Loire Valley - Châteaux Country (based in one hotel)

Skill Level — Easy

Easy self-guided tour in which you are accommodated in one hotel. The terrain is predominantly flat and your daily distances are adjustable. The excursions suggested in the roadbook are on cycle paths and rural routes with little traffic recommended for cycling by the label “Pays des Chateaux”. Electric bicycles available upon request.

Airport Info

Fly to Paris Charles de Gaulle International Airport (CDG).

Local Travel

Public transportation
From Paris CDG Airport
From the Paris CDG, you can take a train to Blois. Total travel time varies from 3 to 4 hours depending on type of train and time of departure. Usually the trip will entail at least one transfer. Check the SNCF website for schedules. It is beneficial as well to familiarize yourself with the airport via the website and location of the TGV and RER train terminals as both types of trains are possible for your travel to Blois. TGV trains require advanced reservation.
Paris Airport website for travel to/from: http://www.parisaeroport.fr/
Once you arrive to in Blois, it is best to take a taxi to your hotel. The cost is about €50 - €55.

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. Perhaps not as warm as those in the far south of France, but a far more comfortable heat.

Day of Rest

Any day can be used as a day of rest.

Recommended

We recommend that you book the Chateaux package. See the daily itinerary and pricing.

Remarks

Electric bicycles available upon request. E-bikes are Scott E sub Active with universal frame, 9 speeds and come equipped with 2 rear panniers, 1 handlebar bag with map holder, 1 repair kit, 1 pump, 1 lock, 1 mileage counter, and helmet. E-bikes have 80 to 100 km autonomy.

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

Extra nights are always recommended especially in the “garden of France” region, the Loire Valley.

Tour Operator