Loire Valley Châteaux by bike

A typical itinerary for visiting the châteaux of the Loire Valley by bike

The valley boasts 11 royal castles and 21 large noble castles. There are many possible itineraries, depending on what you really want to see and how much time you have. To combine a pleasant stroll through the countryside with stops in the villages, let's imagine a typical 5-day itinerary:

• Stage 1: Langeais - Azay le Rideau (10 km via Lignères de Touraine). In the morning, you can see the drawbridges and machicolations of Langeais, and in about 1 hour, you can reach the delightful Renaissance château of Azay le Rideau, which seems to float on the Indre River.
• Stage 2: Azay le Rideau - Chenonceau (54 km via D84 - Montbazon and Athée s/Cher). Approx. 4-hour drive in the shade of tall trees, with picnic lunch, to visit Chenonceau, known as the Château des Dames.
• Stage 3: Chenonceau - Amboise - Chaumont sur Loire (13km via D81 + 18km via D751 - via Rilly S/Loire). 1 hour before stopping at Château d'Amboise and its Clos Lucé, home to Leonardo da Vinci, then approx. 1h30 to Château de Chaumont, the birthplace of Catherine de Médicis and Diane de Poitiers.
• Stage 4: Chaumont-Blois (20 km via Chouzy - D58 and D135c). Just 1h30 of pedaling through forests and vineyards to reach Blois and its castle in the heart of the city, favorite residence of Renaissance kings.
• Stage 5: Blois - Chambord (16 km via the Route de Charles X - D72). A royal road that takes just over an hour to reach the jewel of the Loire châteaux, a royal estate designed by François 1er and completed by Louis XIV.

A route of around 130 kilometers to take the time to visit 7 of the Loire's most beautiful châteaux in 5 days.

Why visit the Loire by bike?

Firstly, for the extreme beauty and diversity of the banks of the Loire and its tributaries. With every turn of the wheel, the landscape changes, from vineyards and forests to riverside meadows.
The Loire Valley has so much historical heritage concentrated in just a few dozen kilometers that it would be a shame to miss out. All the more so as the region is rather flat (ideal for amateur cyclists) and the roads are in perfect condition. Cycle paths are legion, and cycling from Blois to Chambord gives you a "very natural" atmosphere, closer to the time of their greatness.
What's more, as cycle tourism is well developed here, bike rentals are readily available, and you can even drop them off at a number of different relay points. For evening accommodation, there are B&Bs everywhere, some offers on Airbnb and also charming little country hotels.

On an itinerary like the one described here, you can take your time and stop whenever you feel like it. Last but not least, discovering the chateaux of the Loire Valley by bike is also economical.

Are you about to visit the châteaux of the Loire Valley by bike? You'll also love the Loire by bike.

The most beautiful places to cycle in the Loire Valley

It's hard to choose, but let's go for it:

• 1. The road between Montbazon and Athée sur Cher to Chenonceau. Picnic by the water in the shade of tall trees
• 2. Discover Amboise by bike and on foot, a truly "cradle of kings" town well worth a visit.
• 3. The arrival of Azay le Rideau on the garden side, where we verify the accuracy of Balzac's words "a faceted diamond set by the Indre".
• 4. The majestic forest of Chambord and the finish on the 32 km long castle wall! In the middle, the French gardens and the mythical royal estate.