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Loire Valley

Cycle the prestigious Loire castles around Tours

Discover the gems of the Loire Valley hidden between prestigious vineyards, majestic castles and cave dwellers villages.

Reviews (3) :
4.33 / 5
Reference L0804
  • Loop trip
  • 8 days
  • Easy
  • From april to october
  • Minimum age 10 years old
GPSGPS-app available
1039€ / pers.
  • Itinerary
  • Starting in Tours, you discover the hidden side of the Loire valley. Your bike ride takes you on small roads through the worldwide known vineyard of Vouvray, the forest of Amboise or along the Indre. You will discover some of the most prestigious castles of the Loire Valley such as the château de Chenonceau, the château d’Azay-le-Rideau, the château de Villandry or the château de Loches and the small hidden gems, as the cave dwellers villages, the many mills of the Indre Valley or the last home of Leonardo da Vinci, the Clos Lucé. Discover also the medieval towns of Amboise and Loches before coming back to Tours.

    Day 1

     
     

    Tours

    Discover the charming old neighborhood in Tours boasting many half-timbered houses. Stroll around and visit Saint-Gatien cathedral, the Wilson bridge and Plumereau square.

    Day 2

     
     

    Tours - Amboise

    Bike
    34km
    You leave the city center of Tours and meander through the small wine-growing villages of the Vouvray region along the cave dwellings to reach the medieval town of Amboise.
       

    Vouvray wine cellar tour 1h

    Follow the work of the wine growers from winter pruning to the grape harvest, and learn about the selection of the wines which will constitute the "cuvées" of the year.
    Included

    Day 3

     
     

    Amboise - Chenonceau

    Bike
    17/47km
    Ride through the forest of Amboise and along the banks of the Cher until you reach one of the most iconic castles of the Loire, the Château de Chenonceau. You can also continue your bike ride to an underground village and a mushroom cellar near Bourré.

    You can visit Le Clos Lucé before leaving Amboise.
       

    Château du Clos Lucé 2h

    Free visit of the château, Leonardo’s workshop, the cultural park and the "Leonardo da Vinci, painter and architect" galleries.
    13,50 € / teen
    19,00 € / adult

    Day 4

     
     

    Chenonceau - Loches

    Bike
    33km
    You cross the Cher and the lovely countryside to reach the beautiful small village of Chédigny, also called the village of roses. Then, you continue your ride to the medieval city of Loches and its fortress on the banks of the Indre.
       

    Château de Chenonceau 2h

    Take a self guided tour of the château and its gardens and discover the rich history of the site.
    14,00 € / teen
    17,00 € / adult

    Day 5

     
     

    Loches - Montbazon

    Bike
    41km
    You leave Loches riding along the banks of the Indre and pass the many small charming villages bordering the river. You cross the river on a Roman bridge and admire the medieval remains which mark out your bike ride.

    Day 6

     
     

    Montbazon - Azay-le-Rideau

    Bike
    24km
    You leave the charming town of Montbazon and meander along the Indre River, through the small villages, along the many water mills and cave dwellings. In this valley of the Indre, the French writer Balzac found his inspiration. Several of his books describe these places. You can visit his home in Saché. You end up visiting the beautiful castle of Azay-le-Rideau.

    Day 7

     
     

    Azay-le-Rideau - Tours

    Bike
    35km
    You meander through the forest to reach the castle of Villandry and its gardens. Enjoy the banks of the Loire before going back to the city center of Tours along the cycle lanes.
       

    Château de Villandry 2h

    Château de Villandry, now a Unesco World Heritage site, is one of the last Loire Valley châteaux to have been built during the Renaissance. It was originally a medieval fortress. Take a break from your cycling tour and discover its unique history as you visit the gardens and château.
    9,00 € / teen
    13,00 € / adult

    Day 8

     
     

    Departure from Tours

    You can decide to extend your stay or start your home travel.
  • Accommodation
  • Category A

    You’ll enjoy staying in these clean and cozy 2-Star hotels that give you a pleasant rest after your day of biking. Breakfast is included when you spend the night in these friendly and family-run hotels.
    * Example of the type of accommodation

    Category B

    You’ll get a good night’s sleep when you stay in these 3-Star hotels or Bed and Breakfasts. All properties have been selected for their cleanliness, style and friendliness of the staff. A hearty breakfast is included!
    * Example of the type of accommodation

    Category C

    You’ll have a wider selection of accommodations when you choosing this 3/4-Star category. Some nights you’ll stay in guaints hotels, and other times you might be in a charming Bed and Breakfast. Enjoy the "vie de chateau" atmosphere in an exceptional environment. Properties are selected for their high standards and impeccable service. Don’t forget...breakfast is included!
    * Example of the type of accommodation
  • Bikes, luggage and documents
  • Bikes

    On your arrival day, we provide you with:

    • a touring bike adjusted to your size or a tandem
    • equipped : front rack pack with an integrated file compartment, saddlebag, helmet (on demand), reflective vest, repairing toolkit with patches etc.

    We also provide you with the appropriate equipment for your children : baby seat, bike trailer or trailer bike depending on their age and size.

    Electric bikes are also available for adults (+1m55).

    You can of course also bring your own bikes, in this case a reduction will be applied (see the Tarif tab)


    Luggage

    Our services include luggage transport in order to let you enjoy your trip comfortably and without stress :
    • We transport your luggage from one accommodation to the next using a private vehicle.
    • Your luggage is directly delivered in your accommodation before you arrive.
    • We provide a saddlebag for the things you shall need during the day.

    Our word of advice : as we know from experience, we strongly recommend you to avoid wearing a backpack during your cycling trip.
    If you expect to arrive at the next accommodation before 5 p.m., we recommend that you take an extra set of clothes with you in your bicycle bag.


    Travel documents

    A cycling holiday is the best way to explore a region and discover its culture, landscapes and local traditions.

    Your tour is self-guided to give you the freedom to ride at your own pace. You will be provided all the information you need to enjoy peacefully the itinerary and its interesting sites.
    You will have in your travel documents :
    • a detailed map (A4 format) of the itinerary that we drew at the easiest scale to follow for a bicycle rider
    • a step-by-step description of the itinerary (bound A5 format) giving the direction to follow at each intersection
    • a tourist leaflet containing a brief presentation and useful practical information (opening time, price, contact) about the points of interest along the way

    Example of a map and a step-by-step description


    GPS tracks


    For this trip, we also provide the GPS tracks on demand in the .gpx format at no extra cost.

  • Practical information
  • To get to departure point:

    • By plane: flight to Paris or Tours.
    • By train: you need to get to Tours Centre. You can take inter-regional trains from Paris-Austerlitz station. The duration of the trip is about 2h00. Or TGV (fast trains) from Paris Montparnasse (direct or connection in Saint-Pierre-des-Corps). The duration of the trip is between 1h15 and 1h45. To plan your trip, www.raileurope.com.


    Parking

    If you drive to Tours, you can park your car in a secured car park located in the city center, close to your accommodation and the train station. The daily rate is 10€ and decreases depending on the duration. The location and contact details of the car park will be given in your travel documents.


    Meeting time:

    The first day is an arrival day without cycling. You arrive whenever you want depending on from where you come. Please note that rooms are usually available in the middle of the afternoon depending on your accommodation. We thank you to advise us if you plan to arrive late.


  • Reviews
  •   Memory of the trip  

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    3 bike travelers reviews 4.33 / 5

    De Loirestreek ontdekken

    On the 2021-07-25 by Ann
    Fietsen door de mooie Loirestreek is de ideale manier om op een sportieve manier de streek te ontdekken. Het parcours leidt je langs wijngaarden, zonnebloemvelden, ....Chenonceau, Villandry en Azay-le-Rideau zijn absolute pareltjes.

    Eine wunderbare Woche rund um Tour

    On the 2015-08-13 by Michael
    Ein wunderschöner Urlaub mit dem Fahrrad im Loiretal! Es war alles hervorragend organisiert, der Gepäcktransport hat zuverlässig funktioniert und die Wegbeschreibungen bzw. Karten waren sehr exakt und verständlich. Die gebuchten Unterkünfte waren alle sehr schön und geschmackvoll ausgesucht. Die haben uns allesamt hervorragend gefallen und wir hatten eine wirklich gute Zeit. Nicht zuletzt waren auch die Restaurant-Empfehlungen von Velo Voyageur immer eine gute Wahl.

    Séjour inoubliable

    On the 2015-07-28 by Graham
    Séjour inoubliable. Parcours et plans très clairs, itinéraires bien choisis et accueil des étapes d'une qualité irréprochable. Grande réactivité de l'équipe de vélo voyageur qui a en tout facilité notre séjour. Nous recommandons très chaleureusement les services de VV et envisageons nous-mêmes de renouveler l'expérience dans une autre région de France.
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