French Fairytales and Royal Châteaux: Loire River Bike Tour in France
Pedal through the legendary “Garden of France” on a classic cycling journey along the banks of the Loire River. Designed for romantic adventurers and culture lovers, this self-guided holiday guides you through a picturesque landscape of rolling vineyards, vibrant flower fields, and over two hundred historic castles. As you follow the gentle river paths from Orléans to Saumur, you will discover medieval splendour, sample sumptuous regional gastronomy, and sip world-renowned French wines on a truly royal holiday experience.
Effortless Independent Travel with Full Support
Enjoy all the magic of the French countryside without any logistical hassle. We manage every detail behind the scenes—from booking handpicked local accommodation to transporting your luggage between hotels each day. Weeks before your journey begins, you will receive a comprehensive navigation package with detailed route notes, maps, and local insights. Ride light, stop for wine tastings at historic cellars whenever you wish, and explore every fairytale château on your own flexible schedule.
ROUTE
The route begins in historic Orléans—the homeland of Joan of Arc—tracing gentle river paths and quiet country back roads west to Saumur. This curated itinerary weaves peaceful waterside cycling with lush forest tracks across seven scenic stages through the UNESCO-listed Loire Valley.
The program combines rewarding, accessible cycling with rich cultural interludes at France’s grandest monuments. Every day uncovers iconic landmarks, including the immense royal Chambord Castle, Leonardo da Vinci’s final home in Amboise, the stunning over-water arches of Chenonceau, the fairytale towers of Ussé (the inspiration for Sleeping Beauty), and the famous terraced gardens of Villandry.
Itinerary
Day 1: Individual arrival in Orléans
Individual arrival in Orléans, homeland of Joan of Arc!
Day 2: Orléans – Beaugency/St. Dyé
30/50 km – 19 miles or 31 miles
You pedal along the Loire alternating cycle paths with back roads. After a visit to Meung-sur-Loire you arrive at the Chateau Dunois, with the beautiful medieval centre of Beaugency. A land full of water and culture will lead the way to the beautiful town of St. Dyé, an ancient river harbour.
Day 3: Beaugency/St. Dyé – Blois
50/30 km – 31 miles or 19 miles
From the huge park surrounding Chambord Castle today’s trip continues at the border of the forest of Boulogne. On the other side of the Loire crowded with a wonderful bridge, you can already see the profile of Blois and its castle, the steeples of the abbey and the Cathedral of St. Louis standing out.
Day 4: Blois – Amboise
45 km – 28 miles
After the visit of the city of Blois and its impres- sive castle, you pedal along the Loire river. Here you can visit the castle of Chaumont built on the top of a hill overlooking the river. In Amboise you cannot miss the house where Leonardo da Vinci spent the last years of his life.
Day 5: Amboise – Tours
55 km – 34 miles
After crossing forest of Amboise you arrive in Chenonceaux, known as the castle of the three ladies. You continue along the river Cher up to the city of Tours. You mayalso decide to stop for a visit at the castle of Nitray with its famous wine cellars.
Day 6: Tours – Chinon
60 km – 38 miles
Pedalling between the Loire and the Cher rivers you arrive at Villandry Castle, well known for its gardens. Following the Loire river, you’ll reach the city Langeais where you can stop for a break. Before arriving in Chinon you will visit Ussé, where you can admire the castle of the Sleeping Beauty.
Day 7: Chinon Saumur
35 km – 22 miles
The tour continues along country roads beyond the confluence of the rivers Loire and Vienne, where you’ll get to Savigny en Vèron and the wonderful village of Candes St-Martin. A few kilometres away you’ll see the castle of Montsoreau from which you can enjoy the landscape over the Fontevraud Abbey. At the end of the stage you will visit Saumur, considered the “Pearl of Anjou”.
Day 8: Saumur
After breakfast your tour bike holiday ends. We are happy to book extra days for you.
Extend Your Stay
Additional nights can be organized on request.
Getting to Orléans (Departure Point)
By Train: Frequent direct trains connect Paris (Gare d’Austerlitz) to Orléans in about 1 hour. You can check routes and buy tickets on the SNCF website.
By Plane: The closest options are Tours Airport (110 km) or Paris Airports (140 km), both with easy train connections directly into Orléans.
We recommend arriving one day before the tour starts to explore the city and ensure a relaxed start to your cycling holiday.
Return journey
By Train: Direct regional trains link Saumur back to Orléans (approx. 1h 45m) or to Paris via Tours/Nantes (approx. 2h 15m).
Bike Return: Rental bikes are conveniently dropped off at your final hotel in Saumur.
How to book this tour
We require a deposit of 25% of the tour price per person upon reservation, final payment 6 weeks before tour departure.
Included
- 7 nights in chosen hotel accommodation with breakfast
- App including maps, roadbook, points of interest and GPS tracks
- Digital tour information
- Luggage transportation from hotel to hotel.
- Tourist taxes
- Service-Hotline in case of emergencies
NOT Included
- Flights
- Bike rental (available on request)
- Tourist taxes
- Entrance tickets to castles
- Tips
- Travel insurance
- Lunches and dinners, and personal expenses
- Transfers
- Anything not specifically listed under “Included”
Choose the option that best fits your schedule and start planning your cycling journey.
Check available options
Departures & Prices
Prices are per person in a double room for 2027.
Departures available from April to September.
Season 1
Until 08 May | After 05 Sep
SILVER
790€
GOLD
920€
Options & Supplements
✓
+400 Single supplement
Season 2
09 May – 19 Jun | 22 Aug – 04 Sep
SILVER
950€
GOLD
1080€
Options & Supplements
✓
+400 Single supplement
Season 3
20 Jun – 21 Aug
SILVER
1010€
GOLD
1140€
Options & Supplements
✓
+400 Single supplement
Accomodation
Carefully selected to ensure comfort, quality, and a relaxing and unforgettable journey.
Choice of two hotel categories: Silver (3-star hotels) and Gold (4-star hotels)
Additional nights
Prices per person, including breakfast
Orléans
Silver
Double Room 75€
Single room 130€
Gold
Double Room 90€
Single room 160€
Saumur
Silver
Double Room 75€
Single room 130€
Gold
Double Room 90€
Single room 160€
BIKES
You can choose to rent a bicycle. Below you’ll find the essential information for rent options.
Touring Bike
27-Speed
110€
Electric Bike
9-Speed
290€
Helmet
15€