Loire Source to Sea

Day 2

Leaving the hotel we cycle the 7 miles or so to leave our bikes by the side of the road and make the short walk to the spot where the infant Loire bubbles up through the mountains of the Massif Central. Then it’s back on the road for a hilly day and the start of our epic journey. We can’t always follow the river precisely as it meanders through the mountains but we follow its general direction taking in some unspoilt countryside as we go, and stop for the night in Le Puy en Velay in the heart of the Massif Central. (91 km / 57 miles).

Day 4

After a good night’s sleep this is the last of the harder days and with a fine route tracking the river this should not present any problems. Our first stop though is to fill up our water bottles at the Badoit Well! A day of two halves, part one being pretty flat, part 2 having more hills. Once again there are some lovely sections alongside the river with a picnic by a beautiful chateau on an island. (97 km / 61 miles).

Day 6

Another virtually flat day means despite the distance, you will make good speed with little effort. Decize and Nevers, the two larger towns passed today, are both historic: Julius Ceasar is said to have visited both. Nevers is a good place to pause and reflect that we have covered almost 400km already. Leading up from the quay, winding streets contain many fine houses. Similarly, La Charitee sur Loire, where we stay the night, is a fine old town with cobbled streets and an old abbey. (112km / 70  miles).

Day 8

We leave the river and cut across country in order to miss the built up city of Orleans. The terrain is once more flat so there is plenty of time to stop and explore. The fine renaissance architecture is now a frequent sight and nowhere more so than at our overnight stop at Chambord, where the hotel lies opposite the magnificent chateau and the view has to be seen to be believed. (75 km / 47 miles).

Day 10

Azay to Saumur contains some of the most lovely cycling of the trip. Candes sur Loire and St Martin are justifiably graded as two of the most beautiful villages in France, whilst Saumur is known as the pearl of the Loire. It exudes an air of sophistication with its hilltop chateau and the famous cavalry riding school, the cadre noir, having its home here. We ride on through vineyards towards Angers, where we stop in a small village just next the river. The terrain through the vineyards is characterised by small hills but again the overall picture is of gentle and manageable cycling. (105 km / 65 miles).

Day 12

It is a gentle ride to the mouth of the river. We take a little ferry across to keep to the south side and meander through to Paimboef, where the St Nazaire road bridge hoves into view. The southern end of this structure marks the end of our journey, and from Paimboef we aim to ride as a group to the end of the river. St Brevin les Pins is a popular holiday resort with sandy beaches and is an ideal place to relax during the afternoon, before a celebratory dinner at our hotel followed perhaps by a glass of something refreshing (61 km / 38 miles).