Touring Bike
£126 for 6 days
A cycling holiday designed for the French Renaissance at its finest: from Orléans to Tours through the heart of the Loire Valley, with entrance to the châteaux of Chambord, Chenonceau and Villandry included along the way.
Beyond the castles, the route takes in cosy Loire towns and the famous local cuisine — fine wines, tempting dishes and, if you haven't already tried one, a Tours crepe on your final evening.
Individual arrival in Orléans, a charming city on the banks of the Loire River and the homeland of Joan of Arc.
Pedal along the Loire, alternating cycle paths with back roads. After a visit to Meung-sur-Loire, you reach the Chateau Dunois and the medieval centre of Beaugency, before arriving in the charming town of Blois, with its splendid stone bridge over the Loire, historic castle and Cathedral of St. Louis.
Today's stage leads to one of the most famous and majestic of all Loire castles: Chambord, with your entrance ticket included. Leaving the hotel, you head for Saint-Dyé-sur-Loire, an ancient hamlet perched on the river, before continuing south into the heart of the countryside to the castle's surrounding forest.
You saddle up along the River Loire to Amboise. Here you can visit the castle of Chaumont, built atop a hill overlooking the river, and in Amboise itself, the house where Leonardo da Vinci spent his final years.
After the forest of Amboise you arrive at Chenonceau, known as the castle of the three ladies, with entrance included. You continue along the River Cher up to the city of Tours, with the option to stop at the castle of Nitray and its famous wine cellars.
Cycle along the strip of land between the Loire and Cher rivers to the Renaissance castle of Villandry, famous for its six luxuriant ornamental gardens preserved without pesticides or chemical fertilisers — entrance included. Return to Tours along the River Cher for your last evening in the Loire, with a crepe well earned.
After breakfast, your tour comes to an end.
We recommend flying to Paris (CDG) and returning from Tours Val De Loire Airport (TUF).
£126 for 6 days
£300 for 6 days
£78 for 6 days
Getting to Orléans
By train: Orléans has no commercial airport, so most travellers fly into Paris and continue by train. Direct services run from Paris Gare d'Austerlitz to Orléans in around an hour, with frequent departures throughout the day.
By train from the UK: Take the Eurostar from London St Pancras to Paris Gare du Nord (around 2 hours 20 minutes), cross Paris to Gare d'Austerlitz, then continue by train to Orléans. Total journey time is around 4 to 4.5 hours.
By car: Orléans is around 3.5 to 4 hours from Calais via the A26 to Paris and then the A10 south.
Getting home from Tours
By plane: Tours Val de Loire Airport (TUF) has seasonal Ryanair flights to London Stansted, currently running on Wednesdays and Sundays between late March and late October. Flight time is around 1 hour 25 minutes. This route has been cut and reinstated in recent seasons, so it's worth checking current availability before booking.
By train: Tours St Pierre des Corps station has frequent TGV services to Paris Montparnasse in around an hour. From there, cross Paris to Gare du Nord for a Eurostar connection back to London.
Bikes are not included. You are welcome to bring your own bike or hire one. Please see our bike hire section for details.
Flights are not included. Please refer to the what's included section for full details.
We will confirm your booking within 48 hours of receiving your enquiry. Please wait for confirmation before booking flights or making other travel arrangements.
Most itineraries include cycling on most days, with some rest or shorter days built in. Please check the itinerary for day-by-day details.
The latest you can book is 9 days before departure. This gives us enough time to confirm arrangements and accommodation.
You will receive full travel details, including accommodation, meeting points and local contacts, 3 to 5 weeks before departure.
