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Aerial view of a historic French village along the Loire River with stone houses, a prominent church spire, and lush green trees.

Cycling along the Loire - Castles and La Route Royale. 10 days

10 Days / 9 Nights
Moderate
Aerial view of a historic French village along the Loire River with stone houses, a prominent church spire, and lush green trees.

The essentials at a glance

Cycle through the Loire Valley visiting magnificent châteaux including Chambord, Chenonceau, and Amboise. The route follows flat cycle paths and quiet roads along the Loire and Cher rivers, passing through historic vineyards and charming villages. Highlights include Villandry's terraced gardens, Fontevraud Abbey, and Leonardo da Vinci's former residence. The terrain is mostly flat with some gentle hills in vineyard areas, covering approximately 385 km over 8 cycling days.

The Loire Valley – the quintessence of the romantic France! The rural charm of this region is in no way inferior to the cultural wealth of its cities. But of course, the castles on the river Loire are the reason, above all else, why this region is so famous. Kings, feudal lords and ladies of the court, seduced by the beautiful natural setting of the Loire Valley, had there, in the ‘garden of France’, several hundred castles, manor houses and dreamy residences built. 

Villandry, Langeais, Ussé, Chinon,  Azay-le-Rideau, Chenonceaux, Chambord, Blois, just to name the most important ones. Each one of them would be worth a separate holiday, however together they truly display a one of a kind route of dreams as far as architecture and scenery is concerned. This cycling holiday is first class in every way.

 

Highlights on this tour

  • Splendid palaces, noble stately homes and oppulent gardens
  • Scenic and cultural splendor
  • Loire wines
  • The charm of the French „savoir-vivre“

Video from the tour

Here you can watch a short video about this tour. We did the tour at the beginning of May 2025, and it gives a good impression of what you can expect. We did our 8-day version of the tour.

The route

Mainly flat on cycle paths and low traffic secondary roads with almost consistently very good signposting. The terrain in the vineyards is somewhat more hilly and there are also a few short ascents to tackle.  

Itinerary

See the day-by-day itinerary below.

Settle into Blois and explore its historic quarter and impressive château. The town possesses a special charm that once attracted even the kings of France.

Category A - Hotel (example): Anne de Bretagne
Category B - Hotel (example): Le Monarque

Follow the Loire Cycle Route from Blois to Chaumont-sur-Loire. Unlike many of the region’s famous châteaux, Château de Chaumont was never used as a permanent royal residence and remains something of a hidden gem. Its vast park is a particular highlight and hosts an internationally renowned garden festival every year.

Continue to Amboise, where the château is one of the Loire Valley’s earliest examples of Renaissance architecture. Leonardo da Vinci spent the final years of his life in the town, and his memory is preserved at Château du Clos Lucé, his former residence near the royal château.

Category A - Hotel (example): Bellevue
Category B - Hotel (example): Chaptal l'Annex

Today’s ride takes you into the vineyards covering the hillsides above the Loire. You enter the Montlouis-sur-Loire wine region and reach the small riverside town of the same name. Its peaceful setting makes it an ideal place to pause before continuing beside the river towards Tours.

Category A + B - Hotel (example): Ibis Styles Centre

Follow the River Cher to Château de Villandry and its famous terraced gardens. A visit is highly recommended, as shaded paths, flower-covered arbours, fountains and carefully arranged vegetable gardens combine to create an extraordinary setting.

A few kilometres later, you leave the Cher and join the banks of the Loire. Château de Langeais provides the next tempting stop. Originally built for defensive purposes, its fortified tower offers extensive views across the river and surrounding countryside.

On the edge of the atmospheric Chinon Forest stands Château d’Ussé, often described as the Sleeping Beauty castle. From here, quiet minor roads and small villages lead you to Chinon, your destination for the day.

Category A - Hotel (example): Diderot
Category B - Hotel (example): St. Jacques

Begin by following the Vienne to Candes-Saint-Martin. An impressive Romanesque church was built here at the place where Saint Martin died. The route then continues to Montsoreau, where the Vienne meets the mighty Loire in a remarkable natural spectacle. The surrounding network of caves and underground galleries extends for more than 800 kilometres.

Cycle through neatly cultivated vineyards to Fontevraud Abbey. Few places offer such a complete and exceptionally well-preserved example of a medieval monastic complex.

The return ride to Chinon has a literary theme. Along the way, you pass the birthplace of celebrated author François Rabelais and cycle through the valley in which the story of his famous work Gargantua unfolds.

Category A - Hotel (example): Diderot
Category B - Hotel (example): St. Jacques

Leave Chinon and its medieval lanes, nestled between the river and the château, and head north. The route passes through historic vineyards and secluded villages before arriving in Crissay-sur-Manse. With houses dating from the 15th century, it is recognised as one of France’s most beautiful villages.

Another magnificent château awaits at Azay-le-Rideau. This elegant Renaissance masterpiece was described by Balzac as a diamond with countless facets set beside the River Indre. You stay in the village itself, giving you time to experience the château’s special atmosphere and any cultural events taking place during your visit.

Category A - Hotel (example): de Biencourt
Category B - Hotel (example): Val de Loire

Today’s first highlight is the scenery itself. Follow the River Indre through its romantic landscape until you reach Montbazon. After a short but energetic climb across a ridge, you descend into the Cher Valley.

Continue along meadow paths and beside the Cher to the small market town of Bléré. The final destination is Château de Chenonceau, which many visitors consider the crowning glory of the Loire Valley. Its magnificent two-storey gallery spans the river, while the beautifully designed gardens provide an equally memorable introduction to the château.

Category A - Hotel (example): La Roseraie
Category B - Hotel (example): Logis Le Relais

Cycle through the attractive Touraine countryside towards Château de Chaumont. From there, scenic paths follow the Loire back to Blois.

After checking into your accommodation, you can explore the town and its remarkable château. Its galleries, projecting balconies, ornate windows and distinctive architectural details reflect several important periods of French history.

Category A - Hotel (example): Anne de Bretagne
Category B - Hotel (example): Le Monarque

Most of today is devoted to the spectacular Château de Chambord. The Loire Valley’s largest and most extravagant residence can be seen through the trees well before you arrive. Cycling around the château beside the canal provides an excellent impression of the estate’s extraordinary scale. Its park is comparable in size to the 20 districts of Paris and is enclosed by a wall stretching approximately 35 kilometres.

Chambord reflects almost five centuries of French history. Built during the Renaissance for the art-loving King Francis I, it later hosted lavish celebrations and royal hunts under Louis XIV. The château was plundered during the French Revolution but is now one of France’s most visited historic residences, second only to Versailles. Its popularity is hardly surprising once you see it for yourselves.

Category A - Hotel (example): Anne de Bretagne
Category B - Hotel (example): Le Monarque

10

Departure or extension

Prices and dates

Prices per person in EUR

The price includes

ACCOMMODATION

  • 9 nights in the selected hotel category

 

FOOD & DRINKS

  • Breakfast every day

 

CYCLING & EXPERIENCES

  • 8 days of cycling (approx. 385 km in total)
  • Standard bike hire (can be excluded for a discount)
  • Welcome meeting
  • Detailed descriptions of the carefully selected routes (route maps, route descriptions, information about relevant tourist attractions and important phone numbers – in English)
  • Access to the route in our GPS app, which also works offline (one access per person)
  • Possibility of GPX files for use in your own GPS

TRANSPORT

  • Luggage transport between the hotels

 

OTHER

GENERAL

  • Transport to/from France
  • Handling fee (€ 25)
  • Travel insurance

 

REQUIRED AND PAID LOCALLY

  • Any tourist taxes at the hotels

OPTIONAL
The following can be selected in the booking form, when you book the tour.

  • Upgrade to an electric bike (selected when booking the tour)

 

Use the button "Calculate price" on this page to see what the tour will cost with your wanted inclusions.

PARKING
It is possible to park at the first hotel or nearby. Parking cannot be reserved in advance and must be arranged directly with the hotel (expect a cost of approximately €10–20 per day).

Bikes

You can choose from these bikes on the tour.
Red unisex touring bicycle with 21-speed gearing, equipped with bright yellow panniers on front and rear, parked on grass.
Unisex 21-speed bike
Dereilleur gears with freewheel

High-quality unisex touring bike with comfortable low entry.

Body size approx. 148cm - 190cm.

43cm
46cm
51cm
56cm
Red electric bicycle with yellow panniers parked on green grass. The e-bike has a front basket and rear pannier bag, both in bright yellow.
Unisex 8-speed E-bike
Hub gears with freewheel

High quality unisex e-bike with comfortable low entry.

Body size approx. 148cm - 195cm.

46cm "XS"
46cm
51cm
56cm
Red men's touring bicycle with 21 gears parked on grass. Features yellow panniers on rear rack and handlebar bag, black saddle and grips.
21-gear men's bike
Dereilleur gears with freewheel

High quality men's touring bike with classic diamond frame.

Body size approx. 165cm - 205cm.

56-51 "sloping" cm
60cm
64cm
Dark gray touring bicycle with rear rack, front suspension, and multiple gears parked on vibrant green grass beside a paved path.
PLUS men's bike 27-gear
Dereilleur gears with freewheel

Sportier, lighter and more precise premium rental bike with diamond frame.

Body size approx. 155cm - 205cm.

46cm
50cm
51cm
55cm
60cm
63cm

Practical information

Here you can get answers to various questions about the trip
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The price is based upon two people sharing. It is also possible travel alone in a single room. Simply choose "1 person" in the booking form and it will automatically add the single room surcharge.

On this tour you will be on your own supplied with maps, route descriptions and luggage transfers. That means that your time is your own and you have plenty of time to enjoy the stages in your own pace.

 

Check the price quickly
You can quickly check the price of your desired trip without having to fill out any forms. Here’s how:

  1. Click on the "Calculate Price" button (you’ll find it in the "Dates and Prices" section) – this will take you to the first pages of the booking form
  2. Select your preferred date, number of people, room distribution, any extra nights, and any available add-ons you may want
  3. See the price


Get a quote
If you would like a flight included, or changes made to the trip, you can request a customized offer by clicking the "Get Quote" button at the top of the page. Remember to describe in detail what changes you would like.

The booking process
When you book the trip, we will begin booking hotels and arranging all the practical aspects of your tour. This process typically takes 5–8 working days, but in some cases it may take longer for certain bookings. If you arrange your own transportation, we recommend waiting until we have confirmed your booking before making any arrangements.

Dates
If you can select a date in the trip calendar (in the booking form), then this is a possible start date. We regularly update our trips with sold-out dates; these dates will then appear in red/grey and cannot be selected.

On all our cycling holidays it is possible bring your own bike but it also possible to rent a bike for the tour. The bikes you can rent are all perfectly suited for the tour and the local terrain and all bikes are perfectly maintained. If you want to rent a bike on your holiday, then you select this on the booking form.

Equipment included in the bike rental:

  • Saddle bag (water repellent)
  • Handlebar bag (water repellent)
  • Service-set with tools and extra bicycle tube
  • Combination lock

Please note that helmets are not included and you need to bring your own.

Roadside assistance
All bikes are equipped with puncture resistant tyres which means that it is virtually impossible to puncture. No rule without exceptions, so should you experience a punctured tyre then you can quickly fix it by using the tools in the service-set. If the damage is greater than a simply puncture then you simply call us and we make sure that your bike is fixed or you will be supplied with a new bike as quickly as possible.

Insurance is included
Insurance against theft and damages are included in the bike rental. Should you have any problems of this nature then all you have to do is to let us know and we will supply a new bike as quickly as possible. Naturally, careless or mischievous behavior is exempt from this.  

The flights to/from Paris are not included in the price. You can easily find a suitable flight via a flight booking engine such as Momondo or Skyscanner.

Notice: we recommend that you book with us and wait for the confirmation before you book your flights.

It works like this:

  1. You book your chosen holiday with us
  2. We confirm your holiday (usually within 2-5 working days)
  3. You arrange your transportation

Book a quote
If you prefer that we handle your flight, then we would be happy to arrange this for you. You simply book a quote below the map on this page and we will return with a quote as soon as possible (usually within 48 working hours). Please note that we add a handling fee of 45 euro to each flight and this means that the flight will be cheaper if you book it yourself.

On this tour you will be accommodated in 3-star hotels (Category A) or in 2-star and 3-star hotels (Category B)

In the itinerary you can see some examples of the hotels we use on this tour. Notice that the hotels are examples and you may end up staying in different hotels. It depends on availability when you book the tour.

Breakfast is included every day. It is easy to find lunch in the small villages before the walks and you will have plenty of choices for dinner in the many restaurants.

Luggage transfer is included on this tour. Upon arrival at the first hotel you will be given luggage tags along with the rest of the welcome package. You fill out the luggage tags and put them on your bags where they will remain for the duration of the tour.

Your luggage is picked up from the hotel lobby around 9am every morning and will arrive at your next hotel at 6pm at the latest (often long before that). If there are any special exceptions to the luggage transfer you will be notified upon arrival.

Luggage transfer includes one bag per guest and the bags can weigh 20kg each.

On this tour, you will receive the following documents:

Upon booking
Immediately after booking this trip, you'll recieve a pre-booking-email where you can get a complete overview of your booking. Once the tour is confirmed you get a confirmation email from us along with practical information about the tour.

One month before departure
You will receive a hotel list and final travel documents.

Upon arrival at the first hotel
You'll receive the welcome pack, which contains everything you need for the trip. There will be route descriptions, maps, luggage tags, specific local vouchers and if you have rented a bike, they will also be handed out at the first hotel. The documents are in English.
Notice: On some tours it is necessary to either print the documents yourself or to bring them electronically.

This tour has difficulty grade 2.

Grade 2
For cyclists who like hilly terrain and a bit longer distances. You cycle on good roads, which usually don’t have much traffic. The distance is between 35 – 60 km or 20 – 38 miles. If you are capable of riding a bike and you have a normal good health, you should not worry about going on these tours.

Read more about our Grading System

After booking this trip, you get access to various discount schemes.

We recommend taking out travel insurance that covers at least illness, accident, repatriation, lost holiday, luggage and liability. As a customer, you are responsible for taking out the necessary travel insurance to cover these costs.

Before taking out insurance, you should check whether you are already covered by travel or cancellation insurance through your home insurance company, credit card or similar - please note that there may be differences in insurance coverage.

Join the special ‘Bering Cycling Holidays’ group on Facebook. Here you'll be notified about new holidays, special offers and much more.

Link to the group

Note: you need to request membership, but everyone is approved.

When you book a trip with us, we plant a tree in Kenya.

Bering Travel partners with Growing Trees Network, which has been planting trees in Kenya since 2020 in collaboration with Seniorer uden Grænser (Seniors Without Borders). The trees are planted with small-scale local farmers in the Mount Kenya region, as well as at schools, where the fruit helps supplement students’ diets and is incorporated into their learning.

The trees are planted using the shamba method – a sustainable approach that combines reforestation with agricultural crops. This keeps the soil covered with vegetation throughout the year, helping to prevent nutrient loss and reduce erosion.

The contribution to tree planting comes directly from Bering Travel’s own earnings and is not added to the price of your trip.

This initiative is not intended as a carbon offset for travel, but as a way to make a positive contribution.

Read more

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"We look forward to making your holiday dreams come true"

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