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Discover the Loire by bike! From Tours, capital of the castles, with its wooden houses of the 15th century, you will go west on the banks of the Cher. The exhilarating colors and the beauty of the gardens of the Château de Villandry will plunge you into the heart of the 16th century. Following the direction of the current of the Indre you will arrive on Chinon and its 12th century fortress, which will welcome you for this stage. From Saumur Castle, you advance through the Loire-Anjou-Touraine Regional Nature Park. This territory, has six PDOs (Protected Designation of Origin), offers tastings in the freshness of troglodyte cellars and mushroom farms. This circuit takes you on the tracks of Ronsard, Rabelais, Balzac … The valley has inspired many artists. It will not take you long to understand why. And maybe you too will find new inspiration here. On the banks of the Cher, Indre, Vienne and Loire, discover the wildest French rivers. 6 days by the water…
APR - OCT 2018
Route Map
itinerary
Day 1. Tours
Arrival on your own and check in to your hotel. Orientation with our guide today. Take the time to visit the cathedral or the « guinguette », a bar on the bank of the river with a lively atmosphere.
Day 2. Tours to Azay Le Rideau
35 km (100m ascent)
On the Cher riverbanks you head West to discover the exhilaration of colors and beauty of the gardens of the Villandry castle. You are in the heart of the sixteenth century. You then leave the Loire riverbanks and head South. Riding through vineyards and the forest, you reach Azay-le-Rideau, on the Indre riverbanks, another of the Loire’s tributary.
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Day 3. Azay Le Rideau to Chinon
36 km (110m ascent)
Following the Indre river, you reach the Loire river. Full of surprises, this day arouses your curiosity. Along the path let it guide you to a castle, a dovecot, a picturesque manor or old watermills, a curious farm or old town. As you uncover the secrets of the Loire Valley you reach the Royal fortress of Chinon…
Day 4. Chinon to Saumur
35 km (200m ascent)
The Vienne river, running through the village of Chinon, guides you to Candes-St-Martin, where it flows into the Loire. Labeled most beautiful villages in France, Candes-Saint-Martin and Montsoreau are dazzling. The Touraine tuffeau offers luminous constructions. At the end of the day visit the Montsoreau Castle and the Royal Abbey of Fontevraud before reaching Saumur by the Loire riverbanks. A discovery of the city is a must! Its castle and streets are marked by their intimate relationship with the Loire.
Day 5. Saumur to Angers
54 km (150m ascent)
This last day requires some effort with 54km to go. You leave behind the city of light. From the Saumur to the Angers Castle, you ride through the Regional Natural Park of Loire-Anjou-Touraine. The Loire, an impetuous and wild river, grows a bit more with every kilometer. You ride through ancient remains and typical old hamlets to the Trélazé slate quarries, another local resource. As you enter the heart of the city, experience the old Angers with its castle, Adam’s home and its incredible cathedral.
Day 6. Angers
End of stay after breakfast in Angers. The opportunity for one last stroll in the city’s streets and the castle halls, open to visitors. Enjoy an optional bike ride to discover the Angevin country: the shores of Maine and Louet Lakes and the Angevin countryside still showing scars of the Vendée or WWII wars.
Trip details
Tour Style
Leisure Tour - Self Guided
Bikes - Hybrid or Trekking
Group Size - 2+
Route - Tours, Azay Le Rideau, Chinon, Saumur, Angers
Riding Level
Easy - distances are a daily average of 35-50km. The terrain is mainly flat with a couple of small hills. Good surfaced roads on quiet country routes (busier near the bigger cities and town of Blois). Suitable for hybrid-touring bikes.
Accommodation
5 Nights
Historic and comfortable 3 star hotels
Food
All 5 breakfasts
Extras Included
- Luggage delivered to your next hotel
- Welcome meeting and introduction to the route and area
- Emergency support and contact details
- Pre-tour pack
- Tour guide book / maps / route notes
Staff
1 representative will meet and greet in Tours and give an introduction to the area and route. They will also provide daily luggage transfers.
Extras Not Included
- Lunch and dinners
- Drinks, visits and other personal expenses
- Repairs, spareparts and mileage allowance
- Bike Rental
- High Season Supplement in July and August, 35 Eur extra pp (Single supplement 325 Eur)
- Jersey: Receive a Cycling Country custom designed Loire Valley Cycling Jersey, delivered to your home before departure: 59 Eur per jersey inc p&p
- Extra nights in Tours, Angers, etc...
- Dinners and lunches
- Entrance Fees to Chateaux
Lodgings
If you have been trying the famous Loire Valley ... drinks then you will appreciate a good bed at the end of the day. The hotels you will find will then not disappoint as they are all set in convenient places, close to sights. Good quality 3 star hotels will be a welcome place to come to after each day´s cycle and lay your head and dream again of all the sights you have seen that day!
The building that now houses the hôtel Diderot goes back to the 15th century, and its history is entwined with that of the neighbouring Saint-Mexme collegiate church.Before the hotel, a family of public servants – the Baillons – lived in the main building, and the right wing hosted the archives of the city of Chinon.
Reviews
As you probably gathered from Mark’s daily updates, we had a great time! Everything was very well organised, hotels were amazing, Geoff helped setting us up and the bikes were great. The routes were all great and pretty tough. We loved the whole region, to be honest with you! So thanks very much for this fantastic adventure!
Jennifer Scott - Liverpool (England), June 2017
It was worth because of the bikes quality, the fantastic scenery around the Loire river and the luxury and historic hotels above all. Very comfortable to relax and get the peace we needed. We will be back for sure! Thanks Cycling Country!
John Steve - USA, April 2016
Testimonials from previous cyclists are always available and we enjoy receiving the feedback after tours. It helps us improve our services and offer you an even better experience. Please feel free to contact us if you would like a reference to talk to. Others have also posted reviews on the independent travel website 
.
ROUTE OF KINGS, LOIRE VALLEY
6 days / 5 nights
From €985
Single supplement: €235
CUSTOM DATES: Minimum 2 people. Any dates between 1 April and 31 October given availability.
Price includes all local taxes. Please note we transact in Euros.
TRIP HIGHLIGHTS
- Encounter enchanting quaint villages in dramatic castle settings
- Visit two of France´s most beloved Chateaux, Azay le Rideau and Chinon
- The Loire River is a bird lovers paradise with visions of egrets, herons and songbirds
- Tread in the footsteps of Kings and Queens and visit Leonardo da Vinci´s home.
- Tempt your taste buds with the French fare of fresh produce straight from the gardens and orchards
THE CC ADVANTAGE
We work with local operators that we have a close relationship with to provide the best quality service
Enjoy your CC history book in your package
Ride the best cycling route in France!
This turned into the best vacation we've ever had, at any price. They treated us as royalty, immediately corrected problems (which were few), threw in jerseys, bikes that made us happy, inns that were simply marvelous, food to die for, and, tours of historical interest at every turn.
John Hymes
READY TO RIDE
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