Loire Valley Castles as a Family, from Amboise to Saumur

Intermediate cycling level. The route mainly uses dedicated cycle paths and small paved roads. Well signposted. Daily stages of 28 to 40 km. Suitable for children aged 6 and over who can already ride independently. For younger children, trailers and tandem bikes are available to rent as an option.

You only carry your daily essentials in a small bag or daypack, along with your picnic lunches. Your luggage will be waiting at your hotel in the evening. Luggage is limited to one bag per person (max. 20 kg). It must be left at the hotel reception before 9am and will be delivered before 6pm.

From 2 people.

6 days, 5 nights, 4 days of cycling

Departure date of your choice from mid-April to mid-October.

Self-guided tour, without a guide. We provide you with a digital travel pack, which includes access to our smartphone navigation app, a list of your accommodation, any exchange vouchers, and all the information you need for a successful trip.

If you wish, we can provide you with a paper version of the travel pack, with maps, a topographic guide and a travel folder, for an additional fee of 35 € per pack. For any request for a paper travel pack made less than 45 days before departure, and for customers resident abroad, packs will be sent directly to your first hotel.

Accommodation

Bed and breakfast accommodation in double rooms, in 2* and 3* hotels or equivalent. In the event of overbooking, we may accommodate you in another hotel of the same category or equivalent.

Hotel Classification:

In France, more and more hotels and guesthouses decline any official classification, even establishments that were still classified one or two years ago. These establishments have not lost any quality as a result, far from it. Among the guesthouses, many offer charming rooms.

If we indicate, for example, a comfort level of “3*or equivalent”, this means that the establishment is not necessarily classified but offers comfort equivalent to that of a 3* hotel.

Dining

For lunch, the tour passes through many villages, so you can choose where to eat: a restaurant, a village café, an inn or a picnic. For dinner, you will easily find restaurants near the hotels.

Please let us know at registration of any food allergies or special diets, and we will do our best to adapt your meals.

NB: Accommodation photos are non-contractual. Accommodation may change. Depending on availability, we may book other hotels of equivalent comfort and standard.

Start

Day 1 in Amboise in the afternoon

End

Day 6 in Saumur after breakfast

Bicycle Rental

We handle the booking, so please let us know at registration. The bikes are adjusted to the size of the participants, so we need your height at the time of booking.

For a rental of 5 days, the bikes are delivered to your hotel in Amboise on Day 1, and you leave them at your hotel in Saumur when you arrive at the end of your stage on Day 5. Our partner collects them either on the evening of Day 5 or on the morning of Day 6.

Type: All-terrain bike, Scott or equivalent, fitted with a Shimano 27-speed transmission and a custom Racktime luggage rack.

For hygiene reasons, water bottles are not provided. You will have a repair kit, pump, anti-theft lock, water bottle holder, a pair of panniers and a helmet.

Don’t forget to tell us your height when you make your booking.

(Women’s model and men’s model)

Women’s all-terrain bike rental

Men’s all-terrain bike rental

It is also possible to rent an electric bike.

(Non-contractual photos)

“Getting in the saddle” option: we meet you in person to deliver your bikes. The service includes adjusting the settings for optimal positioning on your bike, technical explanations on how the bike works, and answers to your questions, so that you set off in the best possible conditions.

*The bike peace of mind option covers you in case of damage to the bike or bike theft, with an excess of 100 € per all-terrain bike and 200 € per electric bike in case of theft.

Personal bike: We do not recommend road bikes with thin tyres. All-terrain bikes are excellent. Remember to service your bike before you leave. At the end of the tour, you will need to take care of your bike.

Return by train from Saumur to Amboise: bikes are accepted on certain routes, but before you leave, you must check the timetables and which trains accept bikes and which do not. https://www.sncf-connect.com/

By train

https://www.sncf-connect.com/ Paris / Amboise: approximately 1h50, 1 connection Return from Saumur to Amboise by train: 1h05, direct

By car

Large free car park in front of the hotel, unsupervised. Paid parking about 2 minutes from the hotel, approximately 5 € / day.

Member of Responsible Tourism Action (ATR)

Since 2012, Grand Angle has been a member of ATR, the reference association for more responsible tourism. We design our trips – on foot, by bike, on snow – to invite everyone to discover the world differently: with curiosity, respect and kindness.

A member of the board since 2018, we actively contribute to changing industry practices towards greater meaning. In practice, we ensure:

• Transparency in our practices and pricing
• Respect for our partners and local populations
• Preservation of the environment during each of our trips

We also share the values of the traveller’s ethical charter, which encourages everyone to adopt simple gestures to protect the places visited and foster good encounters.

Travelife Partner

Since 2025, Grand Angle has been recognised as a Travelife Partner. This international label certifies our responsible practices in terms of environment, ethics and sustainable management, both within our company and with our partners, and in the organisation of our trips.

This label, the second level of a demanding international certification, testifies to our concrete actions in favour of responsible tourism. We are actively working towards the higher level, Travelife Certified, in line with our sustainable development policy

For the bike

• Padded cycling shorts
• Cycling gloves (optional)
• Helmet (mandatory for children up to 12 years old, strongly recommended beyond that age)
• Sunglasses (against the sun, wind and flies)
• Windbreaker
• T-shirts or cycling jerseys

For the midday picnic

• Plastic bowl or plate
• Cutlery (spoon, fork, knife)

Against sun and rain

• Sunscreen and sunglasses
• Cap (or helmet)
• A windbreaker that is also suitable for rain (you never know!), such as Gore-Tex

After the ride

• A sweater or fleece
• Comfortable trousers
• Shorts
• A change of clothes for the evening
• Light shirts
• A pair of trainers or similar shoes for the evening
• Underwear
• Toiletry bag
• A swimming costume
• A mini first-aid kit: personal medication, plasters, biodegradable gauze or “2 skin”, gauze, disinfectant, arnica granules and aspirin for minor injuries…

• A backpack to carry your belongings for the day, or a pair of panniers
• A bag for your main luggage: a backpack, a travel bag or a suitcase in good condition

Country: France, member of the EU
Capital: Paris

Travellers, including minors, must have a national identity card or passport (EU citizens).
Wearing a helmet is mandatory up to 12 years old and strongly recommended for adults.

Health

Bring your health insurance card and your usual medication for the duration of your stay.

Blois Tourist Office: https://www.bloischambord.com/
Angers Tourist Office: https://www.destination-angers.com/tourisme/
Tours Tourist Office: https://www.tours-tourisme.fr/

IGN Top100 maps: no. 133 Tours – Blois and no. 125 Angers – Laval.