Cathedral Saint Croix.

Carousel at Place du Martroi in the centre of Orleans. Stunning with wooden horses, the balloon, the space rocket & Nautilus submarine.

Winding down after flight to Paris then 2 trains. It was 24 hours of traveling before we picked up rental bikes in Orléans.

Train sration in Orléans.

Bikes on the train

Pleasant train ride. We were not asked vaccination status but masks were required.

Getting ready to ride from train station.

Bike storage at train station.

Ready to go!

The Guetin Aquaduct. Over River Allier.

Beautiful cycling day!

Riding over the bridge to La Charite.

Perfect half day of riding. Sunny, mid 20’s. 46 kms. Enjoyed pizza & beer for dinner. They had a sign that you had to show the France QR Code showing fully vaccinated. We had applied for this but system didn’t work for us. Asked others on our flight and application didn’t work for them either. We just showed pdf of our vaccination on our phones and that was fine.

Leaving our hotel around 9:15. Had breakfast at the hotel for 9 Euros.

Along this area there were lots of what seemed like some kind of lookout stands. Not sure what they were used for.

At times signage was plentiful. Other times not so much. Many areas today we rode thru huge masses of flying bugs. Wise to keep your mouth shut!

Rode across the canal Lateral à La Loire. As part of a scheme to connect the Loire and Rhone basins the aquaduct is 662 meters long. The longest in Europe when it was built in 1896.

Passed many villages visible along the route but would have to detour to access their services.

Our destination for the day, Gien, is in site.

Night view from street in front of our room in Gien. Our first full day cycling was 85 kms. Weather was perfect, partly cloudy and mid 20’s.

Sunset view of the Loire.

Leaving our somewhat disappointing room with no Wifi in Gien.

Beautiful day!

Gien

Richard stopped for coffee at Richard’s Cafe.

Nuclear power plant. One of several we have seen.

Chateau de Sully.

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Leaving Sully Sur Loire

Riding thru very annoying swarms of tiny bugs. They stick to everything. Fortunately they don’t bite.

Lunch time.

Arrived at our apartment in Orléans.. Walked to the supermarket for appys, dinner, breakfast and tomorrow’s lunch fixings. Gien to Orléans was 81 kms. Sunny, mid to high 20’s. Enjoyed the well deserved beer & chips for appys.

Salad, pasta, bread & wine for dinner.

Walked downtown to see the Cathedral lit up but were too early. Saw the sun setting on the Cathedral instead.

Joan of Arc monument.

Leaving our comfortable apartment with garage to park the bikes.

Beaugency bridge. Twelth Century bridge with 23 arches.

Couldn’t check in to our B&B yet so rode about 3 kms to take a look at Chateau Chambord. We will try to visit the inside of the Chateau tomorrow morning,

Checked in to Chez Liz in Maslives. Liz insisted in driving us to a market in a nearby town for picnic food for dinner. We bought chips, beer, wine, salad fixings and pizza.

Liz made a dressing for our salad and washed the vegetables. They set out wine glasses, plates, cuttlery and candles. 70 Kms today. Around 31 C,

Breakfast at Chez Liz.

Liz in her living room.

Our hosts, Mark & Liz. A couple from England who purchased this property 16 years ago.

Leaving Chez Liz

Touring the inside of Chambord.

Chairs made from antlers

View from a balcony

View into a courtyard

From the grounds

Lots of bicycles parked

Leaving Chambord

Lunch stop

Our tiny but very clean bathroom at Hotel de France Et De Guise, Blois

View from our hotel window. Short 31 kms today allowing lots of time to visit Chambord.

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On our way to visit Royal Chateau de Blois we spotted this window exhibit.

Inside the Chateau

Tapas for dinner at Le Patio

Mini Burger Maison

Tataki de boeuf, légumes du soleil, pesto

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Attended a light & sound show at Blois Royal Palace. It depicted the history of the region. Fortunately we were given headsets with English translation. Very impressive!

Had breakfast at our hotel and ready for the day’s ride.

Leaving Blois.

Chateau Chamont

Toured the inside of Chateau Chamont.

The chapel at Chamont

Outside Chamont

Chamont

Bike parking at Chateau Chamont

Lunch

Checked in to Hotel Blason in Amboise for two nights. Total of 44 kms today with an enjoyable stop at Chateau Chamont. Pizza & beer for dinner.

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Le Chateau de Chenonceau is in view. Some hills, some rough surface—a fun ride!

View of the Chateau as we near.

Touring the inside of the Chateau.

Looking out.

From one of the balconies.

Walking around the grounds.

The gardens are beautiful!

From an embankment at the edge of a garden.

From the gardens.

High wall around the garden

Bike parking at the Chateau.

Cycling back to Amboise we pass a campsite with several sites that have a tent above the table.

View of Chateau Royal d’Amboise as we cycle back to our hotel.

Seafood and salad

Burger & fries

Leaving our hotel in Amboise after two nights.

Stopped to visit the Cathedral in Tours.

Inside the Cathedral

The stained glass is beautiful!

Lost the cycling route coming out of Tours due to road construction. \240These guys were happy to help!

Stopped at a nice picnic site for lunch at 12:13 pm

Yikes—12:16 pm we are soaked! The joys of cycle touring! It poured for 15 minutes then the sun came out.

Church on the way to Villandry.

Visited the inside of Chateau Villandry

An exquisite ceiling in the Chateau.

View of gardens from the Chateau

Walked around the massive gardens

Stopped for a beer after visiting Chateau Villandry

Had a very interesting dinner at our B&B. Couldn’t figure out the menu even with the help of Google Translate. Rich ended up with a Buffalo pate and I had a duck pate. That with a little bread was dinner—yikes!

Leaving Villandry

Church on the route out of Villandry

Stopped to buy food for lunch

Castle where Sleeping Beauty was filmed

Crossing a little bridge

Passing lots of little villages today

Turquant is a big wine producing area

It’s hot! Stopped for a cold drink.

House built into a cave

Lots of wineries

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Interesting riding

Lots of wine producers

Riding along a bench above the valley

Some of the few grapes still on the vines

Rode thru a village with tunnels and cave houses.

Tricky staying on the cycling route

Arrived in Saumur. Couldn’t check in to our apartment for an hour so stopped for ice cream. Fun riding today with lots of hills. 70 Kms high 20’s.

View from our apartment

Salad & pasta for dinner in our apartment, ‘Cosy Flat’

Sunrise view from our apartment.

Leaving ‘Cosy Flat’ in Saumur.

It’s Sunday so streets are quiet

Stop at the Carrefour Market to pick up essentials. They close at 1:00 pm on Sunday and most stores are closed.

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Transfer to the flask to make the load lighter!

Riding thru lots of little villages today

Cave house. Houses built into caves in the cliffs.

Cycling past so many interesting old structures.

Cycling past farmland

Stopped to look at this old church

After we checked into the Ibis Hotel in Angers we walked to Saint Maurice Cathedral

Inside the Cathedral Maurice

Walked thru interesting streets

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View of Angers on the other side of the river

Chateau Angers with statue of Roi René

Chateau Angers. Enjoyed our city walk after a good cycling day of 54 Kms and checking into our hotel.

After breakfast at our hotel we are ready to go.

La Pierre Bechérelle. This monolith was a traditional landmark and toll point for the Loire bargees. Partly used for the construction of the railway, it is still more than 50 ft high and is now used for climbing classes.

Checking the map

Crossing another bridge

Lunch stop

Pleasant riding in the shade

We are faster than this person!

Beautiful views

Stopped to take a look at Notre Dame du Marillais.

70 Kms today. Enjoyed the ride, mid 20’s, Some hills, gravel, cobblestones and pavement. Checked into our apartment, walked to the supermarket. Enjoying happy hour!

Love being able to make our own meals. Very nice wine, particularly enjoying the Bordeaux!

Leaving our apartment in Ancenis. Last cycling day!

Enjoying the ride along the Loire!

Snack break.

Enjoying the ride.

Entering Nantes.

The Ducs Palace.

Lunch break at the grounds of the Ducs Palace.

The Cathedral.

Too early to check in to our hotel so riding around seeing the sites.

Enjoying a cappuccino after dropping off the bikes. The end of a wonderful cycle tour of the Loire. Total of 713 Kms.