Your tour starts in Orléans, a city with a rich history and a welcoming atmosphere. Spend the day exploring landmarks like the impressive Sainte-Croix Cathedral and the Maison de Jeanne d’Arc. Walk along the Loire River, enjoy the lively squares, and perhaps sample some local cuisine. It’s a relaxed start, giving you time to take in the surroundings before the cycling begins.
Distance: 69 kms (43 miles) / Elevation Gain: 205 m (691 feet) / Saddle Time: 3-5 hours
You leave Orléans behind, following mostly flat paths along the Loire River, with some wooded sections. The highlight is the Château de Chambord, an architectural gem surrounded by a vast estate. After a break to explore, you continue toward Blois, where gently rolling terrain brings you into the town. Blois offers a mix of history and charm, with its château and cobbled streets ready to explore.
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.
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.
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.
Distance: 41 kms (25 miles) / Elevation Gain: 432 m (1456 feet) / Saddle Time: 2.5-4 hours
The final day of cycling follows flat riverside trails along the Loire River, with occasional gentle slopes. Unique troglodyte dwellings and picturesque countryside accompany you on the way to Saumur, a town celebrated for its sparkling wines and the magnificent Château de Saumur overlooking the river.
Conclude your tour in Saumur, taking time to explore the château, stroll through the historic town center, or sample its renowned sparkling wines. It’s a relaxed and fitting end to your Loire Valley adventure.
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.
Located in the city center of Orléans in a quiet pedestrian area just a stone’s throw from the train station, the Hôtel de l’Abeille is a cozy and preserved setting. It houses 24 rooms with a unique character combining old-world charm and contemporary comfort, a tea room with a cozy atmosphere where you can admire unique works of art, a shop offering honey and various local objects as well as a small fitness room and a garden terrace: a true haven of peace on the roof of the Orléans world.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
3* or 4* Accommodation Throughout
Breakfast Each Morning
Luggage Transfer
Itinerary & Navigation Documentation
Tips & Local Insights
24-Hour Support