icon Trip Overview

icon Lodging

Route Rating Level 1 to Level 4

PDF iconDetailed Itinerary

RESERVE THIS TRIP!

Casual Inns
  • $3,498 pp dbl. occ.
  • (+$450 for sgl. occ.)

Reserve early for the best available price. More Info

6 DAYS, 5 NIGHTS
ROLLOVER DATES BELOW FOR SPECIFIC PRICES
2009 DATES
FAMILY TRIPS
ROLLOVER DATES ABOVE FOR SPECIFIC PRICES
TRIP NOTES

All meals included except 2 lunches and 1 dinner.

Recommended Kids Ages

View age recommendations and restrictions

Cancellation Policy

View cancellation policy

Meet / Depart

Tours, France

Special Interest

Culture & History, Fine Wine & Cuisine

My Backroads

View albums for this trip

Recommended Reads

Essential trip reading

Search
Contact Us

Call: 800-462-2848
or 510-527-1555
Fax: 510-527-1444
E-mail us

801 Cedar St.
Berkeley, CA 94710

Business Hours:
7 days a week
from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Pacific Time

Or contact your travel agent

Loire Valley Biking

Loire Valley Family Biking

East of Tours in the Regal Touraine

Backroads invites you and your family to explore one of France’s most elegant corners - the regal Loire Valley - from the seat of a bicycle. Pedal through lush farmland and forests, spin alongside famous vineyards and sunflower fields and visit fairy-tale castles whose walls harbor secrets of political intrigue and lavish soirées. Here, your two-wheeled efforts are richly rewarded as history comes alive before your eyes.

You are viewing the Family Casual Inns version of this trip.
View the Family Premiere Inns Itineraries.

View the Classic Premiere Inns , Classic Casual Inns Itineraries.

View other trips in Europe France

Days 1-2 Cheverny

Pedal along wooded back roads and through small villages Ride past vineyards and hamlets to the stunning 17th-century Château de Cheverny, considered by many to be the region’s most refined castle, with a dramatic façade and sweeping lawns Visit Château de Chambord, one of the largest and more extravagant of the Loire castles.

Day 3 Onzain

Pedal to Château de Chaumont, an architectural marvel whose edifice spans periods from late French Gothic to French Renaissance Renowned for its International Garden Festival, the castle’s grounds are always a fragrant feast for the senses  Kids join a Backroads leader at a local fun park, complete with a ropes course and go-carts.

Days 4-6 Amboise

Visit local vintner Daniel Jarry for a tour of his family’s winery and then enjoy a gourmet picnic Enjoy the bustle of Amboise  Kids spend the afternoon at Bigot’s confectionery factory sampling chocolate  Join a local guide for a private tour of Château de Chenonceau, where richly woven tapestries, paintings by the Old Masters and lavish gardens hint at this landmark’s opulent past  While adults tour, the younger set joins the Kid Coordinator to explore the castle grounds, kitchen and the mysterious black room Discover the inventions of Leonardo da Vinci at Clos Lucé.

Route Rating What's this? Every Backroads trip is designed to appeal to a wide variety of interests and fitness levels. Each offers options for more or less activity, so you can decide exactly how much you want to do day by day.

Lodging What's this? Our lodgings are divided into three different categories.

Premiere Inns:These lodgings possess both elegance and authentic regional flair.

Casual Inns:These lodgings are comfortable and appropriate to the areawith such characteristics as authenticity, scenic settings and proximity to our activities.

Deluxe Camping:We set up the tents (and take them down), handle every camp chore and perform culinary magic.

Detailed Itinerary

Reserve This Trip!

Guest Trip Reviews

You all did a wonderful job! The family trip concept worked really well for our needs (balancing my serious-bike-rider needs with those of a 10-year-old and other family members). We will travel with you again. It is obvious that Backroads cares and is passionate about client service.
Matt Slepin - San Rafael, CA

More Reviews of this Trip

All Guest Reviews

For 30 years, Backroads has been perfecting the art of active travel. We are the Loire Valley tour experts. For biking tours in Europe France, trust our in-depth connections. To see all our Europe France biking tours click here. For our selection of award-winning Europe France walking and hiking tours click here. For our selection of award-winning Europe France multisport tours click here.

Loire Valley Family Biking

SIMPLICITY AND ELEGANCE: Casual Inns

Chateau de Breuil

Cheverny (1 night): Perfectly situated amid the Loire Valley castles, this late-18th-century château offers guest rooms with pastel décor and antique furnishings, and an outdoor swimming pool.

Chateau des Tertres

Onzain (2 nights): This classic mid-19th-century nobleman’s house, surrounded by wooded parkland, is now a charming family-run hotel with welcoming hosts.

Chateau de Pray

Amboise (2 nights): Nestled amid trees on a terraced slope overlooking the Loire River, this turreted castle features antique furnishings and swimming pool.

Loire Valley Family Biking Loire Valley Family Biking

Chateau des Tertres

You are viewing the Family Casual Inns version of this trip.
View the Family Premiere Inns Itineraries.

View the Classic Premiere Inns , Classic Casual Inns Itineraries.

Loire Valley Family Biking

Route Rating

Daily Mileage Options & Cumulative Elevation Gain

Day 1
  • Level 1 1 Route Option Available
  • 14 miles
  • 0 - 500 feet elevation gain
Day 2
  • Levels 1 to 4 3 Route Options Available
  • 12, 23, 49 miles
  • 0 - 500 feet elevation gain
Day 3
  • Levels 1 to 4  3 Route Options Available
  • 16, 26, 44 miles
  • 0 - 500 feet elevation gain
Day 4
  • Levels 1 to 4 3 Route Options Available
  • 20, 38, 46 miles
  • 0 - 500 feet elevation gain
Day 5
  • Levels 1 to 4 3 Route Options Available
  • 11, 30, 41 miles
  • 0 - 500 feet elevation gain
Day 6
  • Level 1 1 Route Option Available
  • 13 miles
  • 0 - 500 feet elevation gain
Loire Valley Family Biking Loire Valley Family Biking

Trips 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 Average Distance
    Biking Walking
& Hiking
1 2-3
hours		 10-20
miles		 2-5
miles
2 2-4
hours		 21-30
miles		 5-7
miles
3 3-5
hours		 31-40
miles		 7-9
miles
4 4-6
hours		 41-55
miles		 9-11
miles
5 5-7+
hours		 56-75+
miles		 11-13+
miles