Loire Valley - Orléans to Tours
France Bike Tours
A Loire Valley bike tour with many amazing options
- Tour Type
- Skill Level
- Length6 days
- Prices from€722 Rates
- Book This Trip
Overview
The three Loire Valley bike tours from Orléans to Tours, Tours to Angers and Angers to Le Croisic can be taken individually or one after the other. Starting in Orléans, the routes travel west all the way to Le Croisic on the Atlantic Ocean.
Tours to Angers route includes Villandry with its famous gardens, a Renaissance château in Azay Le Rideau, the 15th château in Langeais, the ‘Sleeping Beauty’ château in Ussé, the abbey of Fontevraud, the vineyards of Anjou, and the château in Angers.
Angers to Le Croisic route includes the vineyards at Anjou, the rivers Loire and Layon, Champtoceaux in its magnificent setting, Nantes, and the beaches of St. Brévin and Le Croisic.
And this specific itinerary, lets you cycle the Loire through the historic town of Orléans, the flowered city of Beaugency, the Château of Chambord (see Château Country bike tour), the Château of Blois, the Château of Chaumont, and ‘Clos Luce.’
Highlights
- Château of Chambord: the most popular Château of the Loire Valley
- Beauty of the forests and vineyards of Touraine Mesland
- Vineyards of Montlouis
- Several châteaux that make this region famous
If you are interested in other bike tours in the Loire Valley, all of our bicycle tours in France can be found here or all Loire bike tours here.
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Orléans
Day 2: Orléans - Beaugency, 16 mi. (26 km)
Day 3: Beaugency - Blois, 29 mi. (46 km)
Day 4: Blois - Amboise, 26 mi. (42 km)
Day 5: Amboise - Tours, 17 or 19 mi. (27 or 31 km)
Day 6: Departure from ToursAll distances are approximate. The itinerary is subject to change due to unforeseen circumstances such as weather, route disturbances due to repairs, detours, etc.
Day 1: Arrival in Orlèans
Discover Orlèans and its old historical center, situated between the large countryside fields of the Beauce region and the green pastures, ponds, and forests of Sologne region.Day 2: Orlèans – Beaugency, 16 mi (26 km)
Following the wild river banks, you cycle the Loire Valley in peace and serenity through the charming and very flowered city of Beaugency.Day 3: Beaugency – Blois, 29 mi (46 km)
Leaving Beaugency, you bike once again along the river banks passing the prestigious château of Chambord: the most popular Château of the Loire Valley, a masterpiece of the Renaissance period. Cycling the Loire Valley further, you follow the path in the direction of Blois. This charming town presents a rich historical heritage with a château offering a brilliant illustration of the evolution of French architecture from the Middle Ages to the 17th century.Day 4: Blois – Amboise, 26 mi (42 km)
Today you discover the beauty of the forests and vineyards of Touraine Mesland until you reach the chateau of Chaumont. This castle, originally built in the 10th century but then burned to the ground in the 15th century by orders from King Louis XI, was rebuilt later in the 15th century. Enjoy the view overlooking the Loire river before cycling on to Amboise and its royal chateau from the 15th-16th century. A little further down the road you find the last home of Léonardo Da Vinci : Manorhouse of ‘Clos Lucé’.Day 5: Amboise – Tours, 17 or 19 mi. (27 or 31 km)
Today you bike Loire Valley through the vineyards of Montlouis to discover the numerous cellars offering sweet white or sparkling wines. Then, enjoy the lovely chateau birthplace of Gabrielle d’Estrées, the favorite of King Henry IV. Continue to the heart of the city Tours to admire the old quarters sheltering the famous “Place Plumereau” and it’s half-timbered houses.Day 6: Departure from Tours
Want to book Chateau package? See pricing!
- Châteaux de Meung sur Loire
- Domaine de Chambord (château and gardens)
- Domaine de Chaumont-sur Loire (château and Garden Festival)
- Park Leonardo da Vince in Amboise
It is possible to combine this tour with Loire Valley: Tours to Angers and Loire Valley: Angers to Le Croisic. Please contact us for details.
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Accommodation
There are three levels of accommodations offered. Standard category, 2 and 3 star, Superior Category, 3 and 4 star, and Deluxe Category, 4 star. All rooms with private facilities.
Inclusions
What’s Included
- Accommodations for 5 nights
- Breakfasts
- Hotel to hotel luggage transfer
- 27-speed Scott Sub Sport 20 hybrid bicycle (men’s and women’s frames, please specify) equipped with one rear pannier, handlebar bag, odometer, repair kit, lock, and pump (4-day rental)
- Bicycle helmet
- Route descriptions and maps (one set per room)
- GPS files (must be requested in advance!)
- City taxes
- 7 day hotline
What’s Not Included
- Lunches and dinners
- Entrance fees or excursion fees (see pricing)
- Bike protection
- Travel insurance
Dates & Pricing
Dates
2020
Arrival possible daily from March 1 to October 31
Please Note
- Rates are based on double occupancy
- Information to read before you book
- We recommend purchasing trip insurance
- Please see our FAQ
Pricing
2020
Tour Package Standard Superior Deluxe Twin/double $ 1203 £ 669 $ 1,143 € 722 $ 1284 kr 7638 $ 840 $ 1444 £ 803 $ 1,372 € 867 $ 1542 kr 9172 $ 1,009 $ 1702 £ 946 $ 1,618 € 1022 $ 1818 kr 10812 $ 1,189 Single supplement: $ 300 £ 167 $ 285 € 180 $ 320 kr 1904 $ 209 $ 533 £ 296 $ 506 € 320 $ 569 kr 3385 $ 372 $ 708 £ 394 $ 673 € 425 $ 756 kr 4496 $ 495 Dinners included (5), beverages not incl. $ 291 £ 162 $ 277 € 175 $ 311 kr 1851 $ 204 $ 316 £ 176 $ 301 € 190 $ 338 kr 2010 $ 221 $ 341 £ 190 $ 324 € 205 $ 365 kr 2169 $ 239 Supplement for traveling alone: $ 225 £ 125 $ 214 € 135 $ 240 kr 1428 $ 157 Please contact us for combined tour pricing.
Extra Options
2020
Electric bicycle rental (4 days):
SCOTT 9 speed e-sub Active, universal frame, equipped with 2 rear panniers, 1 handlebar bag with map holder, 1 repair kit, 1 pump, 1 lock, 1 counter & helmet: $ 67 £ 37 $ 63 € 40 $ 71 kr 423 $ 47 Extra day hybrid touring bike rental: $ 33 £ 19 $ 32 € 20 $ 36 kr 212 $ 23 Extra day electric bicycle rental: $ 50 £ 28 $ 47 € 30 $ 53 kr 317 $ 35(Tandems, child bikes, child trailer, and child seat are available for this tour. Ask us.)
Extra nights, Orleans Standard Superior Deluxe Twin/double $ 102 £ 56 $ 97 € 61 $ 108 kr 645 $ 71 $ 138 £ 77 $ 131 € 83 $ 148 kr 878 $ 97 $ 220 £ 122 $ 209 € 132 $ 235 kr 1396 $ 154 Single supplement: $ 75 £ 42 $ 71 € 45 $ 80 kr 476 $ 52 $ 100 £ 56 $ 95 € 60 $ 107 kr 635 $ 70 $ 142 £ 79 $ 135 € 85 $ 151 kr 899 $ 99 Extra nights, Tours Standard Superior Deluxe Twin/double $ 102 £ 56 $ 97 € 61 $ 108 kr 645 $ 71 $ 128 £ 71 $ 122 € 77 $ 137 kr 815 $ 90 $ 183 £ 102 $ 174 € 110 $ 196 kr 1164 $ 128 Single supplement $ 58 £ 32 $ 55 € 35 $ 62 kr 370 $ 41 $ 67 £ 37 $ 63 € 40 $ 71 kr 423 $ 47 $ 142 £ 79 $ 135 € 85 $ 151 kr 899 $ 99 Extra nights, Amboise Standard Superior Deluxe Twin/double $ 105 £ 58 $ 100 € 63 $ 112 kr 666 $ 73 $ 150 £ 83 $ 142 € 90 $ 160 kr 952 $ 105 $ 228 £ 127 $ 217 € 137 $ 244 kr 1449 $ 159 Single supplement $ 50 £ 28 $ 47 € 30 $ 53 kr 317 $ 35 $ 117 £ 65 $ 111 € 70 $ 125 kr 741 $ 81 $ 183 £ 102 $ 174 € 110 $ 196 kr 1164 $ 128 Chateaux package: $ 100 £ 56 $ 95 € 60 $ 107 kr 635 $ 70
- Château de Meung sur Loire
- Park Leonardo Da Vinci in Amboise
- Domaine de Chambord (château + gardens)
- Domaine de Chaumont-sur-Loire (château + Garden Festival)
Transfers:
Paris CDG to Orleans:
1 to 4 people, sharing costs: $ 366 £ 204 $ 348 € 220 $ 391 kr 2327 $ 256 5 to 8 people, sharing costs: $ 441 £ 245 $ 419 € 265 $ 471 kr 2803 $ 308 Tours to Paris CDG:
1 to 4 people, sharing costs: $ 583 £ 324 $ 554 € 350 $ 623 kr 3703 $ 407 5 to 8 people, sharing costs: $ 650 £ 361 $ 617 € 390 $ 694 kr 4126 $ 454Extra Info
Skill Level — Easy
Easy self-guided hotel tour with 4 days of cycling from 19 to 28 miles per day. Terrain is mostly flat with some rolling hills.
Travel
Fly to Paris CDG
Local Travel
From the Paris CDG Terminal 2 Train Station you can take a train to Orleans. Total trip time can take between 3 to 5 hours depending on connections, and costs around €70. Depending on time schedules, you can either take a TGV train from the airport to Orleans or a RER/IC train from the airport to Paris Austerlitz station and then on to Orleans. Tickets for TGV trains need to be reserved in advance. Please note that TGV travel requires advance reservation. You can visit the SNCF website for more information and to book..
From Orleans CenterIt is best to take a taxi to your first hotel. On weekdays, a taxi will cost around €27. Weekends andholidays, a taxi costs approximately €36-50.Climate
Please check local conditions before your arrival. The climate in the Loire Valley is favorable most of the year, the river often acting as a line of demarcation in France’s weather between the northern climate and the southern. The river has a significant effect on the microclimate of the region, adding a few degrees of temperature. The climate can be cool with springtime frost while wine harvest months may have rain. Summers are hot, however, influences from the Atlantic moderate the temperature with breeze. A good website to visit to research regional weather including average high/low temperatures, average rainfall, and more weather-related information is weatherbase.com.
Recommended
We advise booking the Chateaux package. See Day to Day itinerary and pricing for more details.
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.
Additional Travel Details
DOCUMENTS
Before you travel, please check your country's passport and visa requirements and the passport and visa requirements of the country/countries you plan to visit. For US citizens, the US Department of State website is a good source of information. The Country Information tab in the International Travel section provides details about passport validity, blank passport pages required, etc. For our other international clients, please be sure that you research your own country's travel requirements. It is each traveler's responsibility to ensure proper documentation.
*Important note: Beginning July 1, 2021, additional documentation from the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) 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 available in Orleans & Tours.
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?
Photos
![Château de Chaumont in the Loire Valley, France. Flickr:@lain G]()
![Macarons are a favorite in France. Creative Commons:Sunny Ripert]()
![Château de Blois in Blois, Loire Valley, France. Photo courtesy TO]()
![Statue of Leonardo da Vinci in Amboise, France. Flickr:@lain G]()
![Bridge in Beaugency, France. Photo courtesy TO]()
![Maison de la Magie in Blois in the Loir-et-Cher department. Photo courtesy TO]()
![Château on the Loire in Amboise, France. Flickr:@lain G]()
![Château de Chambord in Chambord, France. Creative Commons:Arnaud Scherer]()
![Bike rest at the Patisserie in France. Flickr:Christian Guthier]()
![Fine dining in Amboise, France. Flickr:Jay Cross]()
![Château de Chambord, Loire Valley, France. Photo courtesy TO]()
![Bike path along the Loire River in Blois. Photo courtesy TO]()
![Château de Blois is a grand wonder! Flickr:@lain G]()
![Château d'Amboise on the Loire River in France. Flickr:@lain G]()
![Vast vineyards and tasty grapes in France. Flickr:Will Bakker]()
![Wine & cheese board perhaps in France. Flickr:Joe deSousa]()
![White wines to try. Flickr:vinhosdeprovence]()
![Château d'Amboise and its gardens in Amboise, France. Flickr:benh LIEU SONG]()
![Tours is the largest city in the Loire Valley of France. Creative Commons:Gerard Jalaudin]()
![Outdoor cafe in Tours, France. Photo courtesy TO]()
![Tasty delicacies to fuel the bike rides at the Patisserie! Flickr:Jean-Louis Zimmermann]()
![Château de Blois. Flickr:@lain G]()
![Lunch in the Loire Valley. Flickr:Ben Paulos]()
![Château d'Amboise along the Loire River. Flickr:Angelo Brathot]()
![Château d'Amboise and its gorgeous views. Flickr:Moto Itinerari]()
![Château d'Amboise along the Loire River, France. Flickr:@lain G]()
![Château d'Amboise. Flickr:@lain G]()
![Château d'Amboise set amongst vineyards. Photo courtesy TO]()
![Beaugency, France. Photo courtesy TO]()
![Town of Amboise, France. Flickr:@lain G]()
![View from Château d'Amboise, France. Flickr:Maria Nemes]()
![French food. Flickr:Pierre Lannes]()
![Pedaling for pastries in France. Flickr:aaaceto]()
![Gray roofs characterize Blois, France. Flickr:@lain G]()
![Amboise was once where the French royal court resided. Flickr:Duane Huff]()
![Château de Blois, the former home of several French kings. Flickr:@lain G]()
![Orleans, France. Creative Commons:Giraud Patrick]()
![Half-timbered architecture in Amboise, France. Flickr:@lain G]()
![Loire River in Amboise, France. Flickr:@lain G]()
![Château d'Amboise along the Loire River in France. Creative Commons:Vadim Kurland]()
![Town of Amboise. Flickr:Moto Itinerari]()
![Orléans and La Loire. Flickr:@lain G]()
![Rosé Wine is a favorite in France and of course grown here. Creative Commons:Ashley Pomeroy]()
![Saumur along the Loire River in France. Flickr:@lain G]()
![Interior of the Château d'Amboise in France. Flickr:Maria Nemes]()
![Place Michel Debre in Amboise, France. Flickr:@lain G]()
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