Chateaux from Chambord to Saumur

Chateaux from Chambord to Saumur

Self-guided cycling holiday (12 days – 11 nights) to tour the most beautiful chateaux and main historic sites in Loire valley from Chambord to Saumur, gate of Anjou.

STANDARD : accommodation in 2 star hotels with terroir dinners

COMFORT : accommodation in 3 or 4 star hotels with gourmet dinners

Tour description

Day 1 – Arrival at Blois – discovery walking tour of the town
Bicycles delivery and adjustment in late afternoon – Accommodation in the centre of Blois

Day 2 – Chateau of Chambord
35 km/22 miles loop ride along Loire river via St Dyé sur Loire to reach Chambord. Back to Blois via Cosson valley and some picturesque villages. Accommodation in the same hotel.

Day 3 – Beauregard and Cheverny chateaux
44 km/28 miles ride via Cellettes (chateau of Beauregard) and Cheverny then go towards Candes sur Beuvron via Cormeray and Chitenay – Accommodation at Candes or Chaumont sur Loire

Day 4 – Chateau of Chaumont and city of Montrichard
Tour of the chateau of Chaumont and its lovely gardens in the morning – 28 km/17 miles ride via Valliéres les Grandes to reach the medieval city of Montrichard by Cher river – visit of the city and the keep. Then you will bike along Cher river to reach Chenonceaux – Accommodation in Chenonceaux

Day 5 – Chateau of Chenonceau and the town of Amboise
Visit of Chenonceau castle and gardens in the morning – 18 km/11 miles ride to go to Amboise through forests via pagode de Chanteloup – Accommodation in Amboise

Day 6 – Tour of Amboise in the morning, visit of the royal chateau, Clos Lucé chateau occupied by Leonard de Vinci during the final three years of his life – In the afternoon ride of 30km/18 miles through Montlouis and Vouvray vineyards to reach Tours – Accommodation in Tours

Day 7 – Visit of Tours, city of Art and History and tour of Saint Côme priory where is the tomb of Ronsard poet amidst a large collection of roses – Accommodation in Tours

Day 8 – Chateau of Villandry, its gardens and Azay le Rideau castle
Ride of 30 ou 38 km (18 or 23 miles) alongside Cher river via Savonniéres – visit of Villandry chateau – You will cycle alongside Cher and Loire rivers, later through orchards to reach Azay le Rideau – Accommodation in Azay le Rideau.

Day 9 – Chateaux of Langeais, Ussé and medieval city of Chinon.
Ride of 42 km (26 miles) starting through orchards to Loire river and city of Langeais. tour of the city and feudal castle. You will continue alongside Loire to Brehemont, a former river port and to Ussé to discover the castle of the Beauty Sleeping. Then you will go acroos forests to Chinon – Accommodation in Chinon.

Day 10 – Chateau of Chinon, Fontevraud abbey, Candes St Martin and chateau of Montsoreau
Visit of the medieval fortress overlooking the Vienne valley in the morning – Then ride of 35 km (21 miles) via La Deviniére, house where Rabelais was born. Through forests you will go to Fontevraud abbey. tour of this largest monastery in Western Christendom. You cycle down to Loire banks to tour the magnificent village of Candes St Martin and continue alongside Loire river to Monsoreau and its medieval chateau. Accommodation in Fontevraud.

Day 11 – Troglodyte villages along Loire river, Brézé chateau and Saumur
Ride of 30 km (19 miles) – On the way visit of some cave dwellers’ settlement like Turquant, Parnay and Souzay-Champigny – Through country you head to the chateau of Brézé and its strange and unique underground village. You continue to Saumur – Tour of Saumur, its magnificent chateau overlooking Loire, the famous Cadre Noir (French cavalry Academy) or the interesting Tank museum with more 850 armored vehicles – Accommodation in Saumur.

Day 12 – Saumur – End of the tour after breakfast.

What’s included?

• Accomodation and breakfast
• Dinners according to description and selected range of services
• Hotel to hotel luggage transfer along the trail.
• A set of maps (1/25 000 scale) with the route marked on and detailed route notes describing the trail.
• A daily itinerary together with information about facilities and places of interest along the trail.
• Emergency assistance in English
• The rental of bicycles and their equipment (helmet, map holder, etc.)