Traveling along the Loire by bike is magical. Not only for the castles you will pass through, but for the fantastic forests, rivers and fauna that you will see. Ideal for families looking for a comfortable bike trip.
The adventure begins in Blois, and runs along the Loire River pedaling along quiet country roads, crossing the Touraine vineyards and seeing a multitude of castles. The entire area where the trip along the Loire River passes by bike is an area of great cultural interest and recognized as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
The jewel of the trip is the Château de Chambord which with an area the size of Paris, 365 fireplaces and 440 rooms is impressive to see.
You also pass other castles such as the Clos Lucé, the last place of residence of Leonardo da Vinci, or the Château de Chenonceau, more famously known as the “castle of women”.
The day before you start pedaling will be a good time to get to know the Renaissance city of Blois and its Royal Castle.
After breakfast, we will go directly to one of the main attractions of the trip: the Château de Chambord, with its 440 rooms, its more than 300 fireplaces and its magnificent location. Before returning to Blois we will cycle through the small castles of Villesavin and Cheverny.
Today we have two route options. On the one hand, you can go through the art gallery of the Castle of Beauregard. Where to find more than 300 portraits of famous Europeans who forged history between the 14th and 17th centuries. The other option is to cycle through the vineyards until you reach the drawbridge at Fougeres -sur-Bieve. The route then takes you a long way from the Loire to Chaumont – sur – Loire. City famous for its fairy tale castle and also for the International Garden Festival. Finally you will arrive at the charming town of Mosnes.
In today’s stage you will cycle to the beautiful medieval town of Amboise. The medieval tonne is linked to the French royal family and is where Leonardo da Vinci spent his last years. Explore the many cobbled streets and unique architectural features of the Château d’Amboise, where you can take in one of the best overviews of the Loire Valley.
Finally, you will visit the Château de Chenonceau (known as “The castle of women”), a 15th century castle with fascinating architecture, which has been restored, built and saved by successive women. Then, you can continue pedaling along the Cher river until you find the underground city next to Bourre. It will be quite an experience to see what life was like in that cave.
After today’s stage, we will end the cycle route.