Briare / Sully-sur-Loire

You couldn’t wish for a more elegant link between the Scandibérique and Loire à Vélo cycle routes than via the majestic Briare bridge-canal. Next, continue your cycling cruise in the direction of the Atlantic by following the Loire! Gien, with its fine stone bridge over the great river, is well worth visiting for its château, containing a museum on hunting, and its pottery museum, honouring local crafts. Then you enter the hallowed swathe of the Loire Valley recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site; the fabulous Château de Sully-sur-Loire marks its eastern boundary in splendid fashion, a memorable guard overseeing the Loire and the many cyclists following the serpentine meanders of France’s most regal river so closely.

The route

Cross Briare’s bridge-canal, then take care crossing the D951 road on the Loire’s south bank to continue on opposite. Before Beauregard, there is a slope to tackle. Between St-Brisson-sur-Loire and St-Martin-sur-Ocre, the way is along minor roads and laid-out paths. From St-Gondon, head in the direction of St-Florent via the D54 road. After Lion-en-Sullias, you cycle up on the levée, the historic bank protecting the land from flooding by the Loire, up to Sully-sur-Loire. Take care along this stretch. 
Surfacing smooth: a mix of asphalt and compacted tracks. The asphalt along the towpath you follow is in more or less good state.

Link 
To Gien town centre and train station

Trains

• Briare train station: on regional TER line from Paris, with spaces for bikes, and on Intercité line Paris Bercy > Montargis > Gien > Briare > Nevers, with spaces for bikes by reservation only
• Gien train station: on regional TER line from Paris, with spaces for bikes, and on Intercité line Paris Bercy > Montargis > Gien > Briare > Nevers, with spaces for bikes by reservation only

Don’t miss

• Briare: the bridge-canal; the Musée des 2 Marines (on Loire mariners); the Musée de la Mosaïque et des Emaux (on local mosaics traditions)
• Saint-Brisson-sur-Loire: the château
• Coteaux du Giennois: AOC vineyards
• Gien: the historic town centre; the Château-Musée (on hunting); the Musée de la Faïencerie (on pottery)
• Sully-sur-Loire: the château and its grounds