You come to the Loire Valley to mainly see its chateaux and not to race Le Tour de France. You want to go at own pace and enjoy remote villages and places of interest. You like to meet "deep" France ?
You will like this tour as it takes you through lovely scenic ways, off beaten tracks, taking advantage of our knowledge of this country. You will be amazed by the quantity of points of interest on route and if you believe, like some people, that you can cover the distance in 5 days, you understand that it is "impossible mission" when seeing it !
If you are not in a position to allow that long time for your bike ride, you may well cover "part 1" one year and "part 2" an other year !

 

• Usual welcome ceremony at the railway station and shuttle to Le Clos de la Touche. Quick dinner and enjoy a quiet night !

• Day 1: "warm-up" day ride 20 to 30 Km to start with, as all our tours, return to Le Clos de la Touche. Nice dinner and good night.

• Day 2: beautiful ride, 40 km, to get to your first overnight place. Wine tasting and "family dinner" cooked for you by your hostess.

• Day 3: cycle 40 km, to get to your second overnight place and have "open" dinner at a nice restaurant downtown Saumur.

• Day 4: shorter ride (25 km) but several places to visit, including the Royal Abbey of Fontevraud. Overnight in Chinon and "open" dinner at a nice restaurant downtown.

• Day 5: visit beautiful city of Chinon and cycle through the forest to the "Sleeping Beauty" chateau, to finally end up in Azay-le-Rideau. Your hotel is close to the chateau ! Dinner is "open" at restaurant or your choice, before seeing the night light show at the chateau.

• Day 6: from Azay to Villandry is not a long distance : you will spend more time enjoying the famous, world known gardens ! Your hotel is close to the chateau and a "gourmet" dinner is expecting you !

• Day 7: cycle the new "bike road" to Tours and get to Amboise. Lovely welcome at a "Chambre d'hotes" partner or ours. Good food downtown Amboise and night show at the chateau.

• Day 8: Ride to Chenonceau through the forest and visit this pure jewel. Back to Amboise, spend time visiting Leonardo da Vinci former residence. Back to same "Chambre d'hotes" and enjoy an other nice dinner downtown Amboise.

• Day 9: more chateaux are on program ... Chaumont, Cheverny ! Nice accommodation in the Cheverny area at an other "Chambre d'hotes". Dinner is "open".

• Day 10: one of the highlights of your tour : Chambord ! Beautiful park to enjoy. Get to Blois and spend time in this lovely city. Chateau is interesting to visit, possible night light show. Beautiful accommodation downtown Blois and "open" dinner.

• Day 11: catch train (with bikes that travel for free) and come to Saumur. Enjoy good time in this lovely city, shopping, wine caves, no worry, we pick you up from Saumur in the evening. Back to Le Clos de la Touche and last evening "gourmet dinner" at a nice restaurant in the vicinity.

• Day 12: last breakfast before going back to the railway station

• Bicycles and equipment, road-book, maps, briefings . . .