Cycling day trip from Nantes to Saint-Brevin-les-Pins

Roll out from Nantes along the Loire and ease into a classic Loire à Vélo vibe. Leaving the city’s creative hub (look out for Les Machines de l’Île), you follow riverside cycleways and quiet roads west, with long, flat stretches and estuary views. Expect about 67 km of easy riding with roughly 200 m of total climbing—pretty much pancake-flat.

Surfaces are mostly smooth (about two-thirds asphalt), with some gravel sections around the levees and towpaths; 32 mm+ tires make it comfy. The route keeps you largely on quiet roads and dedicated cycleways, passing villages like Le Pellerin and Paimboeuf—good stops for a coffee or picnic by the river.

As the air turns salty, the Loire widens toward the Atlantic. Rolling into Saint-Brevin-les-Pins, you’ve got beaches and pine forests waiting, and at low tide you can spot the striking Serpent d’Océan sculpture near the Saint-Nazaire bridge. Bring a wind layer—the estuary breeze can kick up.