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Loire Valley Bike Trips
On this page, you will find...
We also offer 1-, 2- and 3-day excursions from Paris: details here.
If you would like to see a map of our different French routes, it is here.
And, for a comparison of our Loire Valley route with our other French trips, see here.
And what of the Loire? Kings & their sumptuous châteaux. Mushroom caves, troglodyte houses, wine towns and their tastings. Da Vinci’s last home, and a museum to his inventions. Sound-and-light stories projected on castle facades, blackberries by the side of the road, rock dancing in vaulted 16th century cellars, a museum of old buses....
Never a dull moment, as we follow the valley of France’s longest river through the self-assured heartland that is the essence of France to the French themselves.
The following trips visit the Loire Valley:
 Southern Cross (3 weeks)
Visits France (Loire Valley, Basque Country), & Spain (Basque Country and Galicia)
Tour de France (3 weeks)
Visits the Loire Valley and two other French routes
Tapestries & Tapas (2 weeks)
Visits the Loire Valley followed by the Basque Country
Two Week France Trips
Visits the Loire Valley and one other region in France
France & Italy (2 weeks)
Visits the Loire Valley followed by an Italian region
Loire Valley Biking follows this itinerary exclusively.
Departure dates and prices are in the “Facts & Figures” table, below.
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Day-by-Day Itinerary: Loire Valley
Day of the Week |
Description |
Typical distances, in km |
Saturday |
TRAVEL to BLOIS
A short train ride from Paris (included in the “Access Package”) brings you to Blois, where you should rendez-vous with the people who travelled in by other means (pogo stick?) in time for dinner.
Blois is home to the valley’s most historically important château, the de facto royal palace pre-Versailles. The medieval town spills happily down the hillside surrounding the château: white stone, red brick chimneys, and roofs of blue slate. If you aren’t just off the plane (or even if you are), hit the old town after dinner for fun in a 16th century dance bar. Know any 16th century dances?
Half Baggage |
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Sunday |
CHAMBORD LOOP
Cross the river and cycle through the royal hunting preserve to Chambord, the largest of the Loire valley châteaux, even though it was built as a “mere” hunting lodge. Da Vinci designed the staircase, some clown diverted a river to pass in front... all a bit excessive. Hunt for boar in the surrounding forest, avoid them in the château, or dine on them in the cafés outside.
The ambitious can head on to Cheverny, for extraordinary furnishings and a pack of amazing but foul-smelling hunting dogs. Back home on tiny lanes, via the swimming hole at Cellettes.
Half Baggage. |
35 - 55 k |
Monday |
From LOIRE to CHER
Across the plateau which separates the Loire and Cher rivers, and to Chenonceau, the home to the most beautiful of the Loire valley castles.
Stop in Chaumont along the way, for a bonus castle. Pick blackberries from roadside hedges. Pontlevoy is a good place for lunch, and for a visit to a chateau full of people from Mississippi. Odd place, that Pontlevoy. And you’re missing the truck and bus museaum, which closed a few years back....
Then on to Bourré, where you can explore some working mushroom caves (and an underground model Loire Valley that the workers carved out during their lunch breaks). Kilometers and kilometers of yummi fungi.
End the day with a stroll through picturesque Montrichard, followed by a liqueur tasting at the “Golden Strawberry” (you’ll need one after the disappointment at missing the truck-and-bus museum). Perhaps a son et lumière in the evening, on the facade of the Chenonceau château. |
45 - 55 k |
Tuesday |
TROGLODYTE LOIRE, VOUVRAY
Swing through Amboise to visit Clos Lucé, the final home of artist and military engineer Leonardo da Vinci. It now houses a museum of his inventions. Or to visit the postal museum. We're not sure what's in there.
Then on to Vouvray and its troglodyte houses (and hotels, and shops...). Enjoy a slow afternoon over a sampling of the delightful Vouvray sparkling wines.
Tours, where we spend the night, is the home to the Place Plumereau, our favorite town square, and one of France's most beautiful.
Half Baggage |
40 k |
Wednesday |
VILLANDRY, AZAY-le-RIDEAU, CHINON
First to the calcifying caves at Savonnières, where you can gawk at plastic dinosaurs whose real-life models never lived anywhere near here, and certainly weren’t day-glo blue, even where they did live.
Then on along a riverside bike path to Villandry. Villandry’s is the château with the most interesting gardens in France, including a delightful ornamental vegetable garden. It is also home to a restaurant serving only goat.
Across the fields to Azay-le-Rideau, home to another château-in-the-middle-of-a-river. Aesthetically, the formula definitely works.
And our full day ends with a ride through the forest of Chinon to the wine town of the same name. |
60 k |
Thursday |
The INDRE VALLEY, SAUMUR
Possible destinations include the Abbey of Fontlevraud, or the horsey town of Saumur, home to the French cavalry. Ample wine-related exploration is available in and around Chinon itself, so if you prefer you may simply leave the bike in the garage and lounge by the river. Or leave the bike in the river, and lounge in the garage. Enough wine-related exploration will do that to you.... |
35 - 70 k |
Friday |
BACK to the LOIRE, SLEEPING BEAUTY
Our last biking day returns us to Tours along the north bank of the Loire. Pass the old military fortress at Langeais, and Sleeping Beauty’s castle at Ussé. Try to get to Tours in time for more city exploration.
If your trip ends with this ride, it disbands upon arrival in Tours. Riders continuing with us have in store a hopping night in one of the dance bars off the Place Plumereau.
Half Baggage
A night in Tours is included for thru travellers, and also in the “Access Package.” |
60 k |
Saturday |
TRAVEL DAY (ongoing trips, “Access Package”)
If your trip ends here in the Loire, and you have subscribed the “Access Package,” a rail ticket to Paris was offered, and presumably accepted.
If you are travelling on Southern Cross, Tapestries & Tapas, or connecting to Green Spain, you will take a train early this morning to the Spanish border. |
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Loire Valley Cycle — Facts & Figures
2010 Dates |
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Baggage Services Offered**
(optional) |
Difficulty of the Ride |
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$1,875 US
$1,975 C
1,175€
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Relatively Easy
A couple of longish days but no serious hills. Good back-ups available if you get tired. Attractive “long routes” easily shift difficulty to “Moderate” or more. |
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Daily, Half |
July 24 - 30
“Family-Friendly” departure,
children welcome,
Family Pricing available.
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September 18 - 24 |
Daily, Half |
* Prices in $ and € do not include precisely the same things. Click here for details.
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Prices of Optional Extras (links lead to explanations)
| Currency |
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$ prices include
the bike.
See here for information on bringing your own.
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** At least 4 riders must subscribe to a given baggage service for it to operate. The services listed are those currently offered on the departure in question. Services which appear in bold already have at least 3 subscribers (so, one more would ensure their operation).
§ Discount “Daily” Baggage Transfer is offered on the “Family-Friendly” July 24 departure: $220 US, $235 C, 150€.
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Daily |
Half |
| $US |
$270§ |
$90 |
$325 |
| $C |
$285§ |
$95 |
$350 |
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| €uros |
190ۤ |
60€ |
220€ |
110€ |
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| Specific information on reaching your trip’s start in... |
Blois |
| Specific information on departing from your trip’s end... |
Tours |
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departure dates