Saumur / St-Rémy-la-Varenne La Loire à Vélo - Loire Valley by bike

Description Reviews and personal stories

Canals & intimate rivers, Castles & Monuments, Nature & small heritage

29,97 Km

1 h 59 min

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Saumur

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St-Rémy-la-Varenne

On this Loire à Vélo stage, enjoy some of the most spectacular, luminous stretches along the Loire. The route hugs the south bank of the river, allowing you to appreciate close-up remarkable buildings made in the gorgeous local tufa limestone, including the major church at Cunault and St-Maur Abbey. All told, a magical but easy stage.

Elevation of the stage

166 m 169 m

Waytypes of the stage

Cycle path: 8,06 km By road: 21,91 km

Surface of the stage

Inconnu: 8,06 km Lisse: 21,91 km

Route

West of Saumur, the route meanders through the adjoining town of St-Hilaire-St-Florent, mainly using roads you share with motorized traffic, but with short stretches on greenways too. Follow the signposts carefully and avoid rush hours on the D 751 road (see the alternative route).

Alternatives and links

There is an alternative route beside a wilder section of the Loire between Saumur and Les Rosiers-sur-Loire.
A link leads from St-Hilaire-St-Florent up to the famed Cadre Noir’s National Riding School.
For those cycling up the Loire, there is a further alternative route taking you via small roads along the slopes, avoiding the main D 751 route.

Railway station - SNCF

Saumur train station: 2 trains per day, on average, allowing bikes, either going west to Angers and Nantes, or east to Tours and Orléans.

Don’t miss

Saumur: one of the most remarkable historic towns along the Loire Valley; château dominating the Loire; splendid old churches and houses; glorious horse-riding traditions; magnificent wine houses; numerous exhibitions and events year-round
St-Hilaire-St-Florent: home to the famed Cadre Noir riders who train at the École Nationale d’Équitation (National Riding School); subterranean wonders to visit, including magnificent wine cellars offering tours
Trèves: with a remarkable Romanesque church and the remnants of a 15th-century fortified castle
Cunault: magnificent priory church
Gennes: Gallo-Roman vestiges
Le Thoureil: a charming riverside village with its port for traditional Loire boats
St-Maur: with an historic Benedictine abbey rebuilt in the 19th century (in private hands)
St-Rémy-la-Varenne: for its historic Benedictine priory; boat trips possible on board the Loire de Lumière.
Les Rosiers-sur-Loire: it’s worth crossing the bridge over the Loire to explore this lively riverside village.