The Loire by bike from Nevers to Tours

Day 1: Arrival in Nevers
Take advantage of your time to visit the beautiful city of Nevers, with its famous ceramics workshops, renowned for their monochromatic blue designs, and the Ducal Palace, one of the earliest castles of the Loire, which was the residence of the counts and dukes of Nevers.

Day 2: Nevers – La Charité sur Loire (45 km)
This first bike ride will take you to Cuffy, the starting point of the La Loire à Vélo bicycle route. You will then head on to the monastic city of Charité-sur-Loire, where you will cross the oldest bridge on the Loire, dating back to the 16th century, before reaching the Romanesque church of Notre Dame.

Day 3: La Charité sur Loire – Sancerre (31 km or 38 km)
The leg will start in the National Natural Reserve of the Loire Valley, then pass through vineyards and next to the bell tower of the church of Pouilly-sur-Loire. The journey continues through fields and forests towards the famous Sancerre vineyards. Take advantage of the occasion to make a stop at one of the local wine producers and enjoy a glass of Sancerre Blanc together with the traditional goat cheese Chevignol. From Sancerre, dominated by the ruins of the feudal castle, the turret of the Tour des Fiefs, you can enjoy a magnificent view of the valley.

Day 4: Sancerre – Briare (49 km)
You will leave Sancerre by bike along the Canal Latéral towards Bannay and Cosne-sur-Loire, a floral town offering breathtaking landscapes along the Loire. The journey continues on the bike paths of La Loire à Vélo to Belleville-sur-Loire, Beaulieu-sur-Loire, and Briare, whose canal bridge, the biggest in France, is a real work of engineering art.

Day 5: Briare – Sully sur Loire (41 km)
You will cross the Loire on the canal bridge and continue towards Saint-Brisson-sur-Loire with its medieval fortress. You will reach the beautiful town of Gien and its extraordinary panoramic view, and finally head to Sully-sur-Loire and its remarkable medieval castle, surrounded by moats overlooking the Loire.

Day 6: Sully sur Loire – Orléans (50 km)
Magnificent landscapes will accompany you today to Saint-Benoit-sur-Loire and its Benedictine abbey, founded in 640. The abbey church is one of the most notable Romanesque works in France. The route continues to Châteauneuf-sur-Loire, one of the main ports on the Loire during the 18th century, before reaching Orléans, a City of Art and History liberated in 1429 by Joan of Arc from the English siege.

Day 7: Orléans – Beaugency (26 km)
After an essential visit to the historical center of Orléans and the magnificent Cathedral of the Holy Cross, you will leave the city, following the La Loire à Vélo cycling paths, firstly to the beautiful Castle of Meung-sur-Loire, and then to the floral city of Beaugency dominated by the tower from the 11th century.

Day 8: Beaugency – Blois (46 km)
Leave Beaugency and head towards Blois, a town with a rich past, whose castle is the perfect illustration of the evolution of French architecture from the Middle Ages to the 17th century. You will then discover the unique landscapes of the Sologne region and, of course, the Chambord Castle, a true masterpiece of the French Renaissance.

Day 9: Blois – Amboise (39 km)
Today's itinerary will take you cycling on the Pays des châteaux trails, through small villages and up to the Castle of Chaumont-sur-Loire, majestically overlooking the river and the village below. You will then reach Amboise with its Royal Castle housing Leonardo da Vinci's tomb in its chapel, just a stone's throw away from the Clos Lucé manor, where the Italian master spent his last years of life.

Day 10: Amboise – Tours (24 km or 32 km)
Cycling through the vineyards of Vouvray or Montlouis, you can discover the many wineries producing the fine white wines of the region. You will finally reach the city of Tours. We recommend exploring the old part of it, whose beating heart is the Place Plumereau, a lively square lined with typical half-timbered houses and filled with café and restaurant terraces.

Day 11: Tours
Departure during the day.