Cycling through the Loire Valley
The Loire valley is one of the most idyllic parts of Franc; combining charm, delicious food and wine, gorgeous summer weather and all at the slow and winding pace of the Loire river, reports Tomas Mowlam.
Many tourists cross the river through this beautiful countryside, as they flit about France, but one of the best ways to see the area is to follow the Loire at its own unhurried pace; so on yer bike!
Cycling allows you to experience the countryside, gives you freedom to move and is above all a clean and green way of getting about, she French government established the Loire à Vélo route.
The 800 km route is accessible by 20 rail stations and 300 bus stops, which means you can pick and choose the best parts of the trail you want to cycle. Either do it yourself with a map, picking out points of interest such as St Brevin’s white sandy beaches, Sancerre famous for its wines, or Tours mediaeval streets.
Alternatively try one of the readymade itineraries like the Chateuaux trail that takes you through Lestiou, Blois and Conde-sur-Beuvron; 51 km trail of luxurious stately homes.
Of course the Loire is known for its wines, so why not wobble your way through a vineyard trail. Click for details.
There’s plenty of wildlife along the river with boar, deer, 1,450 species of plant and even beaver, to keep you occupied in between the wine.
The Loire was the frontier between England and France during much of the Hundred Years War which is why there are so many castles dotting the landscape, like the fortress town of Angers.
Check out the Romanesque art of the Royal Abbey of Fontevraud, the Gothic Saint-Gatien Cathedral in Tours or the Cléry-Saint-André Basilica. All beautiful churches carved in the local soft limestone – tuffeau.
The project started in 1995, to make the most of the valley, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. €52 million was spent making bike trails, signs and everything else to make this a hassle free ride.
Look out for accommodation with the Accueil Vélo sign, which means that it’s accredited for the trail and cyclist friendly, probably providing services such as baggage forwarding so you can keep riding light.
Over 6000 sailors used to ply the river from Nantes to Orleans during the 19th Century, in traditional boats called chalands, toues, gabares and fûtreaux. But now the wharves and docks are quiet, and the river only disturbed by pleasure boats.
So hop on your bike and peddle alongside.
Image Credit: Ell Brown
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