France

As the home of the world’s most famous cycle race, France has long been a popular destination for cycle tourists hoping to follow in the footsteps of their heroes but perhaps at a more leisurely pace. When you consider that it also has to offer spectacular scenery, delicious food and a growing network of signed long-distance cycle routes, it is not surprising to hear that France has become the second biggest market for cycle tourism in Europe. However, with a country as large as France, there are still opportunities to find quiet rides for those who like to escape from the crowd. And with 10 different EuroVelo routes crossing France, the choice is all yours!

National Information

France Vélo Tourisme

National EuroVelo Coordination Centre

France Vélo Tourisme is the French national website for promoting long distance cycle routes. The website has specific pages for all the 'ready-to-cycle' EuroVelo routes with maps, points of interest and other useful information.

EuroVelo 3 / La Scandibérique

The Scandibérique crosses France diagonally to offer you its most iconic landmarks: its terroirs and capital city. In France, the Scandibérique therefore invites you to discover its showcase and back kitchen. It is a trip through the heart of France, offering a discovery of the peacefulness of its valleys and glowing cities, tasting its best wines and succumb to the most beautiful jewels of its cultural and historical heritage.

EuroVelo 5 / Lorraine and Alsace

Coming from Saarbrücken in Germany, EuroVelo 5 returns to France into Sarreguemines. It then goes along the Sarre and Rhine-Marne canals through Sarre-Union and Saverne, around Strasbourg westward on the towpath of the Bruche canal up to Molsheim where the wine route begins all the way through Obernai, Barr, Sélestat, Ribeauville, Rouffach and Cernay. The route then turns east and finally reaches Saint-Louis, right next to Basel, Switzerland where it connects with EuroVelo 15.

0033 (0)3 89 20 10 68

EuroVelo 6 / France

From Nevers to Saint-Louis, the EuroVelo 6 follows the wildest part of the Loire valley, which has been listed as a World Heritage site by UNESCO, the canals of Burgundy, the Saône Valley, and the Canal from the Rhine to the Rhône. As the route follows the course of rivers, it is generally quite flat making it ideal cycling territory for those with children.

EuroVelo 6 / The Loire by Bike

The Loire by Bike, from Saint-Brevin-les-Pins to Nevers, along the Loire valley, is the most famous and prestigious cycle route in France with 280 km listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Designed as an easy, family-friendly ride, the cycle route takes you through the Loire landscapes, passing through the river’s natural banks, vineyards, Loire castles, troglodyte sites, via the Loire-Anjou-Touraine Regional Nature Park.

EuroVelo 8 / France

This website, developed as part of the France Vélo Tourisme website, gives a lot of information about EuroVelo 8 - Mediterranean Route. You will find an interactive map, a division of the route in stages, a description of each section and even downloadable GPX tracks.

France on EuroVelo 17: ViaRhôna

Link between the Alps and the Mediterranean Sea, the ViaRhôna, the french part of the EuroVelo 17, enables the discovery of the Rhône river by bike. This 815 km long itinerary, with very little elevation, follows the shores of the Rhône and crosses 3 regions and 12 départements. The route is 87% complete and is scheduled for completion by 2023.

La Meuse à Vélo - EuroVelo 19

European cycle route, La Meuse à Vélo (Meuse by bike) crosses the French county (or département) of Ardennes using the greenway called the Trans-Ardennes. Running along the towpath beside the Meuse River from Remilly-Aillicourt to Givet, this cycle route was voted Véloroute de l'année (Cycle Route of the Year) in 2011. This website provides detailed information on the itinerary in France.

La Vélodyssée – Atlantic Coast Route

La Vélodyssée is EuroVelo 1 in France. Whether you’re looking for a challenge or a leisurely cycle ride, La Velodyssée has something for everyone. Get on your bike and experience the wild beauty of a cycle route covering more than 1,200 kilometres from Roscoff, Brittany, down the Atlantic coast in Hendaye to the border with Spain. The sea is never very far away as you discover the best each region has to offer along France’s longest waymarked cycle trail.

La Vélomaritime

La Vélomaritime crossing legendary sites such as the Pink Granite Coast, the Mont-Saint-Michel as well as its bay, the D-Day landing beaches, the cliffs of Etretat, the Bay of the Somme and the Opal Coast. With a large section of shared roads, it is the ideal route for riders looking to get away from it all, ready for a challenge, or in search of a cultural experience with delicious food to boot.

Maps & Guides

bikeline cycling guide “Genfersee Rundtour – Tour du Léman” [Estebauer]

This cycling guide describes the section of the EuroVelo cycle route in Switzerland around Lake Geneva (192 km). The perfect tool before and during your journey: precise and informative maps, 1:50,000 scale, elevation & distance profiles, GPS tracks, accommodation and service directory. Can be used even without any knowledge of German. English translation of the map legend and the user manual of the guide available at esterbauer.com/international.

bikeline guide on ViaRhôna (French section of EuroVelo 17) [Estebauer]

This cycling guide describes the section of EuroVelo 17 in Switzerland from Geneva and in France (772 km). It's the perfect tool before and during your journey: precise and informative maps, 1:75,000 scale, elevation and distance profiles, GPS tracks, accommodation and service directory. It can be used even without any knowledge of German. English translation of the map legend and the guide user manual available at esterbauer.com/international. Also available in French from November 2022.

Chamina Guide: EuroVelo 6 de Bâle à Nevers

600 km from the Rhine to the Loire, through Haute-Alsace, Franche-Comté, Burgundy... The guide : - Pages with spiral binding, easy to handle on a bicycle - Format 11.5 x 21 cm, suitable for a handlebar map holder - Clear and precise maps - Descriptions of the routes covered by the guidebook, entirely undertaken by bicycle - Maps of the main towns crossed - Good addresses for accommodation, rental companies and services - Train + bike information 2019 Edition (in French)

Chamina Guide: La Loire à Vélo de Nevers à l'Atlantique - Grands Itinéraires

The Loire Valley has inspired writers with its natural beauty, and has attracted sovereigns who have endowed it with a remarkable architectural heritage. Its mild climate and soil have produced the famous Loire wines. It is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 840 km of easy cycling from Nevers to Saint-Brévin-les-Pins (on the Atlantic coast). 39 fully signposted cycling stages. Good addresses, accommodation, services, "train + bike" information. (in French)

EuroVelo 15 - Rhine Cycle Route Handbook

From the source to the mouth: 1233 kilometres of cycling fun with a river view. You are looking for cyclist-friendly accommodation close to Andermatt? You are interested in seeing Düsseldorf’s sights? You fancy trying Alsatian “Flammkuchen” in Strasbourg or wine in Rhineland Palatinate or perhaps you would like to rent a bike on the Dutch coast? Step by step, or better put stage by stage, you will find all the transnational information as well as helpful tour tips and tricks.

EuroVelo 1: Bikeline Guide of La Vélodyssée [Esterbauer]

This cycling guide describes the section of the EuroVelo cycle route in France between Roscoff and Hendaye (1,287 km). The perfect tool before and during your journey: precise and informative maps, 1:75,000 scale, elevation and distance profiles, GPS tracks, accommodation and service directory. Can be used even without any knowledge of German. English translation of the map legend and the user manual of the guide available at esterbauer.com/international.

EuroVelo 1: Brittany by bike - From Roscoff or Brest to Nantes [Chamina]

Guidebook written in French. From Roscoff to Nantes: 390 km of easy cycling routes along the Nantes-Brest Canal with its 238 locks, and an alternative 110-km route from Brest to Carhaix. The guide includes 96 pages packed with all the information you need to prepare and carry out your trip: 24 stages entirely signed for bikes, maps on a scale of 1:100 000, places to visit, accommodation, restaurants, bike repair shops, Accueil Vélo services and ‘Bike+Train’ information.

EuroVelo 1: Brittany by bike - The canal from Nantes to Brest and La Vélodyssée [Ouest-France]

Written in French, this cycle guide to the Nantes-Brest Canal offers you more than 500 km of safe and signed cycle routes, 36 detailed maps and all the practical advice and useful addresses you need to organise your trip. From Nantes to Landévennec via the Nantes-Brest Canal, the route follows in the footsteps of the Dukes of Brittany. From Rosporden to Carhaix and from Saint-Méen-le-Grand to Questembert it goes on former railway tracks.

EuroVelo 1: From Nantes to Royan - Freewheeling the Atlantic [Ouest-France]

Guidebook written in French. 600 km of coastal tracks, all signed and traffic-free for safe cycling in the departments of Loire-Atlantique, Vendée, Deux-Sèvres and Charente-Maritime. The guide includes 25 detailed maps, 11 stages of between 30 and 50 km, 5 all-inclusive self-guided tours, practical advice, addresses of bike rental companies, 120 hotels, camp sites, self-catering gîtes and bed and breakfasts and the major sites to visit.

EuroVelo 1: Le Guide du Routard – La Vélodyssée ® [Hachette]

Organize your cycle tour simply and easily with this156-page travel guide written in French, including: maps, practical and tourist information, tips and practical bike advice, Le Routard’s suggestions and good ideas, addresses for accommodation, restaurants, bike rentals, bike transportation. This edition is in augmented reality. Simply scan a page via the Hachette Scan application to get additional information on events, places, visits and much more!

EuroVelo 3: Aachen – Paris [Bikeline Esterbauer]

This cycling guide describes the section of the EuroVelo cycle route in Belgium and in France up to Paris (556 km). The perfect tool before and during your journey: precise and informative maps, 1:75,000 scale, elevation and distance profiles, GPS tracks, accommodation and service directory. Can be used even without any knowledge of German. English translations of the map legend and the user manual of the guide available at esterbauer.com/international.

EuroVelo 5: Saar Cycle Route [Bikeline Esterbauer]

This cycling guide describes the sections of EuroVelo 5 in Germany between Merzig and Saarbrücken and then in France up to Strasbourg (233 km). The perfect tool before and during your journey: precise and informative maps, 1:50,000 scale, elevation and distance profiles, GPS tracks, accommodation and service directory. Can be used even without any knowledge of German. English translation of the map legend and the user manual of the guide available at esterbauer.com/international.

EuroVelo 5: "Saarland-Radweg Veloroute SaarLorLux" [Bikeline Esterbauer]

This cycling guide describes the sections of EuroVelo 5 in Luxembourg from Luxembourg city, through Germany and in France up to the lake Étang du Stock (230 km). The perfect tool before and during your journey: precise and informative maps, 1:75,000 scale, elevation and distance profiles, GPS tracks, accommodation and service directory. Can be used even without any knowledge of German. English translation of the map legend and the user manual of the guide available at esterbauer.com/internation…

EuroVelo 6: East of France "Frankreich Ost” [Bikeline Esterbauer]

This cycling guide describes the sections of EuroVelo 6 in France and Switzerland from Orléans to Basel (796 km). The perfect tool before and during your journey: precise and informative maps, 1:75,000 scale, elevation and distance profiles, GPS tracks, accommodation and service directory. Can be used even without any knowledge of German. English translation of the map legend and the user manual of the guide available at esterbauer.com/international.

EuroVelo 6: Loire Cycle Route ''Loire-Radweg" [Bikeline Esterbauer]

This cycling guide describes the French section of EuroVelo 6 from the Atlantic to Nevers (645 km). The perfect tool before and during your journey: precise and informative maps, 1:75,000 scale, elevation and distance profiles, GPS tracks, accommodation and service directory. Can be used even without any knowledge of German. English translation of the map legend and the user manual of the guide available at esterbauer.com/international.

Guide on EuroVelo 19 - Meuse Cycle Route [Bikeline Esterbauer]

This cycling guide describes the entire EuroVelo 19 (1,070 km). It's the perfect tool before and during your journey: precise and informative maps, 1:75,000 scale, elevation and distance profiles, GPS tracks, accommodation and service index. Can be used even without any knowledge of German. English translation of the map legend and the user manual of the guide available at esterbauer.com/international. Available at local- and online book stores.

Ouest-France Guide: La Véloroute du Rhin - de Karlsruhe à la mer du Nord via Cologne

From romantic Germany to the windmills and wild beaches of the Netherlands, a beautiful river journey with many Unesco sites. 26 routes for the whole family on good cycling facilities. 799 km of itinerary - 20 stages between 20 and 68km - 6 escapades from 25 to 54km - 38 detailed maps at 1:50,000 scale - Cultural and historical information on the heritage - An address list - Directions for following the route - Visits, detours and variations - practical information (in French)

Bookable Offers

Through the Alsatian vineyards by EV5 in 5 stages

EV5
@France

We have designed you a circuit almost entirely on tracks and lanes, one Tour of Alsace which will make you discover the magnificent road wines and where you can ride in peace and security with your friends and family. Alsace has the widest bike lanes of France, we have a course where you can also discover much of the rich tourist and cultural heritage of the region such Eguisheim preferred village of France or even two pearls of the vineyards Kaysersberg and Obernai.

Enjoying Alsatian vineyard by the EV5 in 3 stages- Leisure

EV5
@France

We designed a course where you can discover rich tourist and cultural heritage of the region with all of its beautiful villages Obernai, Riquewihr, Ribeauvillé and of course Eguisheim crowned as most beautiful village of France. The circuit ends in Colmar with its beautiful historic centre, its charming pedestrian streets and its many museums, such the Unterlinden Museum which has been beautifully restored.

Alsatian vineyard and Vosgian Piedmont on EV 5 in 3 stages – Leisure/sport

EV5
@France

You can discover rich tourist and cultural heritage of the region with all of its beautiful villages Obernai, Riquewihr, Ribeauvillé and of course Eguisheim, and at the same time, you will get the opportunity to climb a few beautiful and famous mountains of the Vosgien Piedmont as the Mont Saint Odile or the "Haut-Koenigsbourg"! The beautiful journey ends in Colmar, Alsace wine capital with its beautiful historic centre.

Bike Tour Basel Speyer

EV15
@France @Germany @Switzerland

Most of the time the Rhine forms the natural border between France and Germany, between French savoir-vivre and German coziness. The past hasn't always been that peaceful, as you can see along the route, finding yourself often between former French and German fortifications. The region has nonetheless been enjoyable, passing through several historic sites - from the Swiss Basel via Freiburg to the European city of Strasbourg, by Karlsruhe to the picturesque city of Speyer and its cathedral.

Along the Meuse, from Maastricht to Sedan

EV19
@Belgium @France @Netherlands

The International Meuse Route is a bicycle route along the meandering River Meuse (or Maas as it is known in Dutch) between Maastricht in the Netherlands and the French town of Sedan which boasts Europe’s largest castle. The route is over 280 km long and incorporates the RAVeL in Belgium and the in France. It is a promise of four days of highly enjoyable cycling through the valley of the River Meuse, past castles, forts and pretty villages, surrounded by breath-taking natural beauty.

Cycle tour - Franche-Comté

EV6
@France

The region Franche-Comté in the eastern part of France is rich of cultural and natural heritage. Besançon with its famous bastille, is even on the World Heritage Site of UNESCO. Many small towns in the Comté region have a very rich heritage of historic treasures. But the actual reason to go on this trip is definitely the beautiful nature and the marvellous river landscapes. The peaceful cycle path EuroVelo 6 is part of this cycling trip. This holiday is also a highlight for every foodie.

Loire Valley cycling Orleans to Tours

EV6
@France

Explore on this cycling trip the most beautiful chateaux of the Loire valley by bike: Chambord, Blois, Chaumont sur Loire, Amboise, Chenonceaux. This trip will also introduce you to Orléans and Tours (both city easy to reach from Paris), the two largest cities in the Loire Valley! The bike route is calm and flat but full of discoveries : Discover the famous loire valley vineyards such as Montlouis or Amboise and take the time to marvel at the famous gardens of Chaumont sur Loire or Chenonceaux.

EuroVelo 1 from Nantes to La Rochelle on the Atlantic

EV1
@France

Your cycling holiday with Abicyclette Voyages on EuroVélo 1 - La Vélodyssée. From Nantes, do not miss the "Machines de l'îles" and start riding by the Atlantic. You discover the beautiful Atlantic coast beaches, cross many small charming villages and try some great sea food restaurants. Your itinerary is made of easy cycling roads with 80% of secured cycling paths. Your final destination, La Rochelle, is perfect for celebrating this arrival with its restaurants, port and beaches.

EuroVelo 1 from Roscoff to Nantes through Brittany

EV1
@France

It is a 10-day bike trip in the calm of the French Brittany that we offer. A charming journey for all cycling lovers. Departing from Roscoff, the far north and the starting point of the EuroVelo 1 (La Vélodyssée) route, you ride on easy cycle paths, canal routes and dedicated routes. On your trip, you will discover the Bon Repos abbey, Guerlédan Lake, Pontivy, Josselin castle, Redon and finally Nantes, a city with a rich cultural and industrial heritage.

Charms of Alsace

EV15
@France

An easy route to appreciate all the charms of Alsace. Discover the traditional and picturesque Alsace, the one from the postcards but also the unusual and little-known one. You will cycle through cities of art and history as well as villages snuggled up in the vineyards. Have a taste of their wood framing and half-timbered architecture throughout stages full of charm. Have rest in lovely hotels and sit down at prestigious tables to savor regional food.

The French north coast of Brittany and Mont Saint Michel

EV4
@France

Discover Brittany's Coast, in north of France through iodinated places and cross the iconic Mont-Saint-Michel and the mythical town of Saint-Malo. A dream bicycle tour that follows a part of the Eurovelo 4 route, with varied maritime and country landscapes. From the Mont-Saint-Michel Bay, you will visit the astonishing sites of Brittany by bike : the Pink Granite Coast, Cap Fréhel, and many more wonders along the Channel coastline.

The Atlantic French coast from La Rochelle to Royan

EV1
@France

La Vélodyssée is one of the most famous cycling routes in France and runs along the Atlantic coast on the EuroVelo 1. In one week, you will discover one of its most beautiful parts from La Rochelle to the charming port city to Royan, which marks the beginning of the Gironde estuary. We add a few variants to discover 3 superb unmissable islands: Île de Ré, Île d'Oléron and Île Madame. Nature, swimming, history and oyster farming will be on your program!