The Loire Cycle Route
From the source in the Massif Central to the Atlantic coast
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Guidebook to cycling the Loire, France's longest river, from its source in the Massif Central to the Atlantic. The 1052km (654 mile) route incorporates a section of EuroVélo 6 and the popular, waymarked Loire à Vélo, taking in extinct volcanos, vineyards and châteaux. Cycling is mostly on cycle paths and minor roads.
Seasons- The whole route can be cycled when the mountains near the source are snow free, usually April-October. Stages 7 to 26 can be cycled at any time of year, though April-October is the best period.
Centres- A point-to-point route with no particular bases.
Difficulty- Apart from a steep 1000m climb to reach the start and a few ascents and descents in the first six stages this is a straightforward route that is generally downhill or level. Mostly asphalt surfaces in good condition suitable for hybrid or touring cycles. Much of the route follows dedicated off-road cycle tracks, suitable for family cycling, though there are a few short sections where main roads are used.
Must See- Mont Gerbier de Jonc and the volcanic hills of the Ardèche, Le Puy-en-Velay, Charollais hills. After Nevers the route follows La Loire à Vélo, France's most popular cycleway, passing many of the royal châteaux (Chambord, Blois, Chaumont, Villandry, Amboise), vineyards (Sancerre, Touraine, Chinon, Saumur, Anjou, Muscadet), and historic cities (Orléans, Tours, Angers, Nantes) of the Loire Valley.
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Overview
This guide describes a 1052km cycle route that starts at source of the Loire in the Massif Central mountains of central France and finishes at the Atlantic opposite St Nazaire. It descends past extinct volcanoes, crater lakes and deep gorges before joining EuroVélo route 6 and the fully waymarked Loire à Vélo, France's most popular cycle trail. Following the river downstream in 26 stages, the route is generally downhill or level often on dedicated traffic-free cycle tracks.
Packed with a wealth of useful information - from practical planning advice to fascinating insights about the river and its surroundings - the guidebook features detailed route descriptions and informative mapping. Details of facilities and places to stay, and a French glossary are included.
The route goes through the heart of France as the Loire becomes the royal river, bounded by extravagant châteaux, fields of Charollais cattle and vineyards. It passes through historic cities like Orléans and Tours, continuing past Angers and France's fourth largest city Nantes.
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Contents
Contents
Introduction
Background
The route
Natural environment
Preparation
Getting there and back
Navigation
Accommodation
Food and drink
Amenities and services
What to take
Safety and emergencies
About this guide
The Loire Cycle Route
Prologue Getting to the start
Upper Loire
Stage 1 Gerbier de Jonc to Goudet
Stage 2 Goudet to Le Puy-en-Velay
Stage 3 Le Puy-en-Velay to Retournac
Stage 4 Retournac to Aurec-sur-Loire
Stage 5 Aurec-sur-Loire to Feurs
Stage 6 Feurs to Roanne
Stage 7 Roanne to Digoin
Middle Loire
Stage 8 Digoin to Bourbon-Lancy
Stage 9 Bourbon-Lancy to Decize
Stage 10 Decize to Nevers
Stage 11 Nevers to La Charité-sur-Loire
Stage 12 La Charité-sur-Loire to Sancerre
Stage 13 Sancerre to Briare
Stage 14 Briare to Sully-sur-Loire
Stage 15 Sully-sur-Loire to Orléans
Lower Loire
Stage 16 Orléans to Beaugency
Stage 17 Beaugency to Blois
Stage 18 Blois to Amboise
Stage 19 Amboise to Tours
Stage 20 Tours to Bréhémont
Stage 21 Bréhémont to Saumur
Stage 22 Saumur to Angers
Stage 23 Angers to Montjean-sur-Loire
Stage 24 Montjean-sur-Loire to Ancenis
Stage 25 Ancenis to Nantes
Stage 26 Nantes to St Brevin-les-Pins (St Nazaire)
Appendix A Stage summary table
Appendix B Facilities summary table
Appendix C Tourist information offices
Appendix D Youth hostels and gîtes d’étape
Appendix E Useful contacts
Appendix F Language glossary -
Updates
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We are always grateful to readers for information about any discrepancies between a guidebook and the facts on the ground. If you would like to send some information to us then please use our contact form. They will be published here following review by the author(s).
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Reviews
This book contains all you need to know, as well as a sense of the spirit of the river and life along it to inspire you.
Seven Day Cyclist
It’s the usual high-quality stuff that you’d expect from Cicerone with detailed maps, altitude profiles, tourist
information etc… and, from the English-speaking perspective, probably the definitive description of the route.
Leafing through the book, it does make me wonder why I am sitting at my computer here at home with the
prospect of returning to work tomorrow morning rather than out there doing Mike’s job… Mmm…Andrew Sykes, Cycling Europe
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Mike Wells
Mike Wells has been a keen long-distance walker and cyclist for over 20 years. He has walked all the major British trails, the GR5 through the Alps from Lake Geneva to the Mediterranean and has explored the Italian Dolomites' Alta Via routes. He has also walked in Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Norway and Chilean Patagonia.
Mike has cycled the C2C route across northern England as well as the Camino and Ruta de la Plata to Santiago de la Compostela. He has completed an end to end traverse of Cuba, a circumnavigation of Iceland and a trip across Lapland to the North Cape.
