The Loire Valley cycle route #3 from Tours to Angers
Passing by Chinon and Saumur
Highlights
The banks of the Loire and its troglodyte dwellings
Villandry, 15th century castle and garden
Turquant, arts village
Saumur, its castle, its wine appellations
From Touraine to Anjou
A bike ride from Tours to Angers
Discover the Loire by bike.
From Tours, capital of the castles, with its wooden houses of the 15th century, you will go west on the banks of the Cher. The exhilarating colors and the beauty of the gardens of the Château de Villandry will plunge you into the heart of the 16th century. Following the direction of the current of the Indre you will arrive on Chinon and its 12th century fortress, which will welcome you for this stage.
From Saumur Castle, you advance through the Loire-Anjou-Touraine Regional Nature Park. This territory, has six PDOs (Protected Designation of Origin), offers tastings in the freshness of troglodyte cellars and mushroom farms.
This circuit takes you on the tracks of Ronsard, Rabelais, Balzac … The valley has inspired many artists. It will not take you long to understand why. And maybe you too will find new inspiration here. On the banks of the Cher, Indre, Vienne and Loire, discover the wildest French rivers. 7 days by the water …
Leisure
From TOURS to AZAY LE RIDEAU
35km
157m
On the Cher riverbanks you head West to discover the exhilaration of colors and beauty of the gardens of the Villandry castle. You are in the heart of the sixteenth century. You then leave the Loire riverbanks and head South. Riding through vineyards and the forest, you reach Azay-le-Rideau, on the Indre riverbanks, another of the Loire’s tributary.
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For a few more km
49km
178m
From AZAY LE RIDEAU to CHINON
31km
204m
Following the Indre river, you reach the Loire river. Full of surprises, this day arouses your curiosity. Along the path let it guide you to a castle, a dovecot, a picturesque manor or old watermills, a curious farm or old town. As you uncover the secrets of the Loire Valley you reach the Royal fortress of Chinon …
From CHINON to SAUMUR
40km
211m
The Vienne river, running through the village of Chinon, guides you to Candes-St-Martin, where it flows into the Loire. Labeled most beautiful villages in France, Candes-Saint-Martin and Montsoreau are dazzling. The Touraine tuffeau offers luminous constructions. At the end of the day visit the Montsoreau Castle and the Royal Abbey of Fontevraud before reaching Saumur by the Loire riverbanks. A discovery of the city is a must! Its castle and streets are marked by their intimate relationship with the Loire.
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For a few more km
49km
357m
With the long version, ride to the vineyards and to the Royal Abbey of Fontevraud before reaching Saumur by the Loire riverbanks.
From SAUMUR to ANGERS
58km
281m
You leave behind the city of light. From the Saumur to the Angers Castle, you ride through the Regional Natural Park of Loire-Anjou-Touraine. The Loire, an impetuous and wild river, grows a bit more with every kilometer. You ride through ancient remains and typical old hamlets to the Trélazé slate quarries, another local resource. About 10 kilometers before Angers, cross the Authion river with the chain ferry at the tiny port of Chevalerie. A fun moment for young and old! As you enter the heart of the city, experience the old Angers with its castle, Adam’s home and its incredible cathedral.
ANGERS
End of stay after breakfast in Angers. The opportunity for one last stroll in the city’s streets and the castle halls, open to visitors.
Essential Range
You want to enjoy your itinerary without anything fancy. Our ”essential” range offers a simple accommodation for a good night’s rest in a simple hotel, guesthouse, rest house or hostel.
Starting from 640€/participant in Self Guided option | See detailed prices
Comfort Range
Our quality standard at Abicyclette. This type of accommodation includes 2 and 3 stars hotels. Depending on the itinerary, you might spend some nights in approved guesthouses. You enjoy a double bedroom with private bathroom and toilet and adapted welcome for you and your bikes.
Starting from 725€/participant in Self Guided option | See detailed prices
Privilege Range
Opt for total comfort in charming 3 and 4 star hotels which offer all the services you need and a special welcome for you and your bikes.
Quote on request | Contact us
Price includes
- Accommodation: 5 nights in a Double room
- 5 breakfasts
- Luggage transfer
- Phone assistance 24/7
- Access to our exclusive travel application to follow your route, inform you about places of interest, restaurants, facilitate your assistance in case of emergency, find all your travel documents and our practical advice.
- Application fee
- Taxes
- The itinerary trackable on the following supports:
- Loan of a Bicycle GPS uploaded with full itinerary of the trip
- Topo maps
- Cycling practical guide including restaurant recommendations for lunch & dinner
- Day 1 : A personalized greeting with our team at the beginning of the trip to receive your travel documents
Price does not include
- bike rental (see option)
- Breakfast on day 1
- Lunches
- Dinners not included in "Price includes"
- Drinks, visits & other personal expenses
Homemade and fully tested itineraries
- Routes selected for their cycling and touristic interest entirely tested and away from traffic
- Accomodations selected for their hospitality, atmosphere, services and quality meals
- A flexible organisation to suit you needs and wishes: You choose the date you want to you leave on! We check the availability of each accomodation to make sure it is possible.
Close assistance
- One of our guides greets you on your first day. He will hand out all the needed documents for the trip (hotel vouchers, maps of the area,GPS, practical guide), get you settled on your bikes (for rental bikes).
- Phone assistance, you can reach the Abicyclette team whenever you need
- A Luggage transfer service which respects your hours of rest (we pick them up after 10:00 and deliver them before 16:00)
Follow your itinerary anyway you like – modern, practical, traditional
- We loan you a GPS so that you can easily follow your itinerary without having to look for your way around (bike support included)
- A practical cycling guide with all the useful information (addresses, highlights for the day, topo maps, and touristic information)
You can also
- Rent a high end quality bike for real comfort, cycling pleasure and reliability a long trip requires.
- Suscribe to a Cancelation or Multi Risk insurance policy which cover you in case something unexpected comes up.
On our guided tours (for groups on demand), we accompany you every step of the way
- One of our state qualified instructor and professional cycling guide accompanies you every step of the way
- Full board (all meals covered unless asked otherwise)
- A picnic buffet set up for lunch with a wide choice of fresh and local produce
We offer a high-end bike rental service. Our bikes are suited for road and gravel road long-distance cycling. Fully equipped and highly reliable, they are faithful travel companions.
Trekking bikeA layed out and dynamic position Mixed aluminum frame, telescopic fork. Straight handlebars. Disc brakes. Transmission Shimano 24 to 30 speeds. Supplied equipment per bike
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Touring bikeAn upright and easy going position Mixed aluminum frame, telescopic fork. Straight handlebars. Disc brakes. Transmission Shimano 24 to 30 speeds. Supplied equipment per bike
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EbikeWith an autonomy of almost 120km, cycling has never been so easy! Supplied equipment per bike
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Children BikeRecommended bike size (to be confirmed when booking) :
Supplied equipment per bike
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Bike trailerThule Chariot Cross 2 Supplied equipment per bike
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Getting here
Departure city : TOURS
Coming by car
- at 2h30 from PARIS
- at 3h30 from BORDEAUX
- at 4h30 from LYON
Parking*
- Interparking Palais Jaurès – TOURS
- Parking Champ Girault – TOURS
- Parking Vinci Gare – TOURS
Coming by train
- Tours train station - 1h30 from Paris
- Saint Pierre des Corps train station - 1h from Paris
Coming by plane
- Tours airport
Arrival city : ANGERS
Coming by car
- at 2h from PARIS
- at 3h45 from BORDEAUX
- at 5h30 from LYON
Coming by train
- Angers train station - 1h45 from Paris
Coming by plane
- Angers airport
- Nantes airport
*Parking: Since many of our clients travel by train or plane, we do not include parking in our packages. In addition, many accommodations don’t have the capacity to park a vehicle for the duration of your cycling vacation. So if you’re planning to arrive by car, we suggest you check parking options when you make your reservation. If you reserve a parking space at the first or last accommodation of your stay, you must pay the accommodation provider on site.
* Abicyclette Voyages accompanies you on demand, including transportation solutions.
How to get back to the starting point
- By train from Angers to Tours in 1h30
- Return by car in 1h30 to your starting point
- Private shuttle: see detailed fares or contact us
Recommended equipment
Bike
- Hybrid Bike or Touring Bike or Gravel Bike
- 18 to 30-speed transmission
- 26- to 29-inch wheels
- Tires: 35 to 42 section, reinforced against punctures
- Disc brakes recommended
- 2 bottle cages
- Bell
- Front and rear lighting
Clothing and equipment
- Helmet (supplied with bike rental unless otherwise specified locally)
- 1 bike mount for smartphone to use the mobile route planner application
- Suitable cycling clothing:
- bib, shorts or tights: elastic and breathable, to facilitate movement and wick away perspiration
- Breathable T-shirts, synthetic or merino wool
- Breathable windbreaker
- Thermal or fleece jacket
- Waterproof jacket
- 1 pair of sunglasses
- 1 pair of cycling shoes
- 1 backpack or 1 or 2 carrier bags
- 1 or 2 water bottles (supplied with bike rental in France)
- 1 lock (supplied with bike rental)
- Technical details, recommended by the team for optimum comfort:
- 1 pair of gloves or mittens, depending on season and destination
- Padded bib (chamois)
- High-visibility vest or fluorescent belt
- Neck warmer and cap
Bike maintenance
- Emergency repair kit: 2 or 3 inner tubes, patches, pump, tire levers, multi-tools
- Maintenance kit: rag, oil, brake pads
Other
- A suitcase for your belongings carried in the vehicle (limited to one per person)
- Street clothes
- 1 pair of evening shoes
- Fleece jacket for the evening
- Toiletry bag
- Telephone and charger
Duration 6 days and 5 nights
Level
Leisure
Departure date From March 15th to October 31st
Destination
Loire Valley
Themes
Greenways & Canals
Heritage
Electric bike trips
Fine wine & Dining
See detailed prices
Personalized service 
Expert 
TOURS
Arrival on your own and check in to your hotel. Orientation with our guide today. Take the time to visit the cathedral or the “guinguette”, a bar on the bank of the river with a lively atmosphere.
Meeting with our local guide
Before your first ride, meet our local guide at your departure point. This is the perfect time to catch up on the latest practical advice, find out about the addresses and experiences you shouldn’t miss, answer any questions you may have, make the final adjustments to your bike and get your trip off to the best possible start.