Jewels of the Loire Valley

Meander past the oldest of vines, the quaintest villages and wonderful rural scenes. Stay in chateaux where kings once roamed and enjoy the finer things in life. Vive La France!

This is a dynamic tour, with cyclists moving on most days from the city of Orléans in the east of the department of Loiret, and travelling westward through the rolling farmland to Amboise, where Da Vinci is buried. Past cereal fields bordered by popular trees, we come further west to the favourite kings of Anjou country, Chinon. We then move into the mysterious county of Saumur with its burial tombs, and great collection of stone megaliths, to take a lovely cycle down the Loire to finally arrive at another fascinating stop and our final destination of the trip, Angers with its famous Apocalypse Tapestries, chateau and a special atmosphere to itself. The terrain is rolling with some climbs and takes the cyclist through many towns and villages of the area.

Highlights

• Encounter enchanting quaint villages in dramatic castle settings
• Visit two of France’s most famous Chateaux, Chambord and Chenonceau
• The Loire River is a bird lovers paradise with visions of egrets, herons and songbirds
• Tread in the footsteps of Kings and Queens and visit Leonardo da Vinci’s home.
• Tempt your taste buds with the French fare of fresh produce straight from the gardens and orchards