• All accommodation as described

• Meals as described in the Meal Plan

• 21-gear bike hire

• Entrance to Domaine de Chambord chateau and gardens

• Entrance to Domaine de Chaumont-sur-Loire chateau and gardens

• Entrance to Chateau de Chenonceaux

• Entrance to Villandry Gardens

• Entrance to Fontevraud Abbey

• A wine tasting in Chinon

• Self-Guided Travel App

• Self-guided information pack containing your tour booklet and travel documents

• Luggage transfers

• City Taxes

• Travel insurance

• Travel to Blois

• Travel from Saumur

• Visas (if applicable)

• Some meals as described in the Meal Plan

• Personal equipment

• Any additional activities/excursions not indicated in the inclusions

This holiday is led by a self-guided travel app, which contains the personalised details of your complete holiday itinerary. This includes the GPS-led routes for you to follow on your self-guided cycling and walking tours, as well as attractions, coffee stops and points of interest in the towns and cities along the way. The app does not need to have Wi-Fi connection to work, you simply follow the instructions we provide you to download the app to your phone before you leave home and you are ready to go.

Each mobile comes with a different expected battery life so we suggest you pack a spare battery pack with you just in case you require it.

You can expect to receive your Self-Guided Pack containing your tour booklet and all your relevant holiday documents no later than 3 weeks before your holiday start date. We will send your documents using signed for courier so that you can track your package and know that they are safely on their way to you. Should your self-guided trip be part of a longer adventure requiring you to leave home more than three weeks before your holiday start date, please do inform our sales team so that we can make alternative delivery arrangements.

Our Self-Guided Holidays are perfect for your next family holiday and are suitable for children of all ages.

Our partner hotels and accommodations are able to provide cots for young children, and some offer family rooms. We can also arrange hire of children’s bikes and tag along bikes for most of our self-guided cycling trips and with trips such as Lake Constance and the Danube offering routes on designated cycle paths you can rest assured in keeping your family safe.

As a parent we trust that you know your own child’s capabilities, so please read the itinerary details to ensure the distances covered each day are suitable for your family. If this is a first time walking holiday for your family, a centre based trip is a fantastic option as it allows you to easily opt out of a days walking if a day of building sand castles, swimming in the pool or visiting museums is calling instead.

Please discuss this further with our sales team who will be happy to assist in picking the best trip for your family.

This trip starts at your accommodation in Blois. All of our self-guided holidays are sold on a land only basis allowing you the flexibility to choose the travel method which best suits you. The nearest airport for this trip is Tours Airport, however Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport offers many more options from regional UK airports.

If you are flying into Tours Airport you can travel via train to Blois. The train takes less than 1 hour in total with trains running frequently. For more information please visit www.sncf.com

If you are flying into Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport you can travel via train to Blois. The journey takes approximately 2-3 hours in total. For more information please visit www.sncf.com

Your trip ends in Saumurs from where you can take the train to either Tours Airport or Paris CDG Airport.

Alternatively, we can arrange private transfers from/to Paris CDG Airport, please ask our sales team for a quotation.

This trip is on a bed and breakfast basis to allow you the most flexibility during your holiday.

Water from the taps is perfectly drinkable on this holiday - please use this to fill your personal bottles for your daily activities. We do not encourage the purchase of single-use plastic bottles.

French cuisine is ingrained in French culture and is one of the country’s greatest contributions to the world. It is filled with passion; a celebration of the rich natural flavours of basic ingredients, to be enjoyed with one of the countries fine wines. Meal times are leisurely, a time to be enjoyed with good company and are an experience to be savoured.

Known as the ‘garden of France’ thanks to the regions rich soils and mild climate you can expect to find a plethora of fresh, tasty produce as you cycle through the Loire Valley. Agriculture thrives here with asparagus featuring in souffles and omelettes but the real stars of the farmlands are the apples and pears with the region supplying 20% of Frances apples. We recommend you try the famous tarte tatin which originated in nearby Solgne back in the 1880’s.

Given the number of rivers that run through the area it is no surprise that fish features heavily on menus with popular dishes including stuffed bream, matelote – a stew of locally caught eels softened in red wine or fish such as sander served with a traditional beurre blanc- a butter sauce flavoured with shallots and vinegar. Meat dishes tend to be filled with rich flavours from locally sourced game such as venison, guinea fowl or pheasant.

You will find many appealing cafes along your route for lunch or you may be swayed by the delicious scents of the local boulangerie to enjoy a picnic of fresh bread and delicious local goat’s cheeses- they are superb in this part of France. Needless to say cycling in the Loire is not just a journey but a treat for your taste buds!

This trip has been designed with tradition in mind. You will stay in a carefully chosen selection of 3* & 4* hotels, each hand-picked for their warm hospitality, fantastic locations and clever mix of modern amenities and French style, enhancing the features of the traditional buildings. All of the hotels offer something different such as lovely garden terraces or cosy communal areas, and some also have pools, ideal for relaxing after a day on your bike.

All of the hotels offer a typically French continental breakfast of delicious fresh breads and pastries served with your morning coffee. Some hotels also offer additional hot items.

It is possible to arrange additional nights accommodation if you would like to extend your time in Blois or Saumur. Please speak to one of our sales team for further information.

Bikes come with 21 gears. All bikes come equipped with 2 panniers for your daily essentials plus a milometer, a bike lock, pump and repair kit. We strongly recommend you bring your own helmet with you for the best comfort.

We also recommend packing a gel seat for extra comfort or a pair of padded cycling shorts, whilst the cycling is leisurely and there are plenty of opportunities to stop and explore it is always nice to have some padding for a comfortable ride.

You also have the option of upgrading to bike plus hire on this trip for an additional supplement of £ 45. The bike plus option provides a slightly sportier sitting posture and comes with upgraded items such as 27 gears, hydraulic brakes and a front suspension fork. This is a great option for those looking for a slightly comfier ride without upgrading to an e-bike.

We are also able to arrange children’s bikes, children's follow-me tandems, trailers and child seats. Please ask our sales team for details.

If you are looking for a bit of extra support whilst in the saddle, you can upgrade to an e-bike to make your ride even more leisurely.

Equipped with a battery and motor, these electric bikes give you a helping hand whilst you are pedalling, making it easier to climb hills, and travel further with less effort and more comfort.

E-bikes are available on this holiday at an additional supplement of £170. Just request this upgrade option with our sales team at the time of booking.

Your main luggage will be transferred between each of your hotels while you are out on your bike. We ask that you please ensure your luggage is restricted to one piece under 20kg per person, and that your luggage is ready for collection each morning.