Melle

On this stage of the Vélidéale cycle route, you ride off from the Pays Mellois area making use of a greenway called the Ruban Vert (or Green Ribbon), taking you along a raised former railway line, up to Prahecq. This stretch proves both peaceful and accessible to most. Then, to shift from the Mellois area to the Niortais, it’s only a short stretch, through a tunnel of greenery in the warmer seasons. You reach the centre of the city of Niort via the Avenue de Limoges, cycling up to La Brèche, a major public park, and Le Port Boinot, the river port, both providing important green spaces for the town. Plus, you’re now on the edge of the splendid Marais Poitevin marshes.

From Chef-Boutonne, the Boutonne Valley serves as your thread along a route with a royal twist; the Pays Mellois area boasted silver mines exploited for the French kings... back in Carolingian times! Today, you can cover this territory on a family-friendly, refreshing stage that runs beside local rivers. This part of the Vélidéale cycle route encourages you to discover Romanesque architecture and enjoy breaks in green settings. After the Boutonne River, it’s the turn of the Béronne River to guide you up to the little town of Melle via an interweaving series of pretty minor roads that it’s a delight to meander along.