Castles of the Loire Valley – Blois to Saumur – France Cycling Tour

This tour has a seven day, six night itinerary with five days cycling.

Cat A hotel 3*** & 4**** - Cat B hotels 4 night 2** + 2 night hotel 3***

Day 1 -  Individual arrival in Blois. Accommodation at the hotel and free time to visit the town.

Day 2 – Cycle from Blois to Chambord and back to Blois. After crossing the Loire and the Sologne countryside, you enter the park of the chateau of Chambord, 4,500 hectares of forest inhabited by deer and wild boars. Visit of the magnificent castle which was built by François I on a project by Leonardo da Vinci. Return to the hotel through the forest of Boulogne.

Day 3 – Cycle from Blois to Chaumont and Amboise. Following the river Loire you will arrive at the castle of Chaumont which was built on a cliff overlooking the Loire by Pierre d'Amboise. It was then purchased by Catherine de Medici and she sent Diana of Poitiers there for revenge and kept for her Chenonceau. Keep following the river Loire and you will arrive in Amboise, a picturesque town on the left bank where the castle stands on a rocky outcrop overlooking the city. Visit the castle and the Clos-Luce, home of Leonardo da Vinci. In the museum there are several models of his inventions, and in the park there are 1:1 scale models that allow you to interact and to experience directly these fabulous machines.

Day 4 – Cycle from Amboise to Chenonceau and Tours. From the valley of the river Loire to the valley of the river Cher, through the Forest of Amboise you will reach the castle of Chenonceau, so-called "of the two queens", Diana and Catherine. This is certainly the most beautiful and the most visited castle, with its magnificent arches over the river. From Chenonceau, nice ride along the Cher through the famous vineyards of Vouvray, between the tufa cliffs that overlook the river. You will arrive in Tours, the most important city in the region. Visit of the old town, of the cathedral and of place Plumereau.

Day 5 – Cycle from Tours to Villandry and Azay Le Rideau. From Tours along the river Cher you reach the castle of Villandry, famous for its "jardin potagers". The famous gardens of Villandry are the most beautiful example of French Renaissance architecture, built under the influence of Italian gardeners. Continuing through the countryside you get to today's destination, Azay le Riedau. Here we find a gem of the Renaissance: the castle of Azay was built on a small island of the Indre by the will of the treasurer of Francois I. Balzac described this building as a "faceted diamond, set in Indre, an
island of flowers".

Day 6 – Cycle from Azay Le Rideau to Chinon and Saumur. The last stage takes you to Saumur, you can chose between two paths: the first is a direct itinerary, first along the Loire and then almost always along the cycle path towards Saumur; or you can extend your stage through Chinon, a town surrounded by a vineyard in 1937. The castle of the XII, spread over 500 meters is located on a rocky outcrop and surrounded by a dry moat. Saumur, a fortified town, has its origins on the castle and the monastery of the tenth century. Today the walls are only detectable in traces in the surrounding area, while the castle stands on a hill. Today the land of Saumur has 6 AOC wines and is the prestigious capital of riding school Cadre Noir.

Day 7 - End of services after breakfast

Key details:

• Seven day, six night itinerary.
• This tour starts in Blois and ends in Saumur.

There are lots of attractions and places to explore during your cycling holiday in France including:

• Chateaux Chenonceaux
• Chaumont Fortress
• Amboise
• Leonardo da Vinci’s Tomb
• French Villages

Getting to France:

By Rail/Bus – There are a number of public transport operating in France.

By Car – France can be reached by car via ferry and well-maintained motorways.

By Air – There are a number of flights available to France to a number of airports including Charles De Gaulle, Nice and Lyon.

For more information on getting to France please visit the France Tourism website.