Premiere Hotels
Accommodations may vary based on departure date. Any difference from what is listed below can be found by clicking on your desired date on the View Scheduled Dates or Private Dates tabs.
Relais de Chambord
Chambord (1 night)
Newly renovated with elegant modern design and luxurious amenities, this spectacular farmhouse-turned-hotel is adjacent to the decadent UNESCO-protected Chambord Castle. A Small Luxury Hotels of the World member. (pool, spa)
Domaine des Hauts de Loire
Onzain (2 nights)
Built as a grand hunting lodge in the 19th century, this magnificent ivy-covered château enjoys a secluded setting amid tranquil parkland. A Relais & Châteaux member. (pool)
Domaine de la Tortiniere
Montbazon (2 nights)
We're welcomed by the gracious Olivereau family at this charming 19th-century château with gorgeous countryside views. (pool)
This Trip Is Rated Levels 1-4
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 (drag to see full )
| Daily Route Options |
| 1 |
|
|
25* |
1000 |
39* |
1400 |
|
|
|
|
| 2 |
16* |
300 |
24* |
600 |
30 |
900 |
58 |
1300 |
|
|
| 3 |
10* |
300 |
24* |
700 |
40 |
1200 |
52 |
1600 |
|
|
| Kids: Chocolate Making (2 Hours) |
| 4 |
12* |
300 |
22* |
700 |
39* |
1300 |
47 |
1600 |
|
|
| Kids: Fencing Lesson (2 Hours) |
| 5 |
15* |
600 |
25* |
800 |
34* |
1200 |
43 |
1600 |
|
|
| 6 |
16 |
700 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Note:
On this Family Trip, our routes follow gentle rolling terrain. Liberal van shuttling is incorporated into the itinerary and mileage is moderate to enable you to spend more time exploring on your own.
* Includes shuttle.
Learn more about how we determine our activity level and fully support a range of abilities and interests.
Please note that our distance and elevation figures come from Ride with GPS. Other sources (such as Map My Ride and Garmin devices) may give differing elevation figures due to different GPS and mapping technologies. Readings from a Garmin or a smart phone are influenced by other factors such as air pressure.
Meals
All breakfasts, 4 lunches, 4 dinners
Available Bike Options
The key to a stellar day’s ride is a bike that’s perfectly in tune with your cycling style… Backroads has you covered with the best bike fleet in the world! Read on for your available bike options for this trip.
Backroads Titanium Bikes (Included in your trip price)
Our custom-built titanium bikes are specially designed for you—and we offer different models for varied terrain so your bike is ideally suited to the region. Our custom-made bikes are included in your trip price.
Touring Bike (Included)
Performance Road Bike (Included)
Backroads Custom Electric-Assist Bike (Included in your trip price)
Wishing for a little extra assistance up those hills? Our custom Backroads Electric-Assist Bike lets you experience the thrill of exploring on two wheels while providing a boost when you want it. We've modified a selection of our great Titanium Bikes with the intuitive BionX "pedal-assist" system.
Backroads Custom Electric-Assist Bike (Included)
Specialized S-Works Roubaix & Ruby ($400 rental fee)
Ride like a pro with the new top-of-the-line S-Works bike featuring ultrasmooth Shimano Di2 electronic shifting. Faster and smoother than any other bike out there, this race-ready carbon machine delivers phenomenal acceleration and handling in an ultralight, ultrapowerful package—perfect for experienced riders. The Specialized S-Works Ruby is a light, agile speed machine precisely designed for women. You can upgrade to a Specialized S-Works Roubaix or Ruby on your trip.
Specialized S-Works Roubaix (Upgrade)
Specialized S-Works Ruby (Upgrade)
Co-Motion Torpedo Tandem ($400 rental fee)
Do you prefer to spin in tandem with your partner? You'll love the Co-Motion Periscope Torpedo tandem on your Backroads trip. You can upgrade to a Co-Motion Torpedo Tandem on your trip.
Co-Motion Torpedo Tandem (Upgrade)
Custom Kids Bikes (Included in your trip price)
Backroads is the only travel company to manufacture its own line of kid's bikes. While the wheels might be small, the performance is big—it's the perfect choice for kids. On all Backroads Family Trips, you'll find 20" and 24" bicycles for the younger set. They say good things come in small packages; when it comes to bikes for kids of all ages, Backroads is the expert.
Custom Kids Bikes (Included)
Burley Kazoo trailer bike (Included in your trip price)
The Burley Kazoo trailer bike, for children up to 85 pounds, attaches to an adult bike with your child providing some of the pedal power for a real team effort! It's ideal for kids who may be comfortable pedaling around the neighborhood but aren't yet ready for bike touring.
Burley Cub trailer (Included)
Burley Cub trailer (Included in your trip price)
The Burley Cub trailer, for one or two children 60 pounds and under, is sturdy carrier that attaches to our bikes. It provides a comfortable and safe ride in the spacious interior with inner pockets for snacks and drinks, a reclining seat with a secure five point padded harness system and an adjustable sunscreen.
Burley Cub trailer
Also Included
- Expertise and services of our experienced Trip Leaders
- Snacks and beverages between meals
- Additional guides and experts from the region on many trips
- Van shuttles to support a variety of route options
- Comprehensive Travel Planner with detailed pre-trip information
- Private guided tours at museums, historic sites, wineries and other select attractions as noted in the Travel Planner
- All gratuities at hotels and restaurants
- Special events, including wine tastings and other select attractions as mentioned in the Travel Planner
- On biking and multi-adventure trips, use of fully equipped Backroads titanium bike plus helmet and accessories
- Trailercycles, carriers, and kid-sized helmets for Family Trips
- Equipment and experienced guides for kayaking, rafting, snorkeling, sailing and canoeing as described
- Park and other entry fees
- Fares for trains, ferries and other modes of travel as listed in the Travel Planner
- Select coach transfers
- Baggage transfers and porterage
Get the Straight Talk about This Trip
We want to make sure you're on the right trip and that you have the best experience possible. Every Backroads trip is unique and this one is no exception.
Limited & Fixed Menus
On many nights, the gourmet restaurants where we dine offer specially prepared limited or fixed menus featuring a delicious selection of authentic regional cuisine.
Why Travel with Backroads in Loire Valley
Choose Your Favorite Castle
The Loire Valley ticks every box for the ideal family biking destination: easy riding among fields of sunflowers, visits to storybook castles, canoeing down a river overlooked by medieval battlements – even a chance to try your hand at fencing. Small wonder that this classic trip, originally researched by Backroads Founder Tom Hale, has proven to be our most popular family adventure in France and one of the highest-rated trips in our European portfolio.
A Variety of Routes Each Day
In Loire Valley you head off each morning after choosing among several expertly designed routes—all with detailed directions, mileage and shuttle options. Unlike trips with one fixed daily route (or worse, one guide that everyone's obliged to follow), you're free to enjoy the best of the region at your pace, stopping wherever you want to explore further.
Only the Best Hotels
On this trip featuring Premiere Hotels, you can count on the best lodgings Loire Valley has to offer. In fact, the hotels we've chosen in this region have higher retail room rates than those offered by any other active travel company—even when their trips cost more.
A Second Van When You Need It
Backroads is the only active travel company providing two support vans in Loire Valley—because we know it's essential to ensure a truly great travel experience. It doubles our ability to be there when you need us to offer hydration, lighten your load or give you a lift if it's time to take a break. Read more on why two vans make all the difference.
Great Bikes Included (or Upgrade)
Choose a Backroads Custom Titanium or Custom Electric Assist bike—included in your trip price. Maybe a Specialized carbon-fiber pro model is more your speed or go for double fun on a tandem. Our fleet is the best in active travel, so you don't have to roll the dice on this vital trip component. Learn more about our bike fleet.
Everyone at Their Own Pace
We design and support our Loire Valley trips to suit mixed abilities and varied interests—so you can set your own pace, then change things up as the day unfolds. And all guests are free to do the same, traveling together or apart, with no one cramping anyone else's style. Which sounds easy in theory, but it's hard to pull off. Here's more on how we do it.
Signature Backroads Picnics
Guests rave about our picnic spreads. Enjoy a welcome break in a scenic spot, or a quick refuel stop if you don't want to lose momentum. And because we have two vans, one can host lunch while the other is out providing support along the route.
Navigate Your Way in Loire Valley
Your ride comes equipped with a Garmin Edge Explore 1000, the best bike-touring GPS device on the market. This is a Backroads exclusive, and it's included with your bike in Loire Valley. If you prefer to bring your own device, we also have downloadable GPS files and of course, our good old paper directions are always available. Read more on why our navigation options are the best.
Leaders Focused on Families
When everyone's together, there's lots going on; and when kids' and adults' priorities diverge, it can seem like two different trips. That's why our Family Adventures in Loire Valley have three Trip Leaders—including a dedicated Kids Activity Expert who regularly takes younger travelers off to do their own thing. Other companies try to get by with two leaders; we step up and do it right. For more on our family focus, check this out.
Plenty of Kids on Your Trip
It may be hard to imagine being on a family trip with no other families on it—but it happens regularly with some companies. On a Backroads Family Adventure there are typically several families on each departure, creating more opportunities for your kids to make new friends as they try fun things together – which is a big part of the experience.
The Best Leaders in Loire Valley
Backroads has the best-qualified people to lead your trip in Loire Valley, and our guests back that up, rating our Trip Leaders an average of 9.75 out of 10 for all-around quality of performance. Get the facts (and no fluff) on how we recruit and develop the very best people for your trip.
Like You, We're Family Experts
At Backroads we've honed our expertise in active family travel over many years and a lot of trips. We host at least 20 times more family guests than any other active company, so we're constantly gaining new insights that make our trips even better. Detailed planning, behind-the scenes logistics, unrivaled support from three Trip Leaders—all backed by a team that proudly creates the kind of experiences we'd want to share with our own families.
Time Together, Time Apart
Backroads is the leader in designing trips that ensure everyone, young and young-at-heart alike, has an amazing time. Your Backroads Family Adventure balances family activities with diversions designed exclusively for the kids—giving the adults a welcome break from making decisions, other than choosing whether to explore a few more miles or just enjoy each other's company. A family vacation where everyone gets to relax, recharge and have fun – what a concept!
We Live in the Neighborhood
Our Trip Leaders in Loire Valley live in the area and are deeply engaged in their communities, giving them unique inside knowledge they're happy to share in making your experience that much richer. They'll introduce you to people, customs and parts of town you'd likely never encounter on your own—and teach you a few local phrases to help break the ice.
