La Régalante: cycling from Châteaubriant to Nantes
La Régalante is a route that winds its way through small towns and big stories. Four days to let yourself be carried away, from the medieval castle of Châteaubriant to the lively quays of Nantes. In between, a string of discoveries will be made at the leisurely pace of your wheels: an abbey almost a thousand years old, a lake that plays with the light, ancient forges where the hammers of the past still resonate. On this buissonnier trail, time takes its rightful place, as encounters and unhurried landscapes reveal themselves.
You'll love
Cycling in the footsteps of the Dukes of Brittany
Stop off at a lock keeper's house transformed into a guinguette
Watch the ballet of birds on the banks of the Erdre river
Cool off in the peaceful waters of a forest lake
Day 1 : Châteaubriant, memory in stone
Your adventure begins in Châteaubriant. The Château de Châteaubriant reveals its ten centuries of history. Both a medieval fortress and an elegant Renaissance residence, it tells the story of the passage of time through its stones. In the grand logis, multimedia displays take you back to the times of Françoise de Dinan and Jean de Laval. Listen carefully... on October 16, the ghost of Françoise de Foix, mistress of François I, is said to haunt the premises.
Continue your day with a visit to the Micro-Folie, nestled in the former chapel of the Hospital. This digital museum opens the doors to the world's greatest museums. In front of high-definition screens, travel from the Louvre to the Château de Versailles without leaving the Loire-Atlantique region.
Then, for your first night, theHôtel Inn Design, which has the "Accueil Vélo" label, welcomes you with all services adapted to cyclists.
Day 2 : from Châteaubriant to La Meilleraye-de-Bretagne, along the bush tracks
In the morning, hop on your bike and leave Châteaubriant on a 6-kilometer greenway to Louisfert. Stop off in this village, where the memory of the poet René Guy Cadou lives on. His home, now a museum, preserves the soul of this former schoolteacher whose verses still resonate within its walls.
Small country roads then lead you to Moisdon-la-Rivière. The Forges site welcomes you in a green setting. A former 17th-century industrial forge, the site takes you back to a time when iron ore shaped destinies. The large hall, once used to store coal, now houses the Musée des Forges , which recounts this industrial epic.
Continue on towardsIssé. Take a detour to theEtang de Beaumont for a refreshing break. Continue on to La Meilleraye-de-Bretagne, the end of this 40-kilometer stage. The majesticAbbaye de Melleray, with its 900 years of history, awaits you. Enter the world of the monks on a guided tour (one date per month).
Finish the day at the Parc des Lavandières, with its sports courses, fishing lake and pump track for thrill-seekers.
For the night, La Détente campsite offers a rural setting for pitching your tent on the farm (caravans and mobile homes available on reservation).
Day 3 : La Meilleraye-de-Bretagne to Nort-sur-Erdre, between lakes and forests
This shorter stage allows you to enjoy the scenery to the full. The Erdre River becomes the common thread running through the day. First stop is Lac de Vioreau, a Natura 2000 site bordered by its own forest. This 180-hectare lake, the largest navigable in the Loire-Atlantique region, offers the perfect setting for a swim, season permitting.
Then, crossing Joué-sur-Erdre, discover the local Cali beer brewery for a tasting session. This charming little town, nicknamed "Little Canada of the Loire-Atlantique", has a wooded riverbank and a peaceful atmosphere.
The end of the stage follows the Canal de Nantes à Brest. Here, nature reclaims its rights. A gourmet stop at La Cueilleuse, a lock keeper's house transformed into a grocery store and gourmet guinguette. Located at the Cramezeul lock, under the shade of a large lime tree, it offers local flavours in a bucolic setting.
In Nort-sur-Erdre, your evening stopover, enjoy the tranquility of the marina and take a stroll along the Arcades circuit. This 7 km route, which can be explored on foot, by bike or on horseback, leads you to discover the aqueducts overlooking the Erdre valley.
For overnight stays, the Gîte du Plessis pas Brunet, which has been awarded the "Accueil Vélo" label, welcomes you to its verdant surroundings. Or opt for the Moulin de Bel Air in Joué-sur-Erdre, a restored 19th-century family mill.
Day 4 : from Nort-sur-Erdre to Nantes, the call of the town
For this final 37-kilometre cycling leg, you'll join forces with La Vélodyssée, following the Nantes-Brest canal. Along the way, don't miss the Tindière lock-keeper's house, then theQuiheix lock, which offers a view of the Erdre and the Poupinière plains. At Mazerolles, a Natura 2000 site, take time to observe the flora and fauna of this unspoilt environment.
Sucé-sur-Erdre is also well worth a visit. This village, nicknamed "the pearl of the Erdre", will seduce you with its picturesque port and riverfront restaurants.
From La Chapelle-sur-Erdre onwards, the landscape gradually becomes more urbanized. Nantes looms on the horizon. Visit the Château des Ducs de Bretagne and its Musée d'Histoire de Nantes, which traces the city's development from its earliest days. Continue to theÎle de Versailles, transformed into a Japanese garden, where the Maison de l'Erdre hosts exhibitions on the river.
To celebrate the end of your journey, treat yourself to a cruise on the Erdre. Or immerse yourself in the bustle of the Talensac market, the oldest and largest in Nantes. Finally, marvel at the Machines de l'Île, a mechanical bestiary inspired by the worlds of Jules Verne.
Want to extend your trip to Loire-Atlantique?
Your journey ends here, but other cycling adventures can begin: Nantes is at the crossroads of the Loire à Vélo, the Vélodyssée and the Vélidéale.
Escaping by bike to new horizons has never been so tempting!