Loire Valley Cycling Tours and Holidays

Loire Valley - Cycling Tours in the Loire Valley

The Loire Valley in France is a beautiful region for a cycling holiday or short break. At over 1,000 kilometres (600 miles) long, the Loire is the longest river in France. It has its source in the mountains of the Massif Central in Central France from where it winds its way to the Atlantic Ocean. It is ideal terrain for a cycling holiday or tour as the river follows mainly a gentle incline through plains and low hills, and the road traffic is generally very light.



Loire Valley - Chateau de Chenonceau

Apart from being very beautiful, the Loire region is particularly famous for its 300+ chateaux. Built by the Kings and the aristocracy of France since medieval times, they have a rich history, often involving plots and assassinations, but are now owned either by the State or private families who may or not be members of the French aristocracy.

As can be seen from this DVD Loire Valley cycling tours usually concentrate on the central region of the Loire valley, as this is the area where the chateaux offer the easiest access and the terrain is either gently undulating or flat.

The best time to go cycling in the Loire Valley is from June through September, as this is when it is less likely to rain, although it may at times get very hot.

Things to see : the Châteaux of course. Some of them are still in their original form, as heavily fortified feudal castles, some have been demolished and re-built or converted into Renaissance chateaux, and some were built as Renaissance chateaux from the outset.

Apart from the chateaux, the rest of the region is also quite stunning and of course there is also plenty of fine French food and wine to be enjoyed.

Loire Valley Chateaux to visit during your cycling holiday (in no particular order)

Azay-le-Rideau - on an island between two branches of the Indre River.

Chateau d'Azay-le-Rideau - Loire Valley

Chenonceau - one of the largest and most beautiful of the chateaux.









Chambord - amazing large chateau with park and woods, double helix staircase.


Chateau de Chambord














Chateau d'Ussé (the castle that inspired the story of Sleeping Beauty)- located on the banks of the River Indre, near the Chinon Forest, 14 km from Chinon and 33 km from Tours.

Chateau de Blois - the castle in which King Henri III had his rival Henri Duc de Guise asassinated in 1588.

Brissac - built in the XIth century as a fortified castle, by the Count of Anjou, Foulques Nerra. Given to Guillaume des Roches after he defeated the English, by King Philippe Auguste.

Chateau de Cheverny

Cheverny - in addition to its great history, Cheverny is also famous as being the inspiration for the "Château de Moulinsart" (Marlinspike Hall) in Hergé’s Adventures of Tintin. It was first mentioned in "Le Secret de la Licorne" ("The Secret of the Unicorn").






Cost of a Cycling Tour

So how much will a cycling holiday in the Loire Valley cost? Well, anything from $10 a day if you like camping, to the sky's the limit if you like stopping off in luxury hotels and making frequent visits to the local French hostelry.

Where do you get the bike from ? There are plenty of bike hire companies in the Loire Valley (in Blois, Tours and Anjou and no doubt elsewhere), or you can bring your own bike on a train from Paris in a "housse". Paris is only about 90 minutes away on the TGV.

Sasha Bates said in the Daily Telegraph of her cycling tour round the Loire Valley with her husband :

" it's almost impossible to get lost on the well-signed cycling route; the gardens are fantastic; the Loire countryside is mercifully flat and divertingly beautiful; the food and wine are exquisite; and – best of all – there was the miracle of reaching our hotel every night to find our luggage waiting for us. Oh, and if you really can't help yourselves, the chateaux aren't bad either."

There are several companies that organise inclusive tours of the Loire Valley by bike. Loire à Vélo website (www.loire-a-velo.fr) - Location de Vélos (www.locationdevelos.com); Biking France (www.randovelo.fr); or the luxurious River Loire (www.riverloire.com). There is also the Loire Valley Tourist Board (visaloire.com) - see links.