EuroVelo 1: Atlantic Route and Vélodyssée

The EuroVelo 1 cycle route is otherwise known as the Atlantic coast road and the Vélodyssée for the section in France.
Covering a total of 11,150 kilometres, it crosses 6 European countries, from Norway to Portugal, via the United Kingdom, Ireland, France and Spain.

The road to the Atlantic coast?

It’s a route that runs mainly along the Atlantic coastline, from the north to the south of Europe.
The route takes you past the majestic fjords of Norway, the wild coastline of Ireland, the rugged cliffs of Brittany and the sunny beaches of Portugal.

Along the way, you can discover bustling port towns and welcoming fishing villages, while taking in the spectacular scenery and opportunities to swim and sample maritime specialities and authentic seafood.

The Vélodyssée in France

In France, arriving from the South West of the United Kingdom, it starts in the North of Brittany at Roscoff.

This family-friendly cycle route takes in the canal from Nantes to Brest, then runs along the Atlantic coast to the Basque coast, ending at Hendaye.

La Vélodyssée in France is a 1,200-kilometre cycle route that is, on the whole, easy and fairly well developed.
It’s the perfect opportunity to embark on a new experience and spend some quality time together as a family, but also to take up a challenge on your own, or share the adventure with a partner or friends.

It gives free rein to the escapades or itinerant breaks offered by the region’s tourist offices, which promise safe cycling on dedicated routes.

Interactive maps are available, along with a list of accommodation, accueil Vélo, as well as personal favourites and testimonials.

To discover along EuroVelo 1

Here are some suggestions for discovering the European cycle route:

In Norway

North Cape, Europe’s most northerly point, on the coast of the Barents Sea
Sami land, with reindeer herds along the road
the Norwegian fjords
In Bergen, the Bryggen site is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

In Great Britain

Inverness, the cultural capital of the Scottish Highlands,
Cairngorms National Park (the largest mountain range in the UK)
Loch Lomond National Park
Exmoor National Park
Breathtaking viaducts and bridges, dating back to Victorian railway engineers, and tunnels dug beneath the Britannia Hills.

In Ireland

The landscapes of the Moray Firth coastline
The world’s most northerly bottlenose dolphin colony with Dolphin Watch Carrigaholt

In Spain

The Camino de Santiago (Way of Saint James)
The “Ruta Vía de la Plata” path.

In Portugal

The Algarve, which it crosses in its entirety: a spectacular coastline with sheltered dunes, rocky coves, small bays, vast sandy beaches, shallow lagoons and the wild waves of the Atlantic Ocean.
With 300 days of sunshine a year, the climate is ideal all year round for exploring the region.

Practical information on the French side

La Vélodyssée is fully signposted in both directions from north to south.
The La Vélodyssée logo and its EuroVelo 1 identifier are shown on the signs.

The route is 57% on cycle paths and 41% on small, low-traffic roads.
There are a few difficulties at the end of the route between Bayonne and Hendaye (relief and road conditions).
More than 300 “Accueil Vélo” accommodation establishments (campsites, hotels, gîtes, chambres d’hôtes) are located within 5 km of the route.
However, you should remember to book in the most popular tourist areas, such as seaside resorts.

As far as the weather is concerned, the Vélodyssée can be enjoyed in good conditions from spring to autumn. Except for the marked presence of a westerly wind, and the towpath along the Nantes-Brest Canal, which can be tricky in heavy rain.