Cycling in the Loire Valley: from Touraine to Anjou

Difficulty level 2/5, easy to moderate cycling that is possible for most moderately experienced cyclists looking for an average physical activity level each day. The itinerary mainly follows bike paths and small paved roads. It avoids main roads with heavier car traffic as often as possible. 

Cycling stages of 28 to 61km/17.4 to 37.9mi per day according to the program, 2 to 5 hours of cycling per day. 

Children: Accessible to most active children from ~12 years old and up.

You only carry the essential items you need for the day (lunch/picnic, water & personal belongings) in a saddlebag/backpack. You will find your luggage in the evening at your hotel. It is limited to one piece of luggage per person. Transported bags need to be at hotel reception before 9am each morning and will be delivered before 6pm to the next accommodation.

From 2 people. Possible for solo traveller with supplement fee and single rooms are subject to availability.

8 days / 7 nights / 6 days of cycling (+1 day optional)

► Start
Day 1 in Blois at hotel check-in ~3pm.

► Finish
Day 8 in Angers after breakfast and hotel check-out ~10am.

Self-guided tour, without a human guide. A digital travel packet will be sent by email that includes: the list of your accommodations, travel vouchers, all the detailed information you need to make your trip a success (documents in German, French or English as guests request), and access to our phone travel app for navigating bike rides and accessing local maps. The application is available in English only. If a guest wishes to have a “printed travel packet” (with paper roadbook in German, French or English + topo maps), it needs to be requested at the time of booking and there is a supplement fee per package. For all requests, the printed travel packet will be waiting and given to guests at the 1st accommodation included in the itinerary. There is no welcome meeting at the arrival hotel or bike rental orientation meeting on this tour.

► Accommodation
Standard Comfort Category: In double occupancy rooms in B&B, in hotels 2* (3 nights) and 3* (3 nights) or equivalent. 1 night in a charming guesthouse in Langeais. Single rooms are subject to availability and require a supplement fee.
Superior Comfort Category: In double occupancy rooms in B&B, in hotels 3* (3 nights) and 4* (2 night) or equivalent. 1 night in a charming guesthouse (3* equivalent). Single rooms are subject to availability and require a supplement fee.

Please Note: In Europe, more and more hotels, B&Bs and guesthouses are refusing to take part in the star-rating system, even establishments which were classified a year or two ago are now choosing to not take part. This doesn’t mean that they are of a lesser quality, in fact far from it. If we indicate that an accommodation is ‘3-star or equivalent to’ this means that the establishment may have chosen not to receive an official classification, but we believe the level of comfort provided is equal to that of a traditional 3-star establishment. 

► Meals
Breakfasts are included at hotels. Lunches are not included, but the circuit crosses a great number of villages each day during rides. This enables you to easily choose a place for lunch at a restaurant, café or picnic. Dinners are not included, but each night there are multiple dining options near your accommodations.

-Please let us know of any food allergies or special dietary requirements when you register; we'll do our best to accommodate your meals.

► Extra Nights
It is possible to add extra nights before or after your tour in Angers or Blois.

You can add an extra night before or after your stay in Angers or Blois. You can also combine this trip with our Angers to St Brevin FRALV0031 or our new trip La Vélo Francette Angers to La Rochelle FRALV0027.

We organize bike reservations for our guests. Please advise during booking any desire for a bike rental and which type you would like. The bikes will be adjusted to your size before arrival. Please provide us your height details when including a bike rental when booking this tour. All rentals are prepared by a cycling professional. 

If you choose to rent a bike, it will be delivered to your 1st hotel on the morning of day 2. At the end of the tour, you will leave your bike at the hotel on the evening of day 7 and inform the reception of the hotel. they will take care of the bike from that moment onwards. 

Type: Hybrid bike, Scott or equivalent, equipped with Shimano 27-speed drivetrain, Custom Racktime rack.

For reasons of hygiene, water bottles are not supplied with rentals. A repair kit, pump, anti-theft device, bottle cage, panniers/saddle bags and helmet are available.

Don't forget to let us know your size when booking.

Hybrid Bikes

E-Bike (with electrical pedal assistance)

Optional “Saddle Up”:
For a supplement fee you may plan an appointment for your bike delivery. The service includes an adjustment for optimal positioning on your bike, technical explanations on the operation of the bike and the answering of your questions to ensure your understanding of your rental bike.

Bringing Your Own Bike:
We recommend that you use a hybrid bike for this trip, and that you make sure to check everything is working well before you set off for your holiday. At the end of the trip, you will need to take care of getting your bike home with you.

Return journey by train from Angers to Blois; bicycles are accepted on certain routes, but please check the timetables and trains that do or do not accept bicycles before setting off. https://www.oui.sncf 

Insurance can be organized for you (see options, supplements, discounts).

► Trip Starting Destination
This tour starts in the city of Blois, France

► Trip Ending Destination
This tour ends in Angers, France

► By Plane
The closest airport To Blois is Tours. There are trains going from Tours (St-Pierre-des-Corps) to Blois (~30 min). Airport Information: Aéroport de Tours Val de Loire | Edeis

If you arrive by one of the Paris airports, you may take a shuttle to Paris’s Austerlitz train station, and then take a train from Paris to Blois (about 1.5 hours). 

Visit for more information: Paris Aéroport | Official website of Paris-CDG and Paris-Orly airports (parisaeroport.fr)

► By Train
Paris (Austerlitz train station) to Blois: about 1.5 hours
Paris (Montparnasse train station) to Tours: about 1 hour and 15 minutes - Tours to Blois about 20 minutes. The castle in Blois is situated about an 8 min. on foot from the railway station.

Angers to Blois: about 2-2.5 hours

Angers to Paris: about 2-2.5 hours

French Train Schedules and Information: SNCF – Timetables, Trains, Traffic, Services, International | SNCF

► By Car
Motorway A10: Paris / Bordeaux, exit Blois (170km/106mi), National Road RN 152: Paris / Orléans / Blois (180km/112mi).

Parking: During your trip, you can park your car in the underground car park Vinci Château (next to the first hotel) for a fixed fee depending on length of trip. 

Car park Vinci Château: +33 (0)2 54 78 99 01.

► By Bus
- Flix Bus: https://www.flixbus.com/ 
- Bla Bla Car (bus and carpool options): https://www.blablacar.co.uk/bus 

You take beautiful pictures! Don't hesitate to send us a CD, a USB stick, a Dropbox or WeTransfer link  of your best photos taken during your trip. The fact that you send us photos implies that you accept that your photos will be used free of charge on our various media outlets (social media, catalog, website, trip information documents, etc.).

Would you like to share your best moments of the trip and share your experience with the greater Grand Angle hiking community? Send us your story and some photos illustrating your words that we can consider publishing on our blog.

► Acting for Responsible Tourism - ATR label
Grand Angle is an active member of the ATR association "Agir pour un Tourisme Responsable", whose compliance with the label has been certified by Ecocert Environnement.
The common values of the label, shared by all its members, are represented by: transparency (between the customer and the travel agency), partnership (between local service providers and the travel agency) and consistency (synonymous with good communication within the travel agency team).

Being a member of ATR commits us to:
•    Promoting quality tourism
•    Respect for the environment, heritage and local people
•    Educating travelers about local customs
•    Inform travellers in full transparency about their travel conditions

For more information on the ATR association: www.tourisme-responsable.org 

► The European Charter for Sustainable Tourism in Protected Areas 
In 2014, Grand Angle was one of the first tour operators to be certified under the European Charter for Sustainable Tourism, created and developed by Europarc, the Federation of European Protected Areas, which includes Regional Natural Parks, National Parks and Nature Reserves. 

The purpose of the European Charter is to develop quality, sustainable and responsible tourism in protected areas, with respect for people and their environment. Being certified under the CETD is a recognition of our commitment to sustainable tourism and development rooted in the territories, economically, socially and environmentally. 

The certification is a proof of the confidence that the Parks have in our company and its approach.
Grand Angle's partner in this certification is the Vercors Regional Natural Park, our homeland: http://parc-du-vercors.fr   

Find out more about the European Charter for Sustainable Tourism: http://www.europarc.org/sustainable-tourism/