Tours
Charles de Gaulle or Orly 
Départ
Fin
Angers
Charles de Gaulle or Orly
Did you know that the Loire is the only large river in Western Europe that still follows its natural course? Not canalized or dammed, but a true winding river, with sandbanks, rapids, a natural habitat. This makes for a varied and intimate landscape that justly bears the name of The Garden of France.
You will ride on well-signposted cycle paths and minor roads with little traffic. And of course, you will ride along a string of beautiful castles, abbeys, historical towns and picturesque villages. The route starts in beautiful Tours. Sometimes you will ride on paths close to the river, and sometimes you will follow little winding roads through semi-open farmland. You will ride through an old cultural landscape, with forests, wheat fields, sheltered fields and of course, vineyards. After all, you will be riding through the largest wine area of the Loire valley. A patchwork of 20,000 hectares of vineyards that together account for 28 appellations.
Arrival in Tours
Discover the once capital of the kingdom of France. The combination of architectural splendor and the charming narrow streets and lively squares are what make this town so pleasant. Enjoy on a stroll through the old town center and drink a glass of Vouvray on the Place Plumereau.
Tours – Azay le Rideau
38kmPassing by Savonnières and its limestone caves you will cycle further to Villandry with its famous terraced gardens. Narrow little roads will take you further along Saché and you will eventually arrive in Azay de Rideau, where you can admire the Renaissance château on the Indre.
Azay le Rideau – Chinon
36kmToday you will head in the direction of Langeais and its 15th century château. In this medieval castle you can marvel at the splendid tapestries and antique furnishings. The highlight of today is without a doubt the ‘Sleeping Beauty’ castle in Ussé. It is no surprise that Perrault was inspired by this château when he wrote the famous fairy tale.
Chinon, rest day
A perfect day to visit the beautiful city of Chinon. Make sure to take a visit to the Château de Chinon.
Chinon – Saumur
36kmFor this stage of the trip you will journey from the medieval Chinon to the lovely little town of Saumur. On the way you can pay a visit to one or more of the many wine cellars you will be cycling past. You certainly shouldn’t miss a visit to the Abbey of Fontevraud (48 km)
Saumur, rest day
A well deserved rest day in Saumur. Saumur is famous for its horse back riding school and beautiful castle.
Saumur - Angers
57kmThe last stage of your cycling tour of ‘The Garden of France’ ends appropriately in Angers. Leaving the vineyards of Anjou behind you, you will arrive at this town, which calls itself ‘the most flowered city in Europe’, and not without reason.
Angers, departure
You cycling holiday ends today in Angers. There is a train connection which takes you back to Tours.
| Date | Disponibilité | Départ | Accommodation | Category | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8/31/2019 - 9/7/2019 | Disponible | Tours | Hotels Tours to Angers, guided | 2*/3* hotels | Inscription en ligne |
| Hébergement | Cabine | Prix par cabine | Enfants de 0-2 ans | Enfants de 3-11 ans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prices are per room | 0 | 0 | ||
| Hotels Tours to Angers, guided | Double room | € 2790,- | 0 | 0 |
| Hotels Tours to Angers, guided | Single room | € 1795,- | 0 | 0 |
| Image | Nom | Type | Prix par semaine |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Local electric bike 9 gears 8 days | Scott E-Sub Active E-Bike, helmet included | €193 |
| Image | Nom | Type | Prix par semaine |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Assurance de vélo à 24 vitesses | Sans risque propre | €20 |
|
|
Assurance de vélo électrique | Sans risque propre | €40 |
|
Local hybrid 21-gears | Gitane Silence, helmet included | €88 |
|
Bike Helmet | €15 |
For directions from your residence to your hotel we refer to www.viamichelin.com.
You can park your car in the parking garage ‘Vinci gare’ near the hotel, see enclosed map of Tours. A parking lot in ‘Vinci gare’ costs about € 45, – per week.
If you’re travelling by train you’ll probably arrive at ‘Gare SNCF TOURS. For more information about the French railways we refer to sncf.
The return trip Angers – Tours is by train, on your own account. In case you have a rental bike you can leave it at the hotel in Angers (please ask the hotel receptionist where to place the bike). See enclosed map of Angers for directions to the train station.
La plupart des participants viennent des États-Unis, du Canada, du Royaume-Uni, d’Australie et de la France. Nous recevons aussi régulièrement des clients d’Afrique du Sud et du Japon.
L’âge moyen se situe entre 35 et 75 ans. Bien sûr, il y a aussi des personnes plus jeunes et plus âgés. Pendant les vacances scolaires (Juillet/Août), il y a plus d’enfants à bord.
La plupart des personnes se munissent alors de vêtements de pluie. Si le temps ne permet absolument pas de faire du vélo (cela n’arrive presque jamais !), l’accompagnateur organisera un programme alternatif qui peut être composé d’excursions culturelles et de visites de villes.
La distance moyenne est de 40 à 50 kilomètres par jour. N’oubliez pas que les Pays-Bas sont plats et qu’on fait du vélo tranquillement. Une journée de vélo dure environ 7 à 8 heures, pauses et visites comprises. Le temps passé sur votre vélo est environ 4 heures par jour.
Tous les accompagnateurs parlent anglais. Un certain nombre d’accompagnateurs parlent français, allemand, espagnol ou italien. Nous essayons autant que possible d’accorder la connaissance des langues de l’accompagnateur avec les différentes nationalités du groupe.
À bord la langue véhiculaire est l’anglais.
La Vallée du Loire, Tours à Angers
Cycling along the Loire, the garden of France
Vélo & Hôtel
6 jours
La Vallée du Loire, Orléans à Tours
Castles, vineyards & gardens
Vélo & Hôtel
6 jours
La Vallée du Loire, Orléans à Angers
Follow the cycling path ‘Loire à vélo’
Vélo & Hôtel
10 jours
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