Sciences de Réaumur, where curiosity and history meet. After a stop at the Château de Pouzauges, the climb to the church of Saint-Michel-Mont-Mercure offers breathtaking panoramic views over the Vendée.

Les Herbiers, gateway to the Puy du Fou, will be your stopover for the evening.

Day 5: Full day at Puy du Fou

A day to experience history in all its glory.
You're off to the Parc du Puy du Fou to immerse yourself in its grandiose shows, Vikings, knights, musketeers and so much more... Here, every nook and cranny tells an epic story.

Return to your accommodation in Les Herbiers for a night full of epic images.

Day 6: Les Herbiers - La Roche-sur-Yon > 63 km

Castles and curiosities along the way.
The Château des Essarts, with its summer events and wooded park, welcomes you for a break. Before that, a detour of between 10 and 15km through the "Labyrinthe en Vendée Vallée" will add a playful touch to the route. Further on, the Haras de la Vendée reveals the art of horsemanship and its traditions.

La Roche-sur-Yon, a Napoleonic town with a checkerboard layout, offers you an evening's rest.

Day 7: La Roche-sur-Yon - La Tranche-sur-Mer > 65 km

From the countryside to the ocean.
You set off for the Moulin de Rambourg, then the CAIRN Préhisto'site, where you can travel back in time to prehistoric times. Gradually, the sea air makes itself felt: Plage des Conches, Plage de la Terrière, then the seaside resort of La Tranche-sur-Mer open up to you.

That evening, fall asleep to the sound of the waves.

Day 8: La Tranche-sur-Mer - La Rochelle > 75 km

A final stopover between sea and nature.
Your route follows the coastline through the port of L'Aiguillon-la-Presqu'île, then the Baie de l'Aiguillon National Nature Reserve, a sanctuary for migratory birds. Gradually, the towers of La Rochelle appear on the horizon.

Back at the starting point, you'll complete an itinerary rich in scenery, history and emotion.

Congratulations, you've covered over 400 km!

Lodgings

When you book, we'll offer you our best selection of accommodations to suit your budget and preferences! You retain complete freedom to choose your stopovers and book directly, and we take care of personalizing your itinerary for a tailor-made trip.

Under the stars or with 5 stars

Category Bivouac under the stars, campsites, small B&Bs
Cosy category comfort campsites, 2*, 3* hotels, guest houses
Category Charm : 3*, 4* hotels, Glamping, charming B&Bs.
Luxury category: 4*, 5* hotels, exceptional homes and estates.

From 456 € / pers

based on 2 people (degressive for more than 2 people) / Excluding accommodation*.

    • Personalized itinerary

    • GPS guidance & travel log.

    • Selection of accommodation, activities and transport with direct booking links.

    • Welcome by our team

    • Equipment rental: classic or tandem semi-recumbent bikes

    • Introduction and advice on how to get to grips with your bike or tandem quickly and easily

    • Concierge & assistance.

    • Meals

    • Booking accommodation, activities and transport

    • Any additional costs associated with the guidance app

    • Personal expenses

    • Insurance

    • Anything not included in the quote

  • When you book, we'll offer you our best selection of accommodations to suit your budget and preferences! You retain complete freedom to choose your stopovers and book directly, and we take care of personalizing your itinerary for a tailor-made trip.

    Bivouac category
    on average: - 80€ / night / based on 2 people
    Category Cosy
    average : 80 to 120€ / night / based on 2 people
    Charming Category
    on average : 120 to 220€ / night / based on 2 people
    Luxury category
    on average : 220 to + de 280€ / night / based on 2 people

    • VAE bike

    • Top-of-the-range touring bike

    • Pino semi-recumbent tandem with electric assistance

    • Travel equipment

    • Non-route delivery

    Many other options available upon request and quotation

Don't let the weather spoil your vacation,
benefit from a postponement of up to 18 months!
See conditions in FAQ

For a couple, a group of friends, a family, a honeymoon, a disabled person or PRM, ...

Page from a tourist guide showing a map, information on an itinerary in the south of the island of Ré, and a photo of a wooden hut on the beach.
Signs for cycling routes in the Vendée region, indicating a right-hand path to La Roche sur Yon and Sainte Flaive des Loups.
Three people in a boat on a river surrounded by lush green trees.
Aerial view of an old village with a large Gothic church in the center, surrounded by red-tiled roofs and residential buildings. Rural landscape with fields and trees in the background.
Hydroelectric dam in the middle of a green forest, under a blue sky with a few clouds.
Aerial view of a town with a castle surrounded by trees, a river and residential buildings.
Aerial view of a village surrounded by a river winding through green countryside, with surrounding fields and forests, under a blue sky with a few clouds.
A river surrounded by wooded hills with a partly cloudy sky.
Aerial view of an old ruined tower on a hill surrounded by trees, with a residential village and agricultural fields in the background.
A stone church with a slender tower, a cross on the façade, surrounded by flower gardens and a blue sky with a few clouds.
A medieval show scene with a stone castle on fire, flames and smoke billowing from the towers, knights in costume, a camp with a colorful tent, medieval decorations, in an open-air environment with a
A circus with a red tent, a central arena with horses and vehicles, surrounded by a large seated crowd. Puy du Fou in Vendée.
A show scene with a burning Viking ship in an amusement park, an audience seated in the open air. Puy du Fou in Vendée.
Historical re-enactment with people in medieval costumes around a wooden tower set in an ancient village and dense vegetation. Puy du Fou in Vendée.
An open-air theater with birds flying in the sky, spectators seated in the tier, and two people standing on a stage or wooden bridge in the center. Puy du Fou in Vendée.
Old fortified stone gate with two round towers, a wooden door and an archway. Earth path in front. Accessibility and restriction signs.
A church with a clock, surrounded by green trees and a pond with swans, in broad daylight with a clear blue sky.
A stone house with a wooden balcony next to a tranquil river lined with plants and trees.
Sandy beach with grassy dune and wooden barricade, partly cloudy blue sky, sea on the horizon.
Sandy beach with dunes and sea waves.
Vast agricultural plains with cultivated fields and streams under clear skies