Reader Q&A: Taking bikes on trains from Brittany to La Rochelle

Published by Lyn on 24 May 2015

Penny wrote to ask about taking bikes on trains from La Trinité-sur-Mer in Brittany to La Rochelle. Here's our email Q&A.

Intercites train map

Join us on Twitter and Facebook

Hi Lyn,

I love your blog and follow you on Twitter.

I'm wondering if I cycle from La Trinité-sur-Mer in Brittany down to La Rochelle, would I be able to catch the train back? Or to Vannes maybe?

I find the train service not like in UK with all main routes going back to Paris.
Any ideas?

Many thanks

Penny

I wrote back:

Hi Penny,

You'd need to get an 'Intercité' train (click the map above for stations these trains go to or download the PDF here). You would not need to go via Paris as Intercités trains go down the west coast of France.

You can take your bike on *some* Intercité services without a reservation. I have these listed on this page.

That La Rochelle train now needs reservations for bikes (if you don't live in France, the easiest way to book tickets is with via Trainline). Most of the more modern trains will have hooks for your bike (in busy periods people sometimes put luggage in the bike storage areas – see my pic from our bikes on an Intercité service from Caen to Paris recently. Grrrrrrr.)

bike storage french trains

Hope that helps and thanks for reading/supporting my site (makes the late nights worthwhile!)

Let me know if you need any more info. Would be great to hear how you get on (I always welcome ride reports and guest blogs).

Lyn.

PS I usually post reader questions on the blog as reader Q&As in case they can help others (and to save me answering the same questions twice). I hope this is OK. I never include full names or any contact info.

Penny replied:

Thank you Lyn.

Will let you know how I do and no worries about adding to Q&A – very useful reading.

All best,
Penny.

Accommodation on the west coast of France

Here are some accommodation options for a ride from Brittany down to La Rochelle.

If you find Freewheeling France useful, please tell your cyclist friends about it (I'm also on Twitter and Facebook).

On the blog

Reviews

More books

Cycling in France?

Search for tours & accommodation

© 2011-2021 Freewheeling France | Copyright, Cookies, Privacy and Advertiser T&Cs |