There's nothing to see in the Loire Valley. Nothing but fairy-tale castles in every shape and size. Imposing towers and pincushion spires. Flying buttresses and astonishingly flawless gardens. Nothing but fertile fields crisscrossed by gracefully meandering rivers. Easygoing routes for younger riders. And lots of pedaling options for the older crowd. Nothing but treats at patisseries, gourmet cuisine and exquisite wines. A visit to Leonardo da Vinci's house and a fencing lesson just for kids. History comes to life. The Loire Valley - nothing short of the perfect family getaway.
Days 1-2 Discover medieval, Renaissance and classical châteaux
As you spin past peaceful woodland and picture-perfect villages, you'll soon see why bicycling in the Loire Valley is such a delight Explore Chinon, a spellbinding town with historical ties to Joan of Arc Heart skip a beat? Not surprising - you're about to discover Ussé, the castle that inspired the author of Sleeping Beauty Ride through rolling hills and orchards to the riverside town of Azay-le-Rideau, home to a magnificent château.
Day 3 <i>En garde!</i> Kids learn the importance of <i>foibles</i> and <i>fortes,</i>
and wield épées under the watchful eye of world-class fencing master Rudi van Oeveren Spin to the town of Saché and check out the castle where Balzac wrote his acclaimed Comédie Humaine A peaceful route through vineyards and villages leads to Château de Villandry, surrounded by some of France's most exquisite gardens.
Day 4 The royal treatment at gracious castle-hotels
Travel back in time at magical Château de Chenonceau, where a private guide shares fascinating stories of its richly appointed interiors and dazzling artwork Kids get their own special tour of the mysterious black room, then discover their way out of a massive labyrinth.
Days 5-6 A hands-on visit to Leonardo da Vinci's home,
Clos Lucé, where you'll marvel at models and designs of his creations Pedal to Vouvray, one of France's oldest wine-growing regions Join a local vintner for a private tour of his family's centuries-old wine cave (it used to be a troglodyte dwelling) Adults can break from their bikes to explore the lively town of Amboise, while youngsters let loose at an outdoor adventure park with a ropes course and go-karts.
Trip Highlights
- Pedal peaceful roads connecting fairy-tale castles
- Kids wield épées with a world-class fencing master!
- A hands-on visit to Leonardo da Vinci's home
- A private tour of Château de Chenonceau
- Relax at gracious castle-hotels
Premiere Inns
Château de Marçay (1 night): Turrets and secret passageways attest to the medieval origins of this impressive château, built on the ruins of an 11th-century fortress. (pool)
Château d'Artigny (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 (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)
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.
| Daily Route Options | ||||||||||
| Day | EASYGOING | ACTIVE | AVID | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 3 | Level 4 | Level 5 | ||||||
| miles | feet gain | miles | feet gain | miles | feet gain | miles | feet gain | miles | feet gain | |
| 1 | 17 | 0 | ||||||||
| 2 | 16* | 0 | 28* | 0 | 35* | 0 | 45 | 0 | ||
| 3 | 12* | 0 | 20* | 0 | 34 | 0 | 50 | 0 | ||
| 4 | 16* | 0 | 27* | 0 | 36 | 0 | 46 | 0 | ||
| 5 | 14* | 0 | 30 | 0 | 44 | 0 | ||||
| 38 | 0 | |||||||||
| Kids: Visit to Fantasy Forest (2 hours) | ||||||||||
| 6 | 13 | 0 | ||||||||
* Includes a shuttle
2013 Dates & Pricing*
FAMILY TRIPS
- 5/26-31 Price: $4198 pp dbl. occ., (+ $710 for sgl. occ.)
- 6/2-7 Price: $4198 pp dbl. occ., (+ $710 for sgl. occ.)
- 6/9-14 Price: $4298 pp dbl. occ., (+ $710 for sgl. occ.)
- 6/16-21 Price: $4298 pp dbl. occ., (+ $710 for sgl. occ.)
- 6/23-28 Price: $4198 pp dbl. occ., (+ $710 for sgl. occ.)
- 6/30-7/5 Price: $4298 pp dbl. occ., (+ $710 for sgl. occ.)
- 7/7-12 Price: $4398 pp dbl. occ., (+ $710 for sgl. occ.)
- 7/21-26 Price: $4198 pp dbl. occ., (+ $710 for sgl. occ.)
- 7/28-8/2 Price: $4398 pp dbl. occ., (+ $710 for sgl. occ.)
- 8/4-9 Price: $4198 pp dbl. occ., (+ $710 for sgl. occ.)
- 8/11-16 Price: $4298 pp dbl. occ., (+ $710 for sgl. occ.)
- 8/18-23 Price: $4298 pp dbl. occ., (+ $710 for sgl. occ.)
- 8/25-30 Price: $4198 pp dbl. occ., (+ $710 for sgl. occ.)
*Prices may change. Once you book your trip, your price is guaranteed.
Recommended Kids Ages
Minimum Ages:
- Recommended minimum age for the trip: 9 years
- Minimum age restriction to ride own bike: 7 years
General Info on Minimum Ages:
We strongly encourage families to join our Family Trips, designed with kid- and adult-friendly features. Please note that we have a minimum age requirement of 1 year for all Inn trips and 2 years for all Camping trips. Other than that, we do not restrict trips to a minimum age except in the rare case of a hotel age restriction. We do, however, recommend minimum ages based on the following criteria:- 12+ amount of cultural appreciation, difficulty of activities, routes
- 9+ difficulty of activities/activity age restrictions, routes
- 6+ several longer dinners, routes are difficult for pulling a Burley and therefore not appropriate for younger children, difficulty of activities/activity age restrictions
Guest Trip Reviews
For our family, Backroads represents a wonderful safety net, letting us try new things and go new places with absolute confidence. We watched our kids make chocolates at a small village chocolatier, sampled a 1995 vintage wine from a local vintner, stayed at wonderful inns, and rode past scenes of incredible beauty. All without having to worry about buying a ticket, making a reservation, or getting lost. It was a wonderful experience.- McGregor, Texas
It was an excellent trip with a great mix of fun, culture and activity. And everyone was super friendly and helpful. My kids especially loved it and said, "WE DIDN'T KNOW A TRIP LIKE THIS WAS POSSIBLE!"- New York, NY
Once again Backroads came through with another amazing experience for my family. This trip was terrific. Backroads' recommendation that the Loire Valley would be great for the range of kids (ages 8-17) and biking abilities of our group was right on the mark. The accommodations, amount of biking, scenery/stops along the way and non-biking activities were all fantastic. But what once again made this trip truly special for all of us (adults and kids) was the guides. They were enthusiastic, energetic, fun and incredibly thoughtful. They were always thinking ahead and quickly understood the various personalities of adults and children. When biking, they always knew were to wait with the van to cajole us forward with snacks, smiles and words of encouragement. Thank you Backroads for delivering on the value-added proposition of a private trip!- Wayland, MA
Everything was perfect. The leaders were great, the rides and activities were well planned, and the food and fellow guests made it so memorable. This was our 2nd trip and it was spectacular. We will likely take at least one Backroads trip a year, and more if our schedule permits. The family trips are perfect for our family. The only sad part is seeing my daughter so sad to leave the new friends she has made at the end of the trip.- Glen Ridge, NJ
This trip was magical. What a fabulous way to experience the Loire. We have four children, ranging in age from five to seventeen, and everyone was completely, unequivocally happy. I smile just thinking of it.- New Albany, OH
The trip was wonderful. The leaders were positive, happy and helpful. The region was amazing and the food was great! WE LOVE BACKROADS! Backroads is the only tour company we use and I can't imagine seeing a country any other way.- Denver, CO