Posted on Thursday, 6 August 2015

My wife doesn't enjoy cycling nearly as much as I do, so persuading her to take a holiday on two wheels took some work. I suggested France as a destination since we have a mutual love of all things Gallic. This, in addition to the fact that no country does cycling breaks quite like the French, made it a natural choice.

We opted for a gentle route along the beautiful Loire Valley, with shallow inclines and plenty of vineyards to visit.

After boarding the Eurostar to Paris with our bikes (included in our luggage allowance), we took a regular train to charming Saumur where we checked into our pre-booked hotel. Following a good night's sleep and a filling breakfast I was raring to go – although my wife was less keen. To her, covering 155 miles seemed like a herculean task, but I reminded her we would hardly break sweat, since the trip would be split over six days. We would also follow the River Loire all the way, so her other niggling concern – that we would get lost – was also put to rest!

Saumur, France (milosk50/Bigstock.com)

Day 1

We took it easy the first day, covering just ten miles. This short distance to Fontevraud took us past numerous pretty vineyards, one of which we stopped at for a brief wine tasting session. The owner was extremely friendly, although he may have been a little perturbed by the fact we only bought one bottle!

Day 2

In Fontevraud we stayed at the Fontevraud Abbey. This delightful structure dates back to 1101 and has a colourful history. After being a place worship, Napoleon turned it into a prison, which it remained until 1985 when the last inmate left. Since then the whole place has been superbly restored and renovated. We dined on honey-coated turbot that evening, washed down with local red wine.

Fontevraud Abbey, Fontevraud, France

Day 3

But we kept the wine-consumption to a minimum, since we planned to cover 30 miles on day 2. After a restful night at Fontevraud Abbey, we began our first ‘epic' day steadily. Going slow certainly has its advantages. You get to appreciate the smaller details of the journey; nest-building birds on sun-dappled branches, timeless old villages and the peaceful, meandering Loire. And of course there are the chateaux for which the area is rightly famous.

Candes, France

After stopping off at Candes for bread and cheese, we made our leisurely way through Ussé and Langeais, before finding our hotel in Azay le Rideau – the pleasant Hôtel Le Grand Monarque. My wife was tired but very content as the night fell over the Loire Valley and we finished off the wine we picked up near Saumur.

Day 3

The next morning we stopped in at the pretty moated Château of Azay-le-Rideau, before continuing on towards Chenonceaux via Montbazon and Azay sur Cher.

Château of Azay-le-Rideau, Loire Valley, France

Near Montbazon we turned into a vineyard in search of wine and food. We sampled a number of fresh, crisp, fruity wines and were mightily impressed. Brie baguettes with mustard, mayonnaise and cornichons (tiny French pickles) delighted our tummies before it was time to move on.

The Hotel la Roseraie in Chenonceaux – a kind of coaching inn – was a most welcoming establishment. We dined on tender lamb and duck in the charming courtyard before relaxing in the hotel pool before falling into a deep slumber in our spacious room.

Day 4

Rising early once more and filling ourselves with the ‘de rigour' continental breakfast, we saddled up and began another 30 mile run to Chitenay. We stopped at delightful Montrichard for some lunch, where we found a restaurant called Le Nanteuil in the town's pretty square. We sampled an Italian salad with fresh mozzarella, prawns with fresh squid ink linguine and a fish dish with braised vegetables and fresh spring pea puree. After a leisurely rest on the banks of the Loire, we passed the stunning Chateuax de Cheverny, before moving on to Chitenay where a pleasant room at the vine-covered Hôtel Auberge du Centre awaited.

Chateuax de Cheverny, Loire Valley, France

Day 5

From Chitenay we covered 35 miles, taking in Blois and St Dyé – where we enjoyed lunch at Manoir Bel Air, serving fantastic local food and boasting a great wine cellar. After absorbing the beauty of Chateau de Chambord we arrived at Beaugency by sundown, where we were booked in at L'Ecu de Bretagne.

Chateau De Chambord, Loire Valley, France

The room was rather small but the hotel staff were more than happy to move us to a more spacious alternative, without any additional cost. A walk down by the river's edge rewarded us with a mesmerising sunset of pinks and oranges. Gnats danced over the shimmering water, enticing nameless fish to leap out in search of their dinner. It seemed the entirety of the Loire Valley was concerned with delighting the palette.

Pont De Beaugency, Loire Valley, France

Day 6

It was with some excitement that we saddled up on the final day of our tour, since we were heading to Orleans – a city my wife has always wanted to visit. It was a delightful (and short) 15 mile run down through Meung sur Loire and Cléry St André. Once in Orleans we checked into the Novotel Orléans La Source, complete with another pool. But we preferred to explore the Old Quarter between the river and the cathedral, where a number of pleasant bars were to be found – along with a choice of restaurants.

Place Du Matroi, Orleans, France (milosk50/Bigstock.com)

Au Revoir to the Loire

As we boarded the train for Paris the next day, we noted how slim we both looked after the past week's cycling. This was despite some of the richest food we'd had in a long time. Cycling, we decided, could be the perfect antidote to any guilt regarding over-consumption of French cuisine.

We also agreed that it wasn't ‘goodbye' to the wonderful Loire Valley but merely ‘au revoir'. It had been a feast for our eyes and our bellies!

Useful websites:

Loire cycle route information: https://www.loireavelo.fr/

Eurostar train to France: https://www.eurostar.com/

Brittany Ferries to France: https://www.brittany-ferries.co.uk/

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