A family cycling adventure on the Loire à Vélo

“In Saumur, we loved strolling through the streets of the old town – the climb up to the chateau gets your calf muscles ready for cycling, whatever your age! There are so many opportunities to combine cycling with culture, such as at Bouvet-Ladubay, where tours into the deep cellars take place on bikes. The boys had so much fun and the tour ended with a sparkling wine tasting, perfect for us parents. Then in Le Thoureil, leave the bikes behind for a ride on a toue – a traditional river boat – with company Rêves de Loire et Ailleurs.”

“Our highlight in Angers was the spectacular Tenture de l’Apocalypse tapestry, secreted within the chateau. We recommend a lunch stop in Saint-Florent-Le-Vieil – and don’t miss the climb up Mont Glonne, from which the view of the Loire is exceptional. In the afternoon, our legs needed a break and we headed to L.A. Kayak in Champtoceaux, where the boys had refreshing water fights along an eight-kilometre paddle on the river. Nantes, the regional capital, is great for exploring by bike as a family. The Chateau of the Dukes of Brittany has ramparts to run around and the Machines de l’Ile is a crazy steampunk universe of mechanical animals, inspired by Jules Verne and Leonardo da Vinci!”

“The long-awaited route to the sea first took us to Couëron, to cross the Loire by ferry. It was fun boarding the boat with the bikes. From Nantes to Saint-Brevin we had a real treasure hunt spotting the artworks in the estuary. And finally, after pedalling beneath the majestic Saint-Nazaire bridge, we arrived at the Atlantic opposite the famous Serpent d’Océan: a massive metal sculpture with an important environmental message. It was time to rest, relax and have a dip! We decided to cycle a bit further down the coast on the Vélodyssée, taking us to pretty Pornic where we finished with ice creams from La Fraiseraie. The perfect way to end our holiday!”