Chateau de Chenonceau on the Cher River, Loire Valley, France. Photo via Wikimedia Commons:Ra-smit

Fresh flowers for sale in France! Photo via Flickr:kewl

Castles of the Loire

France Bike Tours

A stunning Loire Valley Bike tour

Biking in the Loire Valley region has proven a haven for cyclists time and again, and is rightly referred to as Royal Châteaux Country. (See also our Châteaux Country Tour.) Its fertile landscape is generously peppered with grandiose châteaux (more than 300!) amid lush vineyards and rolling green hills. T

his enchanting Loire bike tour starts in the old town of Blois, the gateway to the Loire Valley and home of the famous Blois Château (a masterpiece of Renaissance architecture and a favorite among French kings).

Further on your Loire bike tour will be the dazzling Royal Chambord Château, the largest of all the Loire castles. The grounds of this magnificent Renaissance edifice cover almost 3,000 acres, most of which is lavish gardens. The intertwining staircase within was supposedly designed by Leonardo da Vinci.

Next is the Château of Chenonceau that is uniquely built right over the Cher River. Nicknamed the Ladies Castle and once the residence of Catherine de’ Medici, it has a noteworthy 2-story viewing gallery and old scalloped bridge. Your Loire Valley bike tour then takes you further through the quiet French countryside eventually bringing you to Amboise. This pretty town still has original white stone houses dating back to the 15th century, and of course there is a royal castle, the 11th century Château d'Amboise. It is built in both the French late Gothic Flamboyant style and Renaissance and contains the first French formal garden. King François I invited Leonardo da Vinci here in 1516, and the artist/scholar/inventor later settled in an adjacent mansion (Clos Lucé), where he ultimately lived out his last years. Today, the Clos Lucé Manor House is a museum containing models of his inventions. And don’t forget that the Loire Valley is France’s third largest wine region! Some of the more famous wines include Sancerre, Reuilly and Menetou-Salon.

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Where You’ll Stay

Choose between standard (2 to 3 star hotels), superior (3 star hotels), or the up and charm version (4 star hotels).

What’s Included

  • Accommodations for 6 nights in standard, 2 and 3 hotels or top class 3 and 4 hotels
  • Breakfasts & 6 dinners
  • 21-speed hybrid touring bicycle equipped with two saddlebags, high visibility jacket, anti theft device, map holder, and repair kit
  • Bike helmet
  • Luggage transfer
  • Route information & maps (one set per booking)
  • GPS tracks upon request

What’s Not Included

Castles of the Loire Map

TourBike
TypeSelf Guided
SkillEasy–Moderate
Length7 days
From€856 Rates
Client Reviews

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Tour Dates

Arrival possible daily from March 1 through October 31, 2016

Arrival possible daily from March 1 through October 31, 2017

Skill Level

This is an easy to moderate self-guided hotel tour with predominantly flat but some hilly terrain and average daily distances of about 28 miles a day. Some days can be shortened or Day 3 or 5 can be used as a day of rest. Electric bicycles available upon request.

Day-To-Day Itinerary

Castles of the Loire Map

Day 1: Arrival in Blois
Day 2: Blois - Amboise, 24 mi. (26 km)
Day 3: Amboise - excursion to Chenonceaux, 25 mi. + option 5 mi. (40 km + option 8 km)
Day 4: Amboise - Cheverny (standard version), 32 mi. (54 km), OR Ambois - Chitenay (upgrade), 25 mi. (42 km)
Day 5: Excursion Beauregard, 19 mi. (30 or 48 km), OR Excursion to Beauregard & Sologne, 30 mi. (48 km)
Day 6: Cheverny - Blois (standard version), 24 mi. (40 km), OR Chitenay - Blois (upgrade), 30 mi. (50 km)
Day 7: Departure from Blois.  

*All distances are approximate.

DAY 1: Arrival in Blois
Upon arrival in the old village of Blois, you will be enchanted with its typical paved streets punctuated with staircases. And of course the charming chateau, a perfect illustration of how French architecture evolved between the Middle ages and the 17th century.

DAY 2: Blois - Amboise, 24 mi. (40 km)
Today's path guides you through the forest and vineyards of Mesland appellation until the Chateau of Chaumont sur Loire that proudly overlooks the Loire River. You cycle on to the beautiful town of Amboise. Here you can see the town's royal chateau where the greatest kings of France once lived.

DAY 3: Excursion to Chenonceaux, 24 mi. (38 km)
After crossing through the Amboise forest, you will reach the famous chateau of Chenonceau. Straddling the Cher River, this royal residence is an exceptional site not only because of the incredible architecture, but the richness of its art collection, the furniture and its decorations, and the incredible history it has. Chenonceau Castle has an exceptional museum collection of the Old Masters’ paintings: Murillo, Le Tintoret, Nicolas Poussin, Le Corrège, Rubens, Le Primatice, Van Loo, as well as an extremely rare selection of Flanders Tapestries from the 16th century.

DAY 4: Amboise - Cheverny OR Amboise - Chitenay, 32 or 25 mi. (54 or 42 km)
After riding through the gorgeous countryside and small villages, you will reach the castle of Fougère sur Bièvre. This impressive building is a perfect illustration of traditional 15th century art. There are several smaller castles you will pass such as the Chateau de Troussay before reaching the day's destination of Cheverny or Chitenay. 

DAY 5: Excursion Beauregard, 18 mi. (30 km), or Excursion Beauregard & Sologne, 29 mi. (48 km)
An excursion through the Forest of Russy starts the day, with the possibility of a visit to the Chateau of Beauregard, famous for its Portrait Gallery. 
You may extend your excursion to the rich and mysterious 'Sologne' with magnificent landscapes: beautiful forests sheltering the wildlife, ponds at every crossroad, and small, private chateaus hidden behind their vineyards or groves.

DAY 6: Cheverny - Blois OR Chitenay - Bloise, 24 or 30 mi. (40 or 50 km) 
During this last stage, you will discover the sumptuously furnished Chateau of Cheverny before reaching the prestigious Chateau of Chambord, a real masterpiece of French Renaissance period with it's 440 rooms, built during the reign of Francis I.

DAY 7: Departure. 
Departure from Blois following breakfast.

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Customer Feedback

  • Tim Stoepker 3 years ago

    Great trip. We loved the country-side, the villages, the vineyards, small country roads with no cars, easy to read maps, the wonderful restaurants and chateau. We had no problem without having a guide and the people in the towns and staff at the hotels were very friendly and always willing to help. This was our second Trip-Site bike trip and it was great. Thanks.

     Reply

  • Gai Jordan 4 years ago

    Did Castle of the Loire 3rd week of sept 2012. The weather was nice though we did get rain on our first afternoon. No complaints at all. We picked the 2 star option and were more than happy. All hotels clean and comfortable and the staff helpful and friendly. Food was fantastic. Bikes were also fabulous and the intinery/directions easy to follow (even when we got ourselves a little lost, easy to get back on track). We are 50 and of average fitness, the bike riding was not too hard. We will definately look at another tour soon. Thanks for the memories!

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  • Brian Surgenor 5 years ago

    Did Castles of the Loire with another couple. No complaints. Bikes were great. Meals were great. Accommodations were great. Weather was great (didn't rain at all !). Only glitch was the lack of an in-house meal on the monday (Oct 17) at Auberge Du Centre in Chitenay.

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