Circular route around the Île de Noirmoutier

A lovely bike ride to discover the north coast of the Île de Noirmoutier, passing through the salt marshes.

Details

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  • Touring/Gravel
    Activity: Touring/Gravel
  • ↔
    Distance: 28.90 km
  • ◔
    Duration according to the author: 3 hrs 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 9 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 9 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 12 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: -1 m
  • ⚐ Country: France
  • ⚐ District: L'Épine (Vendée) (85740)
  • ⚑
    Start/End: N 46.975718° / W 2.268059°
  • ❏
    IGN map(s): Ref. 1125OT

  • ◶
    Type of surface:
  •  
     
     
     33% Road  34% Byway  33% Path
  • Hour-by-hour weather

Description of the route

(S/E) Start from the centre of the village of L'Épine at the intersection of Rue des Trappes and Rue de la Gourlanderie and head towards Port Morin to the north-west, following the main road. Join Rue Pierre l'Ermite.

(1) Turn left onto this street. When you reach the sign for "Les moulins de la Bosse", turn left onto Rue du Port and continue to the large crossroads leading to Port Morin.

(2) Turn right onto the small Rue du Gabion, then take the track crossing the salt marshes, leaving the Hôtel des Esseppes on your left. Continue along the track to the Marais Neuf bridge.

(3) After this small bridge, turn left and then immediately right towards the north-east. Continue along the dirt track between the salt marshes to reach the crossroads at the water treatment plant.

(4) Turn left in front of the building and keep left at the next crossroads. Continue to the junction with the D5.

(5) Do not follow the road but turn left onto the path on the left. Then continue along the road through the houses, leaving the marshes on your left. Pass through the houses of La Ménisière to reach the crossroads with Rue du Puits Namer.

(6) Turn left, then right with the street, then left onto Rue du Grand Murier and, further on, right onto Rue du Moulin Rouge. Continue straight ahead at the next crossroads onto Rue du Puits Forteau to reach the crossroads with Chemin de la Petite Garanne, which is also the road leading to Luzéronde beach.

(7) Continue straight ahead to see the sea.

(8) Return to the previous crossroads.

(7) Turn left onto Chemin de la Petite Garanne, then right onto Rue de la Parée Blanche, which leads to the D5 in the Luzéronde neighbourhood.

(9) Turn left onto the D5, which is also Avenue Mourrain, and continue to the roundabout at the port of L'Herbaudière.

(10) Turn left, then quickly turn right to go along the market and reach the end of the pier.

(11) Return to the right via the pier, pass behind the market and join Rue de la Pointe. Turn left to return to the roundabout junction.

(10) Head up Rue Marie Lemonnier opposite, then continue along Rue de la Linière, which runs along the north coast of the island towards Pointe de la Gardette. Further on, you will reach the crossroads with Rue du Martroger.

(12) Turn right and head south on this street, going around the old Abbaye de la Blanche. Stay on this street until you reach the crossroads with Chemin de la Gogue.

(13) Turn left. Then walk along the stone wall on the right that encloses the grounds of the old abbey. You will come to a bend that is almost a right angle.

(14) Turn left, still following the property wall. Cross the hamlet of Porte Pireau, then follow Rue de la Porte Pireau northwards until you reach the crossroads with Rue de la Blanche.

(15) Turn right, continue along Rue de la Madeleine along the coast towards the village of Vieil. Pass in front of Vieil beach, then turn south towards the village of Vieil and its chapel by taking Rue Monseigneur Sorbeaux on the right. Reach the stop sign at the crossroads with Rue de la Madeleine.

(16) Turn left onto this street and, in the right-hand bend, you will find a new crossroads, Rue du Mardi Gras.

(17) Follow the sign for "Bois de la Chaise" on the left. Turn right onto Rue du Canal and continue along the path through the pine trees and campsites. At the fork, turn left onto Allée Pierre Lermitte, continue along Allée de la Clère and then Allée du Tambourin (blue sign). You will come out at a right angle onto Avenue Georges Clémenceau.

(18) Turn left to go to the famous Plage des Dames (yellow sign).

(19) Return to the previous crossroads.

(18) Continue straight ahead on the avenue and turn left at the crossroads onto Allée des Sableaux, which is a no-entry road but authorised for bicycles. Head south towards Plage des Sableaux for 2.2 km until you reach Fort Larron.

(20) Go around the Marais de Mullembourg nature reserve on a dyke to Noirmoutier-en-l'Île. You will arrive at the market and then the lock.

(21) Take the lock on the left and continue on the D5 cycle path heading south. You will arrive at the car park in front of a shopping centre and a petrol station.

(22) Turn right, join the D95, turn left and continue until you reach the crossroads with a path running parallel to the road.

(23) Take the path running alongside the D95 through the salt marshes to the roundabout before the village of L'Épine.

(24) Continue straight ahead to enter the village. Take Rue de l'Hôtel de Ville opposite. Pass in front of the town hall.

(25) In the centre of the village, turn right onto Rue de la Goulanderie just before the bakery to return to the starting point (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 3 m - Parking: Village de l'Epine, Rue des Trappes
  2. 1 : km 1.29 - alt. 4 m - Les Moulins de la Bosse sign
  3. 2 : km 2.51 - alt. 3 m - Carrefour Port Morin
  4. 3 : km 3.58 - alt. 3 m - intersection at the Marais Neuf bridge
  5. 4 : km 5.92 - alt. 3 m - Wastewater treatment plant
  6. 5 : km 6.7 - alt. 3 m - D5
  7. 6 : km 8.09 - alt. 2 m - Turn left onto Rue du Puits Namer.
  8. 7 : km 8.91 - alt. 10 m - Luzéronde beach crossroads
  9. 8 : km 9.05 - alt. 7 m - Luzéronde Beach
  10. 9 : km 9.62 - alt. 10 m - Turn left onto the D5 towards the port of L'Herbaudière.
  11. 10 : km 10.77 - alt. 6 m - Port de l'Herbaudière
  12. 11 : km 11.32 - alt. 6 m - End of the pier
  13. 12 : km 13.39 - alt. 12 m - On the right, Rue du Martroger
  14. 13 : km 13.7 - alt. 5 m - Turn right onto Rue de la Gogue.
  15. 14 : km 14.78 - alt. 6 m - Wall of the Abbaye de la Blanche property
  16. 15 : km 15.52 - alt. 7 m - Turn right towards the village of Vieil.
  17. 16 : km 17.3 - alt. 4 m - At the stop sign, turn left.
  18. 17 : km 17.6 - alt. 3 m - Bois de la Chaise sign
  19. 18 : km 20.2 - alt. 8 m - Carrefour Clémenceau
  20. 19 : km 20.38 - alt. 8 m - Plage des Dames
  21. 20 : km 22.9 - alt. 5 m - Fort Larron - La Jetée Jacobsen
  22. 21 : km 24.96 - alt. 4 m - Noirmoutier en Île lock
  23. 22 : km 25.95 - alt. 3 m - Shopping centre
  24. 23 : km 26.39 - alt. 3 m - Path along the D95
  25. 24 : km 28.02 - alt. 3 m - Roundabout in the village of L'Epine and the D38
  26. 25 : km 28.7 - alt. 3 m - Rue de la Goulanderie
  27. S/E : km 28.9 - alt. 3 m - Parking: Village de l'Epine, Rue des Trappes

Notes

- Shops in the villages you pass through.
- The route takes you down one-way streets that are open to bicycles. Be careful with oncoming traffic. If in doubt, dismount.

Worth a visit

- Feel free to go back and forth to see the coast, beaches and ports.

Reviews and comments

4.6 / 5
Based on 7 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.3 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.7 / 5
Route interest
4.7 / 5
lecrenais
lecrenais

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 23, 2026
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A wonderful exploration of the island and its varied landscapes, all under a glorious sun. A brilliant day

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Eterle
Eterle

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 15, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful, varied and not difficult hike, offering great views of the entire northern part of the island. Very quiet, slightly shortened due to a heavy downpour in November. We made up for the missing part on foot the next day!

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Patrick S1.
Patrick S1.

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 14, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

The route is well described and interesting, but it is important to note that it should not be attempted after rain.
In particular, avoid the section through the salt marshes.
It is not on tarmac, but unlike the other sections on "dirt", there are muddy (or previously clayey) areas.
Not only do the bikes get dirty, but the clay literally blocks the wheels.
After unblocking them with whatever means were available, only a trip to the car wash could make them functional again

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papydawan
papydawan

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 01, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

a complete circuit that allows you to discover the different landscapes of the north of the island. It can be started at any point marked on the map.

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Bernard SBG
Bernard SBG

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 19, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Discover the region and visit unexpected places.

Thank you.

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jeanluc.verlyck@gmail.com
jeanluc.verlyck@gmail.com

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 05, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

In terms of visitor numbers, these were high around Noirmoutier, which is logical.

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gerardluda
gerardluda

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 10, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Easy bike ride enjoying the beautiful seaside landscapes of the island.

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