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Itinerary

Upon your arrival in Blois train station, you will be met and taken to your first hotel in Cheverny, a short drive away. The Chateau in Cheverny is of course the town’s main attraction but you’ll truly enjoy the village itself with its ancient stone houses topped by the region’s typical grey slate roofs, the ancient church – dating back to 1145 – with its pointed bell-tower, a salt barn, the old town forge and the traditional washhouse. The classical chateau is set in beautiful gardens and has some of the best preserved interiors in the Loire. The Chateau of Cheverny was the inspiration for Marlinspike Hall in Hergé’s famous Tintin books, explaining the Tintin Museum in one of the buildings. The castle also has an impressively large pack (over 100!) of hunting dogs and you can visit the kennels. After settling in, our Trip Manager will meet you at the hotel to check your bike fitting and we’ll go over questions about your trip package with you.

Your route takes you along tiny quiet roads, on very easygoing terrain today, as well as some dedicated bike paths. You’ll love your first views of the regions vineyards, and tiny towns and villages. When you arrive at the majestic domain of the Chateau de Chambord, you ride through the dense forest that was for centuries, the hunting grounds to the Kings of France. For one of your first chateau visit in the region, Chambord is certainly one of the most impressive. A monumental Royal hunting residence, built by King Francois I, the Chateau of Chambord is a masterpiece of Renaissance architecture. The size of it alone is simply astonishing, along with the beautiful sculpted details throughout the building. After exploring Chambord, your route turns back towards Cheverny, through lovely quiet countryside and several villages (stop to admire the covered market in Bracieux, and for a treat from the local chocolate maker there), before returning to your hotel for a second evening. We encourage you to enjoy a wine tasting at the welcoming and informative caveau in town at the end of your ride.

You leave Cheverny today, riding out from the town through the tranquil small roads and small villages, south of the Loire River. Your route brings you along the Beuvron River valley to rejoin the Loire in pretty Candes, and then follow a great bike path to Chaumont. The Chateau de Chaumont, beautifully overlooking the river below, was acquired by the powerful Catherine de Medicis in 1560. Today it is renowned for its English-style Garden Festival where contemporary garden designers display their inventive and astonishing works. Your route continues on the other side of the river, for some easygoing riding on toiny quiet roads all the way to Amboise, your destination for the day. Amboise is famous not only for its chateau, which dominates the town, but also for the beautiful “Clos de Lucé” manor house which was Leonardo Da Vinci’s residence whilst he was in the service of the French King. You can visit it, and admire the models of his inventions, as well as see the chapel at the chateau where he is buried… We include your dinner this evening in a restaurant with great ambiance in the medieval centre.

Today’s route takes you southward, away from the Loire River along quiet, un-trafficked roads through forests and fields, and eventually descending to another river, the Cher, and the Château de Chenonceau, a wall of elegance spanning it. Renaissance Chenenceau is one of the most popular chateaux in France. It was completed in the 16th century, when it was given as a gift by King Henry II to his beloved mistress, Diane de Poitiers. Diane has the stunning arched corridor across the river constructed and oversees the planting of extensive gardens. She was the unquestioned mistress of the castle, but after King Henry II died in 1559, his strong-willed and jealous widow and regent Catherine de Medici forced Diane to exchange it for the Château Chaumont, and triumphantly makes Chenonceau her own residence. After visiting the tranquil scene of such feminine battling, and finding some lunch in the neighbouring village, your route takes you back on a great bike path next to the Cher River, and then through pretty countryside, forest, and villages to Amboise for a second evening.

Your ride today is not very long, allowing you time in Tours once you get there. The route partially follows tiny un-trafficked roads, and partly a dedicated bike path, above and parallel to the Loire River all the way. You pass through small villages and pretty vineyards before spotting the steeple of Tours Cathedral in the distance. Once you arrive and settle in to your hotel, you can take some time to explore. During the Middle Ages, Tours consisted of two juxtaposed and competing centres: The “City” in the east, successor of the late Roman ‘castrum’, was composed of religious establishment (the cathedral and palace of the archbishops) and of the castle of Tours, seat of the authority of the Counts and of the King of France. In the west, the “New City” structured around the Abbey of Saint Martin was freed from the control of the City during the 10th century. This space became the economic centre of Tours. The two centres were linked during the 14th century, but you still sense the two halves today. We provide a self guided walking tour to explore the Medieval centre (Vieux Tours), with the half-timbered houses, the many parks, and Place Plumereau, a lively square with many restaurants and pubs.

After your breakfast, the first part of today’s ride abandons the Loire River, to follow on a bike path the smaller winding Cher River. The bike path that you are on leaves Tours away from any traffic, and meanders through easygoing countryside and through small hamlets, on the outskirts of Tours, bringing you eventually through the small town of Savonnieres, and on to Villandry, where we highly recommend you make a stop. The castle in Villandry can be visited, but it is the beautiful Renaissance gardens that are of worldwide renown. You can wander through the vegetable gardens, flower gardens, water garden, and symbolic garden, all beautifully presented in formal patterns, outlined with low box hedges. The route then continues southwards, through forest and pretty fields of wheat and flowers, descending eventually to yet another River, the Indre, and the town of Azay le Rideau. You will want to take some time to explore the town and visit the castle – not one of the largest chateaux of the Loire in size, the 16th century castle of Azay is one of the prettiest, with the mix of Italian Renaissance style that was so popular, and the charm of a French castle on the water, as it sits on the banks of the Indre River. (please note, the DELUXE itinerary stays this evening in St Patrice sur Loire; you will be able to visit Langeais Castle instead of Azay).

After a final breakfast, we transfer you to Tours or St Pierre des Corps train station for your further travels
Bon Voyage!

What's included

  • 6 nights’ accommodation of the comfort level of your choice * CLASSIC, CLASSIC + or DELUXE
  • Hotel taxes
  • All breakfasts, 3 dinners (drinks not included with dinners)
  • Fully equipped quality touring bike **
  • Orientation with our Trip Manager by phone at the start of the trip
  • Bike fitting with our Bike Manager
  • Detailed maps and step-by-step route notes
  • Regional information and advice
  • Uploadable GPS file of the route to use on a free APP in your smartphone ***
  • Luggage transfers from hotel to hotel
  • Transfer at the end of the trip back to Tours or St Pierre de Corps train station
  • Phone call support 7 days a week

* Price based on double room occupancy – please contact us for details on single room supplements
** E-bikes and Road bikes are available on request (supplement)
*** Can be used without international internet plan (offline)

Hotel Details

Classic Tour

1430 € / pers.

2 Nights
Hotel Saint Hubert – Cheverny

2 Nights
Hotel Bellevue – Amboise

1 Night
Hotel l’Adresse – Tours

1 Night
Hotel de Biencourt – Azay le Rideau

Classic + Tour

1749 € / pers.

2 Nights
Relais des Trois Chateaux – Cheverny

2 Nights
Hotel au Charme Rabelaisien – Amboise

1 Night
Chateau de Beaulieu – Joué les Tours

1 Night
Hotel le Grand Monarque – Comfort room – Azay le Rideau

Deluxe Tour

2560 € / pers.

2 Nights
Les Sources de Cheverny – Cheverny

2 Nights
Le Manoir des Minimes – Amboise

1 Night
Domaine de la Tortinière – Veigné

1 Night
Chateau de Rochecotte – Saint Patrice

Our bikes

The high quality, light touring bike is the default bike included on the tour. It is perfectly suited to riding with lots of stops for explorations.

Upon request, and for a supplement, you can have a road bike or a pedal-assist electric bike – contact us for details.

All our touring bikes come equipped with removable handlebar bag with clear map case, flat tire kit (with extra inner tube), pump, lock, rear rack and back panniers, water bottle holder and new water bottle, bell and kickstand.

Ahead of the tour, we will ask you if you wish to use our helmets, and if you want toe cages on the pedals (both free of charge).

Each of our regions has its own bike fleet, often with a couple of different bike makes depending on sizing – if you want to know the specific bike details for your tour, just contact us, and we’ll be happy to send you the specs!

 

TOURING BIKE - men's frame (included in trip cost)

TOURING BIKE - women's Frame (included in trip cost)

E-bike - men's frame (supplement charge)

E-bike - women's frame (supplement charge)

Road (racing) bike (supplement charge)