Luxury Loire Cycling

6 Days & 5 Nights 4.3 Read 3 reviews

Pedal between the Loire Valley's famous châteaux
Spend each night in a luxury château hotel
Poolside relaxation and gourmet dining
Explore the elegant towns of Amboise and Azay le Rideau
Enjoy easy riverside cycling and picnics

Cycle the historic Loire Valley in luxury and overnight in lovingly converted châteaux and former homes of nobility. Discover the fairy-tale châteaux and natural beauty of the Loire Valley from tranquil riverside cycle paths and forested lanes. From Amboise, pedal to the impressive Château Chenoceau and visit the house of Leonardo da Vinci, Clos du Luce. Further east, ride along the River L’Indre towards the ornate château of Azay le Rideau. Overnight in style in converted château where you can relax and recharge poolside before a evening of gourmet cuisine.

What To Expect

Graded easy, the daily distances range from 40-45 km on fairly flat, well-signposted cycle routes. Explore the history of the Loire by day and by evening enjoy luxurious château hotels, selected for their gourmet dining, gardens and poolside relaxation.

Tour Style:

Self Guided | Go at your own pace on an independent active trip.

Activity:

Inn to Inn Biking | A classic point to point biking tour, staying in a different location each night

This trip is suitable for:

Solo Travelers, Multi-Generational

Ideal if you have an interest in:

Foodie Adventures
Wine, Whiskey & More...
Elegance & Unique Stays
Historical Journeys

Inspiration:

Classic

Activity Level & Terrain

This trip is graded easy and is at the perfect level for a first cycling holiday or for recreational riders looking to soak up the best of the areas culture and history. Daily distances are between 35-45 km over largely flat terrain. You will cycle principally on quiet country lanes and some busier roads when approaching towns. Please always be mindful of other road users.

Navigation

The route notes that accompany each itinerary give a step by step, turn by turn account of your route for continual points of reference, these are provided on our Macs Adventure smartphone navigation app along with maps and GPX tracks. Most of the time you will be cycling on quiet back roads and dedicated cyclepaths. However, in order to connect the various routes, you will cycle for short distances on busier urban roads. Please do be mindful of all road users at all times.

Accommodations

Each evening will be spent in a lovlingly converted château hotel. All properties boast gardens, gourmet dining and a rich history of the Loire. We always try and accommodate you at the locations detailed below, but on occasion, especially during peak season, we use alternate accommodation of a similar standard.

Single Rooms

If you require single rooms within your party or are travelling as a solo cyclist single rooms are available with a supplement.

Meals

Breakfast and dinner is included each day at your hotel. A set menu dinner of gourmet cuisine is included every night at your hotel. Dishes are locally sourced and are often feature a modern twists on French classics.

Lunches are not included although a packed lunch is available from your hotel. We suggest picking up a picnic from a local shop or stopping at one of the many cafes or restaurants along the way, of which your information pack has details.

Included

5 Nights in 4* and 5* châteaux hotels
5 Breakfasts
5 Dinners
Baggage transfer
Information pack
Access to route notes, detailed maps, and GPS tracks in the Macs Adventure smartphone navigation app
24/7 Emergency telephone support from our office

Excluded

Travel to Amboise / from Chinon
Bike hire (standard hybrid or upgrade to an e-bike)
Lunches, drinks & snacks
Entrance fees for chateaux (payable locally)
Personal equipment
Travel insurance (required)

Extras

Additional nights along the route
Bike hire (standard hybrid)
Upgrade to e-bike hire

When To Go

This trip is available to start on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, May to October. If you would like to depart on a Monday, Tuesday, Friday or Sunday please contact the office as some of the château restaurants close on these days meaning the inclusion of dinner may not be possible. If this is the case your accommodation can assist with taxis into the villages for dinner and we will provide a refund for the cost of dinners that would normally have been included in the cost of your trip.

Getting to the Start

Air: Paris Orly and Paris Charles De Gaulle airports connect to all major European and worldwide cities. From Paris it is possible to connect with Amboise via train (approximately 1.5 hrs-2 hrs). Tours Val de Loire is the closest airport and is serviced by Ryanair from both the UK and European airports. Journey time to Tours is around 30 minutes by airport bus, with onward train services connecting to Amboise (approximately 20 min).

Train: Amboise has regular services to Tours (20 min), and Paris (1.5hrs -2 hrs). From Paris it is also possible to connect to London, Brussels and many French destinations. For times and fares please check Trainline Europe. On arrival in Amboise train station your accommodation is located approximately 3 km from the town centre. Taxis are easy to obtain from outside the train station, and the journey time is around 5 minutes.

Getting from the End

On your day of departure, Château Marcay will be happy to arrange a taxi for you to the nearby town of Chinon (15 min).

Train: Onward travel to Tours is around 1 hour, with regular services to Paris taking between 1.5-2.5 hrs. For full details of timetables visit Trainline Europe.

Luggage Transfer

Baggage transfers are included in the price of your trip. We ask you to keep your baggage to a maximum of 1 bag per person (maximum weight 20 kg). If you require excess baggage allowance do contact us prior to travel.

General Information

The distances and ascents/descents are approximations of the recommended routes.

Please be prepared by packing all necessary items, for example, proper rain gear (jacket and trousers), sun hat and sunscreen. Your information pack has a detailed equipment list which includes standard cycling gear such as good shoes, warm and waterproof clothes for the cooler months and lightweight clothing for summer, and a day pack.

Equipment

Trek 7.3 hybrid bikes are available for hire. All bikes are equipped with a pannier, trip computer and spare inner tube along with a pump. It's also possible to hire an e-bike for a little extra battery-powered assistance. For more information on how e-bikes work click here. If you’d like to hire a bike, please let us know your height and the frame size you currently ride. Alternatively, we’re happy to answer any questions you have about the hire bike.

If you prefer to bring your own bicycle please ensure it is thoroughly serviced and is an appropriate hybrid or touring bike for this trip.

Travel Insurance

It is a requirement of booking this tour with Macs Adventure that you have suitable travel insurance which covers you for the activity, emergency evacuation and hospital care.

How fit do I need to be?

How far in advance do I need to book?

When is the best time of year to visit?

How do the baggage transfers work?

What happens if I can't cycle a stage?

Itinerary

Day 1 Arrive Amboise

The royal town of Amboise can be easily reached by train from Paris (1hr40min) or Tours (20mins). Château Amboise dominates the town but you also may like to visit Clos du Luce, Leonardo da Vinci’s former residence. In the evening enjoy dinner in the surrounds of your 17th century accommodation.

Overnight Amboise

Accommodations

A sample of our typical carefully chosen accommodation in this location. Where you stay will vary depending on availability, but will be a similar standard.

Chateau de Pray | 4 Star | Château Hotel

A 13th century château set amidst peaceful gardens. Besides relaxing poolside the highlight of any stay here is dining in the Michelin starred restaurant.

Hotel Le Choiseul | 4 Star | Château Hotel

Le Choiseul is a castle-Hotel with panoramic view on River Loire. Rooms have a view over the gardens or the Loire River and free Wi-Fi access.

Chef Mickaël Renard attempts to respect the seasons, and likes to surprise guests with unconventional arrangements. Its cuisine is based on solid basis: the product, seasoning, and right baking.

Check-in is guaranteed for 15 pm. Please call for an earlier arrival.

Hôtel Le Clos d'Amboise | 4 Star | Château Hotel

Right next to the Royal Castle, it is a sumptuous 17th century house converted into a 4-star character hotel in 2003 and entirely refurbished in 2011. Everything which speaks of the house’s history and gives it its character has been conserved: the floor of the reception hall with its cabochon tiling, the staircase serving the upper floors, and the magnificent 18th century Versailles oak parquet in two salons. The wood panelling, the mullioned windows, and all the fireplaces have been preserved, often with magnificent gilt-framed mirrors.

In the converted attic, a long corridor with exposed beams serves rooms where the roof trusses can be seen. In 2011, the owners installed a lift which stops at the main house’s two floors and at the basement which leads to the sauna. The stables converted into guest rooms have kept their exposed beams.

Day 2 Loop Ride to Château Chenoceau 45 km

Today’s route heads through the Amboise forest as you ride to Château Chenonceau. Originally built for royal military in the 16th century, the château has passed through several notable owners including the chocolatier Menier. Before returning to Amboise you may also like to explore the charming village of Chenoceau.

Overnight Amboise

Accommodations

A sample of our typical carefully chosen accommodation in this location. Where you stay will vary depending on availability, but will be a similar standard.

Chateau de Pray | 4 Star | Château Hotel

A 13th century château set amidst peaceful gardens. Besides relaxing poolside the highlight of any stay here is dining in the Michelin starred restaurant.

Hotel Le Choiseul | 4 Star | Château Hotel

Le Choiseul is a castle-Hotel with panoramic view on River Loire. Rooms have a view over the gardens or the Loire River and free Wi-Fi access.

Chef Mickaël Renard attempts to respect the seasons, and likes to surprise guests with unconventional arrangements. Its cuisine is based on solid basis: the product, seasoning, and right baking.

Check-in is guaranteed for 15 pm. Please call for an earlier arrival.

Hôtel Le Clos d'Amboise | 4 Star | Château Hotel