Original post
je voudrais savoir si la piste cotière Morondova / Tuléar ainsi que la piste Tuléar/ Fort Dauphin est praticable en vtt ? est -ce quelqu'un l'a déja fait ? possibilité de ravitaillement (village) ?
VTT à Madagascar: état de la piste côtière Morondova-Tuléar?
by Virji
This discussion is in French, the community’s main language.
salut virji
quand pars tu? je compte voyager a velo a mada de mi-aout a mi octobre. je cherche des co voyageurs, si ca te dis et si c'est tes dates.... je n'ai pas enore fixe mon itineraire.
pour ce qui est du trajet tulear fort dauphin, je ne connais pas personnellement mais j'ai lu plusieurs fois dans des forums que la presence de sable sur les pistes cotieres comme celle ci rendait impraticable le velo (ou alors en poussant, pourquoi pas!)
tiens moi au courant de ton programme, meme si nos dates correspondent pas, je suis avide de conseils et de bons plans !
Antoine
quand pars tu? je compte voyager a velo a mada de mi-aout a mi octobre. je cherche des co voyageurs, si ca te dis et si c'est tes dates.... je n'ai pas enore fixe mon itineraire.
pour ce qui est du trajet tulear fort dauphin, je ne connais pas personnellement mais j'ai lu plusieurs fois dans des forums que la presence de sable sur les pistes cotieres comme celle ci rendait impraticable le velo (ou alors en poussant, pourquoi pas!)
tiens moi au courant de ton programme, meme si nos dates correspondent pas, je suis avide de conseils et de bons plans !
Antoine
Bonjour, je suis allé sur cette piste (Morondave Tulear) il y a 5 ans (mais j'étais en 4x4) effectivement pas mal de sable et de poussière. Mais j'ai déjà fait au Mali des pistes assez sablonneuses, on arrive à passer dans des endroits assez étonnants avec un peu de pratique VTT, il faut dégonfler à mort les pneus (grosses sections) et si vous avez des pédales autos apprendre à pédaler en tirant la pédale pour dégager la roue arrière du sable, c'est une habitude à prendre et ça aide à passer à certains endroits. Mais pas partout! Attention, en dégonflant les pneus, les flancs souffrent et peuvent finir par se couper, prévoir de quoi réparer ou un pneu de rechange éventuellement (surtout l'arrière)...
En saison des pluies, la piste est je crois assez impraticable et inondée...
Jean-Louis
En saison des pluies, la piste est je crois assez impraticable et inondée...
Jean-Louis
nous avons fait à 2 le parcours morondava à manakara, via tulear et fort dauphin en octobre dernier en vtt et autonomes, pour le départ de morondava en réalité nous sommes partis de belo sur mer car ces 80 km sont uniquement sablonnneux et très profonds, je connaissais déjà avant), jusqu à tulear vous rencontrerez quelques portions de sable où il faut pousser car même en essayant à côté de la piste c est pareil, quand au conseil de dégonfler les pneus je ne vous le consseille pas même si c est efficace dans le sable, car vu les nombreux epineux vous allez crever sans cesse, pour être tranquille de ce côté là, il vaut mieux utiliser des pneus genre schwalbe marathon que des pneus vtt dont les structures sont trop tendres et mettre du produit anticrevaison dans les chambres à air, vous rencontrerez partout des petites epiceries et des endroits pour dormir pas cher (si vous avez l habitude de ce genre de voyage celà ne pose pas de soucis), de tulear à fort dauphin, il faut remonter la n7(goudron sur 70 km) et après c est une piste assez bonne mais qui peut se transformer rapidement après la période des pluies, (ne pas prendre la piste cotiere car impossible en vtt), je vois que vous habitez la haute savoie, je suis en savoie, laissez moi un message et je vous indiquerais précisement les endroits sablonneux et tout le reste sur une carte, bon voyage
Bonjour j'ai fait en fevrier le trajet tana tuleaur fort dauphin en vtt
Tana tulear pas de prpblème goudron partout
Apres je comptais faire tulear fort dauphin en longeant la cote anakao beheloka lavanono itampolo et j'ai ete tres vite arrete par le sable donc au niveau de beheloka j'ai pris une route transversale qui rejoint la nationale je sais pas combien au niveau d'ejeda puis j'ai fait le trajet en passant par ampanihi tranoara etc ambavolombe fort dauphin.Et la il il a beaucoup moins de sable, presque pas, seulement entre ejeda et behahitse et le 20 dernier kilometre avant le bitume il me semble avant ambavolombe excuse moi je n'ai pas de carte sous les yeux.
Tres chaud je l'ai fait en fevrier, tres pauvre, pas de probleme pour te loger sauf si tu cherche le confort, mais un beau periple. Pas un crevaison avec des xcwalbe marathon xr renforcé par une bande anticrevaison
Je suis decu de ne pas avoir reussi en longeant la cote je pensait pouvoir rouler sur la plage à marrée basse mais le velo s'enfoncait trop je ne desepere pas de faire un deuxième essai car je pense qu'avec de la patience et des grandes marée basse ca peut passer.
D'autre part je suis toujours a mada et je souhaite faire d'ici une dizaine de jours tulear morandova en vtt sit tu as des information sur les zone sableuse sur ce trajet notament les information de janoria peut tu me les faire suivre.
Merci rodolphe
rorolifou
je pense que avant de répondre à mon message vous avez mal lu celui ci car je dis avoir fait le voyage de morondava à manakara via tulear et fort dauphin en expliquant justement qu il ne fallait pas prendre la piste cotiere de tulear à fort dauphin et je donnais les conseils pour éviter les crevaisons, et dans votre message vous me repetez ceci en me le donnant comme conseil, ( je n ai donc pas très bien compris le sens de votre message) ; pour ce qui est de tulear à morondava, la piste est bonne (très peu de sable pour quelqu'un qui à l habitude de la piste) par contre impossible à vélo de belo(sur mer) à morondava, où passent seulement les 4x4, le sable y est très profond et pas d alternative hors piste ( sauf si vous êtes adeptes du portage).
bon voyage
Bonjour Janoria
Je ne pensais pas m'adresser a toi c'est pour cela que je donnais des conseils qui ressemblent au tiens.
Par contre je suis a la recherche d'information precise sur la localisation et la taille des zones sableuse entre morondova et tulear que je compte faire en vtt d'ici une dizaine de jours, et c'est pour cela que je parlais de toi.
Donc si tu povais me renseigner ca serait sympat je ne tiens pas trop a pousser le velo pendant 50 km.
Si tu en as aussi sur la partie fort dauphin manakara je suis aussi preneur, quand je suis arrivé a fort dauphin fin fevrier on m'a dit que ca ne passait pas en saison des pluie et comme j'etais deja assez fatigue je n'ai pas insisté et je suis rentre a tana en avion...maintenant ca porrait être interressant
Je te remercie
Rodolphe
PS es tu sur mada en ce moment.
rorolifou
bonjour, chacun n a pas la même appréciation de la difficulté de la piste (il faudrait connaitre le niveau de pratique et la condition physique de chacun) le point de vue que je donne est pour des vttistes entrainés et ayant un bon niveau technique, savoir rouler dans le sable et en terrain diffiçile doit s apprendre avant de partir pour profiter pleinement de son voyage sans souffrir, ( à titre d indication le parcours que vous avez effectué avant et que je connais, je le qualifierais de difficulté moyenne(pour vous donner un ordre de référence) un conseil pour ne pas planter dans le sable, regarder toujours loin devant pour garder une bonne trajectoire, pour revenir à l itineraire tulear morondava, en partant de tulear il y a 4 à 5 km de sable assez profond avant ifaty, quelques petites parties sableuses entre ankiliokya et befiandrine, de befiandrine à ankiliabé 1 ou 2 km avant ankiliabe(juste après le bac, et après ankiliabe3 ou 4 km en partant sur la piste de manja, de manja à belo sur mer, après soaserana une 15 de km assez profond, et 7 /8 km avant belo en arrivant au salines, il faut porter à marée basse, car à marée haute j ai renoncé pour m économiser, et belo sur mer à morondava(voir les conseils que je vous ai donné dans le message précédent), pour ce qui est de fort dauphin à manakara, bonnes pistes ( car aprèsmanantenina il y a plusieurs options) avec des bonnes côtes (pratiquants occasionnels du vtt s abstenir), à partir de vangaindrano c est le goudron (toujours avec de bonnes côtes "casse pattes") jusqu à manakara, mais je ne suis pas passé depuis les cyclones de cet hiver, donc tout a pu évolué, une information est seulement fiable à un moment donné. bon voyage
I am afraid my French is not good enough to ask my questions in French, so I hope you can understand English.
My questions: In July/August 2008 I want to go cycling from Tana via Morodava, Tulear, Ampanihy, Dauphin to Manakara. Can you give me some information on the state of the roads, in other words is it possible to cycle along the coast route (Morndava-Tulear-Dauphin-Manakara)? Can you find simple accommodation along this route and what about food?
Thanks for your help!
Peter Lammerding
My questions: In July/August 2008 I want to go cycling from Tana via Morodava, Tulear, Ampanihy, Dauphin to Manakara. Can you give me some information on the state of the roads, in other words is it possible to cycle along the coast route (Morndava-Tulear-Dauphin-Manakara)? Can you find simple accommodation along this route and what about food?
Thanks for your help!
Peter Lammerding
Bonjour,
J'envisage de faire un périple en VTT : partie 1 : Ambatolampy - Maintirano avec: traversée du massif de l'Ankaratra, Faratsiho, Ampefy, Tsitoanomandidy, Beravina. Latérite sur les hts plateaux puis sable vers Maintirano partie 2: Maintirano - Antsalova par Morondava et la côte : beaucoup de sable sur la route principale
Je lis pas mal de messages indiquant que les pistes sont souvent sablonneuses. Peut-être est-il envisageable de passer par les chemins non carossables ("routes" secondaires) où le passage des véhicules est difficile voire impossible. Dans ce cas, le sable se forme moins. Qu'en pensez-vous? Avez-vous des idées d'itinéraires plus directs (cas de la partie 1) et moins sablonneux (cas de la partie 2)?
Merci Pascal
J'envisage de faire un périple en VTT : partie 1 : Ambatolampy - Maintirano avec: traversée du massif de l'Ankaratra, Faratsiho, Ampefy, Tsitoanomandidy, Beravina. Latérite sur les hts plateaux puis sable vers Maintirano partie 2: Maintirano - Antsalova par Morondava et la côte : beaucoup de sable sur la route principale
Je lis pas mal de messages indiquant que les pistes sont souvent sablonneuses. Peut-être est-il envisageable de passer par les chemins non carossables ("routes" secondaires) où le passage des véhicules est difficile voire impossible. Dans ce cas, le sable se forme moins. Qu'en pensez-vous? Avez-vous des idées d'itinéraires plus directs (cas de la partie 1) et moins sablonneux (cas de la partie 2)?
Merci Pascal
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I saw there are lakes in Argentina too.
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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.
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hey everyone,
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?
Thanks in advance, Jérôme
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?
Thanks in advance, Jérôme
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!
Thanks in advance for any tips you might have, and best wishes for health in this new year!
A shout-out to a cycling colleague from Savoie
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...
N+1 reconnaissance trips on a loop of about 400 km This way, he avoids the SNCF and its troubles http://cbandiera.free.fr/vv/lacs-savoie/recos.php
The latest reconnaissance trip from April to May 2026 http://cbandiera.free.fr/recits/2026-grenoble-H/index.php
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...
N+1 reconnaissance trips on a loop of about 400 km This way, he avoids the SNCF and its troubles http://cbandiera.free.fr/vv/lacs-savoie/recos.php
The latest reconnaissance trip from April to May 2026 http://cbandiera.free.fr/recits/2026-grenoble-H/index.php
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!
Hi everyone,
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!
You’ve been warned.
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!
You’ve been warned.
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
Hi there,
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.
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
Hi there,
Coming from Laos (*), I’m planning to enter Thailand by bike via the Fourth Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge.
Before this bridge was built, I’d already cycled the road from Louang Namtha to Houei Sai and crossed the river by boat to reach Thailand.
At the time, the condition of that road was impeccable, and most importantly, traffic was light.
So I’m wondering if anyone who’s taken it recently can tell me whether traffic has increased since the bridge opened.
Thanks in advance!
(*) I’m currently cycling in China (Yunnan)
Coming from Laos (*), I’m planning to enter Thailand by bike via the Fourth Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge.
Before this bridge was built, I’d already cycled the road from Louang Namtha to Houei Sai and crossed the river by boat to reach Thailand.
At the time, the condition of that road was impeccable, and most importantly, traffic was light.
So I’m wondering if anyone who’s taken it recently can tell me whether traffic has increased since the bridge opened.
Thanks in advance!
(*) I’m currently cycling in China (Yunnan)