Orléans to Saumur (Loire Valley) Self Guided Cycling Holiday
Self-Guided | Individual | 8 days | 7 nights | From £669 per person
Other durations available on request.
Full holiday prices by date are shown on the ‘Book Now’ tab.
Book the Orléans to Saumur (Loire Valley) cycling holiday here >>
Tour Highlights
• Encounter more than two hundred castles.
• Pedal from historic town to town, visiting architectural masterpieces.
• Quiet country roads and gentle terrain make for perfect cycling.
• See the house where Leonardo da Vinci spent the last years of his life.
• Cycle along the world-famous Loire Valley cycle route.
Route profile
Route mostly on low traffic roads in rural and city areas. Short stretches are on unpaved roads. Couple of days present some short uphill with the only relevant ascent to Les Baux de Provence (4km of gentle ascent).
The approximate difficulty level for this tour
Day 1: Orléans.
Independent arrival in Orléans, homeland of Joan of Arc.
Day 2: Orléans–Beaugency/St. Dyé (30/50km).
You pedal along the Loire alternating cycle paths with back roads. After a visit to Meung-sur-Loire you arrive at the Chateau Dunois, with the beautiful medieval centre of Beaugency. A land full of water and culture will lead the way to the beautiful town of St. Dyé, an ancient river harbour
Day 3: Beaugency/St. Dyé–Blois (30/50km).
From the huge park surrounding Chambord Castle today’s trip continues at the border of the forest of Boulogne. On the other side of the Loire crowded with a wonderful bridge, you can already see the profile of Blois and its castle, the steeples of the abbey and the Cathedral of St. Louis standing out.
Day 4: Blois–Amboise (45 km).
After the visit of the city of Blois and its impressive castle, you pedal through forests up to the town of Onzain. Here it is possible to visit the castle of Chaumont built on the top of a hill overlooking the river. In Amboise you cannot miss the house where Leonardo da Vinci spent the last years of his life.
Day 5: Amboise–Tours (55 km).
After the forest of Amboise you arrive in Chenonceaux, known as the castle of the three ladies. You continue along the river Cher up to the city of Tours. You might also decide to stop for a visit at the castle of Nitray with its famous wine cellars.
Day 6: Tours–Chinon (60 km).
Pedalling between the Loire and the Cher rivers you arrive at Villandry Castle, well known for its gardens. Following the Loire river, you’ll reach the city Langeais where you can stop for a break. Before arriving in Chinon you will visit Ussé, where you can admire the castle of the Sleeping Beauty.
Day 7: Chinon–Saumur (35 km).
The tour continues along country roads beyond the confluence of the rivers Loire and Vienne arriving in Savigny en Vèron and the sites of Candes St-Martin. A few Kilometres away there is the castle of Montsoreau from which you can enjoy the landscape over the Fontevraud Abbey. At the end of the stage you will visit Saumur, considered the “Pearl of Anjou”.
Day 8: Saumur.
Departure after breakfast.Possibility to book extra nights.
Route Profile
Total length: 275 km
Total vertical up: 1.240 m
Terrain: 91% tarmac, 9% unpaved
Train connection among the overnight stays: every day
Possibility to shorten the itinerary by taking the train: day 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6.
On this tour you cycle through the wonderful Loire Valley. This cycle trip is not very demanding, though sometimes there are some hilly sections.
The daily stages are not very long – always about 50 kms – mostly in the lowlands, The itinerary is mainly on cycle paths or paved roads with a low volume of traffic.
Where is the starting point of the holiday?
Tour Route Map
The Orléans to Saumur (Loire Valley) tour stays in guesthouses, 2* and 3* hotels carefully chosen for their location, hospitality and proximity to your tour route.
Your stay includes the daily transfer of luggage to the next hotel and permanent assistance in case of problems.
Included services
- 7 nights hotel accommodation
– Breakfast buffet
– Welcome briefing in English
– Travel guide, Maps, Road book
– Luggage transportation
– Hotline service
– Hotel taxes
After years of touring throughout Europe, opinions and feed-back by customers, road and workshop tests you will use a bike, which is perfect for the city, but above all suitable for trekking: solid, reliable and with excellent technical characteristics.
27-gear City Sports Bike
TYRES: Puncture-resistant Schwalbe Marathon plus
GEAR: Shimano Deore LX 27 gears or Shimano Nexus 7 gears with pedal brake.
SADDLE: Selle Royal www.selleroyal.com
HANDLEBAR GRIPS: Ergonomic
27-gear unisex City Sports Bike
TYRES: Puncture-resistant Schwalbe Marathon plus
GEAR: Shimano Deore LX 27 gears or Shimano Nexus 7 gears with pedal brake.
SADDLE: Selle Royal www.selleroyal.com
HANDLEBAR GRIPS: Ergonomic
Orleans to Saumur (Loire Valley), 8 days, 7 nights
Prices are per person and include bike hire.
Cycling Holiday Prices:
Prices are based on seasonal date bands
Season 1: April – May | September – September
Arrival Saturdays
Season 2: May – June | August- September
Arrival Saturdays
Season 3: June – August
Arrival Saturdays
Arrival Sunday: May- August
Category Information
Category A: Prices per person including bike hire
Season 1: From £759 | Book online here >>
Season 2: From £839 | Book online here >>
Season 3: From £869 | Book online here >>
Single Room Supplement: From £229
Half Board Upgrade: From £169
Electric Bike Upgrade: From £109
Category B: Prices per person including bike hire
Season 1: From £669 | Book online here >>
Season 2: From £749 | Book online here >>
Season 3: From £769 | Book online here >>
Single Room Supplement: From £199
Half Board Upgrade: From £159
Electric Bike Upgrade: From £109
Extra Nights (Price Per Person)
Location | Price (DBL/BB )| Single (SGL/ BB)
Orleans: From £59 | £85
Saumur (Cat A): From £69 | £100
Saumur (Cat B): From £59 | £85
Calculate the cost of your cycling holiday
Hotel Category Descriptions
Category A: Mainly 3* hotels with some 2* hotels.
Category B: Mainly 2* hotels with some 3* hotels.
Any local tourist taxes are not included in the holiday price and are payable at the hotel.
For help and queries regarding this tour…
Contact us | F.A.Qs
Holiday Price: From £669
Single Supplement: £199