A 4-day escape between Tours and Saumur (canoe+bike)

I'd originally planned to do this route with my daughter but she was unable to make it, however it looked so good I decided to go alone and was so glad I did. I was very lucky with amazing weather . Bike pick up was easy although it took me a while to really suss out the in's and out's of the app. The route was great- lots of interesting places to visit along the way, really quiet and not crowded, mostly along the river or along gravel tracks or back roads . For the kayaking morning along the Vienne river (wide slow and shalllow -perfect for me on my own)-I had 4 hours to do a 3 hour trip so could meander along. It was so tranquil and peaceful (nothing but birdsong and frog song for much of the way! A great was to travel for a morning. The route away from the river to a local town each night was well thought out- each town was really worth visiting (do get there in time for some wandering) and the journey well planned with the longer rides on the early days, getting shorter through the trip. All the hotels were welcoming and helpful, clean and comfortable. I had my luggage taken from place to place (this trip was added at the end of 2 weeks in Sancerre ) and that worked well. Tip- if you need to get a taxi with your luggage to Saumur station at the end -book it in advance -the few taxis get booked up and there's no Uber here! I left my car while I was on the trip in the Indigo 24hr car park by Tours central train station (prebooked online) as suggested by Velo Voyager and that was perfect. I can't wait to have a look at the other routes and next time hopefully with some friends although I wouldn't hesitate to do it again on my own.

We had a wonderful cycle down the Loire and associated rivers beginning in Tours and ending in Samaur, and our trip included half a day’s kayaking, which I loved. The route was often covered by tree canopy which made it cooling and we could hear the sound of birds all the time. The castles and towns were interesting to visit and we enjoyed some delicious meals, cakes and crepes and wine en route. It is such a fun way to see the landscape. The hotel accommodation were great quality.

Enjoyed the trip despite some issues. Loved casting and exploring the gorgeous towns and villages along the way. Bikes were good after sorting out some problems when first picked up. Had to return with bikes which delayed us significantly. One bike had a disconnected chain which was fixed when we took back but had to return again as was slipping when changing gears. They also forgot to give us the lock after removing it to give us a demonstration. Drink bottle holders were also broken and had to be replaced. The gps app was unclear how to use. The first day it took us onto a major highway where bikes are prohibited. The only time the bike route is able to be chosen is if you click on day 1, day 2 etc. If you select a destination to visit on the way the car route comes up so be aware of this. Accommodation was good apart from one hotel in Fontevraud that had small pokey rooms and no air conditioning. We paid extra to upgrade to a larger room on a lower floor that had large opening windows to be more comfortable during hot weather. The town of Fontevraud was also disappointing and was a wasted stay. Very small town, nothing to do except for the Abbey which is asulterated after being used as a prison and has awful modern artwork throughout. Extremely unfriendly towards tourists, and opening hours of the very few restaurants in town very limited. Luggage service was excellent. Always there at hotel when we arrived around 3pm each day. From the description on website we thought we would be traveling on mainly car free roads along river but we actually were on public roads for much of the trip. Thankfully they were mainly quiet country roads.

Fabulous trip, can highly recommend. We will use Vélo Voyageur again -we hope.

So glad I booked through LVV! One of the best vacations I have taken in recent years. Will be using this service again soon.

Excellent service, great trip.

Highly enjoyable and well organised cycle from Tours to Saumur. Beautiful scenery and wonderful food. thank you Le Velo Voyageur.

The route along the Loire is spectacular. The ride itself is easy with a few gently climbs that could be accomplished by anyone. The variety of scenery is also remarkable from pretty towns and villages to cave-dwellings and lots of chateaus and vineyards in between. It was easy to collect our bikes and follow the route using the app, Our luggage was waiting for us at our next hotel so all we had to carry was our picnic. We opted for the best standard of accommodation. Compared to the UK you get exceptional hotels for a very low price. It was well worth the upgrade in my opinion. Every corner you turn there are fabulous restaurants and wine bars. Despite the cycling we put on a bit of weight with the lovely Chinon wines! The rental bikes were new, solid and reliable, but if you are used to a higher quality bike then you might want to bring your own.Otherwise they got us around quite well.

Súper helpful and friendly planning a beautiful trip! Their connections knowing which hotels are local and bike friendly are spot on! Can’t go wrong!! Ask for your paperwork early.

Great trip, really well organised with clear information provided from start to finish. Lovely varied route with plenty of things to do along the way with our two children. High quality bikes and beautiful places to stay. Felt like a real adventure, especially with the day canoeing to break up the riding. The trailer bikes were a good option for us as although it was an 'easy' route it was quite hilly in places so would have been difficult for our 6 and 9 year old on their own bikes.

Well organized. What a great way to experience France.....on an E-bikes no less.

The cycling was great, castles to visit were nice and varied, most hotels were very good, food advice was good in general. The pace was well thought, and we enjoyed our trip very much. We had a very good time cycling in the Loire Valley and visiting local towns and castles. The trip was very well organized by Velo Voyageurs, with very clear roadbook. Hotels and food were great, except the Hotel Plantagenet, which was very disappointing and shouldn't be in the list of selected hotels

We spent 5 glorious days biking and canoeing from Tours to Saumur and it was absolutely amazing. Beautiful rides, top- notch accommodations and flawless arrangements with canoeing connection, luggage delivery and hotel check-ins. This was our second trip with Velo and will not be our last. Highly recommended.

A wonderful trip. Well organised, good accomodation, and new, well maintained bicycles. The luggage delivery was particularly welcome at the end of a days cycling in the summer warmth. Some of my favourite holiday memories from this trip.

Our bike trip through Loire was amazing! I have recommended your service to my neighbors and colleagues. You made it very easy, which led to a relaxing, fun, and totally enjoyable trip.

I am a Korean. I am very short in English but also I don’t nearly know in French. But there was not any problem in my trip. After this 4-days trip, I traveled the other place for more long days Paris, Strasburg etc. But velo-voyage was the best. I heard in Africa,“To raising a child, need hole town people’s help.” I felt that all the person in Loire help me for my successful traveling. All the people who I met in the road were kind and having beautiful smile. (If you want to know the most beautiful French’s smile, then go to Le Grand Monarque hotel in Azay-le-Rideau.) I will never forget the beautiful landscape, beautiful castle and beautiful town with various flowers in Loire valley. But perhaps I will remember the beautiful person for a long time more than the magical scenery. I thank God and velo-travel performers for giving me this beautiful present.

We had a great trip with le Velo Voyageurs. It was well organised and left us little to do but enjoy the ride. We had a 4 day trip from Tours to Saumur, including one day in a canoe. The riding was easy and the canoe trip a real change from the cycling. Would recommend this trip to anyone. The pace was easy, so we had plenty of time to spend together. Brilliant accommodation in Tours, Azay le Rdeau and Montsoreau. Brought back great memories of the trip.

We all had an amazing biking trip. The bikes & accommodations were great, and the proficiency of Velo Voyageur was outstanding. The bike signs along the trails were very helpful and the quick responses to any of my requests was greatly appreciated. Looking forward to booking with you again!!

Le velo voyageur has done an excellent job in putting a tricky trip together. The accommodations are outstanding, their preparation in satisfying customers is high and the standards are also high. We recommend their services very strongly and we have promised ourselves to do more of their trips.

My husband and I had a wonderful experience cycling the 4 day escape between Tours and Saumur, September 16 to 21. Thunderstorm forecasts prevented the canoe day, but that didn't dampen our enthusiasm. The bikes were great, including the computer, the panniers, both front and back, and the rain covers for rain. The hotels were delightful and so were the meals. I'd highly recommend cycling with Velo Voyageur. I particularly loved that the cycling days were reasonably short so that we could relax, tour castles, and just soak up the Loire Valley ambience. I'm so happy we chose you for our cycling experience! We have cycled with other companies and we think yours is the best so far! Thank you again! My only regret is that we never did get to meet you!

Overall this was an excellent holiday . It was very well organised, we had NO difficulties at all. The hotels we stayed in were lovely and all staff were very helpful and welcoming. I would recommend this holiday to anyone who enjoys easy cycling, the countryside and wants to discover more of France.

Eugenie, our trip was fantastic. My wife is not a rider so the electric bike made it possible for her to join in, The hotels were wonderful - centrally located and good quality, and all the logistics worked perfectly. Thanks very much, from Sydney.

The trip was seamless from start to finish. EAsy to communicate and prompt replies over email. Itinerary that we got was outstanding. Hotels that were booked were incredible. Just about one of the best things we have done in Europe. I have recommended to all my friends and family