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DAY 1 |
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Start your tour by exploring Blois, with its cobblestone streets and meandering walkways. Cross the long stone bridge in the center of town for great views. Your highlight will be visiting Blois Castle, with intricate architectural details and manicured gardens
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DAY 2 |
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Blois - Cheverny
2 route options
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Blois - Cheverny
2 route options
Start your ride by pedaling through Chateau de Chambord’s lush forest with massive trees. Take a peek at the stone bridge salamadenders engraved on the walls of Loire’s most extravagant castle. Leaving the castle, you can enjoy a bucolic jaunt to Neuvy, with its many ponds (+ 26 kms), or head more quickly to Bracieux. As you enjoy the shade from hundred-year-old tree, you’ll follow the trail along Crosson creek to the Chateau de Cheverny. The Moulinsart Castle inspired Hergé of the Tintin comics, which you may have read.
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Chocolate factory
1h
At the end of the guided visit you will enjoy different kinds of chocolates.
The factory is closed on mondays, except on july and august, Dogs not allowed.
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Included
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Domaine de Chambord
2h
Take a free tour of the château and gardens of this must-see estate, a veritable work of art in the Loire Valley.
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16,00 € / adult
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DAY 3 |
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Cheverny - Chaumont-sur-Loire region
2 route options
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Cheverny - Chaumont-sur-Loire region
2 route options
Today you have the choice of two bike routes. if you like, stroll through the Chateau de Beauregard’s art gallery. You’ll find over 327 portraits of famous European leaders that forged history between 14th and 17th Century. Looking for something more active? Ride through vineyards before arriving in front of the Fougeres-sur-Bieve drawbridge. Your ride then takes you on a delightful route as you follow the toues, or traditional boats along the path from Loire to Chaumont-sur-Loire. The city is famous for its fairy tale castle as well as the International Garden Festival which displays over 30 themed gardens with a variety of garden art. After marveling at the castle and gardens.
Please note that this stage may be longer or shorter depending on your accommodation (plus 10km or minus 7km).
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DAY 4 |
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Chaumont sur Loire region - Amboise
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Chaumont sur Loire region - Amboise
This morning’s route takes you directly to the beautiful city of Amboise. The medieval ton has link to the French Royal Family and is where Leonardo de Vinci spent his last few years. Explore the many cobblestone streets and check out the unique architectural features of the Chateau d’Amboise. The Chateau gives you one of the best overall views of the Loire Valley.
Please note that this stage may be longer or shorter depending on your accommodation.
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Domaine de Chaumont-sur-Loire
3h
Visit the castle and the estate on your own, enjoy the art and garden exhibitions as part of the International Garden Festival.
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6,00 € / child
12,00 € / teen
20,00 € / adult
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DAY 5 |
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Let the medieval atmosphere of this city seduce you. Admire the machines designed by Leonard da Vinci which are surprisingly up-to-date in Clos-Lucé, the last place where he lived and died.
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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.
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13,50 € / teen
19,00 € / adult
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DAY 6 |
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Day trip to the castle of Chenonceau
2 route options
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Day trip to the castle of Chenonceau
2 route options
Your tranquil bike route today leads you through idyllic natural beauty with rivers and forests, leading to the most iconic Chateaux de la Loire, the "Chateau de Chenonceau". This historical castle had an almost uninterrupted succession of women who built, restored and saved the castle. Today it is one of the most photographed castles in France. If you like, continue riding along the banks of the Cher River until you reach the underground city near Bourre. This suberranan city can be viewed to experience what life was like living in a cave-structure. You’ll see an amazing reconstruction of an underground city.
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Château de Chenonceau
2h
Take a self guided tour of the château and its gardens and discover the rich history of the site.
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14,00 € / teen
17,00 € / adult
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DAY 7 |
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Amboise-Tours
2 route options
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Amboise-Tours
2 route options
Today you have a choice about which wine route to take to get to the charming town of Tours. Both routes offer great scenery and pleasant ride! One route leads you through Vouvray’s sparkling wine vineyards with picture-postcard scenery. The other route leads you through the Montlouis-sur-Loire stunning white wine region.
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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.
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Included
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DAY 8 |
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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.
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DAY 9 |
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You wind on the cycling path along the Loire to leave Tours and reach the château de Villandry with its beautiful French gardens. Enjoy the banks of the Loire Valley before riding up through forests towards the château d’Azay-le-Rideau.
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DAY 10 |
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You can either enjoy a rest day in Azay-le-Rideau to quietly visit the castle or explore the surrounding villages on beautiful country roads. You start by learning all about the wickerwork in Villaines-les-Rochers, then go through Saché and its castle, famous for regularly hosting the French writer Honoré de Balzac. Then, you ride down to Pont-de-Ruan, village at the confluence of several rivers that flow into the Indre. You can visit the miller’s house in order to discover the history of the mills of the village.
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DAY 11 |
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Keep on cycling on « Loire à vélo » and ride on the dike to get to the château d’Ussé which inspired the Sleeping Beauty fairy tale. You enter into Chinon overlooking the old town. Enjoy the labyrinth of medieval narrow streets when you ride down the Vienne River.
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DAY 12 |
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Day-trip to the Chinon vineyards
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Day-trip to the Chinon vineyards
You can choose to spend your day chilling in the medieval town and visiting the fortress, or choose to ride your bike in the surrounding vineyards and hills. If so, don’t miss the former house of the French writer Rabelais which is called “La Devinière”. Don’t forget to stop in one of the local wine cellars to taste the Chinon wines.
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DAY 13 |
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Chinon - Fontevraud
Choose between canoeing or biking
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Chinon - Fontevraud
Choose between canoeing or biking
TWO OPTIONS :
You can choose to exchange your bicycle for a canoe and float along the Vienne River to Montsoreau and finish your day by bike to Fontevraud, or continue cycling to Fontevraud and visit its beautiful abbey.
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OPTION 1 : Canoe ride to Montsoreau and cycling to Fontevraud
4h
Enjoy a canoe ride to discover the beauty of the Loire valley from the river side. You arrive in the gorgeous small village of Candes-Saint-Martin built with freestone. Keep on to Montsoreau which
is one of the "Loveliest Villages in France" built around its castle. You land right next to the castle, take your bike back and continue cycling to Fontevraud (10 km).(From 6 years old and
able to swim. Meeting at the departure point at 8:45 AM. If you are not able or if you do not want to do this activity, you will keep on with your bike to Fontevraud). Available
from April 22nd to September 30rd.
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Included
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OPTION 2 : Biking to Fontevraud
3h
Ride first along the Vienne river through the beautiful white freestone villages of Candes-Saint-Martin and Montsoreau. Keep on the hills to Fontevraud which is worth visiting for its magnificent
abbey which shelters the tombs of Richard the Lionheart and Eleanor of Aquitaine.
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Included
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DAY 14 |
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Today’s route alternates between cave houses and vineyards. Then, you can choose to ride along the Loire or through the hills. Both paths lead to the village of Souzay-Champigny where you ride among beautiful cave houses. Stop by to taste the wines of Saumur. At the end of this charming route, you discover the city of Saumur and its castle with impressive dungeons.
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DAY 15 |
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Discover the charming old neighborhood of Saumur and the imposing castle over the city. This city is the capital of equestrian art and a main spot of French cuisine and in the center of a very rich wine region
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Bikes
On your arrival day, we provide you with:
- a touring bike adjusted to your size or a tandem
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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 the itinerary and its points of interests.
We can provide you with travel documents in paper format (for a supplement of €15 for printing and postage), which include:
- a roadbook with maps that we drew at the easiest scale to follow on a bike
- a roadbook with step-by-step description giving the direction to follow at each intersection and highlighting the points of interest
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Example of a map and of a step-by-step description
Our GPS App
For this trip, you can also use our smartphone app featuring GPS guidance (without extra fee).
You will find in the app all the information given in the map and step-by-step roadbooks. You will be located on the itinerary with the GPS device of your phone. The route and directions to
follow will be both viewable on the screen of your phone and announced aloud. As you ride along the itinerary, you will be given information about visits, restaurants, services and
useful alerts on the way.
-> You need to have a smartphone and download Le Velo Voyageur app on your Apple or Android store before the trip. All details concerning the downloading and the use of the application will
be given after we have confirmed the booking and the balance is paid. Once the trip is downloaded, the GPS guidance can be used off-line.