Taste the ecstasy of a cycling journey between golden beaches, steep cliffs and ancestral carrelets. The precious landscapes of the Atlantic coast unfold between La Bernerie-en-Retz and Saint-Brévin-les-Pins, animated by warm hotels, timeless retro villas, a risotto of scallops melting under the tongue, ancient churches, and elegant old rigged boats. The ocean unites in spectacle with the secret estuaries of the Loire, orchestrating a ballet where history meets the wild. The peaceful alleys are alive with the song of terns, and shrimp fishermen immortalize the morning on the ochre beaches of Crève-Cœur. La Pointe Saint-Gildas invites you to enjoy a picnic facing infinity, between blockhouses filled with memories and moors battered by sea winds. Crossing the wooded dormancy of the Pierre-Atelée forest, the route engages legendary menhirs and elegant Brevinoise villas in conversation. A unique experience, where every pedal stroke carves an unforgettable memory.
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From La Bernerie-en-Retz: Seaside starting point
La Bernerie-en-Retz stretches its golden sandy beaches under the watchful eye of pretty villas topped with scarlet tiles. This small town invites rest with its sailing school, fragrant markets, and peaceful alleyways. The coastal light, tawny and intense, bathes the bright facades each morning, while at the Grand Large hotel, an almost familial hospitality prevails. Laura and Gaëlle, cousins united in adventure, offer travelers a sincere welcome and a table where scallop risotto dances with chocolate charlotte drizzled with salted butter caramel.
At dawn, the bike sets out along the coast. The staircase leading to the photogenic Crève-Cœur beach presents itself as a secret passage. Low tide, ochre cliffs standing guard, the scene comes alive: nets and shrimp buckets in hand, shrimp fishermen stroll the shore, while the chirping of terns accompanies the rustling of the surf. A fragile balance of silence and ancestral activities weaves at the water’s surface. For an added picturesque touch, the traditional stilt huts punctuate this coastal ribbon.
Pornic and the magic of the estuary
Just 7 kilometers away, Pornic makes an entrance worthy of a festival. The silhouettes of Pen Duick sail under their sails, giving the city a legendary air. The town, an ancient medieval sentinel deployed inland by the Haute-Perche canal, reveals its historical splendor around a winding staircase leading up to the castle. On a rocky spur, the fortress was remodeled by the de Vogüe family to embrace the seaside spirit of the last century. It overlooks a lively port where old rigged boats evoke nostalgia against a backdrop of terraces and refined shops.
The streets of Pornic, lined with fruity sorbets – a must-stop at the Fraiserais –, lead to the Gourmalon point. 1930s villas, breathtaking views of the bay of Bourgneuf: here, between brilliant architecture and the Atlantic’s surges, the cyclist breathes in sweet bliss.
Préfailles and the untamed moor
Leaving Pornic, the road winds through fields and then runs along a legendary coastline. The Saint-Gildas point, the far west of the Pays de Retz, offers a natural theater made of blockhouses awakened by storms and flourishing embankments. Some checked blankets spread across the blonde cove of Préfailles, while the ocean splashes against the rocks on the horizon. Remnants of World War II, the blockhouses still stand guard, impassive, over the shores – a poignant reminder of the secret history of this coastline.
The beaches from Port-Giraud to Tharon unfurl their golden silk under the Atlantic breeze. At Saint-Michel-Chef-Chef, the intriguing name hides a medieval story; once, chief Chevecier, protector of church properties, left his mark to simplify the toponym today.
The Pierre-Atelée forest: green lung and sacred stone
The cycle path soon plunges into the Pierre-Atelée forest, a sylvan gem of 41 hectares bordering the dunes of Saint-Brevin-les-Pins. The maritime pines cast their shadows in high colonnades, while, lower down, evergreen oaks and ferns lace the paths. Countless and voluble birds orchestrate a rural symphony where nuthatches, finches, and jays compete for brilliance. In a clearing, a menhir nearly three meters tall asserts itself: the legendary stone is said to have resisted valiantly against the efforts of a farmer, a victim of a curse for his sacrilege. Its mystery envelops the massif, now owned by the Coastal Conservatory — a true green lung of the seaside resort.
Once, holiday camps filled this oasis; now, the shaded paths reveal charming “brévinoises,” Basque-inspired villas adorned with rounded porches and delicate faïence. A walk here still carries the promise of enchanted adventures, like the tales told on mythical cycle paths or surprising wooded trails like the forests of Iowa.
The final sparkle: Saint-Brevin-les-Pins and the call of the horizon
The crossing ends on the beach at Pointeau: last blockhouses, grains of sand in the curves, and ocean mist for a backdrop. The dunes rise, guarded by pines and the iodized scent. Cyclists salute a territory steeped in history and emotions, a space where the Atlantic meets the sky.
The codes of natural and built heritage converge here. Every ride recalls the priceless treasures of the region, much like the unusual territories of Europe or the majesty of a chapel perched on a volcano. Between history, gastronomy, daydreaming, and fresh air, this section of La Vélodyssée offers a cycling journey like no other.
