Explore the islands by bike!
Get on your bike and enjoy the variety of landscapes offered by Noirmoutier and the Île d'Yeu. These two pearls of the Vendée both feature cycle trails accessible to all, with carefully planned-out routes.
A big cycling circuit around the Île d'Yeu
Open moorland, a clear horizon, dolmens standing proudly: to tour the Île d'Yeu from Port-Joinville, the "capital" nestled in the north, start with the stimulating west coast, whose coves and craggy rocks are reminiscent of their Breton counterparts. You set off on a 4-5 hour circuit that takes you to the Pointe du But, the Grand Phare lighthouse or the Vieux Château that inspired Hergé for The Black Island. Halfway along, stop off at the charming Port de la Meule. It is overlooked by the white chapel of Notre-Dame-de-Bonne-Nouvelle, which makes you feel like you're in the Cyclades! Then come the tiny Port des Vieilles, the Pointe des Corbeaux and, to finish off, the eastern side, hemmed in by the long sandy beaches typical of the Vendée.
Noirmoutier: a cyclist's paradise
Twice a big, Noirmoutier features 80 kilometres of cycle trails. Three lovely circuits allow you to calmly discover its various different faces. The first showcases the northern part of the island, starting in the centre of Noirmoutier-en-l'Île. The 19-kilometre circuit first cuts through the Müllembourg nature reserve before joining the marvellous Chaise wood and then bordering the beaches to the charming Herbaudière fishing port. Return inland along the marshes!
Salt marshes, dreamlike beaches and the Passage du Gois
The salt marshes can be explored – and rightly so! – along a second route of the same length, through the middle of the island. It allows you to discover the little villages of l'Épine, which is really unusual, and La Guérinière with its mills and foreshore. The last itinerary, in the south, tacks around the town of Barbâtre, which stretches out opposite long beaches. Stop for a few moments in front of the Passage du Gois, an amazing – and regularly flooded – road that allows you to drive onto the continent at low tide. Finally, for the bravest cyclists, there's a thirty-kilometre circuit that lets you explore the island from end to end. Time to get in the saddle!
