Amboise in the Loire Valley
France Bike Tours
Bike tour featuring vineyards & castles in the Loire Valley
- Tour Type
- Skill Level
- Length4 days
- Prices from€575 Rates
- Book This Trip
Overview
Experience the France of Kings, in the heart of the valley of the Loire Castles! During this luxurious bike tour in France, you will have your choice of three levels of accommodations, and from which you will have your choice of cycling itineraries.
Amboise is set upon the southern bank of the Loire and is overlooked by an inspiring 15th-century château. This was the childhood home of Charles VIII and the final resting place of the great Leonardo da Vinci, who, as a guest of the king, came to Château Amboise in December 1515 and lived and worked in the nearby Clos Lucé.
From your hotel, you will be able to cycle to the various Touraine Vineyards and discover many treasures of history, architecture, and culture each day.
Highlights
- France Art de Vivre
- French cuisine and wine
- Lovely French landscapes
- Chateaux!
- Le Clos Lucé and Da Vinci display
- Vouvray Vineyards
We have many other tours in France including hiking, bike & boat, or more specifically, the Loire Valley for you to explore!
Itinerary
Please note that we highly recommend that you book an extra night both before and after your tour so that you can fully experience the different itineraries and full chateaux package offered. In this way, you can arrive to your chosen accommodation, rest and recover, and be ready for cycling the next day. As well, at the end of your last excursion, you do not have to worry about being ready to check-out after a full day on the bike.
Itinerary 1: Arrival in Amboise + Montlouis: 21 mi. (33 km)
This is an excursion through the heart of the Montlouis vineyards, whose wines tend to reflect earthy and mineral notes. There is the possibility to visit the Aquarium de Touraine and the magnificent Château de la Bourdaisière and its gardens. Upon arrival back in Amboise, be sure to stroll about and visit the Manoir du Clos Lucé, made from pink bricks and tufa stones. Leonardo da Vinci lived here for the last 3 years of his life and you can see firsthand the genius of the famous inventor. Forty of his fabulous machines are displayed at Le Clos Lucé such as the first automobile, the metric counter, the paddleboat, the machine gun – and the life-size flying machine.Itinerary 2: Chenonceau, 28 mi. (45 km)
Once you have crossed the forest of Amboise, you will come to the famous Château de Chenonceau, uniquely built over the Cher River. Nicknamed the Ladies Castle and once the residence of Catherine de’ Medici, it was the scene of a famous rivalry in French history between her and Diane de Poitiers, mistress of the king. It is French history at its best; passionate, scandalous, and torrid. Upon the death of King Henry II, Catherine banned Diane from Chenonceau, sentencing her to live out the rest of her days in obscurity at a castle in Anet.Optional: Canoe trip on the Cher River, possible from June to October. See pricing
Enjoy a canoe trip offering you an extraordinary point of view on the Château de Chenonceau (approx. 2h).Itinerary 3: Chaumont-sur-Loire, 28 mi. (45 km)
This cycling excursion follows the meandering country roads to the banks of the Loire in Chaumont-sur-Loire, whose 15th-century château proudly dominates the town and the river. The "Festival des Jardins" (garden festival) is held between late May and mid-October, showcasing the art of gardening with new flower arrangements, garden sculptures, and innovation in design.Itinerary 4: Vouvray Vineyards, 30 mi. (48 km)
This route leads away from the banks of the Loire to reach the picturesque Vouvray vineyards, surrounded by troglodyte houses, dwellings dug into the slopes, and rock faces of the landscape. The region is famous for its fine and elegant white wines. You will cycle past superb Renaissance private châteaux such as Château de Valmer (remarkable for its Italian and vegetable gardens), and the beautiful Château de Jallanges as well. Be sure to stop for a visit to a local wine producer to sample a glass of Vouvray wine!Your tour will officially end on Day 4 so we strongly suggest that you request an addtional night in the level of accommodation of your choosing.
Optional: Chateaux Package. See pricing.
- Châteaux of Amboise
- Park Leonardo da Vinci in Amboise
- Château of Chenonceaux
- Domaine de Chaumont-sur-Loire (château + garden festival)
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Map
Hotels & Bikes
Accommodations
Choose one of the following categories:
Standard category: 2 and 3 star
Superior category: 3 and 4 star
Deluxe category: 4 star
In the day-to-day itinerary you will find the name of the preferred hotel. If you cannot be accommodated in the preferred hotel, you will be informed and offered alternative accommodations. Price change may be incurred.Bicycles
Accessories
Included accessories
- Counter (one per booking)
- One bottle (100% recyclable)
- Repair kit and life/visibility jacket
- Pump
- Lock
- Front pannier with map holder
- Rear rack and pannier (2 panniers on e-bike)
Supplemental accessories
- Child trailer (up to 5 years old)
- Maximum weight: 37kg
- Steel structure
- 2 seats with a security system
- Wheels: 20" quick release
- Waterproof polyester hood
- Anti-insect net
- Storage at the back
- Repair kit
- 'Follow-me' tandem (5 to 8 years old)
- Lock and life jacket
- Trail a bike (5 to 8 years old)
- Aluminium frame
- Adjustable seat post
- Wheel: 20"
- Lock and life jacket
Inclusions
What’s Included
- Accommodations for 3 nights
- Breakfasts
- 1 dinner
- 27-speed hybrid Scott Sub Sport 20 bike. Both men and women’s frames available (please specify when you book).
- Included accessories: 1 rear pannier, handlebar bag, repair kit, pump, and odometer (4-day rental)
- Route descriptions and maps (one set per room)
- GPS tracks available (must be requested in advance!)
- Luggage transfer (Allowance is one piece per guest weighing no more than 20 kg. Additional pieces will require a surcharge of €20/piece)
- City taxes
- 7-day hotline
What’s Not Included
- All other meals
- Drinks
- Entrance fees to various chateaux (can be booked for a supplement)
- Bike protection
- Travel Insurance
Dates & Pricing
Dates
Daily arrivals are possible from March 1 to October 31, 2023
Please Note
- Rates are per person, based on double occupancy
- Tour prices are based on the fuel costs at time prices are set, often months or years in advance. In rare cases, additional fees may apply for fuel cost increases.
- Information to read before you book
- We recommend purchasing trip insurance
- Please see our FAQ
Pricing
2023
Standard category Superior category Deluxe category Twin/double $ 950 £ 517 $ 872 € 575 ₪ 2272 ¥ 82639 NZ$ 1019 NOK 6616 kr 6735 $ 632 $ 1107 £ 602 $ 1,017 € 670 ₪ 2647 ¥ 96292 NZ$ 1187 NOK 7709 kr 7848 $ 736 $ 1545 £ 841 $ 1,419 € 935 ₪ 3694 ¥ 134378 NZ$ 1656 NOK 10758 kr 10952 $ 1,028 Single supplement $ 165 £ 90 $ 152 € 100 ₪ 395 ¥ 14372 NZ$ 177 NOK 1151 kr 1171 $ 110 $ 380 £ 207 $ 349 € 230 ₪ 909 ¥ 33056 NZ$ 407 NOK 2646 kr 2694 $ 253 $ 603 £ 328 $ 554 € 365 ₪ 1442 ¥ 52458 NZ$ 647 NOK 4200 kr 4276 $ 401 Extra Options
Dinners included
Standard category Superior category Deluxe category 2 dinners included (excluding drinks) $ 149 £ 81 $ 137 € 90 ₪ 356 ¥ 12935 NZ$ 159 NOK 1036 kr 1054 $ 99 $ 157 £ 85 $ 144 € 95 ₪ 375 ¥ 13653 NZ$ 168 NOK 1093 kr 1113 $ 104 $ 165 £ 90 $ 152 € 100 ₪ 395 ¥ 14372 NZ$ 177 NOK 1151 kr 1171 $ 110 Extra nights
Standard category Superior category Deluxe category Amboise B&B $ 104 £ 57 $ 96 € 63 ₪ 249 ¥ 9054 NZ$ 112 NOK 725 kr 738 $ 69 $ 157 £ 85 $ 144 € 95 ₪ 375 ¥ 13653 NZ$ 168 NOK 1093 kr 1113 $ 104 $ 288 £ 156 $ 264 € 174 ₪ 688 ¥ 25007 NZ$ 308 NOK 2002 kr 2038 $ 191 Single room supplement $ 58 £ 31 $ 53 € 35 ₪ 138 ¥ 5030 NZ$ 62 NOK 403 kr 410 $ 38 $ 116 £ 63 $ 106 € 70 ₪ 277 ¥ 10060 NZ$ 124 NOK 805 kr 820 $ 77 $ 174 £ 94 $ 159 € 105 ₪ 415 ¥ 15091 NZ$ 186 NOK 1208 kr 1230 $ 115 Bikes and accessories
Electric bike rental $ 58 £ 31 $ 53 € 35 ₪ 138 ¥ 5030 NZ$ 62 NOK 403 kr 410 $ 38 Extra day e-bike rental $ 50 £ 27 $ 46 € 30 ₪ 119 ¥ 4312 NZ$ 53 NOK 345 kr 351 $ 33 Extra day hybrid rental $ 33 £ 18 $ 30 € 20 ₪ 79 ¥ 2874 NZ$ 35 NOK 230 kr 234 $ 22 Trailer bikes, tandems, children's bikes, and baby seats are available. Please ask.
Additional excursions
Canoe trip on the Cher river $ 31 £ 17 $ 29 € 19 ₪ 75 ¥ 2731 NZ$ 34 NOK 219 kr 223 $ 21 Chateaux package $ 114 £ 62 $ 105 € 69 ₪ 273 ¥ 9917 NZ$ 122 NOK 794 kr 808 $ 76 Transfers
One way transfer, Paris CDG to Amboise (up to 4 pax) On request Extra luggage transfer (per piece/per day) $ 33 £ 18 $ 30 € 20 ₪ 79 ¥ 2874 NZ$ 35 NOK 230 kr 234 $ 22 Extra Info
Skill Level — Easy–Moderate
This is an easy to moderate self-guided bike tour on flat terrain in which you will be accommodated in one hotel. You decide how far you want to cycle each day.
Airport Info
Fly to Paris Charles de Gaulle International Airport (CDG).
Local Travel
You will have a couple of options to travel from the airport to Amboise. You can take the TGV from the airport to St. Pierre des Corps, transfer and then take the express regional train to Amboise. You can also take a train via Paris Austerlitz to Amboise. Be sure to research local travel before your tour and note that TGV travel requires advance reservation. You can visit the SNCF website for more information and to book.
Climate
Please check local conditions before arrival. Once Spring arrives in the Loire Valley, the days begin to get longer and the temperatures rise steadily to up around 68° F/20°C. You can have misty starts to the morning clearing away quickly to give very pleasant days and nights. There will be occasional days of rain but rarely for long periods. This is also a good time to visit as there are fewer tourists around! Late spring and into summer brings dependable weather with long dry spells with average daily temperatures around 75°/24°C. July temperatures peak as high as 82°/28°C dropping to 72°/22°C as September approaches. On average, there are 11 days of rainfall during this period. It may not be as warm as those in the far south of France, but a far more comfortable heat. The climate in Amboise is categorized as warm and temperate.
Day of Rest
Any day can be designated a day of rest!
Remarks
Children’s bikes, trailers, FollowMe tandem, and baby seats are available for rental. Just ask.
Important to know
Travel Documents
It is each traveler's responsibility to research travel requirements and to ensure that you are in compliance with the country or countries you plan to visit. This includes and is not limited to passport validity, blank visa pages required for your destination (s), and any other requirement.
US citizens: A good website to research the requirements of the Schengen Agreement and other countries is travel.state.gov.
Non-EU citizens: Please research the requirements of your country of residence for international travel and the destination country.
EU-citizens: (without special situations like dual citizenship, main residence abroad or a limited-validity passport) are required to have a valid passport or ID-card, not expiring within six (6) months from the end of your tour.
*Important note: Please check on the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) status as once implemented, this will be required to visit any of the 26 Schengen-member countries for tourism, business, medical, or transit. This is an additional check on security rather than a visa.
Covid-19 Info
Country Entry Requirements
Due to the changing requirements for entry, it is imperative that you stay up to date on requirements set by the country/countries that you are visiting. Please visit our Travel Restrictions Tool page and the country/countries government webpage for this information.
Extra Stay
Always recommended!
Tour Operator
This tour is run by Loire Valley Travel.
We value the strong relationship we have with our local partners and the services we provide.
We are not a broker.
We do not inflate tour prices.
We are simply travelers helping travelers.Would you like to learn more About Us? How about What Makes Us Different than other companies?
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