Loire - Tours to Angers Cycling Break

Enjoy the French “art de vivre” or art of living on this easy cycling break along the Loire River between Tours and Angers. Sample the region’s great food and superb wines as you make your way through a peaceful countryside dotted with châteaux, vineyards and gorgeous old towns

This highly enjoyable and easy route leads you along a network of cycle paths and quiet roads. You’ll discover a peaceful world of meandering rivers, ornate châteaux and lovely old towns and cities. The Loire River will be your guide for much of the route as it flows westwards through the beautiful Loire Valley.

Approaching Château d’Ussé

Along the way you’ll see some of the regions most famous châteaux including the Château de Villandy with it’s superb Renaissance gardens, the 16th century island palace of Château d’Azay le Rideau, beautiful Château d’Ussé (that inspired the author of Sleeping Beauty) and the majestic Château de Saumur.

Along with all this, you’ll overnight in charming old towns where you’ll find a multitude of restaurants offering the superb food and wine of this delightful region.

With the exception of a few undulations here and there the cycling is very easy making this route accessible to all. E-bikes are an available option.

Loire - Tours to Angers Cycling Break

Enjoy the French “art de vivre” or art of living on this easy cycling break along the Loire River between Tours and Angers. Sample the region’s great food and superb wines as you make your way through a peaceful countryside dotted with châteaux, vineyards and gorgeous old towns

This highly enjoyable and easy route leads you along a network of cycle paths and quiet roads. You’ll discover a peaceful world of meandering rivers, ornate châteaux and lovely old towns and cities. The Loire River will be your guide for much of the route as it flows westwards through the beautiful Loire Valley.

Approaching Château d’Ussé

Along the way you’ll see some of the regions most famous châteaux including the Château de Villandy with it’s superb Renaissance gardens, the 16th century island palace of Château d’Azay le Rideau, beautiful Château d’Ussé (that inspired the author of Sleeping Beauty) and the majestic Château de Saumur.

Along with all this, you’ll overnight in charming old towns where you’ll find a multitude of restaurants offering the superb food and wine of this delightful region.

With the exception of a few undulations here and there the cycling is very easy making this route accessible to all. E-bikes are an available option.

Itinerary

Day 1 : Arrive Tours

On arrival in Tours make your way to your hotel and check in. The rest of the day is yours to explore this charming, vibrant old town. Take a stroll through the atmospheric streets to ‘Place Plumereau’, a lovely old square graced with fine old half-timbered town houses. This is the perfect place for a meal and /or a drink at one of the open air restaurant/bars. You must also take in the grandeur of the gothic Saint-Gatien Cathedral and also the nearby Olivier Debré Contemporary Art Centre.

Day 2 : Tours – Azay le Rideau
27 miles/44 kms

Your first ride leads you along the banks of the beautiful and meandering Cher River, a tributary of the Loire. In the village of Savonnieres where you may wish to take a break and descend underground to the "Les Grottes Pétrifiantes" (Petrified caves). Then it’s on to Château de Villandry and its impressive terraced gardens before following the River Indre to Azay-Le-Rideau and its lovely Renaissance Château. You will overnight in the village.

Our Châteaux Visit package supplement includes entry to Château de Villandry and gardens as well as Château d'Azay Le Rideau.

Day 3 : Azay le Rideau – Chinon
22 miles/35 kms

The Loire valley is of course famous for its many châteaux, and today’s ride showcases two more fantastic fortresses. Riding north you meet the Loire River at Langeais, a pleasant village with a stunning castle at its heart. A little further downstream you arrive in Ussé and here you can visit an even more impressive castle. This one may look slightly familiar as it is said to have been the inspiration for the fairytale ‘Sleeping Beauty‘. From here its a relatively short ride to the charming town of Chinon on the River Vienne. Be sure to visit a wine cellar to taste the very good red wines produced around this area. Overnight in Chinon.

Day 4 : Chinon – Saumur
22 or 30 miles/36 or 48 kms

Leave Chinon cycling west along the Vienne River. Cross the river at the pleasant village of Candes-Saint-Martin and ride on quiet lanes to the beautiful Abbey of Fontevraud where Richard the Lionheart is buried (longer ride only). The route leads you back to your old friend the Loire River and after following its course on lanes and cycle paths you reach the lovely town of Saumur. The old town’s narrow streets are lined with half-timbered buildings and the views from the hilltop Château de Saumur are definitely worth the climb.

Our Châteaux Visit package supplement includes entry to Fontevraud Abbey.

Day 5 : Saumur - Angers
35 miles/57 kms

More scenic riverside cycling for your last day in the saddle as you follow the Loire River north west to Angers. You will be cycling past the Anjou vineyards – famous for producing a variety of high quality wines – and a succession of small pleasant riverside towns and villages. Angers is the regional capital and this small historic city is dominated by its huge Plantagenet castle, which houses the famous Apocalypse Tapestry.

Day 6 : Angers - end of trip

After breakfast it's time to head for home or your next adventure

Bikes

On this trip you can opt for regular hybrid bikes, trekking bikes or electric bikes.

The regular bikes provided on this route are modern alloy framed models with 27 speeds. They offer a very comfortable, upright riding position, perfect for sightseeing a long the way.

The trekking bikes offer a more dynamic riding position and front suspension - they also feature 27 speeds. These bikes will best suit experienced cyclists who appreciate a more sporty riding position.

The electric bikes come with 9 or 10 speed transmission and feature step-thru frames for ease of use.

All bikes come with a 20 litre pannier, a handlebar bag, front/rear lights and bike lock. Additionally, one repair kit is provided per booking.

Helmets are not provided, so you will need to bring your own.

Accommodation

Below you will find examples of the types of accommodation typically used on this tour. Please note that the hotels we book for you may differ slightly from those described but they will certainly be of a similar standard. The hotel list below is for the complete tour.

Comfort: Comfortable 2 & 3 star hotels, guesthouses and inns.

Tours: Hotel Mirabeau

Azay Le Rideau: Hotel Au Val de Loire

Chinon: Hotel Les Plantagenets

Saumur: Hotel Kyriad

Angers: Hotel Iena

Superior: Good quality 3 star hotels and guesthouses.

Tours: Hotel Artist

Azay Le Rideau: Hotel de Biencourt

Chinon: Hotel Diderot

Saumur: Hotel le Londres

Angers: Hotel De France

Local taxes: Some hotels have started to charge a local/tourist tax. These taxes are not included in the sale price of the tour and must be paid directly by you at check-in or checkout at the hotels. The fee varies and is frequently changing but as a guide, you may be asked to pay between €1-€4 per person per night.

Getting there

Fly or take the Eurostar to Paris and then a train to Tours. Return to Paris by train from Angers at the end of the trip.

Research flights from the UK here

Research Eurostar from UK here

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