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  • BE: +32 (0) 2 588 76 91
Voyage vélo Cycling holidays in France
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Loire Valley

Cycling the Loire Valley: from the Anjou area to the city of Dukes

Ride the last leg of the Loire Valley from Saumur to Nantes. The landcapes of the Loire river disappear gradually to leave place to the city of Dukes.

Reviews (3) :
4.33 / 5
Reference L0806
  • Itinerant trip
  • 8 days
  • Easy
  • From Avril to October
  • Minimum age 1 year
GPSGPS-app available
From
Prices
875€ / pers.
Book here
  • Itinerary
    • Discover the last leg of the Loire Valley from Saumur to Nantes. You’ll enjoy the changing colors of the Loire Valley, the vineyards around Saumur and the castle of Angers and its magnificient medieval tapestry, the best well-preserved in Europe.

    During your trip, you’ll ride along the Loire islands up to Montjean-sur-Loire, Saint-Florent-le-Viel and its beautiful abbey , Ancenis and its castle or Oudon and its dungeon. Then you’ll reach Nantes, its "Ducs de Bretagne" castle, its cathedral and its amazing machines.

    This varied tour takes you from the heart of the Anjou countryside to the city of Dukes. Quite a change!!

    Day 1
     
     

    Arrival in Saumur

    Discover the charming old town of Saumur and its magnificent castle crowning the city. Saumur is not only the capitale of the equestrian art but also a gastronomy center surrounded by a rich wine area.

    Day 2
     
     

    Saumur - Gennes

    Bike
    19km
    This journey gives you the opportunity to fully enjoy the beauty of the Loire valley. You leave Saumur and follow the Loire on the bike path "Loire à vélo", along which you will discover many beautiful little villages with their medieval churches.

    In Trèves you stop for a visit of the 15th century-old dungeon. Shortly before reaching Gennes your path will lead you through a magnificent forest, along a beautiful pond. It’s the perfect place to picnic!

    Day 3
     
     

    Gennes - Angers

    Bike
    46km
    You continue to enjoy the charms of the Loire valley. You ride along the small villages of the Loire and enjoy the many small cafés to relax in the shade of the willows. Then you cross the Loire and the Loiret in Ponts-de-Cé and ride down the Loire to the confluence of the Maine. Finally, Angers appears with its castle, its fortress and its lively streets.

    Day 4
     
     

    Angers - Montjean-sur-Loire

    Bike
    39km
    Discover the beautiful city of Angers, its castle and its busy streets. You’ll leave the city riding along the Maine river, along the lake and across the woods until the confluence with the Loire river. Then, the itinerary leaves the river taking you to the hillside of the prestigious vineyards of Savennières.

    You reach the southside of the river crossing the Chalonnes’ island, one of the largest in the Loire river. Your daytrip ends in the lovely village of Montjean-sur-Loire. Just before the village, you ride by the large headframe of an old coal mine and the limekilns, witnesses of the mining history.

    Day 5
     
     

    Montjean-sur-Loire - Ancenis

    Bike
    29km
    You leave Montjean-sur-Loire riding on the elevation along the Loire river. Discover the charming village of Saint-Florent-le-Vieil, birthplace of the writer Julien Gracq. The town with its magnificient XVIIth century abbey atop the Mont Glone is classified « Petite Cité de Caractère ». From the abbey, you’ll embrace a spectacular panorama over the Loire valley.

    Then, you keep on riding on small country roads. Crossing again the Loire river you enter Ancenis, former Bretagne harbour admiring the medieval castle and its moats.

    Day 6
     
     

    Ancenis - Nantes

    Bike
    39km
    Start the day reaching the lovely town of Oudon and its impressive dungeon guarding the city. You get to the left bank of the river to Champtoceaux, old medieval fortress. Riding along the river and its islands, you’ll cross the first lamb’s lettuce fields near Nantes.

    Eventually, a nice shady cycle path will take you to the Dukes’ city. Pass by the former LU biscuit factory, nowadays cultural and artistic center. Your itinerary ends in front of the beautiful Ducs de Bretagne castle, in the historical center of Nantes.

    Day 7
     
     

    Nantes

    Bike
    8km
    Take advantage of your last day to discover the city of the Dukes of Brittany on foot or by bike.
    Very dynamic, Nantes is constantly reinventing itself without denying its past. Take the time to visit the city’s must-sees, the Saint-Pierre-et-Saint-Paul cathedral, the castle of the Dukes of Brittany, the Graslin shopping district and its magnificent Pommeraye passage or the "Lieu Unique" a cultural center installed in the former Lu biscuit factory.

    Day 8
     
     

    Departure from Nantes

    After a nice breakfast, enjoy furthermore the gorgious city of Nantes before leaving.
  • Accommodation

    • Category A

    You’ll enjoy staying in these clean and cozy 2-Star hotels that give you a pleasant rest after your day of biking. Breakfast is included when you spend the night in these friendly and family-run hotels.
    * Example of the type of accommodation

    Category B

    You’ll get a good night’s sleep when you stay in these 3-Star hotels or Bed and Breakfasts. All properties have been selected for their cleanliness, style and friendliness of the staff. A hearty breakfast is included!
    * Example of the type of accommodation
  • Bikes, luggage and documents
    • Bikes

    On your arrival day, we provide you with:

    • a touring bike adjusted to your size or a tandem
    • equipped : front rack pack with an integrated file compartment, saddlebag, helmet (on demand), reflective vest, repairing toolkit with patches etc.

    We also provide you with the appropriate equipment for your children : baby seat, bike trailer or trailer bike depending on their age and size.
    Electric bikes are also available for adults (+1m55).

    You can of course also bring your own bikes, in this case a reduction will be applied (see the Tarif tab)


    Luggage

    Our services include luggage transport in order to let you enjoy your trip comfortably and without stress :
    • We transport your luggage from one accommodation to the next using a private vehicle.
    • Your luggage is directly delivered in your accommodation before you arrive.
    • We provide a saddlebag for the things you shall need during the day.

    Our word of advice : as we know from experience, we strongly recommend you to avoid wearing a backpack during your cycling trip.


    Travel documents

    A cycling holiday is the best way to explore a region and discover its culture, landscapes and local traditions.

    Your tour is self-guided to give you the freedom to ride at your own pace. You will be provided all the information you need to enjoy peacefully the itinerary and its interesting sites.
    You will have in your travel documents :
    • a detailed map (A4 format) of the itinerary that we drew at the easiest scale to follow for a bicycle rider
    • a step-by-step description of the itinerary (bound A5 format) giving the direction to follow at each intersection
    • a tourist leaflet containing a brief presentation and useful practical information (opening time, price, contact) about the points of interest along the way

    Example of a map and a step-by-step description


    GPS tracks
    For this trip, we also provide the GPS tracks on demand in the .gpx format at no extra cost.
  • Practical information
    • To get to departure point:

    • By plane: flight to Nantes or Tours, then train to Saumur.
    • By train: TGV (fast trains) from Paris Montparnasse and connection in Saint-Pierre-des-Corps or Angers to take a regional train to Saumur. The duration of the trip varies from 2h00 to 2h30. To plan your trip, www.raileurope.com.

    Parking

    If you drive to Saumur, you can park your car for free in a open car park located in the city center. The location and contact details of the car park will be given in your travel documents.

    To get back to starting point (Nantes-Saumur) :

    Regional trains take you back to your starting point from Nantes if you wish (about 1h20). They are accessible without booking in advance and bicycles are free. You have to buy your ticket on spot (full rate 23€/adult). There are several trains per day. You will find the timetable in your travel documents.

    We can also organise a transfer in a private vehicule on demand.

    Meeting time:

    The first day is an arrival day without cycling. You arrive whenever you want depending on from where you come. Please note that rooms are usually available in the middle of the afternoon depending on your accommodation. We thank you to advise us if you plan to arrive late.



  • Reviews

    •   Memory of the trip  

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    3 bike travelers reviews 4.33 / 5

    “ Attention aux Hotels... ”

    On the 2020-06-29 by Laurent
    Tout était très bien, Mais attention aux choix des hôtels, a vérifier avant de partir..

    “ Séjour mémorable! ”

    On the 2018-09-25 by Colette Chrétien
    Bonjour, C'est avec plaisir que je vous transmets notre appréciation de notre séjour "La Loire à vélo : de la douceur de l’Anjou à l’océan". Dès notre arrivé, nous avons été accueilli avec une grande courtoisie de la part du transporteur. Le trajet de Nantes vers Orléans a été des plus agréables, nos chauffeurs se sont fait un plaisir de nous informer des particularités de la région. Le transport des bagages a été impeccable. Les indications fournies pour les différents trajets ont été suffisantes pour que nous arrivions à bon port, même si nous avions triché quelques fois avec l’aide de notre GPS. Les visites proposées ont été intéressantes et variées. Les hôtels ont été, pour la plupart, très satisfaisants. Quelques lits un peu à l'étroit selon notre habitude, mais tout de même confortable. La propreté des chambres a toujours été au rendez-vous. Les garages à vélos sont grandement appréciés, contribuant à notre tranquillité d'esprit pour le reste de la journée. Notre coup de coeur: l'hôtel restaurant logis La brèche d'Amboise. Leur petit déjeuner était des plus complet et nous avons également apprécié un savoureux dîner dans un magnifique jardin. Un grand merci à notre chauffeur, pour son aide au transport des vélos jusqu'au guichet Air Transat lors de notre retour à l'aéroport de Nantes. Chapeau à votre organisation!

    “ D'Angers à Saint-Brévin à 25 ”

    On the 2017-08-22 by Véronique Fouché
    Nous sommes partis à 25, 16 enfants et 9 adultes, et sommes arrivés à 25 et à bon port ! Très bonne organisation en amont, itinéraire très clair. Certains détails (vélos trop grands pour certains enfants et un hébergement) sont à revoir mais à part ça très bonne semaine avec un bon choix d'itinéraire très bien indiqués. Nous recommandons chaleureusement !
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