La Vélodyssée is aptly named: it’s a real cycling odyssey that will take you from the north of Brittany, in Roscoff, to Hendaye, on the Spanish border. Why these two towns? Because this is where the British and Spanish cycle routes connect, via a ferry to Great Britain, of course. La Vélodyssée is part of an even more ambitious itinerary, EuroVelo 1, from the far northern tip of Norway all the way to Portugal: more than 11,000 kilometres (6,840 mi) of cycle paths across six countries!

If we focus on France, the diversity of landscapes is already exceptional: the windswept cliffs of Brittany give way to the beaches, hillsides and pine forests of the south-west. The natural landscapes are exceptional but the cultural highlights are not to be outdone: the cities of Nantes, La Rochelle and numerous castles and villages are full of historical treasures and hidden heritage to discover.

All of this is offered in 21 Tours, or around three weeks of exploration, with average stages of 65 kilometres (40 mi) and only 200 metres (660 ft) of altitude gain. At the end of some of the Tours, accommodation is limited, so I advise you to book in advance.

I’ve outlined the itinerary from north to south but you can also ride in the opposite direction. The difference in altitude is similar and the wind, especially from west to east, does not really influence your direction.

To arrive at the start of the first stage in Roscoff by train, you can usually change at Morlaix, a town served directly from Paris. At the end of this route, you can go to Hendaye station, served by Bordeaux.