Loire Valley cycling tour around Amboise, Chenonceau & Villandry, 94 kms. (B7)

Day 1: Day in Amboise.

Meet at the hotel in Amboise any time of the day.
(Bed room available after 3 PM).

We provide you with quality bicycle, detailed maps, complete flat tire set and helmets, mineral water for the whole tour, entrance tickets to tour the Loire Valley chateaux of Amboise, Clos Lucé, Chenonceau castles, Villandry gardens, vouchers for hotels and other services in the tour, itineraries, maps, emergency phone numbers for assistance.

You are welcome to take a short ride for final bike adjustments.
For assistance during your tour, you may contact us 7 days a week on our emergency line.

You are free to visit the Medieval and Renaissance town of Amboise by foot or bike.

 

Tour of the Chateau of Amboise.
The Chateau of Amboise was built in the 15th and 16th centuries. This authentic royal castle, introduces Italian style to the Loire Valley. Leonardo Da Vinci rests in the Chapel the Chateau. In the Saint-Hubert chapel, the tomb of Leonardo Da Vinci has recently been elegantly restored.

Tour of the Chateau du Clos Lucé.

Enamoured of the Italian renaissance architecture the king Francois 1st decides to build new chateaux in the Loire Valley and invites Leonardo da Vinci to France in 1516. He settles him in Manor of Clos Luce where this great artist and scientist spent the last three years of his life offering to humanity his amazing inventions.
Leonardo da Vinci was a great painter, architect, engineer, scientist and philosopher. On the walls of the Clos Luce you will discover many of the genius citations. In the Manor and the gardens, you discover models of some Leonardo creations like the helicopter, the parachute, the mobile bridge, the tank…

Late afternoon, check-in 4* hotel in Amboise.
The hotel in located in the heart of Amboise, at the foot of the Royal castle.
Dinner at the gourmet restaurant of the hotel.
Located by the Loire and at the foot of the Royal Castle of Amboise, your luxury hotel is a typical Touraine town house.

Day 2: Chateau of Chenonceau, 35 kms loop.

Pedal on the gentle hills from the Loire Valley to the nearby Cher river Valley to Chateau de Chenonceau.

 

Tour of the Chateau of Chenonceau.
The unique architecture of the Chateau makes it one of the most exquisite Chateaus of the Loire Valley. Chenonceau is related to important French Renaissance ladies and was offered by King Henry 2nd to his mistress Diane de Poitiers.
See the black room of Louise de Lorraine, the gallery and the spectacular kitchens.

Pedal back to your chateau hotel.

Night at your 4* hotel.
Dinner at leisure, upon our recommendation.

Day 3: Biking Amboise to Tours, 25 kms.

Check out, ride to Tours (app. 2 hours).

Check-in at the 4* Hôtel in Tours.
Your hotel is set in a fashionable shopping area one kilometre from the Old Town. This hotel has been the most prestigious address in Tours since 1846. Many large personalities of the Europe and the New World stayed in this best hotel of Tours. In addition to its rich and historic past, as underlined by its celebrated portrait gallery, it offers all the comfort of a grand hotel established in the best traditions of hospitality and elegance “à la Française”.

Enjoy Tours by foot or bike.
Discover the area known as "Old Tours", pedestrian streets and numerous XVth and XVIth c. timber-framed houses, the famous place Plumereau, Charlemagne Tower, Saint-Martin collegiate church, and the new Saint-Martin Basilica.

Walk in the fabulous market on Tours, the largest food market in the Loire Valley. Open market on Wednesdays and Saturdays and covered market every day. You will understand why we nickname our region “the garden of France” and discover our wines, cheeses, our fruits, vegetables, local meat dishes (charcuterie) and fish.

Tours is the largest city in the Loire Valley and its capital city. Located in the heart of the region, it is the best base for sightseeing. Historically and architecturally speaking, it is one of the cradles of the French Renaissance. Discover the cathedral, the picturesque Place Plumereau and its medieval and Renaissance houses…

Dinner at leisure in Tours upon our recommendation.

Day 4: Tours- Chateau of Villandry, 34 kms loop.

Ride to Villandry (17 km).

 
Tour of one of the most spectacular gardens of Touraine, Villandry. By its diversity and originality (Love Garden, Kitchen Garden, Aromatic and Medicine Plant Garden, Water Garden and the brand new Sun Garden) and by its size ( 15 acres, 1150 linden trees), Villandry is the Loire Valley garden not to be missed. Learn to speak the language of a medieval and Renaissance garden, discover the power of thyme and basil on your health.

Ride back to your hotel.

Dinner at leisure in Tours upon our recommendation.

Day 5: End of the tour.

Check out after breakfast.