Loire Valley cycling holiday, France
Description of Loire Valley cycling holiday, France
The Loire Valley is one of France’s most magical regions, rightly famous for the many chateaux that line the banks of the river. This cycling trip gives you plenty of time to explore the castles in this ’valley of the kings’ – find out exactly what’s behind those huge closed doors.
The Loire Valley provides flat, easy terrain for cyclists. You’ll travel between 14 and 26 miles a day – easy-peasy by bicycle – using national cycle route and quiet roads, and you can always extend your journey if you like more time in the saddle. You’ll cycle from hotel to hotel, staying in family-run properties. This is a self-guided tour where your luggage is transported ahead, leaving you to explore as you please.
The path follows the Loire River as it glides past farmland and gardens. Highlights on the way include the world-famous Renaissance gardens at Villandry, charming lesser-known chateaux like Château d’Azay-le-Rideau, and enormous medieval Fontevraud Abbey: Richard the Lionheart is buried here.
No holiday in the Loire is complete without some knockout French cuisine. The region is famous for its white wine and you’ll also find plenty of lush local produce – making mealtimes a highlight of the holiday.
This popular trip has been designed and honed over the years by a specialist company who know and love the region. E-bikes are available on request, and train travel to the region can be arranged, too.
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Reviews
1 Reviews of Loire Valley cycling holiday, France
Reviewed on 09 Oct 2019 by Felicity Gallimore
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Finishing the 54km on the first day having enjoyed all the scenery along the way.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Cycling shorts definitely a must!
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Benefited local people.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Fantastic. Enjoyed every minute despite some mixed weather.
Responsible Travel
Planet
We've been delivering holidays by bicycle for over 30 years, encouraging this environmentally-friendly activity is at the absolute core of our business.Our destination managers in the Loire Valley provide all cyclists with a refillable water bottle and share some top tips on how to support the local environment. Ideas such as turning off lights when leaving a room, considering if you need clean towels and bedding regularly and taking no more than one shower daily when possible.
We also encourage our clients to stick to marked trails and to take away any waste when stopping off for a picnic or to explore the local area.
At our head office in the UK we recycle paper, card, plastic and metal cans and we always try to use fully recyclable materials for our printed travel documents and marketing communications. We encourage all our staff to cycle when they can and are part of the Cycle to Work scheme. We also like to take part in charity bike rides together each year.
People
Each year when we purchase new equipment we will donate our previous bikes and accessories to local businesses and charities in the Loire Valley. We also work with World Bicycle Relief to support bike-led charity projects in developing nations.All our tours encourage cyclists to get off the beaten track and discover the lesser-known parts of the Loire Valley, visit small farmers markets and eat in local restaurants. We also work with local suppliers to organise activities that support the local economy wherever possible and offer advice on bartering to offer a fair price for both the client and the vendor.
Our cycle experts and destination managers will also advise our clients to respect local cultures and traditions when visiting the area and its historic or religious sites, including appropriate dress. They will also discuss other ways you can consider your impact on the community such as asking for permission before taking someone’s photograph and learning a few words in the local language – often hello, goodbye and thanks is a good place to start.
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