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€590 Rates
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 these, 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: 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!Itinerary 4: 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.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 starBicycles
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 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 helmet (free of charge but must be reserved in advance)
- Bike Protection
- Travel Insurance
Dates & Pricing
Dates
Daily arrivals are possible from March 1 to October 31, 2024
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
2024
Standard category Superior category Deluxe category Twin/double $ 998 £ 507 $ 914 € 590 Ft 246654 kr 89951 ₪ 2456 ¥ 100144 Mex$ 13274 NZ$ 1098 kr 7240 zł 2635 S$ 868 kr 6937 CHF 566 $ 654 $ 1285 £ 652 $ 1,177 € 760 Ft 317723 kr 115869 ₪ 3163 ¥ 128999 Mex$ 17098 NZ$ 1414 kr 9326 zł 3394 S$ 1118 kr 8936 CHF 729 $ 843 $ 1623 £ 824 $ 1,487 € 960 Ft 401335 kr 146361 ₪ 3996 ¥ 162946 Mex$ 21598 NZ$ 1786 kr 11780 zł 4287 S$ 1412 kr 11288 CHF 920 $ 1,065 Single supplement $ 215 £ 109 $ 197 € 127 Ft 53093 kr 19362 ₪ 529 ¥ 21556 Mex$ 2857 NZ$ 236 kr 1558 zł 567 S$ 187 kr 1493 CHF 122 $ 141 $ 539 £ 274 $ 494 € 319 Ft 133360 kr 48635 ₪ 1328 ¥ 54145 Mex$ 7177 NZ$ 593 kr 3915 zł 1425 S$ 469 kr 3751 CHF 306 $ 354 $ 725 £ 368 $ 665 € 429 Ft 179346 kr 65405 ₪ 1786 ¥ 72816 Mex$ 9651 NZ$ 798 kr 5264 zł 1916 S$ 631 kr 5044 CHF 411 $ 476 Extra Options
Dinners included
All categories 2 dinners included (excluding drinks) $ 188 £ 95 $ 172 € 111 Ft 46404 kr 16923 ₪ 462 ¥ 18841 Mex$ 2497 NZ$ 206 kr 1362 zł 496 S$ 163 kr 1305 CHF 106 $ 123 Extra nights
Standard category Superior category Deluxe category Amboise B&B $ 107 £ 54 $ 98 € 63 Ft 26338 kr 9605 ₪ 262 ¥ 10693 Mex$ 1417 NZ$ 117 kr 773 zł 281 S$ 93 kr 741 CHF 60 $ 70 $ 178 £ 90 $ 163 € 105 Ft 43896 kr 16008 ₪ 437 ¥ 17822 Mex$ 2362 NZ$ 195 kr 1288 zł 469 S$ 154 kr 1235 CHF 101 $ 116 $ 294 £ 149 $ 270 € 174 Ft 72742 kr 26528 ₪ 724 ¥ 29534 Mex$ 3915 NZ$ 324 kr 2135 zł 777 S$ 256 kr 2046 CHF 167 $ 193 Single room supplement $ 71 £ 36 $ 65 € 42 Ft 17558 kr 6403 ₪ 175 ¥ 7129 Mex$ 945 NZ$ 78 kr 515 zł 188 S$ 62 kr 494 CHF 40 $ 47 $ 142 £ 72 $ 130 € 84 Ft 35117 kr 12807 ₪ 350 ¥ 14258 Mex$ 1890 NZ$ 156 kr 1031 zł 375 S$ 124 kr 988 CHF 81 $ 93 $ 188 £ 95 $ 172 € 111 Ft 46404 kr 16923 ₪ 462 ¥ 18841 Mex$ 2497 NZ$ 206 kr 1362 zł 496 S$ 163 kr 1305 CHF 106 $ 123 Bikes and accessories
Electric bike rental $ 93 £ 47 $ 85 € 55 Ft 22993 kr 8385 ₪ 229 ¥ 9335 Mex$ 1237 NZ$ 102 kr 675 zł 246 S$ 81 kr 647 CHF 53 $ 61 Extra day e-bike rental $ 56 £ 28 $ 51 € 33 Ft 13796 kr 5031 ₪ 137 ¥ 5601 Mex$ 742 NZ$ 61 kr 405 zł 147 S$ 49 kr 388 CHF 32 $ 37 Extra day standard bike rental $ 29 £ 15 $ 26 € 17 Ft 7107 kr 2592 ₪ 71 ¥ 2885 Mex$ 382 NZ$ 32 kr 209 zł 76 S$ 25 kr 200 CHF 16 $ 19 Trailer bikes, tandems, children's bikes, and baby seats are available. Please ask.
Additional excursions
Canoe trip on the Cher river (June to October) $ 32 £ 16 $ 29 € 19 Ft 7943 kr 2897 ₪ 79 ¥ 3225 Mex$ 427 NZ$ 35 kr 233 zł 85 S$ 28 kr 223 CHF 18 $ 21 Chateaux package $ 125 £ 64 $ 115 € 74 Ft 30936 kr 11282 ₪ 308 ¥ 12560 Mex$ 1665 NZ$ 138 kr 908 zł 330 S$ 109 kr 870 CHF 71 $ 82 Transfers
One way transfer, Paris CDG to Amboise (up to 4 pax) On request Extra luggage transfer (per piece/per day) On request 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 ensure that you are in compliance with the country or countries you plan to visit. This includes and is not limited to passport validity, visa requirements and acquisition, blank passport pages required for your destination (s), etc.
US citizens: A good website to research the requirements of the Schengen Agreement and entry into other countries is travel.state.gov.
Non-EU and EU residents: Please research the requirements of your country of residence for international travel and your destination country or countries.
*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.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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