Loire Valley Family Bike + Adventure Tour

Our guides will meet you at the Saint-Pierre-des-Corps train station and bring you to nearby Château Villandry. After a light lunch on the castle grounds, take a moment to wander the maze-like gardens, paths, and water features. For dessert, we’ll taste innovative ice cream flavors inspired by the fragrant herbs and aromatic flowers that grow here. After a bike fitting and safety talk, begin a gentle ride along the Cher River. You’ll start to see why this region is known as the breadbasket of France—endless wheat fields and farms point the way to our hotel, a quintessential Loire Valley château. For an additional fee, you may follow the footsteps of the Three Musketeers with a family fencing lesson that will leave you declaring En Garde! Tonight’s dinner is prepared by the château’s own chef and served with a side of sprawling valley views.

Meals: Lunch / Dinner
Destinations: Château de Villandry, Savonnières, Ballan-Miré, Veigné
Accomplished: 13 miles / 21 km, elevation gain: 604 feet / 184 meters
Accommodations: Domaine de la Tortinière

Start the day at a fairytale castle in Azay-le-Rideau, where French tradition meets Italian design overlooking the Indre River. Our morning ride through the countryside brings us to Langeais with its imposing medieval castle. After lunch at a crêperie, kids of all ages can conjure their inner knight on the castle’s working drawbridge and ramparts. For the best view of the fortress’s promenades and gardens, climb to the highest perch of the tree house entwined with a towering cedar on the grounds. Later, opt for an extra ride on a peaceful bike path to Villandry and visit a farm to learn how tasty French cheese is made. Once we shuttle back to the hotel, we’ll dine at a local restaurant that was converted from a water mill.

Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Destinations: Villandry, Savonnières, Montbazon
Accomplished: 12 miles / 19 km, elevation gain: 413 feet / 126 meters
Longer Option: 26 miles / 42 km, elevation gain: 886 feet / 270 meters
Accommodations: Domaine de la Tortinière

Time to trade our bikes for canoes and paddle down the Cher River, floating by waterfront scenery and even passing beneath the arches of Château de Chenonceau. After a transfer, we explore the world that lies within the castle. The Château de Chenonceau houses an enormous collection of Renaissance furniture to inspire your kids’ daydreams about the royal lives of lords and ladies. Get lost in the dizzying garden labyrinth or lie back on the lawns beneath the sun. Later, your guides will prepare a vibrant picnic lunch before we return to our bikes and ride to our hotel in Amboise. Cool off with a dip in the pool before tonight’s meal in the town center.

Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Destinations: Chenonceaux, Amboise
Accomplished: 9 miles / 14 km, elevation gain: 476 feet / 145 meters
Accommodations: Le Clos d’Amboise

Wake to a leisurely breakfast in our sophisticated manor-turned-hotel. Today we’re headed to the magnificent 16th-century Château de Cheverny, the setting that inspired author Hergé’s The Adventures of Tintin. An interactive visit to Tintin’s world appeals to all generations—including the Château’s kennel that’s sure to delight animal lovers with the presence of 100 well-trained hunting dogs. We then transfer to a quaint village and La Grange, where we tie on our aprons and learn to prepare a beautiful zero-waste meal with herbs and vegetables from the garden. Back on our bikes after lunch, we’ll cycle on small roads enjoying a panorama of rich farmland en route back to our hotel. Should some family members prefer to lounge by the hotel pool before dinner, the van will be there to shuttle you home. This evening you are free to shop and stroll in this charming riverside town as you find the perfect restaurant for your family’s dinner.

Meals: Breakfast / Lunch
Destinations: Cheverney, Amboise
Optional Ride: 11 miles / 18 km, elevation gain: 538 feet / 164 meters
Accommodations: Le Clos d’Amboise

Today’s ride takes us by scenic, rolling hills and vineyards heavy with Chenin Blanc grapes. We’ll arrive to Rochecorbon in time for a tasting in a traditional troglodyte wine cellar. An energizing lunch awaits us after just a few pedal strokes back into town. This afternoon, we turn our attention to Leonardo da Vinci, the Italian artist and inventor who spent his final years right here in the Loire Valley. Visit the Château du Clos Lucé, the residence offered to him by French king Francis I, and inspect models and replicas of da Vinci’s engineering inventions. If you prefer, remain at the hotel and relax or go shopping in town. Tonight we celebrate our week’s adventures with a splendid meal in the heart of Amboise.

Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Destinations: Pocé-sur-Cisse, Nazelles-Négron, Noizay, Chançay
Accomplished: 17 miles / 27 km, elevation gain: 460 feet / 140 meters
Longer Option: 39 miles / 63 km, elevation gain: 1,374 feet / 419 meters
Accommodations: Le Clos d’Amboise

Enjoy a final breakfast at the château with enough time to take one last Loire Valley walk through the grounds and gardens. Guides see you off safely at the Tours train station.

Meals: Breakfast