Loire Valley 5-Day Moderate

Loire Valley
5-Day Moderate

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Overview

  • Tour DifficultyModerate
  • Tour Duration5 Days / 4 Nights
  • Daily Saddle Time3-5 Hours
  • Daily Elevation219 m (738 feet)
  • Daily Distance54 km (33 miles)
  • Total Distance162 kms (100 miles)
  • StartBlois, France
  • FinishChinon, France
  • Local AirportsParis or Tours
  • Tour SeasonMar 1 - Oct 31
  • Food & DrinkYes
  • History & CultureYes
  • Electric BikeYes
  • Gravel BikingYes
  • Solo TravellersYes

Overview

  • Tour DifficultyModerate
  • Tour Duration5 Days / 4 Nights
  • Daily Saddle Time3-5 Hours
  • Daily Elevation219 m (738 feet)
  • Daily Distance54 km (33 miles)
  • Total Distance162 kms (100 miles)
  • StartBlois, France
  • FinishChinon, France

Highlights

  • Blois: Begin in this historic city, known for its majestic royal château, cobbled streets, and its role as a historical seat of French kings.
  • Amboise: Explore the Château d’Amboise and the nearby Clos Lucé, Leonardo da Vinci’s final residence, surrounded by lush gardens.
  • Villandry: Be enchanted by the Château de Villandry's spectacular formal gardens, a highlight for nature and art enthusiasts alike.
  • Garden of France: A wine enthusiasts paradise, sample your way through the appellations of Cheverny, Touraine, Bourgueil & more.
  • Chinon: Conclude your journey in this medieval town with its hilltop fortress, atmospheric old town, and famed local wines.

Itinerary

Day 1: Arrive in Blois

Your journey begins in Blois, a historic town known for its impressive royal château and cobbled streets. Spend the day exploring the château’s fascinating history and enjoying the vibrant atmosphere of the town’s squares and cafes. It’s the perfect introduction to the Loire Valley’s rich heritage.

Day 2: Blois - Amboise

Distance: 63 kms (39 miles) / Elevation Gain: 316 m (1065 feet) / Saddle Time: 3-5 hours

Today’s ride follows peaceful riverside trails and meanders through small villages. A stop at Château de Chenonceau, famous for its arches spanning the Cher River, is a must. The route continues through quiet countryside before reaching Amboise. Here, you can visit the royal château and the Clos Lucé, Leonardo da Vinci’s former residence.

Day 3: Amboise - Azay le Rideau

Distance: 57 kms (35 miles) / Elevation Gain: 248 m (836 feet) / Saddle Time: 3-5 hours

The ride today is a mix of flat stretches and a few gentle inclines as you pass vineyards and farmland. The highlight is Villandry, known for its beautiful formal gardens. After a relaxing visit, you pedal onward to Azay-le-Rideau, a picturesque town with its own elegant château sitting on the edge of the Indre River.

Day 4: Azay le Rideau - Chinon

Distance: 42 kms (26 miles) / Elevation Gain: 93 m (313 feet) / Saddle Time: 2.5-4 hours

The route takes you deeper into wine country, with more rolling terrain and quiet roads. You pass through small villages and vineyards before arriving in Chinon. This historic town, dominated by its medieval fortress, invites you to unwind and enjoy its relaxed atmosphere. It’s a great place to sample some local wines.

Day 5: Depart from Chinon

Spend your last morning wandering the streets of Chinon, exploring the fortress with its commanding views of the valley. Visit local wine cellars or relax in a café, soaking in the timeless charm of this historic town. Depart with lasting memories of your Loire Valley cycling adventure.

Map

Accommodation

All our accommodation selections are in-house reviewed. We partner with family-owned, charming guesthouses and hotels where you can relax and recharge. Below are some sample accommodations on our Loire Valley tours. Depending on availability, the accommodation you stay at may vary but will always be of a similar standard.

Blois: La Maison du Carroir

Enjoy a pleasant stay full of charm and relaxation in the center of old Blois. La Maison du Carroir offers you 4 large cozy guest rooms, each offering a different atmosphere. Savour locally sourced produce for breakfast in the sun soaked garden terrace or indulge in an evening meal by the dining room fireplace. All served with a warm smile, by owner Chantal.

Chinon: Au Relais Saint Maurice

Within touching distance Chinon fortress, this bed and breakfast captures Loire Valley heritage like no other. The building of Au Relais Saint Maurice dates back as far as the 13th century and every effort to maintain it’s rich history has been made. With its sun soaked terrace, enjoy a fantastic breakfast stocked with local produce, served by the owner Maurice himself.

FAQ

What Is the cycle like?

This tour is in our Moderate difficulty grading. Consisting of a blend of cycle lanes, quiet country roads and forest trails. You’ll spend most of the ride following the Loire river (EuroVelo 6) and passing through the surrounding towns. This means that the route is largely flat, with some slightly steeper ascents to overcome in the latter half of the tour. The biggest challenges faced are the distances of up to 69 km (43 miles). There are shorter days on the itinerary to recover.

We offer hybrid and gravel bikes for this route. If you are having doubts about your fitness levels, we also offer electric bikes on this tour.

Is this tour for me?

This Loire Valley tour is a fantastic blend of sightseeing and cycling challenge. If you enjoy clocking up the mileage in a tranquil setting, with an abundance of opportunities to stop for fine cuisine and captivating landmarks, this tour may be the one for you.

It is a perfect route for those who have been on a bike tour before or enjoy frequent, long rides at home. The route attracts large amounts of cyclists from all over the world, giving the perfect opportunity to connect with fellow riders too.

Tour includes

  • 4 nights accommodation in charming guesthouses and hotels.
  • A hearty breakfast each morning
  • Luggage transfers between accommodations
  • Detailed itinerary, GPX files and printable maps of your route
  • Tips on local attractions, history & evening meals
  • On call support before and during your tour

Tour excludes

  • Flights and transfers to and from the trail heads
  • Lunches & Dinners
  • Insurance
  • Bike rental (Selected on checkout)

The Bikes

You have a choice of bringing your own bike or renting your tour bike through us during booking. For the Loire Valley, the bikes available are quality electric, hybrid or gravel bikes. If an electric bike is chosen, it will bring the daily saddle time down by approximately 1 hour.

We only partner with the best bike suppliers for all our destinations so you’ll be guaranteed well maintained, premium brand bikes such as Cube, Trek or KTM.

All bike rentals come with helmet, lock and repair kit. A network of mechanics are on call in case of any mechanical issues faced while on tour.

What Is The Climate Like?

We offer tours in Loire from March – October. At the start of the tour season, the average temperatures in Orleans are approximately 9 °C (47 °F). This is the quietest times of the season to miss queues at landmarks and also the driest time of the year. Temperatures peak at 26 °C (79 °F) in July & August. Temperatures as high as 35 °C (95 °F) have been recorded, but these are quite rare. Please see image below for reference.

As you will be cycling through a valley, you’ll encounter micro climates where the weather can suddenly shift. It is recommended to have emergency wet gear packed at all times while riding. Precipitation in this region is typically infrequent but heavy in nature.

Is The Tour Easy To Navigate?

We include detailed navigation instructions and GPX files for your ride. Our navigation app is easy to use and we give a detailed instructional video on how to use it. If you are having any difficulty, we are on call at all times to assist you.

There is frequent marked signage on the routes to keep you on course, as well as many fellow cyclists on the route to steer you in the right direction.

What If There Is An Issue On Tour?

Included in your tour, is 24/7 message and video support. If you have an issue with navigation, bike breakdown, accommodation, medical, etc, we are at the touch of a button away at all times.

We have an extensive network of suppliers along the route, who will resolve the problem as swiftly as possible.

More FAQ

If you haven’t found the answer you’re looking for above, visit our general FAQ page for more information or simply reach out to us with the “Ask A Question” button on the side.

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Price

Loire Valley 5-Day Moderate

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Tour Includes


3* or 4* Accommodation Throughout

Breakfast Each Morning

Luggage Transfer

Itinerary & Navigation Documentation

Tips & Local Insights

24-Hour Support

From$746
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