Riverloire

The ultimate travel agency in the Loire Valley

Cycling tour

cycling the loire valley

Highlights: 165 km biking - Sightseeing - Wine & Gastronomy - Nature
Duration: 5 Days / 4 Nights
Date: From April to October
Transportation: Bike (with all equipment), your luggage will be transferred separately by RiverLoire
Accommodation: A selection of 3* and 4* hotels
Additional service: A private biking guide with you all along your trip
 

MAKE AN ENQUIRY

Overview

Thanks to the Loire à Vélo scheme, the Loire valley has become the perfect place for a cycling holiday with a mix of dedicated cycle paths and meticulously signposted routes along minor roads. But along this 5 day trip you will not only ride your bike… You will discover the Loire Valley from the inside, visit some must-see sites and even taste the local wine and gastronomy! Just follow our detailed road maps and enjoy the landscapes… All the entrance tickets are provided to avoid queuing. And every night, you will go to bed in a different hotel, specially selected for its comfort and authentic charm. Do not worry about your bags, the Riverloire team will take care of them and transfer them from hotel to hotel during the day.

The itinerary has been crafted in cooperation with our “guide on wheels” for middle level bikers, cycling on their own. It can of course be adjusted to your physical condition and taste. If you would like our guide to go with you, this is possible for an additional cost.

bikes - loire river - chenonceau castle.jpg


Itinerary

Day 1 : Arrival in the Loire Valley

Upon your arrival in Amboise, which will be your starting point, get familiar with your bike and your equipment and have a look to your itinerary with the RiverLoire team. Take also some time to visit the chateau of Amboise before a good night sleep.

Day 2: Amboise - Chenonceau - Montbazon (52km)

The first site on your road will be Chenonceau Castle, built over the Cher river. A short ride from there will take you to a private estate for a unique wine and cheese tasting. A Riverloire exclusivity and a privileged moment to get in touch with locals. A last ride across the lush and green Valley de l’Indre will bring you to your hotel of the day.

Day 3: Montbazon - Villandry - Azay-le-Rideau (46km)

Start your day with a 22km ride up to Villandry and its enchanted gardens. In the afternoon, visit the Renaissance chateau of Azay-le-Rideau which facades mirror in the peaceful waters of its lake. When you are done, just hop to your hotel for a good rest!

Day 4: Azay-le-Rideau - Rigny Usse - Fontevraud - Montsoreau (40 to 60km)

The castle may look familiar… it was indeed Charles Perrault’s main source of inspiration for its fairytale Sleeping Beauty… Next stop will be the Abbaye of Fontevraud and finally, Montsoreau and its amazing castle. Relax in the spa of your Boutique Hotel.

Day 5: Montsoreau - Saumur (15 km)

A short ride to finish your tour… and allow you to discover the “cadre noir” of Saumur (the prestigious horse riding school). The Riverloire team will pick you up at the end of the day to drive you back to your train station.

cycling - bike - saumur.jpg


Price & inclusions

Price starting from € 1 660,00 per person (€ 3 320,00 for a party of 2 people)

Subject to availability at the time of the booking.

It includes:

  • 1 Night in a 4* Manor Hotel in Amboise (based on a double room).
  • 1 Night in a 4* Château Hotel in Montbazon.
  • 1 Night in a 3* Hotel in Azay-le-Rideau.
  • 1 Night in a 4* Boutique Hotel in Montsoreau.
  • All the breakfasts.
  • 4 Dinners without drink.
  • 1 Lunch, drinks included.
  • Entrance fees of the castles of Amboise, Chenonceau, Villandry, Azay le Rideau, Ussé, Abbaye de Fontevraud, Montsoreau and Cadre Noir in Saumur (self guided visits).
  • Visit of a private property with wine and cheese tasting.
  • Rental bicycles from day 2 to day 5 included, with “touring package” (helmets, cycling bags, repair kit, maps holder...).
  • Personalized and detailed itinerary maps.
  • Cycling GPS.
  • All the transfers of your luggage in between accommodation.
  • Private car transfers from and to Saint Pierre des Corps train station.
  • RiverLoire local assistance during all your stay.
  • Fees and taxes.

Testimonials

If you’ve just returned from this “Cycling tour” tour we’d love to hear from you...

Audrey was great! Very knowledgeable and friendly. We tend to ask questions that are not just about the chateaux and she was happy to answer anything we asked. We were very happy with her as our tour guide.As for the hotel, the room was really nice and the service was excellent. We have to say that the hotel pool was very welcome at the end of our bike tour! We really enjoyed our time with RiverLoire and would recommend it without any doubts, with a private guide!

Mary Anne (New Zealand) - September 2017

I am the father of a 13 year old daughter and wanted to take her on a bike trip of the Loire that was well thought out and executed but relatively independent. I emailed Tifany with that request and boy did she deliver.

We were met at the train by the wonderful guide Manon who got us situated and took us on a great tour of Amboise as only a local can (she actually lives there!) After a half day of touring Amboise with Manon, we were off on two days on "independent biking." The quotes are because Tifany had taken care of all of the details. We had step by step directions, reservations at a fabulous chateau and of course the beautiful scenery.

Did I mention my daughter is 13? I also did not tell her in advance we would be biking! She loved it and we had an experience I will never forget. Thank you Riverloire.

Andrew (USA) - June 2015

This was a fabulous, well-organized tour. We are a family of 6. We biked, toured, biked again, ate a 4 star lunch, toured, then had a wine/cheese experience. We got a little behind on the schedule but Tiffany and her team handled it all very well and never made us feel rushed. We would definitely recommend Riverloire for a private tour.

Ingrid (USA) - May 2015

Thank you Thierry for the wonderful tour and the cycling experience, a first time for all the family and a memorable one.
We had such a great time that I have taken the liberty of giving your Loire Valley cycling tour to a few of my keen cyclist friends !
Thank you once again , will be in touch to organise one more!

Kevin (Singapore) - May 2014

We had an excellent, privately developed biking tour with Riverloire Sept 2013.
I found Riverloire on the internet and starting communicating with Thierry the manager a year before our tour. He was always prompt in replying to my emails. I brought 21 people on the bike tour and Riverloire arranged the hotels , chateau visits and bike rentals. The hotels far exceeded our expectations. We even stayed in a beautiful chateau near Amboise.

Thierry arranged private dinners for us at restaurants that were marvelous! I have never had better French food than on our tour! He arranged for our group to do a balloon ride over the Loire Valley. We loved the experience and will go back again. Next time we will do some van touring of Champagne and kayaking on the river.
We received the best service and made friends with the Riverloire team. I especially enjoyed going to Thierry's private wine cellar and bottling our own wine.

Eileen (USA) - August 2013

Dear Thierry & Karine:
We enjoyed the trip very much - a very full week of cycling/visits/chateaus/wine tasting/dinners that we would not have sampled without your guidance. Our favorite places to visit were Chateau de Valmer, Chateau de Montpoupon, the city of Loches, Chateau d'Azay le Rideau and wine tasting at Chateau de Miniere. As far as places to stay, Chateau de Reignac and Chateau de Gizeux were great.
We definitely recommend this trip to others - it was very seamless ... you all did a great job! Thank you again!

Randy and Leslie (USA) - June 2013

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