Cycling from Bordeaux to Biarritz

You check in at your hotel in Bordeaux, where the roadbook and rental bikes are already waiting. The Romans called the city Burdigala, and ever since it has lived with and from wine. The light limestone architecture has earned Bordeaux a place on UNESCO's World Heritage List, and the Garonne River is the city's pulse. Along the quays, half the city strolls, jogs and cycles, and from here boat tours depart on the river. If you're lucky, a cruise ship will dock right in the centre, a magnificent spectacle among the 18th-century façades.

From wine to water. You follow the Green Way, a cycle path on the old railway embankment between Bordeaux and Lacanau. It's easy to cycle and car-free, running straight through the pine forest, where the song of cicadas accompanies you for much of the day and the scent of resin fills the air on warm days. Mostly you ride on a cycle path, but sometimes also on small smooth paths and forest roads. Lacanau-Océan in Médoc is known for its long beaches sheltered by sand dunes and forest, its lakes, and its untouched nature. It is also one of France's surfing meccas, and the villas from the early 1900s bear witness to the resort's golden age.

Today's stage of La Vélodyssée runs entirely on cycle path between sand dunes and forest. Here lie some of Aquitaine's widest and wildest beaches, and at Le Porge-Océan, 13 km of sand stretches without a single house. Feel free to make a detour from the trail to experience the Atlantic. You stay close to the coast towards Cap Ferret and end the day through the typical oyster villages around the Arcachon Bay. For the final stretch, you take the boat across the bay to the seaside resort of Arcachon. The bay has been the realm of the oyster since the mid-last century, surrounded by 84 km of beaches and pine forest between the Côte d'Argent and the Landes coast. Breathe in the sea air and the scent of pine, mimosa and gorse. Feel free to enjoy a local mollusc and a glass of chilled white wine as an After Bike treat.

The day begins with a classic: Dune du Pilat, Europe's highest sand dune. Climb to the top to understand just how beautiful it is here, with the Atlantic on one side and a sea of pine forest on the other. Then you cycle beneath the pines in the Landes forest, where sea, bay and forest meet. Shortly after leaving Gironde, the Vélodyssée takes you into Landes and on to Biscarrosse Plage or Biscarrosse village, where you spend the night. Biscarrosse is known for its waves but is also a realm of beaches, sand dunes and forest. On summer evenings, the seaside resort comes alive with evening markets, street performers, waffles and a casino.

Today the Vélodyssée takes a long detour inland, and the blue of the sea is exchanged for that of the lakes. First the large Lake Cazaux-Sanguinet, 5,800 hectares of water surrounded by greenery and pine, and then Lake Biscarrosse-Parentis. The trail winds on between small lake harbours and intimate lakes through the Landes forest, until you reach the sea again at Mimizan Plage. Mimizan flourished during the Belle Époque, when sea bathing became fashionable among a wealthy clientele. The resort grew thanks to the railway, which has since disappeared.

Back on the Vélodyssée for a calm and pleasant stage through the forest, where the scent of pine and the sea breeze keep you company. The beaches are close by, so feel free to leave the trail now and then for a dip or a break in the sand. You pass Contis Plage and Saint-Girons Plage, as well as the beaches by Lake Léon, where a still water mirror lies embedded in the greenery. The day ends in the Moliets area, another pleasant seaside resort in Landes with a rural atmosphere.

The last day of cycling and the last time through the heart of the forest. You pass the renowned surf spots Hossegor and Capbreton with their wide beaches and continue through more built-up areas towards Boucau. There, a whole new coastal landscape awaits: the Basque Country. A lovely cycle path leads you through the region's capital Bayonne and on to Biarritz, one of France's and Europe's most famous seaside resorts. Biarritz is world-renowned for its beaches, surfing, thalassotherapy and golf courses. In the evening, restaurants, bars and squares fill with life. A fitting finale.

After breakfast, the journey comes to an end. If you'd like to stay longer and enjoy Biarritz, you can add extra nights, just as you can in Bordeaux before the start of the cycling trip.