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The Loire Valley - 7 nights | 6 stages
Travel Dates 2024
Daily from April 13th to October 15th
Day 1 - Arrival in Blois
Arrival in Blois, check in at the hotel.
It is absolutely necessary to visit the royal Castle of Blois. It is an essential site of the Val de Loire. It gives a genuine panorama of the architecture and history of the castles of the Loire Valley. It was the residence of 7 kings and 10 queens. This site is particularly evocative of the Renaissance. King François I was one of the builders (as well as for Chambord and Fontainebleau) and the Duke of Guise was murdered in the castle in 1588 under the command of Henri III.
Note: If you arrive early, you can organize a ride at the castle of Chambord and come back along the banks of the Loire river - 37 km (extra cost for the day of bike rental).
Night in Blois in 2* or 3* hotel for the upgraded version
Day 2 - Blois - Amboise (43 km)
When you follow the itinerary of the Loire Valley, (which only partly follows the river, in fact) you will discover a circuit rich in history and heritage: Candé sur Beuvron, the castle of Chaumont perched on its promontory and offering an exceptional panorama over the Loire river. It is worth a visit, with its famous garden festival in its sumptuous park. Arrival in Amboise and its castle through the Clos Lucé where Leonard de Vinci spent the last four years of his life
Night in Ambois in 2* or 4* hotel for the upgraded version.
Day 3 - Amboise - Tours (28 km) + Chenonceau Castle (25 km round trip)
If you didn’t have the time to visit Amboise and the Clos Lucé yesterday, you will be able to do it this morning before starting and then, you will continue towards Tours. Otherwise, from Amboise, you can also go out of your way for a visit to Chenonceau (with a shared, not secured road yet) which is one of the pearls of the Val de Loire. Then, you can come back to Amboise with the same road (25 km round trip) and keep riding to Tours (well provided with bike paths). It is also possible to take the train (TER) from Chenonceau to Tours. The railway station is just next to the castle.
Night in Tours in 2* or 3* hotel for the upgraded version.
Day 4 - Tours - Langeais (31 km) + Azay le Rideau (16 km round trip)
Today is one of the most beautiful stages of the Loire Valley by bike. You will follow the banks of the river Cher up to the Renaissance castle of Villandry and its well-known gardens and ornamental water pools. Then, you will keep riding on the « Levée » (dike along the Loire river) and you will cross the river Loire to arrive at Langeais and its unavoidable medieval castle built under Louis XI.
Itinerary for Azay le Rideau: before arriving in Langeais, at the level of the Chapelle aux Naux, you cut through meadows and orchards with small, not very busy roads.
It is also possible from Villandry with a quiet itinerary in the Regional Park, Loire Anjou Touraine, but you will be cut off from the first part of the Levée that is really spectacular. Azay le rideau is a castle built on an island in the middle of the river Indre. It is a jewel of the French Renaissance, edified under the reign of François I.
Night in Langeais in charming guest house (equivalent 3* hotel)
Day 5 - Langeais - Chinon (38 Km)
You leave Langeais and its fortress with the suspended bridge. Then, you follow the wild Loire river and take the direction of Bréhémont with the Levée (the same one since Villandry). It offers a wonderful landscape on the river Loire and its ancient boats such as gabarres and futreaux which are flatbottomed barges. This provides authenticity and a peaceful harmony. Take the time to visit the castle of Ussé, called “le château de la Belle au bois dormant” (Sleeping beauty’s castle) since it inspired Charles Perrault (round trip 3.5 km).
Two itineraries to reach Chinon: the quicker one leaves the banks of the river Loire at the level of La Huhaudrie to arrive in Chinon after about 12 km but with some quite steep ascents to climb. The normal itinerary follows the river Loire with a path. 5 km further, it meets the confluence with the river Indre. Then, you ride through Avoine and Savigny en Véron and you follow the banks of the river Vienne up to Chinon.
Night in Chinon in 3* hotel
Day 6 - Chinon - Saumur (35 km) + Fontrevaud Abbey (12 km round trip)
Between Touraine and Anjou, a wonderful stage that starts with the banks of the river Vienne and runs to Savigny en Véron. Then, the itinerary comes back to the banks of the river Vienne and, a little further, arrives at the confluence of the Vienne and the Loire rivers and at the postcard village of Candes St Martin. In Montsoreau, you should go out of your way to admire the Fontevraud Abbey, one of the most beautiful heritage sites of the river Loire with its polychrome recumbent effigies. It is not very far from your way and you won’t regret it. Back to Montsoreau, if you feel like visiting another castle, the one of Montsoreau will welcome you with its fortress immortalized by Alexandre Dumas.
To go to Saumur, there are only 18 km but a few ascents among which a 18 % one in Parnay. They are short and you will appreciate to ride in the heart of the vineyards of Saumur Champigny. The new itinerary of the river Loire by bike enables to go to Saumur while following the river and avoiding the vineyards. This is a choice you will have to make when you arrive at the “domaine de la Bienboire”.
Night in Saumur in 3* hotel
Day 7 - Saumur - Angers (61 km)
The castle of Saumur really deserves a visit too. No difficulty on this ride except for the last kilometers that lead to the high points of Angers. Most of the time you will follow the river Loire up to Cunault (one of the most beautiful Romanesque churches of the Anjou area). You will climb towards the lake Joreau, ride in front of the dolmen of Madeleine and go down to Gennes and its Anjou softness. You are now in the Anjou region and, always along the river Loire; you will ride in front of the St Maur Abbey, the Benedictine priory of St Rémy; you will cross the river Loire to reach St Mathurin sur Loire, (an old harbour and stage between Saumur and Angers), la Daguenière and Angers through the Trélazé slate quarries. In Angers, there is a castle surrounded with a fortress built by Saint Louis. Inside, you can see the huge Apocalypse Tapestry. Don’t miss the town’s older neighbourhoods.
Night in Anger in 3* hotel or 4* hotel
Day 8 - End
End of the trip after the breakfast.
NOTE: Sometimes we have to make slight modifications to the route that is given here. This can happen for a variety of reasons such as hotels being fully booked or because there are obstructions, damages or other problems along the paths. Trust us, any changes that are made in your best interest: for your comfort, safety and enjoyment!
