France: Loire Valley Châteaux TourThe Loire Valley is a must-do trip for all cyclists. Come ride with us on this wonderful tour through the land of the Tour de France. We will visit magnificent châteaux and enjoy delicious food and wine of the region. Paris is also on the agenda although we won’t be riding there!
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Book this tour!To book this tour, please call Judy McElfresh of Tour Group Planners at (217) 422-5002.
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Tour highlights:● Tours ● Amboise ● Blois ● 8 châteaux (including Sleeping Beauty’s castle and Leonardo da Vinci’s last residence) ● Paris ● Eiffel Tower ● Louvre Museum ● Notre Dame ● Avenue des Champs-Élysées ● Arc de Triomphe
Tour dates:13-22 June 2015
Tour price:$3400
Tour includes:
Tour does not include:
Be sure to bring:
*Prices are per person, based on double occupancy:● Single room costs n/a ● Triple room costs n/a ● Documents required: valid passport; no shots or visa required at this time ● Insurance: See www.tourgrouppro.com/insurance for details of coverage and cost (which varies by age group) to cover cancellation charges and other terms at www.tourgrouppro.com/faq ● Cost to upgrade from Scott hybrid bike to Scott 566 carbon fiber road bike = $140 ● Advise your American Airlines AAdvantage Frequent Flier number and copy of passport
● Acct. 140613R |
Tour itinerary:Day 1: Your flight to Paris
You will need to plan your flight departure and arrival times accordingly so that you can arrive in Madrid on Day 2 in the morning. Day 2: Flight arrival-Paris-Loire Valley We arrive in Paris in the morning, proceed through customs together, and then Todd takes us to the city of Tours in the Loire Valley. After check-in, we will have time to explore the city-center of Tours. We will have an orientation meeting at the hotel this evening. Day 3: Ride to Azay-le-Rideau Our first day on the bikes! We ride alongside the Cher and Indre rivers on our way to Château de Villandry and its impressive gardens. Then we continue on to Azay-le-Rideau and its beautiful château. Total distance: 36 or 48 km (22 or 30 mi). (CB) Day 4: Sleeping Beauty's castle!
We follow the Indre river to Château d'Ussé (Sleeping Beauty's castle), which overlooks the Indre. This strategic location dates back to Gallo-Roman times. The current castle fortress was built in the 14th century. We double-back a bit, cross the Loire river to Langeais, and continue on to Luynes where we stay the night. Total distance: 34 or 46 km (21 or 28 mi). (CB, D) Day 5: Vouvray wine country
Traveling around the city of Tours on our way to Amboise, we enter the beautiful Touraine wine region, also called the "Garden of France". The Vouvray appellation is well-known for its white wines, specifically Chenin Blanc. After arriving in Amboise, we will visit Château du Clos Lucé, where Leonardo da Vinci came to live by invitation of King François I in 1516. François I appointed Leonardo "First painter, architect, and engineer" of the King. Leonardo spent the last three years of his life there working on his many passions. Total distance: 46 km (28 mi). (CB) Day 6: Loop to Château de Chenonceau
Today, we ride through the forests of Amboise on our way to Château de Chenonceau. Celebrating its 500th anniversary this year, this castle spans the river Cher and is known as the "Château des Dames", as it was administered and protected by extraordinary women including Catherine de Medici. In 1547, King Henry II gave the château to his favorite lady and mistress, Diane de Poitiers. Upon his death in 1559, his widow, Queen Catherine de Medici, took back the château and gave Château de Chaumont to Diane in exchange. Catherine de Medici governed France from Chenonceau. Total distance: 30 or 50 km (18 or 31 mi). (CB) |
Day 7: On to Blois A nice ride through many small villages takes us to Château de Chaumont built in the 10th century. This château was given to Diane de Poitiers in a forced exchange by Queen Catherine de Medici after King Henry II's death in 1559. Read Day 6 for more on this love triangle. Total distance: 44 or 68 km (27 or 42 mi). (CB) Day 8: Château de Chambord
Our last cycling day takes us to the impressive and unique Château de Chambord. Construction started in 1519 but was not finished until the mid-17th century during the reign of King Louis XIV. Our last visit is the Château de Cheverny, which has remained in the same family, the Huraults, for over six centuries! It only fell out of the family's hands twice, once when Diane de Poitiers bought it to supervise the renovations to her castle at Chaumont. Read Day 6 for more on Diane de Poitiers and Chaumont. Total distance: 49 or 63 km (30 or 39 mi). (CB) Day 9: Paris! We leave Blois for Paris for a full day of sightseeing. Todd starts the tour with a trip up the magnificent Eiffel Tower. We continue on to Notre Dame and the Louvre Museum, once a château-castle itself, finishing with a walk up the Champs-Élysées with its many luxury shops on our way to the Arc de Triomphe. While we will take the metro a few times, you will need your walking shoes! (CB, D) Day 10: Chicago! We say goodbye to beautiful France with its rich history and culture and impressive châteaux, but we get to keep the many warm memories of a wonderful cycling vacation and the many new friends we have met...until our next cycling adventure! (CB) |