Loire Valley canoe and cycling tour around Blois, Amboise & Chenonceau, 94 kms. (B6)

Day 1: Biking Blois-Chaumont sur Loire, 25 kms. Canoeing Chaumont-Amboise, 18 kms.

Meet in Blois.

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, vouchers for hotels and other services in the tour, itineraries, maps, emergency phone numbers for assistance
For assistance during your tour, you may contact us 7 days a week on our emergency line.
You are welcome to take a short ride for final bike adjustments.

Magnificent ride along the Loire all the way to Chaumont.

Depending on your arrival time, we recommend the tour of the Chateau de Blois and a bike or walking tour of the town.

This ancient city with a rich historical part merits to be visited. In the XVIth century Blois was the capital of France, under the king Louis XII. You can stroll through the old town, along its paved side-streets.

Chateau of Blois.
The Chateau de Blois is unique by its combination of four architectural styles: Gothic, Flamboyant, Renaissance and Classic. Built by Counts of Blois, Louis XII, Francois I and Louis XIII, this chateau keeps the souvenir of many well-known historical events.

Cycle to Chaumont sur Loire.
Built in X century by counts of Blois as a medieval fortress, Chateau de Chaumont has been completely destroyed in 1465 by Louis XI. Afterwards it was rebuilt and many times reconstructed by different owners. Now this chateau combines the medieval style with renaissance one.
April 25th to October 21st: visit of the Garden Festival instead of the Castle.

Board a canoe and head to Amboise, down the Loire River.

Late afternoon, check-in at 3* holiday resort and SPA, near Amboise.
Dinner at the hotel.
Located in a wonderful green setting, by the forest, the Météor Resort is a brand new residence in Amboise.
From summer 2012, a great spa and swimming pool will be available.
Each apartment has all the modern amenities (living room, TV, internet, bathroom with bathtub…) + a kitchen with dishwasher, microwave oven so that you can shop our great fresh farmers’ products during the day and cook in the evening.

Day 2: Day in Amboise, 10 kms.

 
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…

Night at 3.holiday resort.
Dinner at leisure in Amboise upon our recommendation or in your apartment.

Day 3: Amboise to Chissay via Chateau de Chenonceau, 16 kms.

Check out.

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.

Check in at your hotel Chateau Hotel, accommodation in a superior room.
The foundations of the Chateau are from the 12th century and the main Chateau was built under King Charles 7th.

Dinner at Château hotel.

Day 4: Canoeing and biking along the Cher, 24 kms.

Ride to Montrichard.

In Montrichard, board a canoe and let the current gently take you all the way down the Cher from Montrichard to Civray (app. 3 hours), with the best view ever on the most famous chateau in the Loire Valley; Chenonceau.

We highly recommend you to bring your picnic and have lunch on the left bank of the Cher, looking at the Chateau.

Keep on canoing, pass under the bridge of the chateau and after less than 1 hour, in Civray, grab your bike and pedal back to your hotel all the way along the river.

Night at Chateau-hotel. Dinner at your leisure.

Day 5: End of the tour.

Check out after breakfast.