The Loire Valley by bike

Ride your bicycle on the routes of the Centre Val-de-Loire !

Nearly 5,000 km of cycle routes await you in the Centre-Val de Loire. Whilst ‘La Loire à Vélo’ is undoubtedly the best known, you’ll also find routes in Touraine, the Perche, the Berry and the Loire Valley. Not to mention the collection of châteaux to discover by bike, thanks to specially designed circular routes linking them all.

Benjamin Brolet

Exploring the Loire Valley châteaux

How can one talk about cycling to châteaux without mentioning the châteaux of the Loire Valley? Set off to (re)discover these world-famous châteaux along 500 km of cycle paths and greenways, specially laid out in 17 loops. Blois, Chambord, Cheverny, Chaumont-sur-Loire – all these names evoke the grandeur and historical significance of this region, the stronghold of the Kings of France during the Renaissance.

D. Darrault - CRT Centre Val de Loire

Follow ‘La Loire à Vélo’, the royal river

Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site between Sully-sur-Loire and Chalonnes-sur-Loire, the Loire Valley is a natural and cultural heritage site unique in Europe. With the Loire as its central theme, its châteaux and heritage, its landscapes, its way of life, its vineyards and its gastronomy all provide plenty of reasons to come and cycle along the royal river.

Gastronomy and vineyards

In the Loire Valley, the region’s heritage is best savoured in a glass or on a plate. The Sancerre, Chinon, Vouvray and Saumur-Champigny wine regions are all within easy cycling reach. Paired with Loire fish in beurre blanc, a tarte tatin or some goat’s cheese, a cycling holiday in the Centre-Loire Valley is sure to delight your taste buds!

Comité Itinéraire vallée du Loir à vélo – Stevan Lira

In the saddle, gliding along with the rivers

The tributaries of the Loire and other rivers invite you to explore their waters. Cycle along the Indre on ‘La Cyclo Bohème’, a route linked to ‘La Loire à Vélo’ and brimming with heritage sites to discover during your adventure.

The Loir Valley cycle route, starting at the river’s source and heading towards Angers, also invites you on a journey through gently rolling countryside. The ‘La Saint-Jacques à vélo’ route, meanwhile, shares part of its route along the Loir before extending southwards to Tours.

On ‘La Véloscénie’ between Maintenon and Chartres, treat yourself to a rural ride through the Eure Valley. Waiting for you at the end: Notre-Dame Cathedral, a fine example of Gothic architecture.

Exploring the green hills of the Perche

Discover this lush, rolling countryside by following the greenways and country lanes of La Véloscénie to explore the birthplace of the Percheron draught horse.

Set amongst meadows and orchards, with manor houses, charming country homes and small heritage sites, cycling through the Perche offers an idyllic rural setting for a weekend getaway.