You travel independently to Orléans, the entrance/gateway to the heart of the famous Loire valley. It  was a regional capital in the early French Middle Ages, nowadays it’s a lively, modern town with a beautiful historic centre.  An ideal place to start this route along Europe’s last wild river: The Loire. 

Once in the country you soon reach the confluence of the Loiret and the Loire. A great part of the day you follow the high banks with beautiful views of the surrounding undulating countryside. Don’t miss the historic towns Meung-sur-Loire and Beaugency. These old towns and the modern power station of St. Laurent-des-Eaux very clearly show how important the Loire is, and has always been. A wonderful, flat track takes you, in a very relaxed way, to the special and unique landscape of the world famous ‘Pays des Châteaux’. 

Challenge: 62.7km, 87m ascent, 117m descent

From Blois you follow the southern bank of the Loire. Between rolling hills with vineyards you cycle to Cande-sur-Beuvron. Cycle back along the Beuvron to the majestic Loire. High on the bank is the elegant castle of Chaumont-sur-Loire surrounded by beautiful gardens. You are in the historic region Touraine. Visit a wine grower and taste a local ‘sauvignon blanc´. Enjoy the grandeur of the Château Amboise and Clos-Lucé where Leonardo da Vinci once stayed. There are some short climbs on the way.

Challenge: 42.5km, 204m ascent, 209m descent

Today you travel through the wine region of the prestigious ´Montlouis’ wines. The ideal microclimate, close to where the Loire and Cher unite, produces grapes of a unique quality. Discover this yourself during a visit to a wine cellar or a lunchbreak. A fine track leads to Tours, the friendly capital of what is called ´the garden of France´. Continue along the beautiful southern bank of the Cher to the castle of Villandry, with its gorgeous gardens. Here the modest Cher flows out in the broad Loire. 

Challenge: 49.7km, 119m ascent, 144m descent

Via the ‘Bec du Cher’ along the Loire to the Château of Ussé. From the high bank you have beautiful views of the river and its islands full of water birds. The landscape is unspoiled where the Indre flows out in the Loire. Enjoying the magnificent panoramas you go on to the lovely Candes-St-Martin where the Vienne and Loire confluent. This is Anjou, known for its wines and troglodytes. Choose the track close to the Loire or follow the higher, more exciting but also more strenuous track across the vineyards. Both end at the castle of Saumur. 

Challenge: 63.6km, 199m ascent, 202m descent

Breakfast marks the end of the trip. Have you got some time left, then visit the equestrian town of Saumur, the home base of the prestigious riding academy the Cadre Noir where the elite of French horsemen are trained. Enjoy the beautiful houses with their white tuffeau stone facades in the town centre and admire the proud castle and the many other beautiful classified monuments.