Welcome to Angers, named France's greenest city in 2020. In the month of June, it is the base for the Nature is Bike Festival. An annual gravel and adventure festival some 300 kilometres southwest of Paris. In the rolling and green Pays de la Loire it is a vibrant mix of gravel, gastronomy and challenging races and tour routes. On behalf of Cycling Destination, explorer Stijn Kanters was on the road and he headed by Thalys towards beautiful Angers to gravel during Nature is Bike.
Text and photos: Stijn Kanters
Read also:
- Basic packing list for your holiday: https://cyclingdestination.cc/tips/basispaklijst-voor-jouw-fietsvakantie
- Tips for your first gravel adventure: https://cyclingdestination.cc/tips/tips-voor-jouw-eerste-keer-gravelen
The beating heart
At the heart of the Nature is Bike Festival is "the village", or the village square. Here, agencies of the region, bike brands, vendors, brands and food,and drink establishments gather in a vibrant mix. And the village serves as the start and finish spot for the various tours and races. The event has several tours mapped out and so Nature is Bike is a great way to discover all the gravel options in Angers.
Gold Beach - Gravel Legend
The most challenging ride is the Gravel of Legend. A gravel ride from the legendary beaches of Arromanches-les-Bains in Normandy to Angers, the gravel capital of France. A 320km, 2500hm self-supported ultra gravel ride, to be completed within 21 hours. What a ride that is. 320km is not nothing. The ride starts at Gold beach, the landing site of Canadian troops during D-day on 5 June 1945. The so-called 'H-hour' now took place 78 years and 11 days later. At 0600 is the starting gun for the 500 participants, who will enter late Saturday morning at the festival village next to la Lac de Maine.
Back to the beginning
Whereas the participants of the Graval of Legend face a tough trip, our journey on Friday afternoon starts extremely calm and easy. At a speed of 300 km/h, we whiz by the Thalys (from next year, the Eurostar) from Amsterdam to Paris, where we changed to the TGV to Angers. A comfortable and relaxing journey. After a warm welcome by Olivier, the local 'chef de partie', we settled into our pleasant accommodation, right in the centre of Angers. It is pleasant to be here, as there is plenty of hustle and bustle and friendliness.
Freedom
Gravel represents the sheer freedom of being able to ride wherever you want, whenever you want. It stems from a genuine desire to reconnect with nature. Graveling in Angers is a love of adventure and the outdoors. The atmosphere in the village is accordingly. The people are convivial, helpful and friendly. When a set of pedals is missing, people immediately jump into action to help you. This makes you feel welcome and immediately creates a bond. Anyone who thinks the Nature is Bike festival has only extreme gravel rides to offer is wrong. The offer is as diverse as the stallholders at the festival.
Gastronomy
We opt for the gourmet graveltour on Saturday afternoon and the 200km Panaracer on Sunday. On Saturday, it's a 40km route with a mix of convivial stops where you can get locally produced food and drink. And Sunday a semi-self-supported 200km gravel event with timed sections for a classification, connected by non-timed sections. Both gravel events take place in the wooded countryside from the Loire to rolling La Possonnière.
There is more
Not seen enough gravel yet? The agenda for participants also includes the 50km and 100km gravel race variants on Sunday. In addition, also discovery routes of 19, 26 or 33km through the heart of the Loire Valley. Special attention goes to the bikepack variant of the gravel of legends, with simultaneous departures from Gold Beach with the participants of the gravel of legends. But the distance will be completed in two days, within 38 hours.
Exploring
After receiving our bikes and registering for both events, we strolled through the village. A nice mix of big brands like DT Swiss, BMC and Cannondale, local entrepreneurs and representatives of France's many regions (to be cycled) made it a lively event. Where there was something for everyone. The emphasis is mostly on sustainable initiatives and free and adventurous travel which matches the gravelly mentality of outdoor and adventure cycling.
Route around Angers
Our Saturday afternoon fills up with a 40km gravel route around Angers. A fast-paced tour with the diverse landscape of the Pays de la Loire as its backdrop. In which we are guided from local French beers, live music and spreads to fresh wine, more live music and deliciously fresh French sandwiches. A short but diverse route where the convivial atmosphere, helped by IPAs and lavishly poured wines, brings us back down to the village after three hours of cycling and laughing. Where all participants happily get ready for dinner.
Very early
With the pasties and wines from the gourmet tour and subsequent BBQ, the start of the 200km at 0600 is just earlier than was pleasant. However, the early rise is rewarded with a beautiful sunrise and special communal start with the 300 participants. The first 45km takes us over a mix of a technical course through the forest, and rolling gravel lanes past vineyards. After which we catch up along the Loire and further into the valley.
Back in time
The changing landscapes and views are slowly overshadowed by an ominous sky. An oppressive heat that already spread a few drops over the tyre and IPA pouring farmers the previous day is now threatening to really erupt. After 75km, we end up at the first dressing station at the imposing Chateau de Brissac. There we learn that we rode in ten minutes outside the final time slot. And as a precaution for a finish time within the limit, we are taken out of the race.
The volunteers seemed more bothered by it than we were, after all, we were there to enjoy the ride, and regaled ourselves with cake and coffee. After brief deliberation and a glance at the shower radar, we decided to hook up with the 100km version of the ride. And ride the last 25km with a cosy mix of participants from the 100km tour. Through the banks of the Loire and dense forests, we gravelled back into Angers. To finish in the village next to Lake Maine.
Smart move
Shortly after entering, that seems to have been a wise decision. Shortly after our finish, the threatening cloud turns into a real storm, which does not subside until 8 pm. After the shower, we settle down at the centrally located square, Place du Ralliement, for a closing dinner with the friends made along the way. Who had endured the hero's journey through the rain like no other. The meeting and convivial dinner was exemplary of the festival. A place where you find people with common interests and an enervated spirit, enjoying another 200km of gravelly abandonment par excellence. Good people.
Gravel in Angers: Routes Nature is Bike
If you go cycling in Angers and especially if you are gravelling in the region, Nature is Bike is a fantastic option. Here are the two routes we rode. But the event's site has all the info and any other route options you could think of.
