The Loire by Bike from Blois to Angers

Discover the royal city of Blois. Every castle has its own history, kings and symbols. Blois Castle combines the emblem of Louis XII – the porcupine – with that of François I – the salamander. It is a veritable architectural masterpiece, with its four wings, each in a different style, gathered around the main courtyard.

Hop on your bike and head to Cheverny. The cartoonist Hergé drew loose inspiration from it to create Moulinsart Castle in the Adventures of Tintin. Then carry on your journey to discover the jewel of the Loire Valley: Chambord. This masterpiece of Renaissance architecture, conceived by François I, awaits you, nestled within its park covering more than 5,000 hectares. The famous double-helix staircase will lead you up to the terraces, high above the forest of chimneys. You might even be lucky enough to spot a herd of does along the way.

Head to the Château de Chaumont-sur-Loire and its gardens, following the banks of the Loire. The château’s terraces offer one of the most beautiful views of the untamed Loire. Admire the estate’s gardens, which are redesigned each year by landscape architects from all over the world. Continue on your way to Chenonceau. You’ll briefly leave the Loire for one of its tributaries, the Cher. The ‘Château des Dames’ is, in fact, inextricably linked to the river it spans. Explore the gardens, which bear the mark of Diane de Poitiers and Catherine de Médicis.

Discover the banks of the Loire in Amboise. The royal château of Charles VIII and François I dominates the landscape. Don’t miss the Clos Lucé either, the final resting place of Leonardo da Vinci, one of the greatest minds of the Renaissance. Tours welcomes you with its historic quarters, the heart of which lies on the famous Place Plum’, much loved by the people of Tours. Don’t forget to sample the local cuisine in one of the city’s many open-air cafés: ‘friture de Loire’ or pikeperch in beurre blanc, accompanied by a glass of chilled wine, are just waiting for you!

Leave the Loire for a while and head for the banks of the Cher. Villandry awaits you and invites you to explore its gardens, laid out across three levels. Then, leave the Cher behind and head for a château built on an island in the Indre: Azay-le-Rideau. 
Next, return to the Loire and discover the Château de Rigny-Ussé, also known as the ‘Sleeping Beauty Castle’, which looks as though it has stepped straight out of a fairy tale. 
Next, head towards Chinon, where you’ll pass through the famous AOC-classified vineyards, before arriving at the 12th-century château that was the setting for the meeting between Joan of Arc and the future King Charles VII. Do try some of the local wines, whose qualities were already praised by Rabelais back in the 16th century.ng in the sixteenth century. Spend the night in Chinon.

After this indulgent interlude, hop on your bike and set off for Candes-Saint-Martin, at the confluence of the Vienne and the Loire. If you’re feeling adventurous enough to take a detour, you can explore Fontevraud and its royal abbey, one of the largest in Europe. Founded in 1101, the abbey was transformed over the centuries into a monastic town, then gradually into a prison town. You’ll also discover the cliff-side troglodyte dwellings, which you’ll ride past and explore, before arriving in Saumur, dominated by its majestic château… 
You’re in the capital of equestrianism – why not visit the famous Cadre Noir de Saumur at the National Riding School? 
You can also sample the famous Saumur Brut in one of the town’s many cave cellars – you’ll be spoilt for choice!

Leave Saumur and follow the left bank of the Loire. Here you’ll discover a rich architectural heritage that will take you back in time: the keep and Romanesque church at Trèves, the priory church at Cunault, the Gallo-Roman amphitheatre at Gennes, and more. Continue along the ‘levée’ and stop off at the superb village of Le Thoureil. Once a port for gabare barges, it is still home to a few traditional open-air cafés. 
You now change banks and cross former marshes reclaimed from the Loire thanks to the famous embankments. Leave the ‘royal river’ and take the ferry to cross the Authion. You will then pass the impressive slate quarries of Trélazé. 
Here you are in Angers, dominated by its imposing two-tone castle overlooking the Maine.