Bike rides and hikes
![trois personnes à vélo sur la Place Plumereau]()
Plumereau square
You have half-day
Cycling loops in the Tours metropolitan area
A 1/2-day tour from Tours
Hop on your bike for a half-day nature break along the Loire à Vélo® on the "Bords de Loire: d'une rive à l'autre" route. Departing from Tours, this loop takes you to Montlouis, Vernou-sur-Brenne, Vouvray and Rochecorbon.
You'll ride along the banks of the royal river, through the vineyards of the Vouvray AOC grape variety and past troglodyte dwellings. If you'd like to extend the day's ride, you can stop for a picnic on Île de la Métairie, enjoy a wine tasting at Château de Moncontour, admire Marmoutier Abbey and, on the way back, visit the Cloître de la Psalette nestled in the heart of Tours' Cathedral of Saint-Gatien.
Loop 2: Along the Loire "from one bank to the other
Distance: 29 km
Difficulty: easy
Another idea for a shorter route: from Tours to Saint-Cyr-sur-Loire, pedal in the footsteps of Honoré de Balzac! This itinerary takes you to the key places in the life of the writer and his works: the Maison Vauquer, La Grenadière and the hamlet where he was fostered.
Special Balzac loop #2: in Balzac's footsteps, from Tours to Vouvray
Distance: 9 km
Difficulty: easy
Find all the cycling loops at the Tours Loire Valley Tourist Office or on velo-rando-touraine.fr
You have 1 day
![Château d'Azay-le-Rideau]()
Azay-le-Rideau chateau
Castles loop
Just 1 hour from Paris, in the heart of the UNESCO World Heritage Loire Valley, Tours is one of the key stops on the Loire à Vélo®. This safe, signposted itinerary winds along the river, offering regular loops to the châteaux, villages and vineyards along the way. You'll be amazed with every turn of the wheel!
Whether you're a sporty type of rider or just enjoy the gentle pace of life in the Loire Valley, it's impossible not to visit one of the region's must-see châteaux.
Don't miss:
- To Château de Villandry and its formal gardens: 40 km round trip
- To château d'Azay-le-Rideau and its water mirror: 80 km round trip
- To château de Rigny-Ussé, the Sleeping Beauty castle: 80 km round trip
And to vary the pleasures, Touraine offers other renowned cycling itineraries such as the Cœur de France à Vélo®, the Scandibérique or Saint Jacques de Compostelle à Vélo.
You have a week-end
2 days 100% cycling and art of living
For two days, set off from Tours on a cycling tour of vineyards and châteaux.
![Deux personnes à vélo dans le vignoble de Vouvray]()
Vouvray wineyard
DAY 1 - Vineyards, wild river and troglodytic caves
Follow La Loire à Vélo® on the signposted route “Bords de Loire: d'une rive à l'autre”. Departing from Tours, this loop takes you to Montlouis, Vernou-sur-Brenne, Vouvray and Rochecorbon. You'll ride along the banks of the royal river, through the vineyards of the AOC Vouvray grape variety and past troglodyte dwellings. Along the way, you can take a picnic break on the sandy beaches of Île de la Métairie, visit the Musée de la Vigne et du Vin and enjoy a wine tasting at Château de Moncontour, then admire Marmoutier Abbey along the way. During the summer season, you can finish off the tour with dinner and dancing at the Guinguette de Rochecorbon.
![Château de Villandry]()
Gardens & castle of Villandry
DAY 2 - The Loire and Villandry Castle
Go "to the end of the world" in just one day with the "Villandry at the end of the world" cycling loop, leading to the confluence of the Loire and Cher rivers at Berthenay. This signposted Loire à Vélo® trail offers exceptional panoramic views of the wild river. It takes you through typical Touraine villages, to the Grottes Pétrifiantes de Savonnières and the Château et Jardins de Villandry. You can visit this Renaissance château and its ornamental gardens before returning to Tours. On the way back, make a stop at "La Soupette de Mémère" in Savonnières. Situated along the Cher, near the port, it offers a breathtaking view of the river.
Tracks for the "Bords de Loire d'une rive à l'autre" and "Villandry au bout du monde" cycling loops can be found at the Tours Val de Loire Tourist Office or on velo-rando-touraine.fr.
![Famille à vélo aux abords du château de Chenonceau]()
Chenonceau castle
You have few days
A 3-day adventure
Starting from Tours, pedal freely to discover the beauty of the Loire Valley's heritage and two not-to-be-missed castles: Château d'Amboise and Château de Chenonceau.
DAY 1 - 27 KM
Start this royal journey from Tours to Amboise along the route of La Loire à Vélo®. Stop at Montlouis-sur-Loire and visit the Maison de la Loire to discover the natural and cultural heritage of Europe's last last wild river in Europe. Don't miss the gardens of Château de la Bourdaisière before lunching at its famous Bar à Tomates©, or at the restaurant La Tourangelle. Continue your journey to Amboise, where you can stroll through the medieval town center and visit the Château Royal. For dinner, the gastronomic restaurant restaurant La Brèche welcomes you to its intimate garden with contemporary works of art.DAY 2 - 18.5 KM
Brainstorm and marvel at Leonardo da Vinci's inventions at Le Clos Lucé, the Florentine genius' last home.
Then on to Chenonceaux (follow signs for Blois-Chenonceaux), passing through the Amboise forest, ideal for a picnic. Then discover the Château de Chenonceau, also known as the “Château des Dames”, which can be admired on foot, but also by boat or canoe-kayak under its arches.DAY 3 - 30.5 KM
A great escape on the Cher à Vélo route, this time through Saint- Martin-Le-Beau, where you can have lunch at the Bistrot'Quai in Civray-de- Touraine. Touraine. Set in the gardens of the lock-keeper's house, this establishment offers local specialities that you can enjoy comfortably seated overlooking the river. Once invigorated, the tour continues through the vineyards of Château de Nitray and Larçay. You'll arrive in Tours from the south and enjoy a break on the Ile Balzac before returning to the city center.Practical info
If you wish to shorten your journey, the towns of Montlouis-sur-Loire, Amboise and Chenonceaux can all be reached by train (20-30 min journey time), with the option of taking your bike on board (booking essential on weekends and public holidays between April 29 and October 1, €1/bike).
"Rémi Découverte” pass: unlimited transport at €42 for 1 to 5 people for 2 days.
More info on remi-centrevaldeloire.frSome turnkey bike trips and holidays
Want to pedal your way to (almost) freedom? Discover our all-inclusive or free cycling holidays!
