France
Castles on River Loire
8 Days | Self-guided tour
The Loire Valley – the quintessence of the romantic France! The rural charm of this region is in no way inferior to the cultural wealth of its cities. But of course, the castles on the river Loire are the reason, above all else, why this region is so famous. Kings, feudal lords and ladies of the court, seduced by the beautiful natural setting of the Loire Valley, had there, in the ‘garden of France’, several hundred castles, manor houses and dreamy residences built. Villandry, Langeais, Ussé, Chinon, Saumur, Azay-le-Rideau, Chenonceaux, Chaumont, Blois, Chambord and all the rest of them. Only in one day, the atmosphere of the river can change completely: the foggy-sullen melancholy, called ‘grisaille’ by the French (which still sounds poetic in French), can suddenly give way to a glorious sunset, bathing the countryside in soft pastel shades. What can be more obvious than exploring the most fascinating region in France by bike? Get all information and many more tour tips for our cycle tours along the Loire Cycle Path.