Orléans–Le Croisic Cycling Tour

Day 1: Arrival in Orléans
You will arrive in Orléans, the "City of Art and History" liberated from the English siege by Joan of Arc in 1429, and have time to discover it at your own pace.

Day 2: Orléans – Beaugency (36 km; +90 m)
After leaving Orléans and crossing the Loiret, you will cut through fields and vineyards to Cléry-Saint-André and its Gothic basilica. Then you will follow the Loire, Europe's last wild river, to the pretty château of Meung-sur-Loire. Peace and serenity await you in the charming, flower-filled town of Beaugency, dominated by its imposing 11th-century keep.

Day 3: Beaugency – Blois (46 km; +130 m)
You will leave Beaugency along the riverbanks and pass the prestigious château of Chambord, the largest château of the Loire Valley and a masterpiece of the Renaissance. Then you will head for Blois, whose rich heritage includes a château that illustrates the evolution of French architecture from the Middle Ages to the 17th century.

Day 4: Blois – Amboise (42 km; +200 m)
Small countryside roads will lead you to the château of Chaumont, overlooking the Loire, before you reach Amboise and its 15th–16th-century royal château. A few streets away stands the last home of Leonardo da Vinci, the manor house of Clos Lucé. An optional canoe trip on the Loire from Mosnes to Amboise (about 1h30) can be booked as an extra.

Day 5: Amboise – Tours (30 km, variant 53 km via Chenonceaux; +100 m, variant +285 m)
You will ride through the vineyards of Montlouis, with their many cellars offering sweet white and sparkling wines, and pass the lovely château of La Bourdaisière, birthplace of Gabrielle d'Estrées, favourite of King Henri IV. You will then reach the heart of Tours, with Place Plumereau and its half-timbered houses. If you choose the longer variant, you will ride to the famous Château de Chenonceau, straddling the Cher, scene of the rivalry between Diane de Poitiers and Catherine de Medici, and return on the new Cher à Vélo bike paths via Montlouis.

Day 6: Tours – Azay-le-Rideau (35 km, variant 45 km; +150 m, variant +170 m)
You will leave the city on the Loire à Vélo cycle route and ride to Villandry, renowned for its magnificent gardens laid out across three elegant terraces. Then you will continue to Azay-le-Rideau, where an exquisite Renaissance château is reflected in the waters of the River Indre. An optional detour follows the Loire to Langeais and its magnificent 15th-century château.

Day 7: Azay-le-Rideau – Chinon (38 km; +200 m)
You will pass the château of Ussé, the "Sleeping Beauty" castle said to have inspired Perrault's famous fairy tale, before reaching the medieval town of Chinon, crowned by its fortress and famous for the red wine so admired by Rabelais.

Day 8: Chinon – Saumur (35 km, Fontevraud option +12 km; +200 m)
The Loire à Vélo route will lead you to Candes-Saint-Martin and its 12th- and 13th-century collegiate church, and on to the beautiful village of Montsoreau. You will continue past troglodyte sites and vineyards to the lovely town of Saumur. If you wish, you can ride out to Fontevraud Abbey, Europe's largest remaining monastic complex and the necropolis of the Plantagenet kings. An optional canoe trip on the Vienne and the Loire, from Chinon to Montsoreau (about 3 hours), can be booked as an extra.

Day 9: Saumur – Angers (58 km; +305 m)
You will first follow the Loire before crossing the vineyards of Anjou. The day ends in the peaceful city of Angers, whose château shelters the famous Apocalypse Tapestry.

Day 10: Angers – Le Mesnil-en-Vallée or Ancenis (42 km or 68 km; +245 m or +325 m)
A stage in the heart of the Anjou vineyards, among the Coteaux de la Loire and the Coteaux de l'Aubance. Do not miss a stop in Savennières, famous for its dry white wine, before riding across Chalonnes island in the middle of the Loire. The stage ends in Le Mesnil-en-Vallée or in Ancenis, depending on where your accommodation is booked.

Day 11: Le Mesnil-en-Vallée or Ancenis – Nantes (64 km or 40 km; +125 m or +95 m)
You will continue along the banks of the Loire, watching for wild animals and birds among its changing landscapes. A peaceful ride brings you to Champtoceaux, in its magnificent setting on the old boundary between Anjou and Brittany, and then to Nantes, a dynamic city with plenty to visit and countless pedestrian streets to explore.

Day 12: Nantes – Saint-Brévin-les-Pins (65 km; +230 m)
You will leave the city on a small boat across the river and pick up the Loire à Vélo cycle path again. A narrow canal will guide you through marshland and countryside to the estuary of the Loire at Saint-Brévin-les-Pins, a seaside resort with a wide sandy beach framed by dunes and pine forest.

Day 13: Saint-Brévin-les-Pins – Le Croisic (bus transfer + 58 km; +180 m)
After a short bus transfer across the Saint-Nazaire bridge, you will discover the famous salt marshes of Guérande and its medieval town, set in the heart of a protected natural park. You will then follow the wild coast to Le Croisic, a fishing harbour and a very beautiful seaside village.

Day 14: Le Croisic – day at leisure or excursion to Le Pouliguen and La Baule (optional 55 km; +185 m)
The day is yours. You can explore Le Croisic, its coves, beaches and the rocks scattered along the coastal path, or ride out to the seaside resort of Le Pouliguen and on to the great bay between La Baule and Pornichet, past villas nestled among the pine trees.

Day 15: Departure
After breakfast, your tour comes to an end and you will depart during the day.