Loire Valley Biking Vacations

Loire Valley Biking

Overview
Lodging
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Trip Highlights
  • Ride quiet rural roads to French architectural landmarks
  • Relax at gracious castle-hotels
  • Delicious French cuisine and acclaimed Vouvray wines
  • Discover the difference between Renaissance and medieval châteaux
  • Experience the intrigues of French history where it actually unfolded
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Among the Grand Chateaux

Pedal through a lush forest. Emerge as if you’re in a fairy tale. Standing proudly before you is a château of Gothic majesty. Its dramatic gardens sculpted so every plant, every stretch of grass, every tree has been planned, pruned and perfected. You’re in an architect’s dream. Artists and writers escape to the Loire - even Leonardo da Vinci spent his final years here. If you’ve dreamed of living like royalty, there’s no place more ideal.

Day 1 The royal treatment at gracious châteaux  Spinning past peaceful woodland and picture-perfect villages, you’ll see why bicycling in the Loire Valley is such a delight Visit beautiful Crissay-sur-Manse - the entire village is a protected monument historique - and indulge in a meal of fresh regional cuisine overlooking the French countryside.

Days 2-3 Renaissance, medieval and classical châteaux  Explore Chinon, known as much for its full-bodied red wines as for its turbulent history Ride alongside vineyards and orchards to the Châteaux d’Ussé, d’Azay-le-Rideau and de Villandry, whose impressive Italian Renaissance gardens invite a stroll.

Day 4 Experience French history where it actually unfolded  Travel back in time at the magical Château de Chenonceau, where a private guide shares stories amid its richly appointed salons, vast galleries and massive grounds.

Days 5-6 Exquisite cuisine and acclaimed Vouvray wines  Wander through Clos Lucé, Leonardo da Vinci’s last residence, and marvel at models and designs of some of his creations  Join a vintner for a private tour and degustation at the family’s centuries-old wine cave In Amboise, grab an outdoor table and refuel with a café on Rue Nationale, a prime people-watching spot.

Guests Reviews About This Trip

I loved this trip. You earned your name by really taking us on the back roads of the Loire Valley. I have traveled in France a lot, particularly in that region, and I saw it as I had never seen it before. The roads took us through utterly enchanting countryside and villages. The details of the trip went perfectly from the movement of luggage to hotel check-in, to snacks, to cold beverages when we needed them. The local guide for Chenonceaux and Villandry gave the best tour of those chateaux that I have ever had . . . and I'm a teacher of French who has visited them many times with students. I felt well supported on the road with the van. The food was superb at all times, and the picnic that the leaders prepared was wonderful. I loved the trip.
John Webb - Princeton, NJ
Best vacation of our lives! Backroads is going to become a staple of our lives - like eating and breathing!
Kathy Taggares - Carson, CA
It was the perfect trip experience for our first ever, active vacation with our three adult children. When you combine the beauty of the Loire Valley with the best of a Backroads trip - it's magic!
Maggie Stauffer - Alexandria, VA

Premiere Inns

Château de Marçay
Château de Marçay

Chinon (1 night) Turrets and secret passageways attest to the medieval origins of this hotel, whose expansive gardens include grapevines used to produce 2,500 bottles of wine each year. (pool)

Château d'Artigny
Château d'Artigny

Montbazon (2 nights) A Belle Époque dream castle of perfumer François Coty, set among magnificent gardens above the Indre Valley. A Small Luxury Hotels of the World member. (pool, spa, tennis)

Le Choiseul
Le Choiseul

Amboise (2 nights) A collection of three beautiful 18th-century manor houses in a peaceful setting along the Loire River. A Small Luxury Hotels of the World member. (pool)


Alsace & the Black Forest Biking

France's Wine-Rich Valley & Germany's Fabled Woodland

Brittany & Normandy Biking

Tranquil Farmland & Historic Coast

Burgundy Biking

Legendary Vineyards & L'Art de Vivre

Dordogne & Bordeaux Biking

Through Prehistory to the Great Wine Estates

Loire Valley Biking

A Journey Through France's Regal Touraine

Provence Biking

From Cotes du Rhone Vineyards to the Ochre-Kissed Luberon

This Trip Is Rated Level 1-4

Routes For All Abilities
Every Backroads trip is designed to appeal to a wide variety of interests and fitness levels. We know your pace may vary from one day to the next-and your traveling companion's may differ somewhat from yours. So we present a range of mileage options, and each day you decide exactly what and how much you want to do.

Activity Level Average Time Road Bike Average Mountain Bike Average* Walk & Hike Average
Level 1 2-3 hours 10-20 miles 10-15 miles 2-5 miles
Level 2 2-4 hours 21-30 miles 16-20 miles 5-7 miles
Level 3 3-5 hours 31-40 miles 21-25 miles 7-9 miles
Level 4 4-6 hours 41-55 miles 26-30 miles 9-11 miles
Level 5 5-7+ hours 56-75+ miles 31+ miles 11-13+ miles

*Mountain bikes are used in locations where the best riding is on a combination of dirt and paved roads. View trip locations

Daily Mileage Options & Cumulative Elevation Gain

Day 1
  • Level 1 1 Route Option Available
  • 17 miles
  • 0 - 500 feet elevation gain
Day 2
  • Levels 1 to 4 3 Route Options Available
  • 16, 26, 44 miles
  • 0 - 500 feet elevation gain
Day 3
  • Levels 1 to 4 3 Route Options Available
  • 20, 33, 50 miles
  • 0 - 500 feet elevation gain
Day 4
  • Levels 1 to 3 3 Route Options Available
  • 16, 27, 36 miles
  • 0 - 500 feet elevation gain
Day 5
  • Levels 1 to 3 3 Route Options Available
  • 14, 30, 38 miles
  • 0 - 500 feet elevation gain
Day 6
  • Level 1 1 Route Option Available
  • 13 miles
  • 0 - 500 feet elevation gain

For 33 years, Backroads has been perfecting the art of active travel. We are the Loire Valley tour experts. See our award-winning Europe France biking tours, Europe France walking and hiking tours and Europe France multisport tours.

Biking

Premiere Inns

6 days, 5 nights
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Trip Price*
  • $4,198 to $4,398 pp dbl. occ.
  • (+$700 for sgl. occ.)
Meet/Depart

St-Pierre-des-Corps, France


* Prices may change. Once you book your trip, your price is guaranteed.

Trip Notes

All meals included except 1 lunch, 1 dinner

Recommended Reads

Essential trip reading

Cancellation Policy

View cancellation policy

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Who’s Running Your Trip?

Looking beyond Backroads, you’d be surprised at how many companies don’t run their own trips. This is never clear in their promotional materials and there’s a reason it isn’t clear—they’re not proud
of it…

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Who’s Running Your Trip?

Looking beyond Backroads, you’d be surprised at how many companies don’t run their own trips. This is never clear in their promotional materials and there’s a reason it isn’t clear—they’re not proud of it… and don’t want you to know about it. We think it’s deceptive to outsource the entire running of a trip without disclosing it. At Backroads, we don’t pay others to do the job we promise you we’ll do.

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Backroads Running Trips

"I can't say enough about the Backroads leaders and support people we've met on our trips. The thing that comes across so clearly is that they absolutely love what they're doing and appreciate that no matter how many times they've done this or seen that, for us it's usually a first time experience and your great folks embrace the opportunity to share that wonder with us."

Joel Kelly
Studio City, CA

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