France’s Loire Valley Luxury Bike (Grand Châteaux & Regal Rivers) 6D5N, Fully Guided

TWO BIKING OPTIONS:
Level 1, Approx. 14 km (9 miles), 1-2 hours biking, Elevation gain: 61 m (200 ft)
Level 2, Approx. 39 km (24 miles), 2-3 hours biking, Elevation gain: 213 m (700 ft)

Today, you meet with your tour leaders at 10:30 a.m. at the front entrance of the St-Pierre-des-Corps train station just outside of Tours, France. Please arrive dressed in your biking clothes. Bring your luggage and a daypack with your rain gear, and anything else you may want for today's ride (your luggage will be transported to our first night's accommodations).

Following our meeting, we shuttle outside of Villandry. Here, we meet with our tour guides who fit your bike and give a brief lecture on the various biking techniques and safety measures there are. Kick start your adventure with a ride through quaint villages and fields of wheat and sunflowers, catching a glimpse of the rivers the Loire and Cher en route to Villandry.

Discover the magnificent Château de Villandry acquired by Joachim Carvallo in the early 1900s and is surrounded by some of France’s most exquisite gardens. Today, Carvallo’s grandson tends the grounds, where the spectacular patchwork of greenery includes a water garden within a circle of lime trees; an ornamental garden; and the kitchen garden, with decorative geometric beds. With breathtaking scenery all around you, enjoy lunch on the grounds of the château, prepared with fresh ingredients picked from the vegetable gardens that adorn the grounds.

After lunch, bike along the Loire River and make your way across the other side toward the charming village of Langeais where a mediaeval castle rests atop a promontory above the Loire. Cycle around and explore this quiet town, bordered on one side by the 15th-century castle built by Louis XI.

Make your way to the majestic Loire River just outside of town, afterwards we head to St-Patrice where we find our home for the next two nights. Located in the Loire Valley, the Château de Rochecotte is a beautiful tourist hotel, and formerly the private residence of a prince and duchess. This grand castle is set on a 20-hectare with an Italian terrace, a heated outdoor swimming pool, and is surrounded by the Bourgueil vineyards. Take a dip in the pool, treat your tired muscles to a rejuvenating spa session, or enjoy some downtime in the warm Loire Valley sun.

Tonight, we gather for a welcome reception before sitting down to an exceptional French dinner at the hotel.

FOUR BIKING OPTIONS:
Level 1, Approx. 31 km (19 miles), 1-2 hours biking, Elevation gain: 91 m (300 ft)
Level 2, Approx. 55 km (34 miles), 2-3 hours biking, Elevation gain: 183 m (600 ft)
Level 3, Approx. 80 km (50 miles), 3-5 hours biking, Elevation gain: 396 m (1300 ft)
Level 4, Approx. 92 km (57 miles), 4-6 hours biking, Elevation gain: 457 m (1500 ft)

Today's adventure takes us west and deeper into the Loire Valley's countryside and the vineyards that comprise France's largest (by area) wine region. Experience the free-spirited way of life as you cycle amid serene woodland and celebrated cabernet franc vineyards. Although the Loire Valley wines may not yet be as popular in the US as those from Bordeaux or Burgundy, but the French adore these unique easy-to-drink blends and the country's most northerly wine-growing region is one of its most celebrated.

Tour the tiny villages dotting the landscape, come across the fascinating troglodyte caves that have housed people (and wine!) for centuries, and discover some of the most beautiful villages (Plus Beaux) in France, including Montsoreau and charming Candes-St-Martin with sights of gabares (traditional flat bottomed boats) floating gently down the deep blue river.

Relish the sight of the incomparable Château d'Ussé as you ride past it, and make sure to take a lot of photos. Take a break from adventure to refuel with a picnic in the ancient port of Bréhémont, once a bustling town of great importance to France’s naval excursions. Done with exploration for the day, head back to the hotel and relax in your room.

We will be gathering tonight for dinner at the hotel with lots of local dishes to savour. Afterwards, you are free to retire for the night.

FOUR BIKING OPTIONS:
Level 1, Approx. 24 km (15 miles), 1-2 hours biking, Elevation gain: 152 m (500 ft)
Level 2, Approx. 50 km (31 miles), 2-3 hours biking, Elevation gain: 305 m (1000 ft)
Level 3, Approx. 63 km (39 miles), 3-5 hours biking, Elevation gain: 427 m (1400 ft)
Level 4, Approx. 77 km (48 miles), 4-6 hours biking, Elevation gain: 488 m (1600 ft)

After devouring a hearty breakfast this morning, we will be travelling to the wine region of Vouvray, famous for Chenin Blanc vineyards and peppered with fruit trees. According to legend, Saint Martin of Tours planted the area's first grapevine on a hill overlooking his abbey in AD 372. Explore the Vouvray vineyards with their wines being some of the most recognized in France.

Continue to the bustling town of Amboise, home to famous kings, lords, ladies, merchants, and scholars. Once home to François the First and the original centre of the French royal court, even Leonardo da Vinci spent the last years of his life here; his former Manor-Clos Lucé-now houses replicas and drawings of some of his most famous inventions. Take a stroll through the bustling town with lots of shops and places to explore, and enjoy lunch on your own with lots of restaurants to choose from.

When you are done exploring, continue on your bike along riverside bike paths and open plains filled with wheat fields and sunflowers to our home for the next two nights, Domaine des Hauts de Loire. A hunting lodge built in 1860 and located at the heart of Loire castles amid greenery, Des Hauts de Loire is the perfect abode for nature lovers with a secluded setting. Relax in the hotel sauna, unwind by the pool or take a peaceful walk through its garden.

Tonight, treat your taste buds to spectacular dishes and wines at a fantastic French dinner.

THREE BIKING OPTIONS:
Level 2, Approx. 34 km (21 miles), 2-3 hours biking, Elevation gain: 183 m (600 ft)
Level 3, Approx. 50 km (31 miles), 3-5 hours biking, Elevation gain: 305 m (1000 ft)
Level 4, Approx. 74 km (46 miles), 4-6 hours biking, Elevation gain: 457 m (1500 ft)

Begin the day with a delightful breakfast this morning, afterwards go on cycling along quiet roads following the river's plateau, taking in the sights, sounds, and a modest hill or two before tackling the breathtaking southern plateau. Ride to the most famous of the Loire Valley châteaux, where you are met with the enchanting sight of Château de Chenonceau which spans the River Cher, and is graced with vast gardens, galleries, magnificent fireplaces, 16th-century Flemish tapestries, and paintings by Rubens and Rigaud.

Learn the history behind its famous name “Château of Six Women”, nicknamed so because of the efforts of six women, each of whom added personal touches to the elaborately decorated château.

After your tour, enjoy a sumptuous picnic lunch prepared by your tour guides, then after we travel south to north crossing the Loire once again. Navigate your bike through quiet roads along the north banks and into the burgeoning new wine appellation of Mesland, leading you back to the hotel. Rest in your room, relax by the hotel’s lounge or go for a swim in the pool before gathering for dinner at a delightful Bistrot (small restaurant).

FOUR BIKING OPTIONS:
Level 1, Approx. 18 km (11 miles), 1-2 hours biking, Elevation gain: 122 m (400 ft)
Level 2, Approx. 40 km (25 miles), 2-3 hours biking, Elevation gain: 183 m (600 ft)
Level 3, Approx. 72 km (45 miles), 3-5 hours biking, Elevation gain: 335 m (1100 ft)
Level 4, Approx. 87 km (54 miles), 4-6 hours biking, Elevation gain: 427 m (1400 ft)

After a hearty breakfast this morning, we spin east through the vineyards and villages outside of Onzain past the bustling town of Blois. Make your way through a forested landscape and striking small villages to the largest castle in the Loire Valley and the grand finale of our journey, the 16th-century Château de Chambord. Decadent, immense, and profoundly regal, Chambord captures the spirit of the Loire's châteaux with its exuberant disdain for modesty.

Head out on your bike toward the lovely Sources de Cheverny (Cheverny Springs), a classic 15th-century French homestead set on 75 acres of magnificent woodland and our home for the night. A 5-star peaceful haven created to enjoy the good things in life. Relax and unwind at the hotel’s numerous amenities; luxuriate in a refreshing spa session, relax by the indoor or outdoor pool.

Gather tonight for a festive farewell dinner, toasting the week’s adventures and sitting down for a sumptuous meal.

Level 2, Approx. 32 km (20 miles), 2-3 hours biking, Elevation gain: 152 m (500 ft)

Start the last day of this epic adventure with an early morning spin while appreciating the Loire Valley landscape in the quiet morning light. Bask in the unspoiled countryside views surrounding our hotel and the fertile fields that earn the Loire its moniker as the Garden of France.

We’ll celebrate one last time together before saying our deep-hearted goodbyes. After, board a private coach back to St-Pierre-des-Corps train station outside of Tours.

NOTE: This itinerary is provided as an example only – prevailing conditions and local arrangements may cause variation.