bonsoir a tous je prepare pour le printemps prochain la loire a velo de nevers a nantes et suis preneur de toutes infos sur ce parcours : pistes camping routes les plus proches etc etc en sachant que je pars avec un copain en autonomie complete avec une remorque monoroue est il preferable de prendre un vtt ou une randonneuse ??
merci d avance daniel
Bonsoir, moi aussi je fait ce parcours (en faites je vais de la source à l'estuaire) au printemps prochain je suis donc preneur d'infos...en particulier l'achat de cartes ou livret, ainsi que des expériences de camping (bonnes ou mauvaises)
Pour information je suis originaire du Loir et Cher et j'ai fait mes études à Tours, donc je connait un peu les bords de Loire...
Je te conseillerais plus un vélo avec des pneus de minimum 1, 60 de largeur (pas de pneu slick!!!) car il y a des passages pavés, avec des nids de poules... Pour ma part je pars avec un vtt (sacoches av et ar) avec des pneus type randonnée (26x1, 60) je pense que c'est une bonne monture pour réaliser ce circuit (enfin j'éspère!!!). Merci de donner vos avis, vos expériences ceux qui ont déjà réaliser ce circuit!!!!!
Sinon bon séjour même s'il va falloir être patient car le printemps c'est loin, très loin.....
en voila une question qu'elle est bonne. cet été je me suis justement tapé la descente de la Loire à vélo, de la source à l'estuaire, puis remonté sur Naoned (Nantes en breton), et le canal de Nantes à Brest pour terminer. le tout en 18 jours de roulage, en m'octroyant 2 jours de glandouille, histoire de visiter le coin, à savoir Nantes et Briare 😛.
j'avais pris le train de Brest jusqu'à Langogne (vélo dans sa housse), via panam et Clermont, gare la plus proche du mont Gerbier de jonc. le premier jour, ça monte, forcément, hé. le second, dans le sens du courant donc, quelques petites montées quand même, mais majoritairement de la descente. après, il n'y a plus aucune difficulté.
alors, dans le sud de Nevers, tu peux toper le canal latéral de la Loire, passer donc par le pont canal qui enjambe la Loire (fantastique), et suivre le dit canal jusqu'à Briare. ensuite, ce sont des départementales. je te conseillerais la rive sud, moins fréquenté par les bagnoles.
quand aux cartes, j'avais les cartes des régions, à savoir l'Auvergne, la région Centre, et la Loire Atlantique. au pire, si t'es perdu, tu demandes aux gens. ils m'ont paru plutôt civilisés, et ne ressemblaient guère à des canibales 😏. ou alors tu roules "à l'arrache", sans cartes, et tu te fous de savoir ou tu te trouves. de toute façon, le terminus, c'est la mer. hihihi.
mais c'est un périple tellement fréquenté, que tu trouveras toujours du monde le long du parcours pour te renseigner sur les campings, les villes, les épiceries les plus proches, ect... et si une rive ne te plait pas, il y a des ponts régulièrement tout au long du fleuve pour passer d'une rive à l'autre...
sinon, les pneus, j'avais équipé mon vtt de semi-slick. aucune crevaison à déplorer. le revêtement oscille entre le stabilisé et l'enrobé. comme qui dirait certains, c'est vous qui voyez!!!
le seul truc à ne pas oublier, c'est un appareil photo. il y a vraiment de choses à voir et immortaliser le long du fleuve.
voilà pour ma contribution. bonne préparation.
pour ta reponse meme si on a pas le meme age on a la meme passion !!
moi en plus je joue de la trompette
tout le secteur de briare je connais comme ma poche etant de la region j avais l intention de prendre mon vtt ( mon copain aussi )
tu roulais combien de kms par jour ??je pense moins que sur route !!
tout compte fait pour dormir je pense que le bord de l eau c est pas mal et on peut se laver !!
apres ce tour prevu au mois de mai je repars seul voir mon parrain qui habite pres d aix en provence aller retour en autonomine aussi
au printemps de cette année j ai fait un autre tour sympa a savoir :
bourges la rochelle royan ( le bac ) la dune du pylat mont de marsan agen cahors figeac la vallée du lot et retour par ussel soit 1450 kms en 2 semaines
tout ca tres agreable
si un jour tu viens pedaler dans le centre de la france passe faire une etape chez moi
daniel
alors, question kilomètre, j'ai fait une moyenne de 100 bornes par jours sur 18 jours. ma plus petite journée a été de 63 km, parceque j'avais un peu trop forcé sur la bière la veille, vu que j'étais tombé sur des cyclistes en vadrouille eux aussi la veille au soir. on a donc parlé de tout et de rien, et parler donne soif, c'est bien connu 🤪. et ma plus grosse journée, a été de 138 km. là également tu aprécis une bonne bière bien fraiche à l'arrivée... ahhhh, quel pied. attention tout de même, il faut boire avec modération. mais coup de pas de bol, il me semble que modération n'aime pas vraiment le vélo. quel c... j'vous jure, il y a pourtant de superbe coin à visiter et des tas de gens à rencontrer 😉.
et donc au niveau temps, c'était en moyenne dans les 6 heures de vélo par jours, prendre son temps, paputer, flaner... la vie quoi.
par contre l'année prochaine, je me ferais bien comme tu l'écrivais, une descente vers les pyrénées par la côte. on m'en a dit du bien à ce sujet. le seul soucis, c'est que j'aprécis pas trop la chaleur, ni la foule de touriste. donc je me tate également avec une autre destination qui est pas mal non plus, et plus proche de mon climat, l'Irlande. mais je ferais le point à noël, en fonction du budget que le vieux barbu me laissera sur mon compte. normalement, il devrait m'apporter une remorque mono-roue style "bob-yack". bah, qui vivra verra...
J'ai également un projet de mini tour de France au printemps 2010, mais pour mes 70 ans...
En quelques grandes lignes : La Rochelle Biarritz - Rocamadour - Le Massif Central - Chalon sur Sâone -La Loire de Devize jusqu'à l'embouchure et retour à la Rochelle par la côte atlantique.
Peut-être que nous pourrions échanger quelques renseignements sur nos itiinéraires communs (voies vertes - hébergements etc...)
En principe je roule seul mais j'apprécierais trouver des hébergements chez des adhérents de voyage forum.com sur mon parcours.
ou quelques "bouts de chemin" accompagnés.
J'ai déjà réalisé cela il y a trois ans dans le Jura et j'en ai un super souvenir.
Serge
On peut tomber d'accord sur le fait que l'on est pas d'accord (et surtout ne pas obliger l'autre à rejoindre notre propre opinion - et vice-versa bien sûr)
Salut, J'ai beaucoup moins d'expérience de vélo rando que toi (j'ai lu quelques uns de tes récits) sur le parcours de la Loire - Eurovélo6 - j'en ai pratiqué que le tronçon Saumur - Orléans. La seule contribution que je peux ajouter est par rapport au vent - j'étais très content de parcourir le trajet ouest-est avec un vent de dos constant et assez fort chaques jours. Les campings étaient nombreux et peu cher (formule - couple, tente, 2 vélos > 10€) sauf à Orléans (nada) j'en ai jamais vu autant de rando-cyclistes que sur ce bout de piste avec de bonnes rencontres aux étapes.
Bonjour Daniel, J'aimerai longer la loire en vtc et aller jusqu'à l'océan, selon toi quel est le meilleur point de chute pour le départ ? Nevers, la ville avant ou après ?
J'arriverai en train depuis Toulon, et je suis tenté de m'arreter à clermont ferrand et me diriger vers la loire, mais j'ignore quelle ville choisir pour le départ ?
Peux tu m'aider ?! Camping sauvage c'est propice ?...
Merci pour ta réponse ...
Olivier
Voyager à vélo › France › Ouest / Centre · 13 replies
Nous allons faire fin juin la descente de la loire a velo de nevers a st brevin en tandem qui peut me donner des infos sur le parcours?merci pour les infos.
Nous envisageons l'été prochain de parcourir à vélo Amiens - Gap. Connaissez vous le parcours le plus approprié? Faut il éviter Paris? Quel type de parcours…
Voyager à vélo › France › Ouest / Sud-Ouest · 4 replies
Je devais partir sur le chemin de compostel fin mai pour faire Bordeaux- St Jean Pied de Port. Malheureusement je ne respecterai pas les 100km autorisés, si…
Voyager à vélo › France › Bretagne / Sud-Ouest · 10 replies
Je souhaiterais découvrir la Bretagne (de préférence du Sud) ou le Sud Ouest de la France enséjournant pendant une semaine à un même endroit près d’une plage…
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.
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.
After testing it for three years across various modes of transport, I’m sharing this video of a bike packing case. It’s made from recycled cardboard and shrink-wrapped, with adjustable thickness and added bubble wrap depending on the level of protection you want.
Installing spacers at the fork and chainstays makes the packaging compact. With the fifteen-odd euros for shrink-wrapping at the airport, this case travels really well.
https://youtu.be/_GDJi-GqmkM
- Low bulk (1.10m x 0.70m x 0.25m for a large frame), it fits vertically in train luggage compartments and the total dimensions (x+y+z) don’t exceed 2.40m.
- Two carrying solutions for public transport and easy handling by airport staff (no more tears in the cardboard from openings).
- Discreet packaging when dealing with bus drivers and train conductors, as it looks like an ordinary parcel.
- No need to return to the starting point to retrieve the case from your outbound trip, which you’d otherwise have to store somewhere, or deal with a bulky cover to pack in your panniers.
- You can still check tire pressure through the plastic film without damaging the packaging too much.
Drawbacks: Around 3 hours for this lengthy and meticulous process—removing the wheels, pedals, handlebars, and derailleur without misaligning them, then securing all components to the frame.
If you get a chance to test it, send me your feedback for future improvements.
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’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
Madame et Aix, les deux plus petites îles de Charente-MaritimeFR
Flower power (Golfe du Morbihan)FR
Si je vous dis Nantes, vous pensez à quoi en premier?FR
Entre phares et carrelets, une balade en Pays royannaisFR
Musées et monuments, les bonnes pratiques à connaitre avant de photographierFR
La Loire à véloFR
Vos coups de coeur en Normandie, Bretagne et CharenteFR
L'Indre-et-Loire à vélo avec bivouac en 2019FR
