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Saint-Jacques by bike - Via Tours
Official route
D. Darrault - CRT Centre-Val de Loire 
D. Darrault - CRT Centre-Val de Loire 
D. Darrault - CRT Centre-Val de Loire 
J. Damase - CRT Centre-Val de Loire 
Poses
Tours
The Saint-Jacques by bike - Via Tours cycle route follows as closely as possible the centuries-old paths taken by pilgrims heading through western France to Spain’s Santiago de Compostela. Using cycle paths and small country roads, enjoy an epic historic, cultural and sporty route! After setting off from Poses in the heart of the royal Eure valley, head southwest towards the Loir river and the charming villages that surround it. This cyclists’ pilgrimage continues through gently undulating parts, in a rural, country setting typical of the region. Between IIlliers-Combray and Montoire-sur-le-Loir the route doubles as the Vallée du Loir cycle route. At Montoire-sur-le-Loir, the Saint-Jacques à Vélo route splits from the Loir River to head due south, towards Tours and the mighty Loire River.
Signposting and route conditions
Saint-Jacques by bike is a cycle route that partly follows the same route as La Véloscénie (on the Rambouillet–Illiers-Combray section) and Vallée du Loir à vélo (on the Illiers-Combray–Montoire-sur-le-Loir section). The vast majority of the route runs along shared lanes with low traffic volumes.
Gradients and elevation
Ascents: 927m
Descents: 894m
Lowest point: 3m
Highest point: 171m
Road types
325km (82%) By road
72km (18%) Cycle path
Surface
388km (98%) Smooth
7km (2%) Unknown
Trains et transport sur Saint-Jacques by bike - Via Tours
You can easily access the Saint-Jacques à vélo route from Paris. There are also numerous trains connecting the various stages of the route.
Access by train:
- To reach the start (Poses): Val-de-Reuil station (1 km) or Rouen
- From the finish (Tours): Tours station
Not to be missed on this route
The Château de Rambouillet
Ancienne demeure royale désormais demeure présidentielle, ce château se visite toute l'année. Longez canaux et pièces d'eaux en suivant La Véloscénie à travers le parc. Vous pouvez aussi y admirer des spectacles de fauconneries !
"Accueil Vélo" accommodation on Saint-Jacques by bike - Via Tours
92 Accueil Vélo accommodations await you on Saint-Jacques by bike - Via Tours!
View accommodations on the map
The 10 stages of Saint-Jacques by bike - Via Tours
1 Poses / Pacy-sur-Eure
From Pacy-sur-Eure, you can enjoy a peaceful bike ride through the pretty villages of Ménilles and Croisy-sur-Eure. Explore the typical landscapes of Normandy as you continue cycling through the magnificent Eure Valley. When you arrive in Acquigny, take the time to admire its Renaissance castle and gardens. In Pinterville, follow the pleasant Seine-Eure greenway, which winds its way along the river for 30 kilometres. After crossing Val-de-Reuil, continue on to the Léry-Poses leisure park, the perfect place to relax during your cycling adventure!
2 Pacy-sur-Eure / Ézy-sur-Eure
The Eure Valley cycle route continues along the greenway to Bueil. Starting from Ézy-sur-Eure, you pass Ivry-la-Bataille, the site of one of the most famous battles of the Wars of Religion. It was during this battle that Henry IV is said to have uttered his famous words, ‘Ralliez-vous à mon panache blanc’ (Rally to my white plume). The ruins of the medieval castle are worth a stop. The greenway, a former railway line, crosses bucolic landscapes in the heart of the Eure Valley. Continue on to Pacy-sur-Eure, a lively town where you can discover wash houses and mills along the Eure. In town, the white stone and half-timbered houses are a reminder of its history.
3 Ézy-sur-Eure / Maintenon
From Maintenon, your cycle route begins with your back to the château that was home to the secret love affair between the Sun King and Françoise d'Aubigné, known as Madame de Maintenon. You cycle towards Nogent-le-Roi, a village with a rich heritage, featuring half-timbered houses and the remarkable St-Sulpice church. The Écluzelles lake along your route is the perfect place for a break surrounded by nature. You enter Normandy by crossing the Eure, which marks the border between the two regions. From Saint-Georges-Motel, the greenway takes you to Ezy-sur-Eure. The Renaissance castle of Anet, former residence of Diane de Poitiers, is the end of this stage of the Eure Valley cycle route.
5 Maintenon / Chartres
From the city of Maintenon, the arches of the aqueduct set the atmosphere of this itinerary. It is followed by small roads along the Eure Valley that offer a bucolic and relaxing landscape. A must-see stop on the traditional Santiago de Compostela Way, Chartres overlooked by its cathedral, a jewel of Gothic art, symbolically crowns the stopover on this pilgrimage by bicycle.
6 Chartres / Illiers Combray
After leaving Chartres, Saint-Jacques by bike head for llliers-Combray, town which inspired Marcel Proust for his mythical book "A la recherche du temps perdu". The places mentioned in his famous work: the Pré Catelan or the house of Tante Léonie, now the Marcel Proust Museum, immerse you in the atmosphere he created. There is also a gentle transition to a more hilly territory, between Beauce and Perche.
7 Illiers-Combray / Châteaudun
This two-wheeled pilgrimage now touches the first streams of the Loir, not far from its source, a few kilometres upstream. Head south through fields and meadows to reach the medieval town of Bonneval, nicknamed the little venice of Beauce. Châteaudun one of "the most beautiful detours of France", perched on a rocky promontory, rises through its castle and its high town overlooking the Loir marks the final stop of this stage.
8 Châteaudun / Vendôme
Through gentle valleys, this stage of Saint-Jacques by bike runs along the Loir. Barely started, the discovery of the dazzling Château de Montigny-le-Gannelon will stop you in your stride. Once the charming village of Cloyes-les-trois-rivières is over, the cycle route enters the Vendômois, where forests and fields meet scattered vineyards. Vendôme is in the spotlight, a city with a rich heritage, ideal for a historical, cultural and gourmet break!
9 Vendôme / Montoire-sur-le-Loir
The peregrination continues, undulating as it winds its way through the meanders of the Loir. The nautical base of Villiers-sur-Loir, at the beginning of the stage, is a great opportunity to refresh yourself before cutting through the Vendôme countryside. Montoire-sur-le-Loir, a city with a dense medieval heritage and ancient houses grazing the river, will be the stopover town on the route.
10 Montoire-sur-le-Loir / Château-Renault
At Montoire-sur-le-Loir, cross the river to reach Lavardin, a member of the association “Les Plus Beaux Villages de France”, its houses tucked below castle ruins. Beyond this picturesque village, it’s full steam southwards, the Saint-Jacques à Vélo route running beside a tributary of the Loir for several kilometres.
The stage continues through country parts and undulating farmland, entering the Château-Renault area set between the Loir (without an “e”) and the Loire.
The stage continues through country parts and undulating farmland, entering the Château-Renault area set between the Loir (without an “e”) and the Loire.
11 Château-Renault / Tours
This Saint-Jacques à Vélo stage alternates between quiet country roads and greenways, running beside waterways lined by fields and pastures. Midway along, you enter the Pays du Vouvray, where Touraine’s famed vineyards yield a fine array of white wines. Then you come to the Loire, a lovely cycle path hugging its north bank. Finish by crossing what the French describe as the last great wild river in Europe to reach the centre of the city of Tours.