From Blois to Angers, the fairytale castles of the Loire Valley

Your trip starts in Blois, a little town which is located 40 minutes away from Tours and 2 hours away from Paris. Depending on your time of arrival, you will be able to visit the town and its splendid Renaissance castle or to cycle directly to Chambord (for shuttle timetables, go to the Tourist Information Point).

During your first cycling day, you will have the choice to either ride to Chambord or to descend the Loire and cycle to Amboise. On your way, you will have the opportunity to visit Chaumont-sur-Loire, its beautiful gardens and contemporary art exhibitions. Next, the River Loire will take you all the way to the charming town of Amboise.

Night in Amboise.
Distance: 40 or 75km.

Today, you will be able to choose between two different itineraries:
1-Complete a short itinerary and discover Amboise and its magnificent royal castle as well as the Clos Lucé, which was Leonardo da Vinci’s last home. End the ride by cycling through the vineyards of the Vouvray.
2- Following the River Cher, you will take a detour to Chenonceau before reaching Tours. Chenonceau is a famous castle which was once built and owned by women.

Distance: 40 or 65km.

Discover Villandry and its famous French gardens, ride through orchards in order to reach Azay le Rideau. An exceptional cycling loop will take you to Balzac’s house and a little troglodytic village of basket makers. Finish today’s ride with a visit of the famous ‘floating castle’ of Azay le Rideau.

Distance: 35 or 55km.

Pedal your way through the state-owned forest of Chinon. The terrain is rather uneven but the height gains and losses will enable you to enjoy yourself and test your limits. If you prefer to cycle at a leisurely pace, then you will have the option to ride to the medieval castle of Langeais and Sleeping Beauty’s castle, otherwise known as Rigny-Ussé.

Night in the medieval city of Chinon.
Distance: 40 or 55km.

Ride off to Saumur and discover Chinon, a region which is famous for its wine. Built during the 12th century, the Abbey of Fontevraud is one of the most impressive monastic buildings in the region and an ideal place to relax before climbing the river’s hillsides. Follow the Loire River and reach your destination point: Saumur, a town famous for its horse-riding school.

Distance: 40 or 50km.

Make the most out of your last day of cycling and ride to Angers. Once there, you will be able to explore King René’s ‘castle of Love’ and his interesting tapestry museum. You might also want to stroll down the streets of Angers and have a relaxing evening in this part of the Loire Valley.

Distance: 70km.

Your trip ends here, after breakfast.