The river Loire (1 Viewer)

[june123]

Has anyone cycled along any stretches of the river Loire? Any good aires or municipals en route and must see places? Enjoy cycling but too old for hills so like tracks by canals and rivers. Fancy driving down from CAlais on the west side of Paris this time. May head for Toulouse but might stop sooner. All suggestions gratefully received.

 

[WynandJean]

We're not cyclists but what we saw of the Loire made us think how it would be ideal. A dedicated cycle path follows the river, plenty of chateaux and places to see. Beautiful.
Wyn

 

[yodeli]

June don't forget that if you head to Toulouse you are welcome at my place to park and have a few nights if you want to . You have buses and metro to get to Toulouse if you're coming during the week and want to visit (Working 10 hours a day at least means I can't really care you).

I'll be much more available to drive you and show you a bit of Toulouse, or even have a meal together on weekends!

I'm booked with family during the christmas holidays from the 23rd to 26th and leave on the 27th of december to spend New year's eve with JJ . So during these days I can't offer a shelter as you could get locked up in the stadium with no help:shout:

I will be back on the 1st of January (2013) midday.

Amicalement

Frankie

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[june123]

Frankie

Frankie - you seem to be so kind and I really want to meet you. I shall get in touch nearer the time. Thanks again.

June

 

[Eddystone]

You'll have no problem on either aspects. We are like you and don't do hills or long distances. We have stayed at the Municipal at Onzain, south west of Blois, but there is an aires on the other side of the river there that gets quite busy. There are aires at many places along the river.
Dedicated cycle tracks are separated from but follow the road in many places and sometimes you'll find cycle tracks along the river side well away from traffic.
We have also used commercial sites. Camping de L'isle Verte at Montsoreau has direct access to a river side track to Parnay through parkland and from the commercial site on the island at Amboise we have cycled sections along both sides of the river there.

 

[micky drip]

Amboise would be a good place to make your base camp, cycle tracks east and west along riverside paths and dykes. There is a municipal site situated on an island on the river (10euro) within easy walk to town centre also a land train tour picks up at the campsite if you need a break from cycling.

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[gozomike]

Hi

I have done a couple of trip along parts of the Loire stopping mainly on Aires. The cycling is very good, quite easy and in the main off road. I find the series of maps on the top of this page very useful http://www.eurovelo6.org/rubriques/gauche/buy-map

For the Aires I use the usual Aires book from http://www.vicariousbooks.co.uk/

Some of my favourite Aires are shown at http://www.motorhomefun.co.uk/members/gozomike-albums-france-may-2010.html for Bouchemaine and a few others at http://www.motorhomefun.co.uk/members/gozomike-albums-france-april-may-2011.html
I hope this helps.

Mike

 

[FIDGET]

Hi, Try Sully sur loire nice free aire, lovely town , chateau & level for bikes, also Briare 2 free aires ( best one is on canalside) canal goes over loire well worth a visit. Amboise as said before also v nice, also Beaugency nice aire buts gets busy pleasant town. I can recommend all of them.
Terry:sin:

 

[Pikeman]

We were there earlier this year. Based ourselves at a site in Montsoreau and cycled everywhere. The ride to Saumur (15 Km) was easy and only a few hundred metres on the road. We cycled to the Abbey at Fontevraud, which was a bit more energetic, but well worth the puff. There are at least two Aires between Montsoreau and Saumur, with plenty to see and do.The Loire cycle trail follows the river http://www.cycling-loire.com in all the Velo is 800 Km long, but you don't have to do it all in a day. Have a good trip and enjoy the wine.

Keith

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[ojibway]

We stayed at a dedicated motorhome campsite in Bouchemaine just south of Angers where the Maine enters the Loire. It is on the river and the cycle path!:thumb:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/58109210@N08/5869136650/
Mike and Annie

 

[veevee]

One of the areas directly on your route south is the river/canal of the Somme.

We walked through France and started here, the section from St Valery sur Somme to Abbeville is such an easy ride but the little delights along the canal have to be looked for, but they are there.

From Abbeville to Amiens is beautiful, in high summer it reminded us of a tropical rain forest with it's creepers and vines, very distinctive and very beautiful.

Many of the French rivers and canals have superb cycle tracks, in the main within 20 - 30 kms of major cities but not only. There are also long stretches of canal side that don't have paths of any sort just rough banking so you may have to research that a little.

If you get to Amiens then the cathedral is a must see, one of the great buildings (inside) in the world imaterial of religion. Also the 'allotments' that are only accessed by water, a surprisingly large area is covered by these right up to and into the city.