Through Chateaux country

Loire a Velo from Tours to Angers

Tour Description: Guided

Tour Description: Self-guided

Highlights: Guided

• Tours
• Villandry's famous gardens
• 15th century chateau in Langeais
• Medieval city ofo Langeais
• Vineyards of Anjou

Highlights: Self-guided

• Tours
• Villandry's famous gardens
• 15th century chateau in Langeais
• Medieval city ofo Langeais
• Vineyards of Anjou

Daily Program: Guided

Daily Program: Self-guided

Day 1: Arrival in Tours
Individal arrival to Tours. 
Overnight in 2-star hotel and dinner in a local restaurant in Tours.

Day 2: Tours – Azay le Rideau (23 miles/36 km)
Today you cycle towards Savonnières for a journey in the heart of Petrifying Grottoes. You then proceed to Villandry with its famous Gardens, matchless in Europe, as they are composed of 3 superposed terraces. You then continue to Saché, the house of the famous novelist Honoré de Balzac. The day's ride ends at Azay le Rideau, where you can admire its Renaissance chateau, a jewel set over the Indre River. 
Overnight in 2-star hotel and dinner in a local restaurant in Azay le Rideau.

Day 3: Azay le Rideau – Chinon (24 miles/39 km)
You depart Azay le Rideau and cycle towards Langeais and its 15th century château, which offers a typical form of a medieval fortified castle with wonderful tapestries and furniture. The ride contineus towards the 'Sleeping Beauty' chateau in Ussé that inspired Perrault's famous fairy tale story. 
Overnight in 2-star hotel and dinner in a local restaurant in Chinon.

Day 4: Chinon – Saumur (27 miles/43 km)
Before leaving the medieval city of Chinon, founded on the Vienne river, you have the possibility to visit numerous cellars of the famous red wine such appreciated by Rabelais. You then continue towards the Abbey of Fontevraud, the largest monastic city remaining in Europe, which is the Necropolis of the Plantagenêts sovereigns. You then arrive at the lovely town of Saumur. 
Overnight in 2-star hotel and dinner in a local restaurant in Saumur.

Day 5: Saumur – Angers (40 miles/64 km)
Today's stage follows the Loire river before going through the vineyards of Anjou. You will reach the peaceful city of Angers and its chateau sheltering the famous Apocalypse Tapestry. 
Overnight in 2-star hotel and dinner in a local restaurant in Angers.

Day 6: Departure
Breakfast then depart

Dates: Guided

Dates: Self-guided

Packages and Prices: Guided

Packages and Prices: Self-guided

Tour package, Category A hotels
3 star hotels
Per person, double occupancy €1030 Single supplement (1 person/1 room) €270 Solo traveler (not traveling with anyone else. Payable in addition to the single room supplement) €168 Bike rentals Bicycle rental (Scotts 21 speed hybrid touring bike) €116 E-bike €173

Tour package, Category B hotels
2 star hotels
Per person, double occupancy €755 Single supplement (1 person/1 room) €170 Solo traveler (not traveling with anyone else. Payable in addition to the single room supplement) €168 Bike rentals Bicycle rental (Scotts 21 speed hybrid touring bike) €116 E-bike €173

Included Services: Guided

Included Services: Self-guided

Hotels: Guided

These are sample hotels and may vary based on availability. 

Day 1: Hotel Le Criden, Tours
www.criden-tours.com
Criden hotel is located in the heart of the city, in the middle of Loire Valley. You will appreciate the train station, which is closed to the hotel, and also le Palais des Congrès, olds areas, pedestrian streets… Our modern establishment welcomes you in a personalized and warm atmosphere. The hotel has spacious rooms, a bar and a quiet terrace. Our hotel has 33 spacious rooms, all equipped with an extra large bed, bathroom, private toilets, direct telephone, colour TV with Canal+ and European satellite channels. For breakfast, we suggest you a wide range of balanced products from 7a .m to 10a.m. You can take your breakfast in the breakfast room or on the terrace. The hotel’s bar is at your disposal from 7 a.m to 11p.m.

Day 2: Hotel De Biencourt, Azay Le Rideau
www.hotelbiencourt.fr
Closely located to the castle, you will appreciate the calm of this résidence from the Tourraine of the 18th century and its flowered patio.  You will find here the charm of the past with all the comfort you would expect when away from home in rustic style rooms. A part of the Hotel Biencourt is a former school of the Napoleonic era where you will find the nostalgia of your childhood. The "class" will shelter your sleep. L’Hôtel de Biencourt offers 17 comfortable and luminous rooms. Two of those are by the garden side with private terraces. We can also offer a room for disabled people or with reduced mobility. All the rooms have shower/wc, hairdryer, a flat screen television, phone and Wifi access. All the beds have duvets. In the morning you will enjoy a tasty breakfast from a generous buffet in a homely setting. A fridge is at the Customers’ disposal.

Day 3: Hotel Les Plantagenets, Chinon
www.hotel-plantagenet.com
If like the new owners, you love old houses then you should enjoy a stay in our tuffeau limestone hotel located in the centre of the medieval town of Chinon. This charming family-run hotel will welcome you in a warm atmosphere. Martine de Carvalho will be proud to help you discover the Touraine Loire Valley popular for its natural beauty, the magnificent castles (nearby you may visit Ussé, The sleeping beauty castle, Azay-le-Rideau, Langeais or Villandry) and picturesque towns like Loches or Chinon and also its good quality, affordable wines and other treasures. Your time with us will leave you a sweet memory of your stay in Rabelais’hometown. The Loire is also the last wild river in Europe and has been designated a World Heritage area by UNESCO. The hotel is easy to find and there is ample free parking for cars and buses just outside. The hotel has a private parking area for bikes or motorcyles which may be reserved at discretion.

Day 4: Hotel Kyriad, Saumur
www.kyriad-saumur-centre.fr
Kyriad Saumur Centre has 29 double and twin rooms. All of the rooms have hair dryers. Sit back and relax, or get your work done efficiently thanks to free wireless Internet access. We do so much to make you feel at home, you won't want to leave. In addition to safety, comfort, entertainment and friendliness, Kyriad Saumur offers all the services you need to enjoy your stay. Taste the difference at Kyriad, starting with breakfast. Enjoy a varied and balanced all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet. Pastries, breads, fresh fruit, dairy products, hot drinks and 100% pure fruit juices: enjoy the taste of these quality products, selected for your pleasure.

Day 5: Hotel Continental, Angers
www.hotellecontinental.com/
To ensure the serenity of your stay, we are committed to providing quality service, checked regularly. At the Continental Hotel Angers Centre, we are evolving to better serve you. Enjoy your stay in a family hotel with 25 rooms all air conditioned and tastefully renovated. Be at our side, player of the future by staying in the first Ecolabel hotel in Angers where environmental awareness is synonymous with well-being. 25 rooms non-smoking refurbished, comfortable air-conditioned and soundproofed, all equipped with: Bathroom with shower and toilet, individual air conditioning, WIFI connection (free).

Interested in visiting other areas before or after your visit? Visit our hotels page to learn more about lodging options. 

Hotels: Self-guided

These are sample hotels and may vary based on availability. 

Day 1: Hotel Le Criden, Tours
www.criden-tours.com
Criden hotel is located in the heart of the city, in the middle of Loire Valley. You will appreciate the train station, which is closed to the hotel, and also le Palais des Congrès, olds areas, pedestrian streets… Our modern establishment welcomes you in a personalized and warm atmosphere. The hotel has spacious rooms, a bar and a quiet terrace. Our hotel has 33 spacious rooms, all equipped with an extra large bed, bathroom, private toilets, direct telephone, colour TV with Canal+ and European satellite channels. For breakfast, we suggest you a wide range of balanced products from 7a .m to 10a.m. You can take your breakfast in the breakfast room or on the terrace. The hotel’s bar is at your disposal from 7 a.m to 11p.m.

Day 2: Hotel De Biencourt, Azay Le Rideau
www.hotelbiencourt.fr
Closely located to the castle, you will appreciate the calm of this résidence from the Tourraine of the 18th century and its flowered patio.  You will find here the charm of the past with all the comfort you would expect when away from home in rustic style rooms. A part of the Hotel Biencourt is a former school of the Napoleonic era where you will find the nostalgia of your childhood. The "class" will shelter your sleep. L’Hôtel de Biencourt offers 17 comfortable and luminous rooms. Two of those are by the garden side with private terraces. We can also offer a room for disabled people or with reduced mobility. All the rooms have shower/wc, hairdryer, a flat screen television, phone and Wifi access. All the beds have duvets. In the morning you will enjoy a tasty breakfast from a generous buffet in a homely setting. A fridge is at the Customers’ disposal.

Day 3: Hotel Les Plantagenets, Chinon
www.hotel-plantagenet.com
If like the new owners, you love old houses then you should enjoy a stay in our tuffeau limestone hotel located in the centre of the medieval town of Chinon. This charming family-run hotel will welcome you in a warm atmosphere. Martine de Carvalho will be proud to help you discover the Touraine Loire Valley popular for its natural beauty, the magnificent castles (nearby you may visit Ussé, The sleeping beauty castle, Azay-le-Rideau, Langeais or Villandry) and picturesque towns like Loches or Chinon and also its good quality, affordable wines and other treasures. Your time with us will leave you a sweet memory of your stay in Rabelais’hometown. The Loire is also the last wild river in Europe and has been designated a World Heritage area by UNESCO. The hotel is easy to find and there is ample free parking for cars and buses just outside. The hotel has a private parking area for bikes or motorcyles which may be reserved at discretion.

Day 4: Hotel Kyriad, Saumur
www.kyriad-saumur-centre.fr
Kyriad Saumur Centre has 29 double and twin rooms. All of the rooms have hair dryers. Sit back and relax, or get your work done efficiently thanks to free wireless Internet access. We do so much to make you feel at home, you won't want to leave. In addition to safety, comfort, entertainment and friendliness, Kyriad Saumur offers all the services you need to enjoy your stay. Taste the difference at Kyriad, starting with breakfast. Enjoy a varied and balanced all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet. Pastries, breads, fresh fruit, dairy products, hot drinks and 100% pure fruit juices: enjoy the taste of these quality products, selected for your pleasure.

Day 5: Hotel Continental, Angers
www.hotellecontinental.com/
To ensure the serenity of your stay, we are committed to providing quality service, checked regularly. At the Continental Hotel Angers Centre, we are evolving to better serve you. Enjoy your stay in a family hotel with 25 rooms all air conditioned and tastefully renovated. Be at our side, player of the future by staying in the first Ecolabel hotel in Angers where environmental awareness is synonymous with well-being. 25 rooms non-smoking refurbished, comfortable air-conditioned and soundproofed, all equipped with: Bathroom with shower and toilet, individual air conditioning, WIFI connection (free).

Interested in visiting other areas before or after your visit? Visit our hotels page to learn more about lodging options. 

Bike Rentals: Guided

Bike Rentals: Self-guided

Surface and Terrain: Guided

Surface and Terrain: Self-guided

Feedback: Guided

"Thank you for a wonderful trip. We all had a great time and were so grateful that you could help us out when our friend was injured. Everything was organized so well and the accommodations were excellent. We will definitely contact you again for our next adventure!"
- Robert and Trina
July 2012 

Feedback: Self-guided

"Thank you for a wonderful trip. We all had a great time and were so grateful that you could help us out when our friend was injured. Everything was organized so well and the accommodations were excellent. We will definitely contact you again for our next adventure!"
- Robert and Trina
July 2012 

How To Get There: Guided

Tour start
Nearest airport: Paris, France
nearest train station: Tours, France

Tour end
Nearest airport: Paris, France
Nearest train station: Angers, France

Tips on getting to and from your tour

How To Get There: Self-guided

Tour start
Nearest airport: Paris, France
nearest train station: Tours, France

Tour end
Nearest airport: Paris, France
Nearest train station: Angers, France

Tips on getting to and from your tour

Weather: Guided

Weather Underground offers information on average and record temperatures at many destinations throughout the globe. Type a destination in the search box and enter a travel date range to learn about seasonal weather patterns.

Get weather information.

Weather: Self-guided

Weather Underground offers information on average and record temperatures at many destinations throughout the globe. Type a destination in the search box and enter a travel date range to learn about seasonal weather patterns.

Get weather information.

More About France: Guided

With more than 40,000 monuments and 6,000 museums, France's history and tradition continue to thrive in Western Europe's largest country. Along with its history, France is at the forefront of modern development, a leader among European nations. A country of contrasts, France provides opportunities for all interests. Fashion, art and elegance prosper in the dynamic cities of Paris, Lyon, and Nice. Outside the cities, a variety of landscapes stretch over the remaining 80% of the country.

France's hexagonal shape is defined by the English Channel and Atlantic on the western coast with the Pyrenees and Alps sitting on the southwest and southeast borders. The Mediterranean Sea runs along the southern coast with the Rhine River flowing beside the German border. Visitors exploring the cities or countryside can bask in France’s pleasant climate, enjoying the stylish life, local wine and cuisine.

More on bicycling in France > 

View all France bike tours >

More About France: Self-guided

With more than 40,000 monuments and 6,000 museums, France's history and tradition continue to thrive in Western Europe's largest country. Along with its history, France is at the forefront of modern development, a leader among European nations. A country of contrasts, France provides opportunities for all interests. Fashion, art and elegance prosper in the dynamic cities of Paris, Lyon, and Nice. Outside the cities, a variety of landscapes stretch over the remaining 80% of the country.

France's hexagonal shape is defined by the English Channel and Atlantic on the western coast with the Pyrenees and Alps sitting on the southwest and southeast borders. The Mediterranean Sea runs along the southern coast with the Rhine River flowing beside the German border. Visitors exploring the cities or countryside can bask in France’s pleasant climate, enjoying the stylish life, local wine and cuisine.

More on bicycling in France > 

View all France bike tours >

Tour Feedback: Guided

"As with our previous trips, we have been very impressed with the organization of the tours. We had a great time. Bike (tandem) was just right. The hotels and restaurants were all excellent and the towns fun to explore. Restaurants made the evening a pleasure. Especially nice was dinner the last night in La Croisic - WOW, looking out over the ocean and it must have been a 3 or 4 star place, because we felt like we were with the high-rollers that night. A great way to end the tour! Will definitely be back."
- Larry and Judy, July 2012
(Note: La Croisic not included on all Loire a Velo routes) 

Tour Feedback: Self-guided

"As with our previous trips, we have been very impressed with the organization of the tours. We had a great time. Bike (tandem) was just right. The hotels and restaurants were all excellent and the towns fun to explore. Restaurants made the evening a pleasure. Especially nice was dinner the last night in La Croisic - WOW, looking out over the ocean and it must have been a 3 or 4 star place, because we felt like we were with the high-rollers that night. A great way to end the tour! Will definitely be back."
- Larry and Judy, July 2012
(Note: La Croisic not included on all Loire a Velo routes) 

Tour Company Background: Loire Valley Travel: Guided

Loire Valley Travel has been organising cycling and walking tour packages in a large number of French regions and making its exclusive skills available to you for more than 20 years.

From 3 days to two weeks, our fully inclusive tours and trips allow you to take advantage of our France’s most beautiful regions on cycling tours . You are free to program the visits of sites as you please. Programs adapted to your own rhythm !

With experience and detailed local knowledge, our team ensures your comfort by selecting the best private hotels, where you will be constantly reminded that you are in a region where well-being and living well are key concepts!

When you book one of our tours, you can be sure of the tranquillity of an organised holiday planned down to the last detail before you leave (hotel reservations, luggage transfers, detailed itinerary and maps). Once you arrive, you have all the time you want to complete each day’s itinerary in total freedom and at your own pace, stopping where you like - you can choose from among the various sites suggested along your route depending on your interests (culture, cuisine, vineyards etc.). 

Tour Company Background: Loire Valley Travel: Self-guided

Loire Valley Travel has been organising cycling and walking tour packages in a large number of French regions and making its exclusive skills available to you for more than 20 years.

From 3 days to two weeks, our fully inclusive tours and trips allow you to take advantage of our France’s most beautiful regions on cycling tours . You are free to program the visits of sites as you please. Programs adapted to your own rhythm !

With experience and detailed local knowledge, our team ensures your comfort by selecting the best private hotels, where you will be constantly reminded that you are in a region where well-being and living well are key concepts!

When you book one of our tours, you can be sure of the tranquillity of an organised holiday planned down to the last detail before you leave (hotel reservations, luggage transfers, detailed itinerary and maps). Once you arrive, you have all the time you want to complete each day’s itinerary in total freedom and at your own pace, stopping where you like - you can choose from among the various sites suggested along your route depending on your interests (culture, cuisine, vineyards etc.). 

Terms and Conditions: Loire Valley Travel: Guided

Any change to a confirmed booking will give rise to extra cost of: 39  euros per person.
For cancellation of a booking more than 30 days before the departure date, expenses will be payable on the following basis:

• 70 euros per booking (for any package inferior than 300 euros per person) 
• 70 euros per person (for any package of 300 euros and more) 

And for cancellations of a booking

• Between 30 and 21 days before arrival: 25% of the total amount of the trip will be hold back 
• Between 20 and 8 days before arrival: 50% of the total amount of the trip will be hold back 
• Between 7 and 2 days before arrival: 75% of the total amount of the trip will be hold back 
• Less than 2 days before arrival: 90% of the total amount of the trip will be held back
• No-show--total amount of the trip will be held

The insurance costs are not refunded in case of cancellation of the trip.

 CHILDREN  REDUCTIONS

• Children 0-4 in parents' room: 50% discount
• Children 5 to 12 in parents' room: 20% discount
• Children 5 to 12 in children's twin room: 10 percent discount

Terms and Conditions: Loire Valley Travel: Self-guided

Any change to a confirmed booking will give rise to extra cost of: 39  euros per person.
For cancellation of a booking more than 30 days before the departure date, expenses will be payable on the following basis:

• 70 euros per booking (for any package inferior than 300 euros per person) 
• 70 euros per person (for any package of 300 euros and more) 

And for cancellations of a booking

• Between 30 and 21 days before arrival: 25% of the total amount of the trip will be hold back 
• Between 20 and 8 days before arrival: 50% of the total amount of the trip will be hold back 
• Between 7 and 2 days before arrival: 75% of the total amount of the trip will be hold back 
• Less than 2 days before arrival: 90% of the total amount of the trip will be held back
• No-show--total amount of the trip will be held

The insurance costs are not refunded in case of cancellation of the trip.

 CHILDREN  REDUCTIONS

• Children 0-4 in parents' room: 50% discount
• Children 5 to 12 in parents' room: 20% discount
• Children 5 to 12 in children's twin room: 10 percent discount