Je lis depuis quelque temps le forum voyage à vélo, merci pour toutes vos expériences, c'est très enrichissant.
Cyclistes essentielement urbain, nous sommes, mon ami et moi, décidés à partir une dizaine de jours pour du vélo/camping.
Quelques idées nous ont traversées la tête : l'Aquitaine (Périgord ou Landes) ou le Gers. Nous n'avons pas le choix sur la période, il nous faut partir en Août à partir de la 2eme quinzaine.
Les Landes sont plates mais il y aura sûrement beaucoup de monde à cette période le l'année ?...
Le Gers m'attire mais j'ai un peu peur que cela soit trop valonné... Est-ce que certains d'entre vous connaissent la région et peuvent nous donner un retour ?
Concernant les Landes je ne peux rien vous en dire, ne connaissant la région que pour y avoir lutter contre les feux de foret.
Pour le Gers, je connais un peu le coin vers Fleurance; Lectour, Auch, Montfort, Mauvezin, Condom... Jolie région pleine d'histoire surtout médiévale. Assez valonnée, mais quel plaisir ses paysages par beau temps. Et puis après une cote il y a toujours une descente pour récupérer. Pour ma part j'aime bien m'y promener à vélo, Beaucoup de visites à faire. sans oublié un peu de dégustation des produits de la région (Délicieux mais attention au Pousse-Rapière). Les visites dans le Gers devraient vous permettre de souffler régulièrement.
Ayez la ou les cartes IGN velo de la region et choisissez les routes en fonction des courbes de niveau.
Très bonne route à vous.
Rien ne sert d'aller vite, il faut arriver à point.
Du moment que j'avance, je sais où je vais ... . Devant!
Pourquoi avoir peur des régions vallonnées ? Avec un vélo équipé de petits développements, comme le sont la plupart des VTT, VTC et autres hybides actuels même à bon marché, on "grimpe aux arbres"....
C'est plus une question de mental qu'autre chose : accepter de ne pas aller vite quand ça monte, en moulinant.
Les régions plates sont d'un ennui terrible ! Mais les régions que l'on croit plates parce que l'on y est passé en automobile apportent parfois des surprises aux cyclistes ! Et sur le plat, un bon petit vent de face bien constant peut vous pourrir une journée entière de vélo !
Le, ou plutôt les Périgords sont effectivement vallonnés, mais c'est superbe. Et à vélo, les descentes sont gratuites, donc environ la moitié du chemin... Vous pourriez remonter la vallée de la Dordogne en commençant par Saint Emilion puis Bergerac et Montbazillac, et oser progressivement quelques incursions au nord ou au sud de la vallée dans quelques reliefs ? (les Eyzies, Lascaux, Padirac, Rocamadour...)
Ou bien selon le même principe suivre peu ou prou la vallée du Lot.
les Landes sont plates si l'on reste dans la partie nord et en bord de littoral, par contre un peu plus au sud entre l'Adour et le gave de Pau c'est la Chalosse qui elle est bien vallonnée, mais bien plus variée dans les paysages et jolis villages à decouvrir
le perigord(noir ) bien sûr, ses falaises, ses chateaux, ses villages perchés, ses grottes, ses rivières, sa gastronomie, par contre bien vallonné et le spectaculaire attire les foules .....
le Gers c'est le departement tresors cachés, il faut aller de villages en villages sans se presser, par les petites routes decouvrir, St Clar, Fourcès, Larressingle, La Romieu, Montreal, Mezin et autres merveilles
une autre idée si vous voulez rester sur du relativement plat, le Lot et ses causses, le causse de Limogne par exemple, entre Caylus et st Cirq Lapopie ( à ne pas rater ) une fois que vous êtes en haut aucune difficulté et encore de beaux villages tranquilles
après le 15 aout il y a deja beaucoup moins de monde, c'est surtout visible sur le littoral parce que l'interieur des terres, sauf peut etre le perigord, n'attire pas trop les foules
Merci à tous pour vos réponses. J'avoue que le Gers est ce qui me tente le plus, envie de bastides et de gourmandises 😉 Herhyck, on est bien d'accord...
Il faut effectivement que je regarde les cartes afin d'éviter les plus grands dénivelés les jours où le vélo sera le plus chargé. Vieuxpicard, c'est ce qui me fait peur, porter tout le bazar de camping et monter des cotes...
Comme c'est notre 1er "long" voyage, nous pensions établir un campement pour 2/3 jours dans certains endroits et faire des boucles autour puis repartir un peu plus loin. Cela permettrait d'aller découvrir des choses plus lointaines les jours où on n'est pas chargé.
Joelle, les causses dont vous parlez me semble un bien bel endroit...
Tant d'endroits à visiter et si peu de vacances ;-) !
Salut !
J'ai fait le Gers et les landes cet été, c'était génial !
Alors pour le Gers il y'a quelques côtes mais elles sont faisables et c'ets tellement beau qu'on a envie de voir ce qu'il y a plus loin ! Franchement comme on l'a dit une côte est parfois plus facile que du plat avec du vent de face !
Recommandations de visites : Lectoure, Condom
Concernant les landes on a parfois l'impression d'être dans un désert ...enfin c'ets peut etre parce que j'ai roulé pendant la canicule !
Cette sensation d'etre seul aux milieu des arbres m'a beaucoup plu !
Par contre, ne pas avoir peur des lignes droites de plusieurs kms de long (il m'est arrivé de voir certains endroits devant moi à 4 km ça fait un peu champs élysées !). Je dirai donc qu'entre des routes toutes droites ou l'on a moins l'impression d'avancer et le gers, la difficulté est finalement semblable !
nb : si vous avez la même température que j'ai eu, vous boirez....12 litres d'eau pr 140 km (39 degrés)
Si tu veux des enfants, va jusqu'au bout de ton idée : fais en sorte de leur laisser un monde vivable.
Arrêtons de croire au Père Noël, la croissance à tout va c'est une belle connerie !
...au nord des Landes, il y a un petit coin sympathoche, Villandraut (un château en ruine et une recoltante de bon miel), Budos (un chateau en ruine), à 4 km de Sauterne...à boire avec modération;p), les gorges du Ciron...bref, un ptit coin de paradis..
...au nord des Landes, il y a un petit coin sympathoche, Villandraut (un château en ruine et une recoltante de bon miel), Budos (un chateau en ruine), à 4 km de Sauterne...à boire avec modération;p), les gorges du Ciron...bref, un ptit coin de paradis..
Très juste chère Mosquita, Villandraut se trouve encore en Gironde, tout comme budos et Roquetaillade...que je n'avais pas l'intention de vous enlever 😛! Le post parlait des Landes...c'est pour ça...sinon, j'ai un immmense respect pour les girondins (surtout de Concordia à Adichats)😉
Je souhaiterais répondre afin de faciliter vos prochains voyages en vélo dans le Gers.
Après avoir consulté de nombreux sites Internet, j'ai finalement opté pour le Tour du Gers en vélo en solitaire, et tracé mon propre itinéraire.
Je suis parti d'Auch (arrivé par TER de Toulouse), et j'ai roulé entre 80 et 100 kms par jour (d'après le compteur vélo), sur 5 jours.
J'ai réalisé une boucle Auch Seissan Mirande Montesquoi (J1) Bassoues Beaumarchés Plaisance Madiran Viella Saint Mont Riscle (J2) Termes d'armagnac Sabazon Aignan Nogaro Estang Cazaubon Eauze (J3) Bretagne Montreal Fources Larresingle Cassaigne Abbaye de Blaran Condom (J4) Romieu Lectoure Paulhiac Florence Lavardens Montestruc (J5) Puysegur Auch (J6).
Je dormais en chambres d'hôtes réservées les semaines précédentes. De ce fait, je savais où je devais aller, et je n'avais pas à porter la tente et de quoi manger.
Mon vélo était très peu chargé (Carte Indispensable, Affaires toilettes, matériel pour réparer, affaires de rechange pour 1 jour ...) soit l'équivalent d'un sac à dos sur le porte bagage.
Je me suis régalé, j'ai vu ce que je voulais voir, des paysages, la nature, des bâtisses ...
La météo était impeccable (1ère semaine de septembre 2013).
J'ai pu constater que les routes ne sont jamais plates, mais avec une pratique régulière d'un sport, ou du vélo, ça passe facilement. Les côtes n'ont pas de forts pourcentages, je passais les côtes avec le 2nd plateau, voire le petit plateau de mon VTC.
Je vous conseille de prendre les routes départementales (moins de circulation, et plus pittoresque que les grands axes) voire les routes entre villages.
Je m'arrêtais chaque demi heure environ pour boire ou manger, profiter du paysage, prendre des photos et souffler.
Je partais vers 9 h, pour arriver entre 16h30 - 17h30 dans la chambre d'hôtes.
Voilà, j'espère que ça vous aidera, n'hésitez pas à me contacter.
En Aquitaine fin juin 2012 pour une semaine. Recherchons forfait vélo-transport de bagages-gites ou encore le meilleur endroit pour se fixer et faire des…
Nous prévoyons de partir 10 jours à vélo en Aquitaine... même peut être jusqu'à Biaritz. Avez vous une idée de ce que je pourrais faire de ma voiture. Pas…
Je pars bientôt en vélo en Aquitaine (départ Bordeaux, arrivé bibao) je vais donc traverser toute l'aquitaine, et je voudrai vraiment manquer le mOin de chose…
Voyager à vélo › France › Sud-Ouest / Ouest · 2 replies
Nouvelle sur le forum et dans rando a velo, je pietine un peu danz le choix du vtc, ainsi j'espere trouver un peu de conseils ici! Je voyagerai à vitesse de…
I'm developing a free and open-source web app for planning walking and cycling trips (and even car trips). You can create a route by clicking directly on the map to add waypoints, and it can consist of multiple stages. The app provides tools to edit the stages and the overall route, and to display useful information (distances, altitudes, and elevation changes). A relief profile can be shown as a graph for a specific stage or the entire route.
Once the route is ready, it can be exported as a GPX file, which can then be used with a GPS or a mobile navigation app.
The app is built in JavaScript and runs entirely in the web browser. It uses the Leaflet library and several OpenStreetMap-based services. Initially developed for my personal needs (I enjoy hiking and cycle touring), I’d be happy to share it with anyone who might find it useful. It’s free to use, doesn’t require an account, and the source code is available.
I’ve got my flight ticket sorted—departing in mid-November and returning in mid-March. I’ll arrive in Santiago and leave from Buenos Aires.
I’ve already been to southern Argentina, specifically Torres del Paine National Park, and I’d love to go back to do the full W trek (I only did the shorter version last time).
I also want to do some hiking and maybe even tackle a summit. I climb and occasionally do some mountaineering, so I’ll definitely be going with a guide.
I plan to start around Temuco in Chile, with the idea of heading toward the lakes, then taking the Carretera Austral.
I’m not sure if I’ll go all the way to Ushuaia—it’s supposed to not be *that* worth it, except for the bragging rights of saying you’ve been to the end of the world.
I saw there are lakes in Argentina too.
I don’t have a precise itinerary, but what I’d love is, once I reach the southernmost point of my trip, to take a mini-cruise to see some wildlife. Any tips for that?
What kind of sleeping bag did you take? Is a 0°C (32°F) one enough?
And one last question: white gas stove or can I get by with my gas stove?
Hi there,
I’ve been road cycling for several years, and I’m about to switch to gravel in the next few days—I’m waiting for my bike, which should arrive this week.
I’m planning a bikepacking trip in a few weeks along the Véloroute V81, also known as the Vélosud, from Biarritz to Le Barcarès.
Has anyone here already done this route? Any info is welcome, whether it’s about the route itself, gear, or accommodation. I’ll prioritize staying with locals as much as possible. On that note, I just signed up for the brand-new site *Guidon et Couette* ((www.guidon-et-couette.fr)), which offers free accommodation between cyclists across the country, but there’s almost no one listed along my route!
Thanks in advance.
Laurent.
Hi there, I’m planning a cross-Canada bike trip, and I’ve got a question that might seem silly, but could someone tell me how to pack a bike (in a box, with a fragile sticker... I don’t know) for a flight? Thanks in advance!
This summer, we’re planning to cycle along the EV 19 that follows the Meuse River from Langres all the way to Rotterdam.
My question is about getting back to Nantes.
Do any of you know what the best return option might be? I’d love to hear about your experiences.
I saw that FlixBus doesn’t take bikes.
By train, I think it’s possible but would involve multiple local trains.
We were also wondering if there’s a boat from Rotterdam to Saint-Nazaire that could take passengers with bikes.
Any tips or experiences you can share would be really helpful—thanks in advance!
Have a great evening
I’ve gotten used to crossing Europe by bus to return by bike.
It was really convenient to take the bike without having to disassemble it.
But FlixBus no longer accepts bikes...
What alternatives do you know about?
Thanks.
Hi there,
I’m planning to ride the Dutch section of the EuroVelo 19, from Maastricht to Rotterdam.
Since it’s too complicated to bring my bike on the train, I’m looking to rent one locally.
I’d love any tips or bike rental shop recommendations—I’m struggling to find options even in Rotterdam.
The plan is to rent in Rotterdam, take the train to Maastricht with the bike, then cycle back to Rotterdam.
Thanks in advance for any advice or suggestions!
Nath
I’m planning to cycle from Morlaix to Brest (via Roscoff and the V45 coastal route). We’ll start riding on August 16th for 13 days (with stops for island visits, surfing, etc.). Is there a lot of traffic at this time of year? I’ve got two kids, 11 and 13, and we don’t like riding in the middle of cars (we’ve already done the Vélomaritime—Caen to Cherbourg—the Loire route from Orléans to Saumur, the Vélodyssée from Nantes to Royans, and the canals like the Nivernais and Bourgogne, where there were plenty of bike-only lanes, which isn’t the case on this route).
Thanks for your help if you’ve already done this route in late August!
Virginie
I’m planning to build a new touring bike.
I want to prioritize lightness.
That said, I’m tempted by a suspension fork that could offer some comfort on rougher roads.
The recent appearance of gravel suspension forks on the market might meet my needs—at least on paper.
I’m particularly considering the RockShox Rudy Ultimate XPLR fork.
Unlike MTB forks, its travel is short: either 30 mm or 40 mm.
It weighs 1400 g, which is 400/500 g more than a steel fork.
Any thoughts or real-world feedback on this?
I’m also wondering about the durability of magnesium (lower leg) for long-distance bike touring.
And what’s the impact of skipping the manufacturer-recommended maintenance every 50 and 200 hours? That’s bound to happen on a long trip unless you carry extra gear.
More generally, how reliable are these kinds of forks?
Hi everyone,
I wanted to share with you the incredible feat my friend José, who’s 72 years old, is currently undertaking. He left Auterive near Toulouse on Monday, May 18, 2026, on his non-electric bike, heading for the North Cape in Norway!
You can follow his route on the link below—he’s currently in Sweden:
https://thierry-thomas.travelmap.net/jose-de-toulouse-a-nord-cap-2026
You can zoom in on the map and click on each stopover town to see the photos
I’m making an exception and creating a separate post this time, since it’s all about France. In May, we spent a week in Provence, specifically in the Luberon, exploring the cycling routes *Autour du Luberon à Vélo*, the *Véloroute du Calavon* (part of EuroVelo 8), and the shorter *Les Ocres à Vélo* route. Together, they gave us an amazing journey through rolling hills, vineyards, lavender fields still green in spring, and some of the most stunning landscapes in southern France.
It was, of course, the perched villages that impressed us the most. We visited Gordes, Roussillon, Bonnieux, Lacoste, Lourmarin, Ménerbes, Oppède-le-Vieux, Cucuron, and Lauris. Many of them are among the most beautiful villages in Provence, and it’s hard not to agree with that reputation.
One interesting point is the route of EuroVelo 8 in this part of the region. The official path mainly follows the old railway line of the *Véloroute du Calavon*, which is very comfortable and safe. But in our opinion, cyclists traveling EuroVelo 8 around the Mediterranean would discover even more treasures if the route passed through villages like Bonnieux, Lacoste, or Oppède-le-Vieux.
We were also pleasantly surprised by how safe cycling felt. Most of the route takes small local roads, but traffic is light, drivers are respectful, and road design really takes cyclists into account. It’s one of those places where you can ride peacefully even without separated bike lanes.
Our full story:
Around Luberon by bicycle - the most beautiful villages of Provence
You can also find all our cycling travel stories on the forum:
Cycling Thread - Europe’s most beautiful bike routes
Hi there, we’re a group of 4 cyclists looking to get from Treviso in Italy to Munich with our 4 non-folding bikes. It seems complicated! Are there any solutions? Thanks so much.
hello fellow cycling enthusiasts
here’s a travel journal of the cycling tour through the Rhône-Alpes Auvergne region by Claudio
zouli
it was the plan
http://cbandiera.free.fr/parcours/auvergne-Ralpes/
the trip was completed
story being posted online soon
1100 km in 11 days
beautiful and varied regions
Hi there, we’re planning a Munich to Venice bike trip at the end of June 2026. Getting back from Venice to Toulouse by train with 4 bikes isn’t straightforward. What return options have others who’ve done this trip chosen? Any tips or great deals would be much appreciated. Thanks a bunch! !
Hi everyone,
Happy owner of a Pegasus Estremo bike with a Rohloff hub, which is giving me trouble with the SF11-NCX-FT-E-LITE 700C TS 300/0 fork (serial number TD01329060). It’s starting to show its age, and I’d like to repair it to extend the life of my beloved bike.
The suspension is gone, and there’s an oil leak from the seals.
Does anyone know how to repair it? Where can I find parts that are about fifteen years old? Or where to find an identical replacement fork? Just to clarify, the Magura HS11 brakes are mounted using Firm Tech, meaning they’re on pivots behind the fork, facing the frame.
Hi, I'd like to know if anyone has done this route recently or has reliable info.
Does the track exist, and most importantly, is there sand (for biking)?
Any info is welcome.
Cheers,
diego ambilobe: mangaoka, manondro, ramena
vohemar sambava: masondrono, tanambao
Hi there,
New to bike touring,
I’d love to start with a section of the Via Rhona to explore and share (route to be decided).
Looking forward to exchanging tips!
I’m landing in Madagascar with a buddy before the end of April 2026. We’re planning to bike around for about twenty days or so. We don’t have a specific goal other than exploring the country and meeting the locals.
Ideally, we’d prefer a loop route starting from Antananarivo with a good chunk of it along the coast. On the bike side, we’re used to riding 6 to 8 hours a day, depending on the needs, encounters, and mood 😉 Any feedback or tips from trips around this length?
A big thank you to Lazarou for all the info you share in this forum!
I'm passionate about Morocco, which I cycled through back in 2009.
Last year, my wife and I explored the High Atlas by tandem. Completely smitten, we're heading back in April (Anti Atlas) and May (High and Middle Atlas), still on our tandem.
Do you have any info on the track between Amezri and Ali Ait Nito? Are the river crossings in the Tessaout still there? It's not easy to navigate with a loaded tandem... especially if the river level is high due to this year's heavy snowmelt!
Thanks in advance for any tips you might have, and best wishes for health in this new year!
Claudio specializes in the route of the Savoie lakes
Here are his travels
Between Bornes, Chartreuse, the Savoie foothills, and Dauphiné
Five lakes: Léman, Annecy, Paladru, Aiguebelette, Bourget, not to mention a few ponds along the way
Plenty of accommodation options: camping, hotels, and more...
A lovely route not far from his place
Rural and quite peaceful
A road cycling route created by Serge B...
First of all... happy New Year! Wishing you great roads in 2017!
I’ve been traveling for a few years now with a high-quality mountain bike, but it’s equipped with hydraulic disc brakes. I live (pedal) with the constant worry of a breakdown (leak, air bubble, heat causing the fluid to...). My bike mechanic tells me it’s impossible to switch them out for V-brakes.
What do you all think? Am I taking a big risk continuing (alone) with these brakes? Thanks in advance for your great tips!
First post here to share a quick recap of our west-to-east bike trip along Algeria’s coast in January 2025.
It was just the two of us—my partner and I—with French passports and not a word of Arabic. No friends or welcoming hosts in the country.
Under those conditions, we’d strongly advise against going.
Our original plan was to follow the coast from Algiers to Tunis. We ended up cycling from Algiers to Béjaia, then took the train from Béjaia to Annaba (with a stop in Constantine), and finally biked to the border.
We were tailed by police the whole way—whether on our bikes, on the train, or even on foot while exploring towns. On top of that, we couldn’t wild camp and were limited to the few state-approved hotels that accept foreigners. Under those circumstances, connecting with locals was especially tough.
With such an omnipresent and intrusive police presence, we’d definitely recommend against this destination for bike touring. A really sad situation that completely cuts you off from the local population...
We’d been warned, we went to check it out, and we weren’t disappointed!
Hi there,
I’m planning the route to cycle from Lille to Nordkapp with my partner.
Duration: 3 months, from May 1st to July 31st, 2026.
In the attached details below, I need to add some "non-riding" days (rest days, basically).
So I’m looking to "shorten" the trip by taking ferries or trains for some stretches. Which areas could I skip?
Thanks in advance for your great tips.
Have a good evening.
https://www.komoot.com/fr-fr/collection/4023980/-lille-cap-nord-1er-mai-au-31-juillet-2026?ref=collection
I’m planning to bike back from Poland this summer. Does anyone know a way to ship it there without having to take it apart? Otherwise, it’s a real hassle to fine-tune all the settings before departure!
Thanks in advance.
Hi, has anyone recently bought Primus or Butagaz gas, possibly puncture-style, in Dubrovnik or the surrounding area? Same question for Albania... thanks. aichatou
Just a few words about the loop I did by bike in Yunnan.
Entry and exit
I entered China through the Sino-Vietnamese border crossing at Lào Cai / Hekou under the 30-day visa exemption currently available to French nationals and others.
The process was simple and quick. A Chinese police officer even helped me complete my electronic pre-registration at a computer kiosk. I wasn’t aware this formality was required—it’s similar to Thailand’s TM6.
No issues with the bike.
I left the country via the Sino-Laotian border crossing at Mohan / Boten.
The atmosphere was a bit chaotic there, but again, no problems with the bike.
The timing
I visited Yunnan in February 2026.
Weather-wise, at higher altitudes (between 1,500 and 2,000 meters), it was around ten degrees at night and in the mornings, and around twenty degrees at the hottest part of the day.
I had two days of rain, so I took the bus to keep moving. Otherwise, clear blue skies.
Culturally, Chinese New Year fell on February 17th (and the 15 days following), right in the middle of my trip. Because of this, my take on the traffic might be off.
Accommodation and food
I always found a hotel to stay in for prices ranging from 8 to 15 €. Except in Kunming (the capital), where many hotels were fully booked (Chinese New Year). I ended up at a 100 € hotel with great value for money.
A bowl of noodles costs about 1.5 € on average.
Onboard electronics
Since my smartphone doesn’t support eSIMs, I subscribed to a China plan with my carrier. Otherwise, for much cheaper, Alipay offers eSIMs for foreigners that allow access to services usually blocked for Chinese users (WhatsApp, Facebook, etc.).
An internet connection is essential for paying with Alipay or WeChat, as this payment method is widespread.
I only managed to use Alipay.
Either way, always carry cash because sometimes there’s no signal, or the merchant only accepts WeChat.
Also, it’s best to bring a power adapter when you arrive rather than struggling to find one.
Traffic and roads
The Chinese aren’t reckless drivers. They follow traffic rules and watch out for cyclists. This is slightly less true in Xishuangbanna (the region bordering Myanmar and Laos).
In urban areas, there are almost always wide bike lanes, separated from other roads, where bikes, electric mini-scooters, and scooters share the space pretty harmoniously.
The roads are in great condition, and traffic is generally manageable—even light—except for one stretch (Eshan -> Yangwu).
Most traffic is absorbed by expressways, China’s equivalent of highways: toll roads that are off-limits to slow vehicles.
You’re never far from these expressways; sometimes you even ride alongside them, which can be noisy at times.
The climbs are usually reasonable, around 5% to 6%. From what I remember, the steepest section was between Menglun and Mengla, with gradients of 8% to 10%, sometimes more.
Riding at these altitudes—though modest—took a bit of getting used to.
The route
I didn’t plan anything in advance. My only goal was to reach Kunming. I don’t know why, but just hearing the name of that city, like Yunnan, always felt dreamy to me.