Accueil Discover By bike Cycle routes and greenways in the Loire Valley
CYCLE ROUTES AND GREENWAYS IN THE LOIRE VALLEY: OUR BIKE ITINERARIES
Why not set out to discover the exceptional landscapes of the Loire Valley at your own pace? Here you’ll find no fewer than ten major cycle routes, including the unmissable La Loire à Vélo, as well as the Véloscénie, L’Indre à Vélo and Saint-Jacques à Vélo. The Loire Valley is the perfect playground to try your first experience of cycle touring, or to enjoy it all over again. So hop on your bike and ride!
LA LOIRE À VÉLO OR EUROVELO 6, A UNIQUE ROUTE COMBINING NATURE AND HERITAGE
If you’ve already done cycle touring, the name will certainly not be new to you! La Loire à Vélo is probably the most popular French cycle route among beginner cycle tourists – but not only them! With over 900 km of safe and signposted cycle routes (both linear paths and variants), the itinerary is accessible to all and can be adapted to your preferences. Take a weekend or more to explore extraordinary landscapes, following a route where wild nature blends with architectural curiosities and breathtaking panoramas.
David Darrault
Un Monde à vélo
La Loire à Vélo is the French part of EuroVelo 6, also known as the River Cycle Route. It will take you from château to château, discovering typical villages (medieval towns, timber-framed houses, tuffeau stone façades, troglodyte dwellings and more) surrounded by vineyards or right next to the royal river!
Here are some of the sites that you can explore during your bike adventure in the Loire Valley:
THE SCANDIBÉRIQUE OR EUROVELO 3, AN IDEAL BIKE ROUTE FOR BUDDING CYCLISTS
As you might have guessed from its name, the Scandibérique runs from Norway to Santiago de Compostela, along over 1,700 km. It is part of EuroVelo 3 and goes through three departments in the Loire Valley (Loiret, Loir-et-Cher and Indre-et-Loire). In this region, nearly 370 km of the bike route are shared with the routes of La Loire à Vélo (between Briare and Tours) and St Jacques à Vélo via Tours.
David Darrault
As you travel along the cycle route, you will go through the local cities of Orléans, Blois and Tours, taking in panoramas of the Loire Valley. Don’t miss the Briare canal-bridge, an impressive structure built by Gustave Eiffel overlooking the river, before you continue towards Sully-sur-Loire, which marks your arrival to the splendid, UNESCO World Heritage-listed landscapes of the Loire Valley!
Here are some sites to visit and places to stay the night when travelling along the Scandibérique:
OTHER IDEAS FOR BIKE ITINERARIES IN THE LOIRE VALLEY
And since we’re sure you’ll want to come back to see more of the Loire Valley’s beauty by bike, here are some other must-see cycle routes and greenways. There’s plenty of options to discover the Loire region’s authentic, welcoming art of living through cycle touring!
SAINT-JACQUES À VÉLO VIA TOURS
I.Savignac
This cycle route traverses Europe along 5,000 kilometres, including several hundreds of kilometres in the Loire Valley. Travel this itinerary by bike and follow the path taken by tens of thousands of pilgrims for centuries. You will also get to discover treasures of the Loire Valley, like the gardens at the Château of Valmer in Chançay, the Saint-Gatien Cathedral in Tours and the Fortress of Montbazon.
L’INDRE À VÉLO
This itinerary is connected to La Loire à Vélo and extends along the Indre river over nearly 300 km. It’s a delightful route to discover some of the treasures of the Loire, such as Azay-le-Rideau, Montbazon, Loches and Buzançais. Not to mention all the beautiful nature!
David Darrault
THE VÉLOSCÉNIE
D. Darrault – CRT Centre-Val de Loire
Connecting Paris and Mont-Saint-Michel along 450 km, the Véloscénie is not just a bike route – it’s the setting for a real-life nature show! Travel through Eure-et-Loir and discover hidden treasures, like the magnificent Château of Maintenon, the sumptuous Cathedral of Chartres and the beautiful village of Frazé.
CŒUR DE FRANCE À VÉLO
Leaving from Tours, Cœur de France à Vélo winds along the Cher Valley and Berry Canal. Often described as “one of the most beautiful paths in the Loire Valley”, this new bike route features over 200 km of cycle itineraries and extends a little further every year, offering ever-more exciting sites to discover!
David Darrault
TOURAINE-BERRY À VÉLO
Clara Ferrand
Are you keen to get some nature? This greenway has been created from a former railway line and is now exclusively used by cyclists and pedestrians, extending along a large section of the Creuse Valley and enjoyed by all manner of nature-lovers. It’s easy to access and flat, interspersed with lovely villages like Gargilesse and Tournon-Saint-Martin, and crossing through the Regional Nature Park of Brenne.
La Vallée du Loir à vélo
Far from the urban hustle and bustle, the route of La Vallée du Loir à Vélo (connected to La Loire à Vélo) promises 320 km of pure escape. From the source of the Loir river (around 30 kilometres south-west of Chartres) to Anders, discover picturesque villages, vines, orchards and troglodyte houses on the hillsides. Plenty to stimulate all five senses!
David Darrault
LA SOLOGNE À VÉLO
D. Darrault – CRT Centre-Val de Loire
And to top it all off, jump on your bike to explore Sologne! This charming route of approximately 40 km connects the Loire Valley châteaux with the heart of Sologne, via a bike ride surrounded by nature. It’s the perfect opportunity to explore a verdant setting, combining lakes and forests, before continuing your journey!
