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Loire Gastronomic Cycling
LOIRE GASTRONOMIC CYCLING | WHERE YOU STAY
Château de Chissay **** Chissay
Days 1+6
The Château de Chissay is a 4 star château hotel steeped in history, set in 62 acres of parkland overlooking the Loire. Lovingly restored back in 1986, it’s said that both Charles VII and Louis XI stayed here. In the stately dining room, once the guard room, you’ll be treated to delicious cuisine inspired by local produce and also a comprehensive wine list. The rooms have been tastefully decorated and their bathrooms each feature mosaic designs representing famous people from French history who marked the different periods in time.
Further details on the hotel website.
Day 1 Arrive at Chissay
We meet you at Blois station and take you (35 mins) to Chissay where your fabulous château 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 Château 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!
Hotel l’Aubiniere *** St Ouen-les-Vignes
Days 2+3
L’Aubinière is in the centre of an elegant village beside the River Ramberge just 3mi/5k north of Amboise. The garden is lovely - willow trees are set in lush lawns full of flowers, you can wander down to the river bank. Good size swimming pool with views opening on to the garden and its trees. The 6 bedrooms are stunning; all are different – imaginative design and high quality fittings. Owned and run by Jacques and Odile Arrayet, it is the restaurant that truly demonstrates their combined skills – Odile is a wine expert, a trained sommelier. Jacques is an artistic chef whose trained eye finds the best regional produce to conjure up dishes that are full of taste and natural flavours. A culinary treat awaits!
Further details on the hotel website.
Day 3 At St Ouen-les-Vignes
It’s just a 5km/3mi 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/9mi round trip cycle along the river Cisse to wine capital, Vouvray. Lots of tasting possibilities and option to visit Château 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 – plentitude of wildlife so keep the binoculars handy! All cyclists then go on to Chaumont – the château 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.
Auberge du Centre *** Chitenay
Days 4+5
This charming ivy-clad hotel is right in the centre of the pretty village of Chitenay, run by the affable Gilles Martinet and his team. Most of the hotels 27 rooms have been recently modernized and Breakaway rooms are all en-suite (with bath) and feature satellite tv (including CNN) and telephone. The hotel has a pleasant terrace overlooking its gardens, which are a real treat on a summers day, as well as an attractive sitting area inside, complete with wooden beams and comfy chairs. There is a car park behind the hotel, or on road parking available at the front of the building.
Day 5 At Chitenay
The C17 château 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 château 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 château de Chambord - it’s a 50km/31mi round trip! Set in the heart of the huge Forêt de Boulogne, this C16 masterpiece appears straight from a fairytale, and reflects the lavish tastes of its original owner , King François 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 château of Fougérès-sur-Bièvre, before a downhill spin takes you to the River Cher where the charming old quarter of mediaeval Montrichard is huddled beneath the 11C keep. Lots of open air cafés and splendid half-timbered houses. A final flat cycle follows the Cher back to Château du Chissay for a well earned dip in the pool!
Day 7 Return home
We take you to Blois station after breakfast
For extra nights we recommend Chissay or Paris.