Cycling Tourism: Discover Street Art By Bike On The Vélomaritime.
Cycling enthusiasts in northwestern France are familiar with the Vélomaritime, a bike route that connects Dunkirk to Roscoff over more than 1500 km. But did you know that this cycling itinerary between land and sea also offers the opportunity to discover 6 street art spots? Here are the different stages of this artistic bike ride.
1- The bay of Morlaix
Cycling and street art enthusiasts will begin their artistic stroll along the Vélomaritime in the Bay of Morlaix. Since 2019, the Morlaix Arts Tour festival has immersed visitors in a clever mix of historical heritage and urban art through a mobile application and marked routes. This treasure hunt for hidden artworks within the Bay of Morlaix will take you to Carantec, Plougasnou, Pleyber-Christ, Ploujean, and Plounéour-Ménez, not forgetting the town of Morlaix itself! It is in Morlaix where you can admire Leon Keer's trompe-l'œil artwork "Kit de secours" and Wild Drawing's poetic fresco "Message in the bottle" (winner of the Golden Street Art 2022).
2- Saint-Brieuc translates to "2- Saint-Brieuc" in English.
The second stage of this artistic journey on the Vélomaritime is the town of Saint-Brieuc, which hosts the street art festival Just Do Paint.
For several years, this festival has transformed Saint-Brieuc and its surrounding area into an open-air art gallery. More than 40 local and international artists have left their mark in the area.
To discover their works (more than 58 in total), simply walk or bike through the streets of Saint-Brieuc following the directions of a dedicated application.
3- Cherbourg translates to "3- Cherbourg" in English.
The next stage of this artistic stroll along the Vélomaritime is the town of Cherbourg. In this Normandy city, walls as well as entire buildings, ruins, and water towers have been transformed into works of art! A 9 x 2.4 m wall is even left available for artists... Cherbourg is full of surprises that all street art lovers can discover during their bike trip.
4- Le Havre translates to "4- The Harbor" in English.
Le Havre is known for its modern architecture and is a great space for street artists to express themselves. The city, which is dotted with tags, collages, mosaics, and paintings of all kinds, is an essential stop on the Vélomaritime.
One of the local attractions is the hunt for the friendly gouzou, who adorns the walls of the town. This chubby and mischievous little man was born in Le Havre, just like his creator, the street artist Jace.
5- Boulogne-sur-Mer translates to "5- Boulogne-sur-Mer" in English.
During your artistic stroll along the Vélomaritime, don't miss stopping in Boulogne-sur-Mer! No less than 5 routes are waiting for you to discover the incredible diversity of mural paintings created by artists from all over the world.
These 57 monumental frescoes will surprise you with their originality, with perspective games and intense colors. Expect to be surprised at every street corner in Boulogne-sur-Mer with the feeling of having arrived in a real open-air museum!
6- Calais (en anglais : 6- Calais)
To end this arty journey on the Vélomaritime in style, go admire Banksy's works on the walls of Calais! The world's most famous street artist has drawn several murals there.
The city of Calais offers several dedicated street art tours: an opportunity for visitors to discover the works created during the different editions of the Street Art Festival!
This festival, which will be held for the fourth year in 2023, adds a certain number of monumental creations in the streets with each edition. The city of Calais already has more than thirty of them.
A bike path full of surprises.
If you want to learn more about Vélomaritime, the French part of EuroVelo 4, I invite you to check out the official website below. Urban art is not the only attraction of this cycling route, which also allows you to discover the Pink Granite Coast, the cliffs of Étretat, Mont Saint Michel, and the Bay of Somme! Can it get any better?
