Lovely Loire, Tours France
August 25, 2023 - by Muriel Dassen
For our Lovely Loire tour we have chosen the city of Tours as it is said to be the most attractive city along the river Loire. Tours is a nice city to stay in as the central point of this Lovely Loire tour as you will find enough facilities to spend some time here. The rides will bring you into the green Loire Valley for some true lovely riding. Of course we have made sure that you will see some of the beautiful chateaus that this region holds.
Of course you can download the GPX / ITN files and full e-books of the 2 rides we have in this tour via our roadtrip planner but you can already find the info in this blogpost.
You will find the pedestrianised centre of Tours South of the river Loire. It is definitely also worth to go to the Pont Wilson and the promenade along the river, just to soak in the magnitude of the river Loire. On either side of the Rue Nationale you will find very nice areas of Tours to explore. Don't miss its Chateau, Cathedral and Hotel de Ville and make sure that you will bring a visit to Place Plumerau and the surrounding streets, as this is the most atmospheric neighbourhood of Tours.
Recommended hotels:
Rating on Booking.com: Fabulous 8.6
With private parking garage, fee applicable
With pool
With bar and restaurant
In city centre Tours
Rating on Booking.com: Superb 9.2
With free on site secured - not covered - parking
With tea/coffeemaker in rooms
15 minute walk to centre Tours
Rating on Booking.com: Very good 8.5
With free on site secured - not covered - parking
With pool
With bar and restaurant
20 to 25 minute walk to centre Tours
Rating on Booking.com: Superb 9.0
With free on site secured – covered – parking
With tea/coffeemaker in rooms
30 to 35 minute walk to centre Tours
Public transportation close
Rating on Booking.com: Very good 8.2
With secured – not covered - parking, reservation needed and fee applicable
With bar and tea/coffeemaker in rooms
40 minute walk to centre Tours
Public transportation close
Ride 1
Ride 1 of the Lovely Loire tour willtake you on 175 km / 108 miles through the green and - insummer time - also very yellow Loire Valley. As the Loire Valley is famous for its lush chateaus, we will be offering you the best views on some of the nicest ones. Off course we also added some stops where you can have a drink or a bite to eat.
Chinon
The beautiful old city centre of Chinon is said to be most reminiscent of a medievalfilm set. A lovely city to walk around to stretch your legs and maybe have a coffee at the Place du Général de Gaulle, where we have added a bike parking to the GPX / ITN file that you can download via our roadtrip planner.
Chateau de Chinon
Chinon is most famous for its Chateau. You will get the best view from a distance, so we have added a photo stop at the other side of the river. If you are interested in visiting the Chateau, please find more information on this website.
Saumur
As we can recommend Saumur for a lunch stop we have added a parkingto the gpx file. Saumur is know for its "méthode champenoise", said to bethe best French sparkling wine outside the Champagne area. Saumur is also famous for its castle and again we added a "Kodak point" to the your GPX / ITN file that you can download via our roadtrip planner to have the best view from across the river. For more information on the Chateau de Saumur, please visit this website.
Chateau de Ussé
Chateau de Ussé inspired the French writer Charles Perrault to write thefamous fairy tail Sleeping Beauty. The castle itself is a beauty as well! If you would like to visit this castle, please see this website for more information.
Chateau de Villandry
The last castle ... of the day as well as the last renaissance castle that has been built here in the Loire Valley. Especially the gardens, brought back to their original formand state, attract many tourists. With a (snack) bar a perfect last stop of a lovely ride 1. For more information visit this website of the Chateau de Villandry.
Ride 2
Ride 1 was already filled with winding roads through the green valley ánd chateaus. Ride 2 also contains some very nice riding and the views on at least 4 chateaus! So another lovely ride in this Lovely Loire tour of 185 km/ 116 miles. A perfect way to explore this beautiful region of France. If you like yourself a picnic, this ride has the perfect stop to do so!
Montrésor
Montrésor is called one of the most beautiful villages of France, so we had to goand check this title. Especially the Balcon de L'Indrois sure gives a beautiful view on its castle and village. It feels like a true hidden gem. So get yourself a refreshing drink and walk down the path to the Balcon de L'Indrois. We are sure you will not regret it! For more information on the castle you can visit this website.
Chateau de Chanonceaux
One of the most beautiful and castles in the Loire Valley is Chateau de Chenonceaux. It is also one of the most visited ones. Of course you can use the official parking and go and visit the castle. We also added a parking at the other side of the river where you will, after a nice 10 minute walk, have a beautiful view on the castle. We think a perfect spot for a picnic. If you are interested in visiting the Chateau, please find more information and the possibility to book your tickets on this website.
Amboise
Our last stop of this ride 2 is in Amboise, where you will also find a lovely Chateau. It is said to be one of the most important buildings in the French history! You can visit the castle or have a drink or an ice cream before you head back to Tours. You can also visit this Chateau and for more information, go to this website.
Go on your own QUAZY RIDE
You can download the GPX / ITN files of the rides and the full e-books via our roadtrip planner and then we hope you will enjoy the rides you will be doing in this Quazy Rides Lovely Loire motorcycle tour and your stay in Tours.
If you are posting on social media, don't forget to tag Quazy Rides or use the #QuazyRides, because we LOVE to see you having fun with our rides.
