Loire Valley castles tour discovery

Discover the historic old town and the imposing castle, already the kings of France were magically attracted to this place.

The Loire-cycle path leads you from Blois to Chaumont-sur-Loire. The palace here has never been a royal residence and is hence a bit of an insider tip. It is a sight to see mainly due to the giant park, the annual venue for an international garden show. You end your day in Amboise, whose palace is an especially early example for Renaissance architecture in the Loire-valley. One of the greatest artists of this era found his final resting place here: the town house Clos Lucé attached to the castle is very much dedicated to the memory of Leonardo da Vinci.

This tour leads you into the vineyards on the slopes above the river Loire, into the wine-growing area Montlouis-sur-Loire and the little town with the same name with its idyllic location on the river. Here we recommend a short break before you continue along the riverbank to Tours.

The river Cher leads you directly to the castle Villandry with its terraced gardens. Certainly, you should not miss paying a visit to this famous installation. Every visitor will be amazed by the shadowy footpaths, the flower-bedecked bowers, the fountains and the artistically laid out vegetable gardens. Some kilometres further on you will exchange the bank of the Cher for the bank of the famous Loire. And again you will be tempted by the next castle – Langeais. From the top of the fortified tower (this castle exclusively served for military purposes) you will see the river and its whole surroundings lying in front of you. On the verge of the dark and mysterious forest of Chinon rises the castle of Ussé, the castle of the Sleeping Beauty. Via small villages and on side roads you will reach today’s destination – Chinon.

The river  Vienne initially leads you into the little village of Candes-St-Martin. At the place of death of Saint Martin an amazing Romanesque church was built. In Montsoreau the river Vienne joins the mighty river Loire – an impressive nature spectacle. The ‚Cave Gardens‘ feature a length of over 800 km. You cycle through neat vineyards to Fontevraud l'Abbaye. Nowhere else in the world will you come across a medieval monastery complex so completely preserved as Fontevraud. Now follows a ‚literary return journey‘ to Chinon. Your route leads you past the birth place of the distinguished author Francois Rabelais, as well as through the valley where the plot of his famous book "Gargantua" takes place.

You leave Chinon with its medieval alleyways clustered between river and castle headed North. The route leads you through old vineyards and remote villages to Crissay, with its houses dating back to the 15th century it is considered one of the most beautiful villages in France. Naturally again today you get to marvel at yet another palace, in fact a grade A specimen: Azay-le-Rideau, a Renaissance palace featuring peak perfection. ‚A diamond with a thousand facets, set by the river Indre‘, according to the words of Balzac. What else is there to say? You spend the night directly in the village and hence have the opportunity to enjoy the magic of the palace together with its cultural events.

There is another highlight in store: this time concerning nature. Through the romantic river landscape, steadily following the Indre, you will reach Montbazon. A short ascent awaits you. By pedalling really hard over a mountain ridge you reach the Cher Valley. On meadow paths and along the Cher you go to Bléré, a small market town. For many visitors the Castle of Chenonceaux is the topping on the cake. A magnificent, double floored bridge gallery goes over the river. But before the lovely palace garden will enthuse your eyes. But see and discover on your own.

This tour leads you through the pretty scenery of the Touraine to Chaumont castle and from there you proceed along romantic paths along the river Loire to Blois. After settling into your accommodation you embark on an exploration tour. Bloir palace with its galleries, protruding balconies, bay windows and aspen could be your destination.

Today is mostly dedicated to Chambord palace. Already from a distance this largest and most stupendous residence on the river Loire is shimmering through the trees. You get a very good idea of the incredible dimensions of the complex if you cycle around the palace along the canal. Just the park is a large as the 20 districts of Paris and is surrounded by a 35 km long wall. Half a millennium of French history in Chambord has left its mark: built in the Renaissance are under the art-loving King Francois I., venue for glittering parties and hunting festivities under ‚le Roi Soleil‘ Ludwig XIV., plundered during the French Revolution and today after Versaille the second most visited palace in France. It will be very easy for you to find lots of good reasons for it.