Cycle along the Loire riverbanks on the famous “Loire à Vélo” route and discover the “Valley of the Kings”, a World Heritage Site by Unesco
A part of UNESCO’s World Heritage, the Loire Valley is a living cultural landscape. With a great river, a fertile land and temperate climate, it is a privileged place. Its geography, history and natural sites make the Loire Valley an obvious choice for a cycling holiday! Castles, vineyards, rivers, typical and preserved architecture offer a variety of interests of a rare density.
From the Cher to the Loire Atlantique, the Loire river runs through a long valley, offering great cultural diversity. From Nevers in the center of France to the estuary in Saint-Brévin-les-Pins, the inhabitants still have a strong connection with the longest river in France, each with local specificities. The river formed various landscapes, sometimes uphill, sometimes digging cavities, where long ago men found shelter before building homes. You might have the opportunity to sleep in a troglodyte bedroom after a day’s ride.
Created in 1995, the “Loire à vélo” is a 800 km cycling route composed of small roads and greenways. If most of the network is on small roads, facilities and dedicated bike paths grow a bit more each year and help keep you away from traffic. Common to the Eurovelo 6 which links the Atlantic to the Black Sea, the “Loire à vélo” is one of the most popular and accessible bike routes. The low height difference is a real asset and first time cycling travelers often choose it as their starting experience. The network of cycling routes, greenways and large number of villages with hotels and bed and breakfast make it a great destination for families.
The Loire Valley is much more than just a cycling route! All around the river, many roads and greenways take you to castles, vineyards and other attractions of the Loire’s rich heritage.
Our trips show you the best of what the valley has to offer, along the official route and alternative local loops. We select our favorite sections and personally choose small roads and great pathways to not miss out on Loire Valley’s riches. Accommodations have adapted to the popularity of the “Loire à vélo” by gradually developing services for cyclists. You can identify them by the Accueil Vélo accreditation, certifying their capacity to welcome cyclists and offer dedicated services.
The Loire valley has a gentle climate you can enjoy throughout the year. Neither too hot nor too cold, temperatures are ideal for cycling. As they are very favorable for gardens and vegetable growers, the region has been nicknamed the Garden of France.
The oceanic climate brings frequent cloudy periods yet the rainfall is below average. Its sunshine rate is average, with good temperatures from May to September. Summer has some stormy episodes; however you won’t experience torrential rain.
Life is good here. It is no coincidence the Kings of France made it their residency of choice by setting up their court in Chambord, and in the entire valley from Nantes to Sully-sur-Loire.
The Loire Valley has a rich heritage. It is so dense it is impossible to mention all of it. It takes several trips to discover! Along the majestic river from Sully to Saint-Brévin, here are some sites worth seeing in a cycling trip to the Loire:
Hi there I just wanted to thank you for organising our bike tour so thoroughly. It was perfect. You thought of everything and we had an excellent time. Kind Regards Anne (08/2018)
Dear Fabien, Thank you very much for your interest. Thanks to the good one to do, the enthusiasm and the explanations of the guide, today the first day we have completed the first stage successfully in spite of being experienced neither at bicycles nor in GPS. Incredible!!! Thank you very much. A greeting Martha (08/2017)
Hello again Nathalie (...) It was wonderful and we so appreciated everything you organized to make it so. (...) The hotel was first class, lovely comfortable room and delicious breakfast......5* (...) Your maps and directions were excellent and we only got lost a couple of times! Don't forget to tell your clients about the beautiful gardens....Le Jardins Botanique de la Boirie at Saint Pierre Ile d'Oleron. They are amazing and not to be missed! Journeys over the bridges were thrilling and we especially liked the Ile de Re....we might have to return there one day! Again our thanks Nathalie. We'll be in touch for next year. Sincerely, Brenda & Michael (09/2018)
Hello Natalie, We are now back in Sweden from our bicycle tour in Normandy. I would just like to give you some feed back from the tour: We were all very satisfied with the trip. When planning the trip, we found it very easy to work with you, quick answers and good flexibility for our ideas. Excellent choice of roads, which took us through the fantastic landscapes of Normandy, and also along the fashinating see shores ending with the first D-day shore. Most roads with very little traffic. We also appreciated the kindness of all french drivers who never complained although we sometimes were in the middle of the small narrow roads. The distances was OK for all of us. When there was a choice of long or short distances, we always selected the long ones. Easy to find the roads with the excellent GPS and the very good Road Book. We also appreciated the very good choice of B&B, places where we felt wellcome and with good standard. A trip we will recommend to our friends. We also had good luck with the weather, lots of sun, not to strong winds, just one or two showers in daytime. (Was the weather also organised by you??) With Best Regards (05/2017)
Hi Fabien, Overall, we liked the experience very much and will recommend your company and service to other friends. with best regards, we had a great time (09/2015)
Hi Thanks for a perfectly organised trip port to port in Bretagne! We had a wonderful holiday. We used some of the restaurants you described in the traveler book. Helle and Peter. :) (08/2017)
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