Cycle the Loire Valley

Discover fairytale chateaux and prestigious vineyards on a gentle riding trip through the Garden of France

From magnificent chateaux steeped in Renaissance history to world-renowned vineyards, the Loire Valley is a dream destination for a gentle cycling adventure. On this trip, we ride sections of the Loire à Vélo, a scenic cycling route tracking the Loire river past orchards, vineyards and small villages. Starting in Blois and finishing in Saumur, we take in a host of architectural treasures, including the fairytale Château de Chaumont-sur-Loire and the river-spanning Château de Chenonceau, not to mention enjoying multiple wine tastings along the way.

People, Places & Planet

We work hard to create trips that have a positive impact on the people and places we visit and look after the planet we explore. Learn more about our sustainable travel ethos and practice here and find out about the work of the Exodus Travels Foundation here.

Some sustainable travel highlights of this trip include:

People

How this trip helps improve life for local communities.

• Local guides keep you well informed about local traditions and cultural-social sensitivities.
• This trip brings income and opportunity to the destination community through the inclusion of locally owned hotels, restaurants, and other enterprises, and by championing locally produced food wherever possible.
• Read more about our other initiatives here

Places

How this trip helps protect and conserve local landscapes and nature.

• By travelling in a small group, we ‘tread lightly’ to minimise our impact on local resources and the environment.
• We work with our partners on the ground to proactively reduce waste; this includes eliminating all single-use plastic water bottles by providing refills for reusable bottles.
• We rewild 1,075sqft (100sqm) per passenger to compensate for all trip and flight emissions.
• Read about our commitment to nature protection and restoration here, including our rewilding commitment for every customer who travels with us.

Planet

How we seek to keep the carbon footprint of this trip low.

• Accommodation and restaurants in the itinerary use locally sourced food which has not been transported long distances.
• For the picnics on the trip we work with local restaurants to provide meals in washable containers with local produced organic food.
• Hotel Anne d'Anjou is Clef Verte certified for their sustainability efforts.
• Hotel Le Blason use LED and motion detecting lighting. The exterior lights are switched off between 1030pm and 7am. Heating and air conditioning systems are fitted with energy saving air pumps. Plus eco-responsible products are used in the hotel and no more single use welcome packs are used.
• Monarque Hotel use LED and motion detecting lighting and operate a high degree of recycling at the property.
• Cycling trips like this have very little detrimental impact on the environment and the locals, as it is a quiet, low-impact activity requiring comparatively few resources to support.
• Read about our climate action here, including our carbon reduction and compensation commitments.

Tips for sustainable travel on this trip

• Leave no trace: We do all we can to ensure we leave no rubbish in the wild and beautiful places we visit; we ask that you do the same. If there are no recycling facilities in-country, consider bringing recyclable materials home with you.
• Plastic waste reduction: Please bring a reusable water bottle on this trip, also consider avoiding single-use hotel toiletries, which generate a large amount of plastic waste.

Is this trip for you?

This trip is graded Activity Level 2 (Leisurely/Moderate). For more on our trip gradings, visit our Activity Level Guidelines page.

The route’s terrain is generally flat with some gentle undulation, with an average daily ascent of just over 721ft (220m) and an average distance of 23mi (37km).

We ride on a mix of cycle paths (20 percent); signposted routes for cyclists, mostly asphalted (about 70 percent); and roads with little traffic (10 percent).

A support vehicle is available on all cycling days; if you would like to use an e-bike for the trip, these are available for a supplementary cost and need to be booked in advance. Please speak to your sales representative for more information.

Following a review of all our trips we have categorised this trip as generally not suitable for persons of reduced mobility. However if you are a regular traveller on such trips, please contact customer services to discuss the trip and your personal condition.

Vaccinations and Health

France

There are no required vaccinations. However, you may want to consider vaccinations for tetanus, rabies and tick-borne encephalitis. Please confirm with your doctor or travel clinic.

Visa

France

Travellers from the UK, US and EU normally do not need a visa to enter France. Please note, visa requirements often change and it is your responsibility to obtain any required visas for this trip. Therefore, we recommend that you check with the nearest embassy or consulate of your chosen destination(s), including any countries you may be transiting or transferring through.
Some local governments provide guidance on what visas their citizens need. To help, we’ve gathered a selection of useful links below.
• Australia: www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/europe/france
• Canada: www.travel.gc.ca/destinations/france
• United Kingdom: www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/france/entry-requirements
• USA:  www.travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/France.html

Food & Drink

All breakfasts, four lunches and two dinners are included.

For breakfast, the hotels offer a wide choice of cereals, fruit, cheeses and cold meats and a selection of drinks (tea, coffee, milk and fruit juice).

Four picnic lunches are included, prepared by the guide or assistant guide. Picnics are an important part of a day’s cycling, and we’ve selected a few products from the Loire Valley for you to try during your stay: rillons from Touraine, rillettes from Tours and goat cheeses (Sainte-Maure-de-Touraine, Selles-sur-Cher, Valençay) accompanied in moderation by Loire wines. We are committed to offering quality regional products on this trip, chosen whenever possible from local producers and including a proportion of organic food. We also aim to reduce packaging (particularly plastic) and recycle what remains.

The two dinners are taken in a restaurant with a set menu comprising a starter, main course and dessert. The restaurants were selected to help you explore French gastronomy, including local specialities.

Vegetarians can be fairly easily accommodated in this area of France; however, vegans may find the variety of dishes available is rather limited.

Weather

The Loire Valley climate remains favourable most of the year. The river acts as a line defining the weather and has a significant effect on the regional climate, increasing the temperature. The valley gets rain throughout the year.

In the west of the region, the climate is affected by the Atlantic Ocean, bringing milder and wetter conditions. The east has a more continental climate – dryer and hotter in summer, colder in winter.

Spring is a wonderful time to visit the Loire Valley, the orchards burst into colour as soon as the weather warms and gets sunnier.

Summers in the Loire Valley tend to be warm and sunny. The high temperature usually averages around 23C (73F) in the afternoon, while the average minimum temperature at night drops to a still-pleasant 12C (54F). Summers can be hot. However, thanks to winds from the Atlantic Ocean, hot temperatures are tempered by moderate, cool breezes.

The Loire Valley enjoys mild autumns. This time of year is a favourite among food and wine lovers, as this is the time of hunting, ripening of the grapes and figs, and the grape harvest, while the leaves brighten the scenery with their warm autumn colours.