The Loire Valley - 7 nights | 6 stages
Day 1 - Arrival in Blois
Arrival in Blois, check-in at the hotel is available after 3pm.
It is necessary for any visitor to this town to experience a trip to the royal Castle of Blois. It is an essential site of the Loire Valley. It gives a genuine picture of the classic architecture and rich history of the multitude of castles found in the Loire Valley. It was the residence of 7 kings and 10 queens during its time. This site is particularly evocative of the Renaissance. King François I, Chambord and Fontainebleau were some of the builders of this impressive structure 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 - 40.5 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)
Embark on our carefully crafted journey of our Loire Valley Explorer. A route that diverges from the river at times, but reveals a tapestry woven with historical and cultural threads. Explore gems like Candé sur Beuvron and the elevated Chaumont Castle, treating you to breathtaking views of the river. Don't miss the renowned garden festival in its splendid park. Your day culminates in Amboise, home to a captivating castle and the Clos Lucé, where Leonardo da Vinci spent his final four years.
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 on the previous day, you will be able to do so this morning before starting out. You will continue towards Tours after your exploration. From Amboise, you can also take an extra side trip to visit Chenonceau, which is one of the pearls of the Loire Valley. You then can come back to Amboise along the same road and ride to Tours on bike paths. It is also possible to take the train from Chenonceau to Tours. The railway station is 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.
Optional itinerary modification for visiting Azay le Rideau: before arriving in Langeais, at the level of the Chapelle aux Naux, you cut through meadows and orchards along small quiet roads. Azay le Rideau is a castle built on an island in the middle of the Indre River. It is a jewel of the French Renaissance, edified during 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 riding over a suspended bridge. You then follow the wild Loire River in the direction of Bréhémont along the Levée (the same one since Villandry). It offers a wonderfully scenic landscape along the Loire River often showcasing historic flat-bottomed barges, such as gabarres and futreaux. This provides authenticity and a peaceful ride through this unique cultural region.
Optional side trip: We recommend taking the time to go visit the castle of Ussé. Locally this castle has been called “le château de la Belle au bois dormant” (Sleeping Beauty’s castle) since it inspired the famous French writer Charles Perrault (3.5 km roundtrip detour).
There is an option of 2 itineraries to reach Chinon:
The quicker one leaves the banks of the river Loire at La Huhaudrie to arrive in Chinon after about 12km, but this option has some quite steep climbs during this section. The normal itinerary follows the Loire River with a cycling path until it meets the confluence with the Indre River. You then ride through Avoine and Savigny en Véron, eventually following the banks of the Vienne River 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 (59 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!
