Loire Gastronomic Cycling

Location: The Loire, France. Holiday type: Independent cycling, hotel-to-hotel. Managed locally by Headwater employed rep. Activity level: Lower 1 bike Duration: 7 days (6 nights)   5 days (4 nights) option available. Hotels: A mix of luxury/stylish, mid range/good value. Meals: Continental breakfast and gastronomic evening meals. Prices from: Please call. Departs: Every two days from 11 May '12 to 20 Sep '12   JFMAMJJASOND

Highlights A gentle, unhurried introduction to the very essence of the Loire Valley: majestic chateaux, wide rivers, world-famous wines and some of the finest food we've ever eaten in France! Holiday includes two nights in a luxury chateau.

Day-by-day itinerary

Day 1 - Arrive at Chissay

We meet you at Blois station and take you (35 mins) to Chissay where your fabulous chateau hotel awaits. Time for a swim before dinner.

Day 2 - Chissay to St Ouen-les-Vignes 27km/17mi

Gentle pedalling along the banks of the Cher will bring you first to the superb Chateau de Chenonceau with its famous arches majestically spanning the river. Described by Flaubert as floating 'on air and water', it's arguably the most beautiful of all the Loire landmarks. Lunch here perhaps on the terrace of the Orangerie restaurant before heading off through the shady Amboise forest and on to Amboise - don't worry if you don't have time to explore properly as you can easily come back tomorrow. Your final stretch leads to the elegant village of St Ouen-les-Vignes and Jacques and Odile Arrayet's bijou hotel beside the river. Odile is a professional sommelier, and Jacques artistic chef de cuisine, so you're in for some treats here!

Day 3 - At St Ouen-les-Vignes

It's just a 5km cycle south to the narrow bustling streets of Amboise. Visit the flamboyant royal palace and the elegant Clos Luce, a C15 manor house where Leonardo da Vinci lived and worked for the last few years of his life. His workshops house 40 giant models of some of his most spectacular creations - the first plane, helicopter and tank - and the beautifully landscaped gardens bring life to his botanical drawings and geographical designs. Alternatively it's an easy 15km return cycle along the river Cisse to wine capital, Vouvray. Masses of tasting possibilities and option to visit Chateau de Valmer where King Charles VII once stayed.

Day 4 - St Ouen-les-Vignes to Chitenay 37km/23mi or 43km/27mi

Lovely peaceful cycling today with a choice of routes depending on how energetic you're feeling! The shorter option takes you via the sleepy village of Limeray (lovely white church with impressive collection of statues) or you can head north through open countryside to Autreche - masses of wildlife so keep the binoculars handy! All cyclists then go on to Chaumont - the chateau here once belonged to Catherine de Medici and is quite spectacular. Between May and October, it hosts the International Garden Festival with a different theme each year. A final shady riverside stretch takes you via the pretty villages of Les Montils and Seur and on to Chitenay where you'll spend the next two nights.

Day 5 - At Chitenay

The C17 chateau at nearby Cheverny, with its wonderful white stone facade, is a popular day trip. The richness of its furnishings and antiques is incredible, and the gardens are superb. This chateau was used as a model for Moulinsart by the author of Tintin and a permanent exhibition is open for viewing. Alternatively keen cyclists can head for the magnificent chateau de Chambord - it's a 50km round trip! Set in the heart of the huge Foret de Boulogne, this C16 masterpiece appears straight from a fairytale, and reflects the lavish tastes of its original owner, King Francois I. Today, the surrounding park has been declared a national nature reserve, protecting all sorts of wildlife including deer, boar and eagles.

Day 6 - Chitenay to Chissay 31km/19mi

Head south past well-tended vines and sleepy hamlets surrounded by fields of sunflowers. Lunch perhaps on the terrace beside the fortified chateau of Fougeres-sur-Bievre, before a downhill whizz takes you to the River Cher where the charming old quarter of mediaeval Montrichard is huddled beneath the 11C keep. Lots of open air cafes and splendid half-timbered houses. A final flat cycle follows the Cher back to Chateau du Chissay for a well earned dip in the pool!

Day 7 - Return home

We take you to Blois station after breakfast.