Loire Valley Bike Tours
Hours, prices and access verified by the Loire Valley Tours team — last checked 2026-09-16.
Loire Valley bike tours put you on the saddle through the vineyards of Chinon and Saumur, or along the Cher to a picnic facing Chenonceau. A guide, the bike and your lunch are in the fare, so all you plan is how to reach the start.
Bike tours in the Loire Valley
★★★★★ 5.0 (18 reviews · 5 to 6 hours)
In ChinonMax 10 guests
Regular bikes through the Chinon vineyards for five to six hours, with a picnic lunch and a helmet. Up to ten riders start from 17 Quai Danton, aged 16 and over; an e-bike costs €15 extra.
From $152 per person
Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.
★★★★★ 5.0 (6 reviews · 5 to 6 hours)
In SaumurMax 6 guests
Six riders at most on e-bikes from Place Notre-Dame des Ardilliers: the Gratien et Meyer cellars, Château de Targé, Montsoreau, Turquant and Candes, with lunch on the way. You must be 16 or over.
From $198 per person
Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.
★★★★★ 5.0 (7 reviews · 4 hours 30 minutes)
Château entry not includedNear ChenonceauMax 6 guests
An e-bike ride from the Mazelles lock house at Thésée along the Cher, by Bourré and Montrichard, to a picnic facing Chenonceau from the far bank. Entry to the château is not included; riders from 14.
From $99 per person
Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.
E-bike to a picnic facing Chenonceau
Along the Cher from Thésée, by Bourré and Montrichard, to a picnic across the river from the château, for six riders at most.
Check availability
What a Loire Valley bike tour is
It is a guided ride of four and a half to six hours with a bike, a helmet and a meal in the
fare. You ride in a group of six to ten and stop at cellars, villages
and viewpoints the guide has chosen. Fares run from $99 to $198 a person.
The rides go to three different corners of the valley. Around Chinon you pedal a regular bike
through the vineyards to a picnic. From Saumur an e-bike takes you along the Loire to Montsoreau
and Candes, with cellar stops and lunch. Along the Cher, an e-bike covers about 36 km to a picnic
facing Château de Chenonceau.
Why choose a bike tour
E-bikes take the effort out of the hills
The Saumur and Chenonceau rides use e-bikes, so the slopes above the river stay easy. You need to be
comfortable on a bike, not fit for a race.
Lunch is part of the ride
Every ride includes a picnic or lunch, so you do not need to find a café or carry food in
your bag.
You see Chenonceau the way few do
The Cher ride ends facing the château's arches from the far bank. It is the view from the
water, not from the ticket queue.
The route is already planned
The Loire à Vélo runs about 900 km. On a tour, the guide picks the stretch, the lanes and the
stops, and brings you back to where you started.
Bike tours vs riding the Loire à Vélo on your own
You can hire a bike and ride any stretch yourself. Here is what a tour adds.
| Bike tour | Riding on your own |
|---|
| Route | Chosen by the guide | You plan it from a route of about 900 km |
| Bike and helmet | In the fare; e-bikes on two rides | Hired, and returned where you got it |
| Lunch | A picnic or lunch included | You find a café or carry food |
| Cellar visits | Built in on the Saumur ride | You book each one |
| Company | A group of six to ten | Your own party |
| Fare | $99 to $198 a person | The hire shop's daily rate |
Check availability from $198
If you have several days and like to plan, ride on your own; the
outdoor activities page covers the route. If you want one good
day with the cellars and lunch sorted, book the tour.
What you get, and what you don't
- The bike: a regular bike in Chinon, with an e-bike for €15 extra, and an
e-bike on the Saumur and Chenonceau rides.
- A helmet: listed on the Chinon and Saumur rides.
- Food: a picnic in Chinon and on the Cher, and lunch in Saumur.
- Wine: a visit to the Gratien et Meyer cellars on the Saumur ride, before the
villages beyond Montsoreau.
- Not included: entry to Château de Chenonceau on the Cher ride, and transport
to the start.
Or ride the Saumur vineyards
E-bikes from Place Notre-Dame des Ardilliers to Montsoreau, Turquant and Candes, with cellars and lunch on the way.
Check availability
Planning a bike tour
- Price band. $99 to $198 a person, with lunch and the bike in every
fare.
- Ages. 16 and over in Chinon and Saumur, and 14 and over on the Chenonceau
ride.
- Getting to the start. Chinon and Saumur have stations. The Mazelles lock house
at Thésée does not, so plan a car or a taxi.
- What to wear. Closed shoes, a layer for the morning and sun cream in summer.
The weather by month shows the warm season.
- Book ahead. Groups stay at six to ten, and every ride refunds in full up to 24
hours before.
Who should choose something else
- If you have children under 14. The Segway ride in Amboise takes riders from
12, and the balloon flight near Amboise flies children from 6.
- If you want to go inside Chenonceau. The Cher ride stops outside. The
Loire Valley châteaux tours put the ticket in the fare.
- If you do not ride a bike. The Loire Valley wine
tours reach the same vineyards by van.
- If you want a lazy day. A ride of five to six hours is active. The picnic
estate near Chinon gives you the vines and the lunch in two and a half hours.
Frequently asked questions
Are there Loire Valley bike tours for beginners?
Yes. The Saumur and Chenonceau rides use e-bikes, which take the effort out of the hills, and the Chenonceau ride covers 36 km over four and a half hours including stops. The Chinon ride uses regular bikes.
How old do you have to be for a bike tour?
Sixteen on the Chinon and Saumur vineyard rides, and fourteen on the e-bike ride to Chenonceau. For a younger family, the one-hour Segway ride in Amboise takes riders from 12.
Do the bike tours include lunch?
Yes. The Chinon ride and the Chenonceau ride include a picnic, and the Saumur e-bike day includes lunch. Bring water and a layer for the morning.
Can I go inside Chenonceau on the e-bike tour?
Not on the tour itself. The picnic faces the château from the other bank of the Cher, entry is not included, and the ticket office is on the far side of the river.
Where do the bike tours start?
On the quay at 17 Quai Danton in Chinon, at the car park on Place Notre-Dame des Ardilliers in Saumur, and at the Mazelles lock house at Thésée for the Chenonceau ride. Thésée has no station, so plan a car or a taxi.
How long is the Loire à Vélo route?
The Loire à Vélo runs about 900 km, from Cuffy near Nevers to Saint-Brevin-les-Pins on the Atlantic coast. The guided rides use short stretches of it and the lanes through the vineyards.
Can I cancel a tour booking?
Nearly every tour refunds in full if you cancel at least 24 hours before the start. The exception is the 2-day tour from Paris by train, which needs seven days' notice.