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A Royal Short Escape in the Loire Valley

Faites une pause pour visiter le Château de Cheverny 3
Bike over the beautiful Loire river and visit the Chateau de Chambord The magnificent Château de Chambord, a hunting lodge with a mere 440 rooms! Visit the gorgeous Chateau de Cheverny

Cyclomundo offers guided and self-guided cycling trips in the Loire Valley, click here to see the Loire Valley regional page.

  • Self-guided trip: Starts any day from April 15th to October 31st, 2024
  • 4 nights/5 days
  • Daily mileage: From 11 km (6 miles) to 70km (43 miles, long option) on easy terrain
  • Trip starts from Blois and ends in Amboise. Blois is a 2-hour train ride from Paris
  • Accommodation in 3-star properties (Option A), 3-star properties and guesthouses (Option A+), and 3- and 4-star properties (Option A++)
  • Level: 2 (Easy)

Kids' rate is based on age and will vary depending on available rooms (limited inventory of family rooms).

Faites une pause pour visiter le Château de Cheverny

A Royal Short Escape in the Loire Valley

  • Level
  • PriceFrom 655 euros
  • DAY4 nights / 5 days

More info: Receive detailed hotel list, bike specs, and route description

More infos BOOK NOW !

Description

If you love cycling, castles, and country scenery, and you have a long weekend to spare, our escape in the riverfront Loire Valley is a dream come true! 

Travel along the river through vineyards, peaceful farmland, and little villages that remind you of a fairytale. That there are so many châteaux to explore on flat, easy terrain makes it the perfect region for adults and children alike! As you ride through the UNESCO World Heritage landscape, you’ll be able to visit no fewer than nine castles — in only four days! You can’t miss the big names like the spectacularly large Château de Chambord and the oh-so-romantic Château de Chenonceau. No less intriguing are the Château de BloisChâteau d’AmboiseLeonardo da Vinci’s beloved Château de Clos LucéChaumont-sur-LoireChâteau de ChevernyChâteau de Beauregard, and the Château Fougères-sur-Bièvre. Of course, if you opt to skip a castle to spend more time cruising around on your bike, we completely understand! 

For a more thorough trip in the Loire Valley, you may want to consider one of our week-long trips: Blois to AngersOrleans to Tours, or our Tours loop.

 

 

For travel and cycling tips to the Loire Valley, visit our "Travel and cycling tips" section.

Itinerary

D1Arrival in Blois

 

Arrive in Blois at the time of your choice (40 minutes by train from Tours or 2 hours from Paris). The earlier you arrive, the more time you’ll have to enjoy this charming Renaissance town. A half-timbered main street connects the riverfront to a towering royal castle.

D2Blois — Cheverny 43 km/27 miles, 180 meters/580 ft of climbing

 

After breakfast, you'll meet with our local rep, then set out through the forest on a ride to the magnificent Château de Chambord, a hunting lodge with a mere 440 rooms! Another quiet ride brings you to Cheverny, a small but beautifully maintained estate. Fans of the Tintin comics might recognize it as the inspiration behind the fictional “Chateau de Moulinsart”.

D3 Cheverny — Mosnes Via Beauregard: 39 km/24 miles, 240 meters/785 ft of climbing; Via Fougères: 50 km/31miles, 250 meters/820 ft of climbing

 

From Cheverny, choose one of two paths featuring two starkly contrasting castles. Ride to the luxurious Renaissance-era Château de Beauregard, home to a gallery of 327 portraits of famous European leaders. Or, follow a route through vineyards straight to the medieval drawbridge of the Château Fougères-sur-Bièvre stronghold. On either path, the Loire will eventually lead you to the Domaine de Chaumont-sur-Loire, a dazzling, picture-perfect castle renowned for its gardens. Finish the day with a ride to the village of Mosnes.

D4Mosnes — Amboise 13 km/8 miles, 70 meters/230 ft of climbing

 

Set out early to Amboise to make the most of your time in this quintessential Loire town. Visit the hilltop châteaux, wander past the troglodytes, or cave dwellings, and stop in at Clos Lucé, where Leonardo da Vinci spent the last years of his life. The museum at Château Clos Lucé allows you to glimpse into his alluring world of ideas and contraptions (models of which are on display).

D5Amboise — Amboise via Chenonceau 46 km/29 miles, 270 meters/885 ft of climbing;

 

Although today’s loop is optional, you simply cannot miss the Château de Chenonceau, a 15th-century castle whose dramatic façade bridges the River Cher. Return to Amboise and depart at your leisure.

Booking & Prices

  • Option A
  • 3-star properties

  • 655 euros per person in April and October. Single supplement is 240 euros
  • 680 euros per person in May, June and September. Single supplement is 250 euros
  • 705 euros per person in July and August. Single supplement is 260 euros
  • Option A+
  • 3-star property and/or guesthouses with “character”

  • 745 euros per person in April and October. Single supplement is 330 euros
  • 770 euros per person in May, June and September. Single supplement is 340 euros
  • 785 euros per person in July and August. Single supplement is 350 euros
  • Option A++
  • 2 nights in 4-star properties and 2 nights in 3-star properties

  • 930 euros per person in April and October. Single supplement is 450 euros
  • 945 euros per person in May, June and September. Single supplement is 465 euros
  • 970 euros per person in July and August. Single supplement is 480 euros

These prices include:

  • 4 nights’ accommodation as described above
  • Daily breakfast
  • Luggage transfers
  • Roadbook provided as an app (Android and iPhone) with downloadable directions/roadbook (no data is necessary) – Cell phone holder not provided (bring your own).
  • Tourist information (provided as part of the app)
  • Assistance if necessary (you will be provided with our local rep’s mobile number)
  • All tax and service charges

These prices do not include:

  • Nominal city taxes, to be paid in cash directly at each hotel
  • Expenses of a personal nature
  • Travel insurance
  • Bicycle rentals. Adult hybrid bikes are available at the price of 120 euros per bike. Gravel bikes are available at the rate of 140 euros per bike. E-bikes are available at the price of 195 per bike. These prices include the drop-off fee for the bike's return to Blois. 

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