Relaxed tours - time to enjoy magnificent châteaux and the unique style of a region favoured by kings

	Easy-paced, relaxed cycling away from the main tourist trails
	Stay overnight and dine in style in a luxurious château (7nt tour)
	Enjoy famous wines of the Loire ‘en route’
	Visit the splendid châteaux of Azay-le-Rideau, Villandry, and Ussé
	Transfers included from/to the historic city of Tours

Enjoy a peaceful tranquillity often undiscovered by visitors to the Loire. Our gentle cycling holidays ensure you see some of the most splendid châteaux whilst travelling along country lanes and riverside paths away from the well-beaten tourist trail. The route wends its way through verdant valleys, past flower-filled cottage gardens, acres of vineyards, and charming rustic villages.

Bypass the traffic but not France’s ‘Valley of the Kings’. See the elegant pinnacles of the Château d’Ussé, the inspiration for the fairytale ‘Sleeping Beauty’.  The graceful château at Azay-le-Rideau, surrounded by water, is often cited as the most impressive of the Loire châteaux. At Villandry the attractive château is set in some of the finest formal gardens in France. Historic Chinon with its maze of narrow streets is a good base to explore the surrounding area. The huge Abbey at Fontevraud, pretty villages like Huismes and Candes St.Martin, and the gentle landscape of open country and languid rivers will stay long in the memory.

Terrain & Distances
Cycle on country roads and river towpaths. On the approach to Azay-le-Rideau on day 5 (day 3 of 4 night tour) there is a 2 mile ride on a main road. Route is generally flat or downhill, except on day 4 (day 2 of 4 night tour) when there are short ascents to Fontevraud and Candes St.Martin.

Cycling distances:15-23 miles (24-37 km)

Climate
Average maximum daytime temperatures in the period May to September range from 20-27°C (68-80°F). Rainfall averages just 2” per month.