Châteaux of the Loire

This was our first cycling holiday with Inntravel and we enjoyed the thoughtful choice of routes, mostly along very quiet roads with wonderful, expansive views. We particulary liked Hotel de Biencourt in Azay le Rideau and our top sites were Fontevraud Abbey and Chinon castle.

Excellent arrangements, transfers and tips.  Inntravel did everything well and in a highly professional manner.  Hotel accommodations were better than expected and included meals were very good.  We would highly recommend this trip in the Spring or Fall.

We thoroughly enjoyed the relaxed cycling through the rolling countryside with all the wonderful châteaux to visit. Food and drink were exceptional. Hotel de Biencourt in Azay-le-Rideau could not have been more helpful. We returned on an extremely hot day and, although our room was not ready, we were able to use the facilities to change out of our cycling gear and sit in the shade with a cooling drink.

In Azay, on the main road Rue Nationale is a good boulangerie/patisserie with charcuterie opposite, and wine shop (Couly-dutheil) literally just down the road from the Hotel de Biencourt. Fontevraud lovely, despite having the popular abbey literally off the main square; the day-trip option to Saumur was great, we'd recommend the Auberge St.Pierre restaurant/bar for food (lunch). Chinon is a lovely town. Very good food at At'able, and brilliant patisserie just down the street from there selling local specialities.

The overall cycle route were brilliant with quiet cycle paths and quiet roads.  At no time did we have to cycle on a busy road.  The Loire Valley countryside was beautiful with the contrast between the riverside paths and inland cycle routes consisting of woodland, miles of vines and sunflowers and wheat crops.  And then there were the châteaux to visit.  We enjoyed every day and were always able to follow the directions easily.

A fantastic cycling trip on quiet lanes and green ways through lovely countryside and villages. It was a chance to see the Loire up close and personal. The accommodation was well chosen and evening meals where provided were great. Also appreciated the cafe suggestions on route and restaurant ideas on the free nights, they proved great suggestions. The cycling notes were spot on.

The holiday was excellent with a great choice of routes and clear guidance from the comprehensive information provided by Inntravel. Hotel accommodation was varied and good with the Hotel de Biencourt being our favourite. It is worth ensuring that all details of the type and size of cycle are as you require and that they have been fully checked before booking.  

Apart from Ryanair, a really great holiday with well thought out routes through lovely countryside and well chosen comfortable hotels. Perfect for my level of cycling with few hills!

We booked this very last minute as we had a holiday cancelled and the service from Inntravel, when enquiring what we could do, was excellent. We have done several Inntravel holidays and have never been disappointed.

Read the notes and ensure you are following the correct option where more than one route possible!

We enjoyed our trip in the Loire valley. Highlights were visiting the Abbey at Fontevraud (we spent four hours there!), cycling down from the Loire levée to Ussé through fields of sunflowers, and through the Vineyards south east of Chinon in the early morning. We went in several chateaux and agreed that Azay le Rideau was the most engaging. Gardens at Villandry also worth the ticket price. A great week!

Azay Le Rideau is a real gem and is a highlight in itself. The town is very pretty and the chateau is stunning. The Biencourt Hotel is a superb conversion of an old school and the host is very welcoming and helpful.It is just a pity they do not also do meals as no doubt they would be excellent too!Unfortunately the restaurant we used which was recommended was rather poor value. If it were possible we would suggest spending longer in Azay and missing out Usse.

The whole trip was fantastic and just what we were looking for.

As on my previous Inntravel bike tours, the two this time were well thought out. I especially appreciate the comprehensive background information on the areas I am about to tour, as well as specific highlights re places to visit, or eat, or grab a cup of coffee. It is a complete package that allows me, as the participant, to plan ahead for what to look for and what options to select.

For one who thoroughly enjoyed the two tours, it is a challenge to summarize. Be that as it may, for the Camargue tour, the route to and from St. Remy with all of the side trips, Glanum, the Sanatorium, was a treat, followed with the next day's ride visiting the aqueduct and the Montmajour abbey. The ride from Arles to Saintes Maries de la Mer was interesting as one rode through the influence of the delta on the terrain. I had not expected to see the vastness of the wetlands which has resulted in managed wetland control and the crops, rice, that are grown in that region.

The Loire River valley - the routes for this tour took one through some varied landscapes. Riding along the rivers on the dikes, with little or no auto traffic was a real plus. Winding around and through the small hamlets and villages with recommendations of where to stop added to the routes each and every day. I anticipated enjoying the various Chateau's along the route, but one of the surprises was the day of riding through the renovated troglodytic village. That was very unique! From mushroom caves, to pressed apples, to a Royal Abbey, to beautiful vistas, and friendly, helpful locals, this was very unique and enjoyable tour.

INNTRAVEL NOTE: Mr Mayheu combined our 'Impressions of the Camargue' and 'Chateaux of the Loire' cycling holidays

The itinerary lived up to our expectations of cycling through the Loire valley, enjoying the countryside, the beautiful Chateaux, sleepy villages and the "odd" wine tasting!! The choice of the Hotel at Azay-Le- Rideau was the perfect place to start and finish the holiday. 

We found this to be a great cycling holiday! As this was our first cycling one (though second trip with Inntravel), we elected for the e-bikes which were great fun and made the riding effectively effortless. The bicycle routes were varied and with little traffic (in October) with plenty of attractions of cultural, artistic, and enological interest. Do note, however, that travel in a shoulder time (October) means that many of the Inntravel's visit recommendations may be closed for the season or have very limited hours. The hotels were all very nice and located next to the chateaux or in the center of villages. With the exception of Usse, which was a tiny little hamlet with nothing to do other than visit the chateau, all the towns had interesting things to see and do. The included dinners were generally very good and the breakfasts were adequate with breads, cheese, yogurt, etc. Inntravel's planning, support, and logistical expertise were outstanding! We are already looking into our next vacation trip with Inntravel.

The highlight was clearly and simply being outdoors and cycling; hardly anybody else on the route at this time of the year which was very enjoyable. Seeing all these big parking spaces for bicycles, we assumed that in the main season, there will be masses of people cycling there, spoiling the experience. It really felt like holidays from the first day, I couldn't even get myself to check my emails on my phone!

INNTRAVEL NOTE: We don't receive reports of the area being busy, even in the middle of summer. Cycling is however well catered for as an activity.

This was a relaxed, pleasurable and totally stress-free experience. From initial booking to the return journey home, the entire holiday went like clockwork. The guidance notes, hotels, cycles and luggage transfers could not be faulted. As novice touring cyclists we found the choice of routes, venues, attractions and terrain fitted our requirements exactly. The weather was perfect for cycling and at this time of year the roads were nice and quiet. We have already been recommending the experience to friends and family.

We loved the whole holiday from start to finish. We are already thinking of our next cycling trip with Inntravel.

Excellent introduction to the delights of the Loire valley with well thought out routes providing the opportunity to see and sample many of the area's cultural and historical highlights. The longer cycle on day 4 from Fontevraud to Chinon was well worth the effort and everyone should be encouraged to do this - even if it does leave the legs tired! A good recommendation is the Boulangerie at Parnay on the cycle out to Saumur - a very welcome coffee stop as the recommended Bistroglo in Turquant didn't open till 12.

The Loire valley is gorgeous countryside with mainly flat river plains mixed in with hills as you approach castles.  Every town seems to have at least one good restaurant.  The local sparking wines were a surprise - delicious!  Several of the castles are in such good condition that its like being on a film set.  All in all great set of routes and hotels.

The cycling tour was absolutely wonderful. We have done cycling trips before and this was particularly good - beautiful countryside, very few other cyclists and really good accommodation. We have used other companies before but we shall definitely use Inntravel again!

Obviously the chateaux are very impressive, but I really enjoyed passing through little French villages where in June the scent of roses was pervasive. The countryside was beautiful and there was very little traffic, even the towns were not too difficult for a rather rusty cyclist! I would recommend taking a small plastic box for picnics as French cheese can get a bit soft by lunchtime in warm weather. Watch out for closing times and plan your day accordingly, it's easy to forget France does not have the open all hours society that we are used to in England.

We very much enjoyed our time in the Loire Valley. The very detailed notes and large scale maps meant that there were no difficulties finding our way. It was interesting to look over gates and behind walls as we cycled in villages, through vineyards and on the tracks and small roads round fields of sunflowers and corn. On Day 5 - Panzoult is a good coffee stop. Madame in the bar will also make sandwiches to take away.

With the exception of Villandry, none of our party had visited any of the chateaux on this tour previously and the itinerary gave us plenty of time to explore without putting us under any real pressure to reach our destination hotel in reasonable time. We were blessed with what everyone told us was exceptionally hot weather for the time of year and we were overawed by the amazing display of roses and not just in the chateaux gardens - they were everywhere! Maybe it was the time of the year (May into early June) but we found very little traffic even where your notes warned us of this potential. At no time did we miss out on lunch from local boulangeries and found the usual selection of filled bagettes more than adequate particularly bearing in mind the quality of evening meals available where provided and locally where not.

I would suggest that it is generally easier following a highlighted route on the map than reading route notes on the go such that, if one has time and inclination (and is a map lover) this is a better option except in towns and villages. It took me a good half day to mark up the maps, so not everyone would have this facility or ability.

Our second Inntravel cycling holiday on the Loire and most enjoyable. As two pensioners, the electric bikes were essential and enbled us to cycle every day and do the 60km tour OK.

We hope to do, perhaps the Burgundy cycle tour in a year or two.