Along the Leisurely Loire

Itinerary & Hotels

• 1

  Arrival Blois day 1

  Summary

  Settle into the charming chambre d’hôte, Maison du Carroir. Dine at the restaurant l’Orangerie, where you’ll be greeted with a glass of Champagne.

  Hotel

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  Maison du Carroir
  Blois

  This bed & breakfast in the heart of the Loire Valley offers a pleasant stay and friendly service from Mme Galland, who is extremely attentive. There are four large bedrooms, each with its own decor and atmosphere, as well as a pretty garden and terrace. Many of the most notable châteaux are only a short distance away.
  
   

  Facilities

  • En suite rooms
  • TV
  • Free Wifi
  • Garden
  • Terrace

  Board

  • Half Board

  Cuisine

  A gourmet breakfast is served in the garden in summer, and around the fireplace in winter. Includes bread, local cheeses, homemade mini cakes, fruit, jams and fresh juice.

• 2

  Blois to Chaumont day 2

  Summary

  Take delivery of your bicycles, then explore the city before you cross the river to cycle west to Chaumont. Stay at the Hostellerie du Château, opposite the Château Chaumont and the impressive International Garden Festival.

  Hotel

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  Hostellerie du Château
  Chaumont- Sur -Loire

  L'Hostellerie du Château is situated in the charming village of Chaumont sur Loire, between Blois and Amboise in the center of the Grands Châteaux circuit of Chambord, Blois, Amboise, Chenonceaux. The hotel is on the edge of the Loire, at the foot of the feudal Chaumont castle which dominates the valley and the village and is renowned for its famous International Garden Festival.

  The owners, Dominique Poignon and Pascal Delsériès and their team, use their savoir-faire to lend charm and comfort to their home in order to make your stay pleasant, with a warm and welcoming atmosphere. The hotel has 3 stars and 15 rooms, of which 3 are family rooms. In the summer, the meals are served on the terrace, and in the winter you can enjoy the heat from the fireplace in a dining room filled with character. During the summer months you can enjoy the swimming pool or spend a relaxing moment in the garden.

  Facilities

  • Three star accommodation
  • Satellite TV
  • Telephone
  • Restaurant
  • Bar
  • Lounge 
  • En suite with bath or shower
  • Traditional cuisine
  • Free WiFi
  • Outdoor swimming pool
  • Garden
  • Terrace

  Board

  • Half Board

  Cuisine

  The restaurant proposes traditional dishes prepared with local fresh seasonal products. The wine list is composed of various wines representing the local vintages: Touraine, Touraine Mesland, Touraine Amboise and Cheverny, as well as other vineyards from the Loire Valley which extend from Sancerre to Muscadet passing by Vouvray, Chinon, Saumur, Saint Nicolas de Bourgueil and other French vines.

  Example Menu

  Entrées
  Tartare de Saumon aux Agrumes, Vinaigrette Acidulée
  Corolle de Melon, Mousse de Jambon Sec, Gelée de Pineau des Charentes
  Charlotte de Dinde et Caviar d’Aubergines, Brochette de Gambas au Tandoori

  Plats 
  Filet de Dorade Poêlé, Beurre d’Orange, Tatin d’Endives
  Emince d’Onglet de Veau aux Herbes, Légumes Confits au Curry
  Magret de Canard, Sauce Cassis, Tian de Légumes
  
  Desserts
  Soupe de Fruits Rouges, Ecume de Basilic, Mouillettes de Pain d’Epices
  Pêche Pochée à la Menthe, Nid de Meringue et Crème Chocolat
  Fondant Chocolat, Praliné et Noisette, Glace Fromage Blanc

  19 mi
  (31 km)

• 3

  Chaumont to Amboise day 3

  Summary

  Cycle on to Amboise, a lively town that was home to Leonardo da Vinci in his final days. Book an extra night if you wish to visit the Royal Château or Clos Lucé, the artist’s manor, housing an exhibition of his life and work. Stay at the prestigious 4-star Hôtel Pavillon des Lys and eat in a delightful nearby restaurant.

  Hotel

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  Le Pavillon des Lys
  Amboise

  Located in the centre of the town of Amboise, Le Pavillon des Lys is a four star hotel, with 8 bedrooms and suites, within 5 minutes walking distance from the Château d'Amboise. Bedrooms are spacious and there is a garden and a terrace for the guests.

  Facilities

  • Very large beds
  • Soundproof rooms
  • Air-conditioning
  • Television, radio, CD and DVD player, safe
  • Free WiFi
  • Garden
  • Terrace

  Board

  • Half Board

  Cuisine

  The hotel has no restaurant. The meals are booked at the restaurant L'Alliance (2 minutes away).

  Options at L'Alliance include...

  Example Menu

  Starters
  Oysters au gratin Vouvray, Endive and smoked duck breast
  Ballottine of duck foie gras and mallard, mango chutney with Szechuan pepper

  Mains
  Roast scallops, pumpkin puree, ravioli with chestnuts and dried bacon
  Veal sweetbreads, mushrooms, truffle sauce and potatoes

  Cheese platter & dessert of your choice

  13 mi
  (21 km)

• 4

  Amboise to Tours day 4

  Summary

  Cross the river and continue to the sprawling city of Tours, the region’s capital. Stay at the Hôtel Châteaux de la Loire and explore the city’s old quarter. Dine in a restaurant of your choice.

  Hotel

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  Logis Hôtel des Châteaux de la Loire
  Tours

  Situated in the centre of the old town, and yet in a quiet street, the Hotel Château de la Loire combines both calm and comfort. Rooms are all en suite, well maintained and pleasant. There is no restaurant, but Place Jean-Jaurès, where there is a range of pleasant brasseries (we recommend the Brasserie de l'Univers), is five minute's walk away. Or maybe try out 'Le Martin Bleu' at place des Aumônes, a superb fish restaurant, very popular with the locals which looks like a fish and chip shop, but don't be put off, inside is very welcoming and surprisingly large.

  Facilities

  • En suite rooms
  • Free WiFi access
  • Continental buffet style breakfast

  Board

  • Bed & Breakfast

  Cuisine

  Buffet breakfast is pretty good by French standards - choice of cereals, hard-boiled eggs, cold meat (mainly ham) and cheese, fruits and fruit juices, several sorts of bread and cakes, and of course plenty of café au lait. There is no restaurant, accommodation is B&B only.

  20 mi
  (32 km)

• 5

  Tours to Azay-le-Rideau day 5

  Summary

  Leave Tours by the Voie Verte cycle route and head to Villandry Château and its ornate medieval vegetable gardens. Arrive in Azay-le-Rideau and stay at Hôtel le Grand Monarque.

  Hotel

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  Hôtel Le Grand Monarque
  Azay-le-Rideau

  This ancient post house from the 18th century has become a charming boutique hotel. Dark tones and exposed beams are set off by the whiteness of the stonework. Its courtyard, with its centennial trees, is an oasis of peace. Nested in the centre of the lovely little town of Azay-le-Rideau, and just 150m away from its famous and charming chateau, the hotel is ideally situated to visit the Loire Valley and its greatest castles.

  Facilities

  • Restaurant
  • Bar Lounge
  • En suite rooms
  • Air-conditioning
  • Free WiFi
  • Private parking

  Board

  • Half Board

  Cuisine

  Sample Menu

  Veloute of Jerusalem artichokes, bacon espuma, Serrano ham shavings 
  or 
  Salmon and chorizo brochette, carrot cream perfumed with Madras curry

  MAINS

  Guinea fowl ballotine, foie gras sauce, mushroom risotto 
  or
  Fish of the day, cooked lentils, dilled white butter sauce, autumn vegetables 
  or
  Pork cheek crépinette, mashed potatoes perfumed with rosemary, spinach

  DESSERTS

  Assortment of cheese with salad 
  or
  Pear-chocolate crumble, pear sorbet 
  or
  Apple tiramisu, caramel ice cream

  20 mi
  (32 km)

• 6

  Azay-le-Rideau to Chinon day 6

  Summary

  Return to the riverbank and pass Château d’Ussé, the inspiration for Grimm’s Sleeping Beauty, before heading to Chinon and the Hôtel le Plantagenet. Dinner in the new restaurant at the hotel.

  Hotel

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  Le Plantagenêt
  Chinon

  Nicknamed `The flower of the garden of France`, Chinon displays its medieval fortress wherever you are. Just steps from the bucolic banks of the River Vienne, this stunning 19th-century Tours-style dwelling invites you to enjoy the finer things in life. Courtyard side or garden side, small joys become great ones. Time stops. In the morning, the rising sun on the veranda opens a world of perspectives, and your appetite!  Buffet breakfast with local products and homemade jams is a great time to plan your day of escapades to wineries, the Loire châteaux... or just to take a quiet break on the shaded terrace in summer to enjoy the sounds of the garden.

  Facilities

  • Individually designed rooms
  • En suite with choice of bath or shower

  Board

  • Half Board

  Cuisine

  Discover the gourmet cuisine of the restaurant; the chef cooks fun yet subtle fine food with seasonal specialities.

  20 mi
  (32 km)

• 7

  Chinon to Saumur day 7

  Summary

  Cycle to the charming riverside village of Montsoreau with its mushroom caves before heading west into Saumur. Perhaps enjoy a dégustation at one of the riverside wineries before checking in at the Hôtel Anne d’Anjou for your final night and gourmet meal.

  Hotel

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  Hôtel Anne d’Anjou
  Saumur

  On the Loire river banks, near the historic center of Saumur, beneath the Castle which gave immortal fame to the "Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry", this private mansion house built in the 18th century still echoes with the ardours of restoration heroes and military romances. An historically graded façade which has been beautifully restored to include a magnificient staircase crowned by a trompe-l'œil celling, using the designs of Percier and Fontaine, Napoleon's architects, offers a relaxing stay.

  Facilities

  • Centrally located in the historic town of Saumur
  • Built around a quiet garden
  • Elegant individually styled bedrooms
  • Courtyard rooms give wonderful views of the chateau

  Board

  • Half Board

  Cuisine

  You pass through a vaulted cellar, built many years ago by a wine merchant, before entering the restaurant’s two dining rooms. The main room can seat 50 guests, whilst the second, with its original beams and a more intimate atmosphere, can seat 30. The cuisine is aromatic, imaginative and refined. Pride of place is given to local produce accompanied by carefully selected wines from the Loire Valley. The menu and set menus are changed regularly so as to take full advantage of fresh seasonal produce, and the restaurant’s wine list is reputed to be one of the richest in Val de Loire wines. However, not only do you eat well, you are also well received. The surroundings, the quality of the decoration and service, and the care taken in the presentation all contribute to the pleasure of dining here; an elegant restaurant with a subtle décor.

  20 mi
  (32 km)

Route & Location

Customise Your Holiday

• EXTRA NIGHT

  Add a night's B&B at Amboise. Please call us for details.

• EXTRA NIGHT

  Add an extra night between Azay-le-Rideau and Chinon to break your journey and to visit the famous Abbey and gardens at Fontrevaud. Stay at the friendly Hostellerie la Croix Blanche, half board. Please call us for details.

Customer Reviews

4.8 out of 5 rating based on 6 reviews

• Service (5/5): Excellently organized self guided bike tour

  5 out of 5

  28th September 2018

  Read on Feefo

  Product (5/5): I was very happy with the lovely little guest houses/hotels conveniently located in the heart of the towns in the Loire Valley
• Service (5/5): Our second French cycle holiday with Belle France.
  Well organised.
  Friendly and attentive service.
  Good hotels.
  Clive - local rep was excellent
  Good route.

  5 out of 5

  29th June 2018

  Read on Feefo

  Product (5/5): Good hotels. Good route. Clive was excellent.
• Service (5/5): They handled our various requests, including some changes as the plans evolved, with efficiency and courtesy. They know this area very well. The local representative was outstanding; helpful in every way possible.

  5 out of 5

  16th October 2017

  Read on Feefo

  Product (5/5): This was an outstanding holiday with excellent arrangements from Belle France for our bespoke trip of nine friends cycling along the Loire. Lovely area, hotels and restaurants, as one would hope for, and some great picnic lunches.
• Service (5/5): We were so impressed with the efficient and effective response from Belle France. They were so detailed, helpful and willing to make our trip as easy as possible. We were very impressed with their lovely attitude, espicially Lorna and Robin.

  5 out of 5

  5th September 2017

  Read on Feefo

  Product (5/5): Perfectly planned. A beautiful trip.
• Service (5/5): Lorna Clayton was fantastic, an absolute pleasure to deal with and our arrangements were without hitch. Thank you.

  5 out of 5

  30th August 2016

  Read on Feefo

  Product (5/5): The bikes should be equipped with a handle bar map/directions holder, the 'plastic' map holders were not practical.
• Service (4/5): Service was good, but the manuals / directions really need updating. They are maddeningly laconic and often we had to spend quite a long time figuring out how to match what was written down with physical reality. Also the highlighted route on the map was often different from the directions. It's fine to have people do a little wayfinding of their own, but downright incorrect directions are not great. A small comment on a largely positive experience.

  4 out of 5

  27th July 2016

  Read on Feefo

  Belle France: Thank you for your feedback, actually we are a bit surprised to read that you felt the route notes were incorrect in places. We have had many people take this holiday and not had any comments about the route in the past. I too have cycled this route and found the notes the be correct. However we do take all clients comments seriously and we are most concerned that you found some errors so to be sure we will send our rep Clive to re-cycle the route and double check all the directions. Regarding the dinner that was not included, I think you must be referring to the night in Tours, this night is always booked on a BB basis only as the city of Tours offers such a variety of good restaurants that we feel clients might like to 'do their own thing' .
  
  So glad that you enjoyed the whole experience and we hope to hear from you again.
  
  Lorna
  28th July 2016

  

  Product (4/5): Hotels were good. We thought all-inclusive but had to pay for a dinner out that was unexpected. Womens' bikes were far worse than mens'. But great towns to stop in, good meals, etc.

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