4 Day Long Weekend Self-Guided Cycling Holiday in the Loire Valley, From Blois to Amboise, France
Self-Guided Cycling Tour in France
This mini-vacation will have you biking on the "Loire à Vélo", a designated bike path along the Loire River. You’ll pedal past magnificent castles such as the Chateaux de Chambord, the Chateau de Chaumont-sur-Loire, the Chateau de Chenonceau and many others! Each day, as you ride through this enchanting region of the Loire Valley, you’ll discover the grandeur of the Chatau de Chambord, delicious Loire wines, and the historic medieval city of Amboise. Your daily rides will be on bike paths and small secondary roads through picturesque villages and lush forests. This tour gives you the chance to enjoy a gentle bike ride next to forests, vineyards, and fairy-tale castles.
Key information
- Trip type: Self-guided
- Lodging: Point to Point
- Starts in: Blois
- Ends in: Amboise
- Total Distance: approximately 125 Miles / 201 Kilometers
- Type of bike: bike rental (touring bike or tandem) included, you can also bring your own bike
- E-bike: Available to rent
Highlights
- Self-guided cycling tour through the Loire Valley
- Tour level: Very easy
- A visit of a chocolate factory
- Access to Le Vélo Voyageur's mobile app for routes and tourist information
- 7/7 hotline support from Le Vélo Voyageur's team
- 3 nights accommodation
- Breakfast is provided
Skill level
- Beginner
Accommodation
Category A
You’ll enjoy staying in these clean and cozy two-star hotels that give you a pleasant rest after your day of biking. Breakfast is included when you spend the night in these friendly and family-run hotels.
Category B
You’ll get a good night’s sleep when you stay in these three-star hotels or bed and breakfasts. All properties have been selected for the cleanliness, style, and friendliness of the staff. A hearty breakfast is included!
Category C
You’ll have a wider selection of accommodations when you choose this three- or four-star category. Some nights you’ll stay in quaint hotels, and other times you might be in a charming bed and breakfast. Enjoy the "vie de chateau" atmosphere in an exceptional environment. Properties are selected for their high standards and impeccable service. Don’t forget, breakfast is included!
Program
Day 1: Blois - Cheverny (43 / 68 km, 2 route options)
Start your trip by pedaling through the luxuriant forest of the Chateau de Chambord, with its impressive trees. Take a look at the stone bridge salamadenders engraved on the walls of Loire’s most extravagant castle. Leaving the castle, you can enjoy a bucolic jaunt to Neuvy, with its many ponds (+ 26 km), or head more quickly to Bracieux. As you enjoy the shade from hundred-year-old tree, you’ll follow the trail along Crosson creek to the Chateau de Cheverny. The Moulinsart Castle inspired Hergé of the Tintin comics, which you may have read.
Day 2: Cheverny - Chaumont-sur-Loire region (29 / 41 km, 2 route options)
Today you have two options of bike routes. if you like, stroll through the Chateau de Beauregard’s art gallery. You’ll find over 327 portraits of famous European leaders who forged history between the 14th and 17th centuries. If your are looking for something more active, you can ride through vineyards before arriving in front of the Fougeres-sur-Bieve drawbridge. Your ride then takes you on a delightful route as you follow the toues, or traditional boats, along the path from Loire to Chaumont-sur-Loire. The city is known for its fairy tale castle as well as the International Garden Festival, which displays over 30 themed gardens with a variety of garden art.
Please note that this stage may be longer or shorter depending on your accommodation (plus 10 km or minus 7 km).
Day 3: Chaumont sur Loire region - Amboise (13 / 22 km)
Today's route takes you directly to the pretty city of Amboise. The medieval castle has a connection to the French royal family and is where Leonardo de Vinci spent his last few years. Explore the many cobblestone streets and check out the unique architectural features of the Chateau d’Amboise. The Chateau gives you one of the best overall views of the Loire Valley.
Please note that this stage may be longer or shorter depending on your accommodation.
Day 4: Day trip to the castle of Chenonceau (46 / 70 km. 2 route options)
Your tranquil bike route today leads you through ibeautiful natural beauty with rivers and forests, leading to the most emblematic Chateaux de la Loire, the "Chateau de Chenonceau". This historical castle had an almost uninterrupted succession of women who built, restored and saved the castle. Today, it is one of France's most photographed castles. If you like, continue riding along the banks of the Cher River until you reach the underground city near Bourre. This subterranean city can be viewed to experience what life was like living in a cave-structure. You’ll see a wonderful reconstruction of an underground city.
Bikes
On your arrival day, the Le Vélo Voyageur team will provide you with:
- A touring bike adjusted to your size or a tandem
- Equipped with front rack pack with an integrated file compartment, saddlebag, helmet (on demand), reflective vest, repair toolkit with patches, etc.
They also provide you with the appropriate equipment for your children: a baby seat, a bike trailer, or a trailer bike, depending on their age and size.
Electric bikes are also available for adults (+1m55).
You can, of course, also bring your own bikes. In this case, a reduction will be applied.
Luggage
For this trip, bikes are equipped with two waterproof saddle bags with a capacity of 10 to 20 L each to transport your luggage. Do not forget to put your items in a soft travel bag so that you can roll it up in your saddle bags.
For more comfort, you can choose to add luggage transport to your booking.
The team transports your luggage from one accommodation to the next using a private vehicle.
Your luggage is directly delivered in your accommodation before you arrive.
Le Vélo Voyageur provides a saddlebag for the things you will need during the day.(included in your bike rental).
They advise that you take an extra set of clothes with you if you expect to arrive before 5 p.m. at your accommodation.
As Le Vélo Voyageur knows from experience, they strongly recommend you avoid wearing a backpack during your cycling trip.
Travel documents
A cycling holiday is the best way to explore a region and discover its culture, landscapes and local traditions. Your tour is self-guided to give you the freedom to ride at your own pace. You will be provided all the information you need to enjoy the itinerary and its points of interests.
Le Vélo Voyageur can provide you with travel documents in paper format (for a supplement of 15 EUR for printing and postage), which include:
- a roadbook with maps that we drew at the easiest scale to follow on a bike
- a roadbook with step-by-step description giving the direction to follow at each intersection and highlighting the points of interest
Le Vélo Voyageur's GPS app
For this trip, you can also use our smartphone app featuring GPS guidance (without extra fee).
You will find in the app all the information given in the map and step-by-step roadbooks. You will be located on the itinerary with the GPS device of your phone. The route and directions to follow will be both viewable on the screen of your phone and announced aloud. As you ride along the itinerary, you will be given information about visits, restaurants, services and useful alerts on the way.
You need to have a smartphone and download the Le Velo Voyageur app on your Apple or Android device before the trip. All details concerning the downloading and use of the application will be given after Le Velo Voyageur has confirmed the booking and the balance is paid. Once the trip is downloaded, the GPS guidance can be used off-line.
What's included
You will have the options to choose accommodations from category A, B, or C.
Category A
- Double room fare
- 3 nights in 2 or 3-star hotels
- 3 breakfasts
- 4-day rental of a fully-equipped bike (saddle bags, locks, toolkit)
- Access to Le Vélo Voyageur's mobile app including the roadbook and practical and tourist information
- A visit of a chocolate factory
- Sending charge of the travel documents in France
- 7/7 hotline
Category B
- Double room fare
- 3 nights in 2-star hotels or bed & breakfasts
- 3 breakfasts
- 4-day rental of a fully-equipped bike (packs, helmets, locks)
- Access to Le Vélo Voyageur's mobile app including the roadbook and the practical and tourist information
- A visit of a chocolate factory
- The return of the bikes
- Sending charge of the travel documents in France
- 7/7 hotline
Category C
- Double room fare
- 3 nights in 3 or 4-star hotels
- 3 breakfasts
- 4-day rental of a fully-equipped bike (packs, helmets, locks)
- Access to Le Vélo Voyageur's mobile app, including the roadbook and practical and tourist information
- A visit of a chocolate factory
- The return of the bikes
- Sending charge of the travel documents in France
- 7/7 hotline
Included excursions
Chocolate factory (1 hour)
After the guided visit, you will enjoy different kinds of chocolate. Please note that the factory is closed on Mondays, except in July and August. Dogs are not allowed.
Location
Food
The package includes daily breakfast. Other meals are available at an extra cost.
- Category A, half-board: On request
- Category B, half-board (3 dinners): 108 EUR per person
- Category C, half-board: 40 EUR per dinner
The following meals are included:
- Breakfast
The following dietary requirement(s) are served and/or catered for:
- Regular (typically includes meat and fish)
Things to do (optional)
Domaine de Chambord (2 hours)
Take a free tour of the château and gardens of this must-see estate, a veritable work of art in the Loire Valley. (16 EUR per adult.)
Domaine de Chaumont-sur-Loire (3 hours)
Visit the castle and the estate on your own, enjoy the art and garden exhibitions as part of the International Garden Festival. (6 EUR / child, 12 EUR / teen, 20 EUR / adult)
Château du Clos Lucé (2 hours)
Free visit to the château, Leonardo’s workshop, the cultural park, and the "Leonardo da Vinci, painter and architect" galleries. (13,50 EUR / teen, 19 EUR / adult)
Château de Chenonceau (2 hours)
Take a self guided tour of the château and its gardens and discover the rich history of the site. (14 EUR / teen, 17 EUR / adult)
What's included
- 3 nights accommodation
- 3 breakfasts
- 4-day rental of a fully-equipped bike
- Access to Le Vélo Voyageur's mobile app, including the roadbook and practical and tourist information
- A visit of a chocolate factory
- Sending charge of the travel documents in France
- 7/7 hotline
What's not included
- Airfare
- Airport transfers
- The journey to the tour location
- The drinks
- The meals which are not included
- The entrance fee to sites
- Insurances (optional)
- Tourist taxes
- Electric bike (4 days)
- Luggage transportation service
- Domaine de Chambord tour
- Château du Clos Lucé tour
- Château de Chenonceau tour
- Pre or post-tour nights
How to get there
Recommended Airports
Tours Val de Loire Airport
55 km
Transfer not provided
Charles de Gaulle Airport (Roissy Airport)
186 km
Transfer not provided
Arrival by airplane
Please book your flight to arrive at Charles de Gaulle Airport (Roissy Airport) (CDG) or Tours Val de Loire Airport (TUF). Airport transfer is not provided. From the airport, take a train to Blois.
Arrival by train
By train: inter-regional trains from Paris-Austerlitz station (direct or 8-minute connection in Orléans). The duration of the trip is from 1 hour 20 minutes, to 2 hours. Or TGV (fast trains) from Paris Montparnasse and connection in Saint-Pierre-des-Corps to take a regional train to Blois. The duration of the trip is about 2 hours.
If you drive to Blois, you can park your car in a secured public car park. Find more information online.
To get back to starting point:
Regional trains take you back to your starting point if you wish. They are accessible without booking in advance and bicycles are free. You have to buy your ticket on the spot (full rate: 7 EUR per adult). There are several trains per day. You will find the timetable in your travel documents.
Le Vélo Voyageur can also organise a transfer in a private vehicle on demand.
If you choose luggage transport, you will be able to pick up your luggage after 5 p.m. at the pickup location.
Meeting time:
You pick up your bikes in the morning between 9:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Le Vélo Voyageur recommends that you arrive at around 10 a.m. so you can enjoy your day fully without rushing and do the visits on the way.
If you chose luggage transport, you must arrive before 9 a.m. to drop off your luggage. The bike's pick-up point and luggage drop-off point are located next to the train station and will be listed in your travel documents.
Cancellation Policy
- A reservation requires a deposit of 30% of the total price.
- The deposit is non-refundable, if the booking is cancelled.
- The rest of the payment should be paid 30 days before arrival.
For this organizer you can guarantee your booking through Tripaneer.com. All major credit cards supported.