Itinerary Include flights Expand all London to London Day 1 Start Chissay. If you have arranged to join the transfer we will pick you up from St Pierre des Corps station and take you to Chissay (please see the joining information), where your fabulous château hotel awaits. There will be time for a swim before dinner.Premium Hotel Meals included: Dinner Day 2 Cycle along the River Cher to Château de Chenonceau; cycle on to St Ouen-les-Vignes via Amboise. This morning's ride will start with gentle pedalling along the banks of the Cher River, which will lead you to the superb Château de Chenonceau with its famous arches majestically spanning the river. Described by Flaubert as 'floating on air and water', it's arguably the most beautiful of all the Loire landmarks. It will be difficult to tear yourself away from this beautiful spot so it makes a great stop for lunch on the terrace of The Orangerie restaurant. You will then head off through the shady Amboise forest and on to Amboise - don't worry if you don't have time to explore properly as you can easily come back tomorrow. Your final stretch leads to the elegant village of St Ouen-les-Vignes, where you'll stay at Hotel l'Aubinière, and Jacques and Odile Arrayet's bijou hotel beside the river. Odile is a professional sommelier, and Jacques an artistic chef de cuisine, so you're in for some treats here!Premium Hotel Meals included: Breakfast Dinner Day 3 Free day to return to Amboise; or cycle along the River Cisse to the wine capital of Vouvray. Today is a free day but with Amboise only a 5km cycle south it makes for the perfect day trip. Visit the flamboyant royal palace and the elegant Clos Luce, a 15th Century manor house where Leonardo da Vinci lived and worked for the last few years of his life. His workshops house 40 giant models of some of his most spectacular creations - the first plane, helicopter and tank. The beautifully landscaped gardens bring life to his botanical drawings and geographical designs. Alternatively, it is an easy 15km return cycle along the river Cisse to the wine capital, Vouvray. It is most famous for its wine made from the Chenin Blanc grape. A little way out of Vouvray, the Moncontour Museum gives you the opportunity to visit a winery and some ancient wine cellars; there is the chance to do some comparative wine tasting at the end of the tour or visit Chateau de Valmer where King Charles VII once stayed. Optional ride approx. 15km.Premium Hotel Meals included: Breakfast Dinner Day 4 Cycle to Autreche; continue onto Chaumont; finish in Ouchamps. Today offers lovely peaceful cycling; you head north through open countryside to Autreche, there is the opportunity to see a lot of wildlife en-route so keep the binoculars handy! The route then continues on to Chaumont. The impressive 15th Century château was built on the site of the original 10th Century castle destroyed by Louis XI for the treasonable acts of its then owners. Famously Catherine de Medici forced her late husband's mistress, Diane de Poitiers, to give her Chenonceau in exchange for Chaumont. Between May and October, the chateau hosts the International Garden Festival with a different theme each year. A final, shady riverside stretch takes you via the pretty villages of Les Montils and Seur and on to Ouchamps where you'll spend the next two nights.Premium Hotel Meals included: Breakfast Dinner Day 5 Free day to visit the chateau at Cheverny. Alternatively, cycle to Chateau de Chambord. The 17th Century château at nearby Cheverny, with its wonderful white stone facade, makes a great day trip on your bike (19km circular ride). The richness of its furnishings and antiques are incredible, and the gardens are superb. The chateau has an interesting history, as if out of a regal soap opera, including intrigue and murder. Its latter history has been a little less dramatic but the château kept its place on the main stage by being used as a model for Marlinspike Hall which features in some of the Tintin adventures. There is a permanent Tintin exhibition open for viewing. Alternatively, if you head a little further afield on your bike, you can visit the magnificent Château de Chambord. It is a 50km round trip, so makes a perfect day trip. Set in the heart of the huge Foret de Boulogne, this 16th Century masterpiece appears straight from a fairytale, and reflects the lavish tastes of its original owner, King Francois I. Today, the surrounding park has been declared a national nature reserve, protecting all sorts of wildlife including deer, boar and eagles. Optional ride approx. 19km or 50km.Premium Hotel Meals included: Breakfast Dinner Day 6 Cycle via Fougeres-sur-Bievre and along the River Cher to Montrichard; then ride onto Château de Chissay for a well-earned dip in the pool! After breakfast your ride will head south past well-tended vines and sleepy hamlets surrounded by fields of sunflowers. We recommend stopping for lunch on the terrace beside the fortified chateau of Fougeres-sur-Bievre, before cycling downhill to the River Cher. Here the charming old quarter of mediaeval Montrichard is huddled beneath the 11th Century keep. The town has a definite mediaeval feel to it, particularly in some of the buildings in the square. You can sit here, enjoy a coffee and admire the half-timbered houses. The castle dominates the town and is famous for imprisoning Richard the Lionheart. A final flat cycle follows the Cher back to Château du Chissay for a well-earned dip in the pool! Premium Hotel Meals included: Breakfast Dinner Day 7 End Chissay. If you pre-book a transfer you will be taken back to St Pierre des Corps station. See the joining information for more details. Meals included: Breakfast
France No visa required for British passport holders. For further Brexit travel advice please visit https://www.abta.com/tips-and-advice/brexit-advice-for-travellers Visa regulations can change without notice: please check the current regulations in good time to obtain a visa if one is required.
Hotels All hotels have been handpicked for their warm welcome, location and elegant regional cuisine. Your gastronomic meals are central to your experience and these will be provided at the hotels; some in stately dining rooms and others on outdoor terraces. You will spend 2 nights at the former royal residence Château de Chissay, steeped in history and set in extensive parkland. Other nights are spent in 3 and 4-star hotels, all with swimming pools; all have en suite facilities. All prices are based on 2 persons sharing, so if there is an odd number of people travelling in your party or you are travelling alone, there will be a compulsory single room supplement. Please call your sales consultant for prices and availability.
August 3, 2020 Our top 5 favourite hikes in Tuscany Imagine the Tuscan landscape and postcard-perfect rich green and warm amber, rolling hills, intersected with winding
July 9, 2020 Wine and cheese pairing: The perfect French combination Whether you’re looking to discover the enchanting chateaux and aristocratic estates cycling in the L
April 28, 2020 Your Guide To…Taking The Train To An Exodus Trip Since the first commercial airline flight in 1919, passengers have been extremely lucky to enjoy air travel as a quic
April 23, 2020 How to Prepare for Your First Walking Holiday Fresh air, the great outdoors, a sense of real adventure a walking holiday is a truly wonderful thing.
Reviewed June 2016 Ann Dunbar Trip: Loire Gastronomic Self-Guided Cycling Gastronomic Cycling Loire valley On the whole the trip was good but there were some disappointments. The final night"s dinner after fabulous meals the whole trip was very poor. there were also some issues with the route map that we were given and in one place in particular the rout took us under a railway and we wee stopped by two local who said that this route was too dangerous and showed us a better route. The cycles were good and generally the route was fine. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Cycling along the cycling paths on the banks of the Loire. What did you think of your group leader? Not applicable self guided. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Get a good route map to check directions. Is there anything else you would like to add? It was such a shame that our lat dinner was so poor, it rather ended the holiday on a sour note.
Reviewed September 2015 Rod Edwards Trip: Loire Gastronomic Self-Guided Cycling gastronomic and leisurely This was a great way to see the district around the Loire. We had wonderful cycling days that included rural areas, villages, chateau's, picnic stops and coffee and ice-cream breaks, all culminating in a 4-5 course meal at night. The cycling was varied but mostly slightly undulating to flat and the distance each day was ample. We had great weather and the two rest days allowed us opportunities to vista other places. We visited Cherverny and were lucky to have stumbled across a wine tasting festival set up in the street with about 20 producers presenting their wines. We had good accommodation with Chateau Chissay being the highlight. The bikes were easy to use and very well maintained. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Just being in this part of the world with so much history and chateaus all around. Sleepy villages and of course the food. It was truly gastronomic!! What did you think of your group leader? It was self guided. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Preparation for cycling would be helpful-particularly in regards to your bottom. Padded bike pants are are must. Is there anything else you would like to add? The quality of the accommodation on the 4th and 5th night (Chitenay) didn't match the quality of other nights. However, the food at this hotel was sensational.
Reviewed July 2014 Michael Peck Trip: Loire Gastronomic Self-Guided Cycling Lore Gastronomic Very good. Flat terrain for cycling Great food What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Staying in a Chateau What did you think of your group leader? Great, very nice guy - Hang on it was self guided - so that would be me Do you have any advice for potential travellers? None - The local French were very friendly Is there anything else you would like to add? Nope
Barolo Gastronomic Self-Guided Cycling Premium Scenic self-guided cycling in the UNESCO vineyards of Piedmont Cycling Suitable for: Age 12+ Activity level: Moderate 9 Days from £2,329 Self-Guided (Incl. Flights) View More Details
Dordogne Valleys and Villages Cycling 4 reviews Cycle through France's dramatic river valleys, medieval villages and past fairytale chateaux Cycling Suitable for: Age 12+ Activity level: Moderate 9 Days from £1,709 Self-Guided (Incl. Flights) View More Details
Gastronomic Burgundy Cycling Premium Gastronomic meals and world famous wines, medieval towns and traditional, picturesque villages Cycling Suitable for: Age 12+ Activity level: Leisurely / Moderate 7 Days from £1,615 Self-Guided (Incl. Flights) View More Details
Back roads of Brittany Self-Guided Cycling Tranquil cycle rides through Brittany, Northern France. Cycling Suitable for: Age 8+ Activity level: Leisurely / Moderate 9 Days from £1,495 Self-Guided (Incl. Flights) View More Details