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The River Loire Cycle Route

From the source in the Massif Central to the Atlantic coast

ISBN

9781786310835

Availability

Published

11 Jul 2022

Edition

Third

Pages

256

Size

17.20 x 11.60 x 1.40cm

Weight

300g

Delivery & Returns

Free Royal Mail 48 postage on UK orders. European postage is £3.50 per item. Worldwide postage is £5.50 per item. If you're not happy with your purchase for any reason, we'll give you a full refund.
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Guidebook to cycling the Loire, France's longest river, from its source in the Massif Central to the Atlantic. The 1061km route incorporates the popular, waymarked Loire à Vélo and takes in extinct volcanos, vineyards and châteaux. Predominantly downhill or flat, the route utilises mostly cycle paths and minor roads.

Seasons

The whole route can be cycled when the mountains near the source are snow free, usually April-October. Stages 7-26 can be cycled at any time of year, though April-October is the best period.

Centres

The route passes through Le-Puy-en-Velay, Roanne, Nevers, Orléans, Tours, Saumur, Angers, Nantes and St Nazaire.

Difficulty

Apart from a steep 1000m climb to reach the start and a few ascents and descents in the first six stages this is a straightforward route that is generally downhill or level. Mostly asphalt surfaces in good condition suitable for hybrid or touring cycles. Much of the route follows dedicated off-road cycle tracks, suitable for family cycling, though there are a few short sections where main roads are used.

Must See

Mont Gerbier de Jonc and the volcanic hills of the Ardèche, Le Puy-en-Velay, Charolais hills. After Nevers the route follows La Loire à Vélo, France's most popular cycleway, passing many of the royal châteaux (Chambord, Blois, Chaumont, Villandry, Amboise), vineyards (Sancerre, Touraine, Chinon, Saumur, Anjou, Muscadet), and historic cities (Orléans, Tours, Angers, Nantes) of the Loire Valley.

ISBN

9781786310835

Availability

Published

11 Jul 2022

Edition

Third

Pages

256

Size

17.20 x 11.60 x 1.40cm

Weight

300g

Delivery & Returns

Overview

The 1061km Loire Cycle Route starts at the source of the River Loire in the Massif Central mountains of central France and finishes at the Atlantic opposite St Nazaire. It descends past extinct volcanoes, crater lakes and deep gorges before joining EuroVelo route 6, followed by the fully waymarked Loire à Vélo, France's most popular cycle trail. Following the river downstream in 26 stages, the route is generally downhill or level, often on dedicated traffic-free cycle tracks.

Packed with a wealth of useful information - from practical planning advice to fascinating insights about the river and its surroundings - the guidebook features detailed route descriptions and informative mapping. Details of facilities and places to stay, and a French glossary, are also included.

The route goes through the heart of France as the Loire becomes the royal river, bounded by extravagant châteaux, fields of Charolais cattle and vineyards. It passes through historic cities like Orléans and Tours, continuing past Angers and France's fourth largest city Nantes to finish on the Atlantic coast.

Table of Contents

CONTENTS

Map key

Overview map

Preface

Route summary table

Introduction

Background

The route

Natural environment

Preparation

Getting there and back

Navigation

Accommodation

Food and drink

Amenities and services

What to take

Safety and emergencies

About this guide

The Loire Cycle Route

Prologue Getting to the start

Upper Loire

Stage 1 Gerbier de Jonc to Goudet

Stage 2 Goudet to Le Puy-en-Velay

Stage 3 Le Puy-en-Velay to Retournac

Stage 4 Retournac to Aurec-sur-Loire

Stage 5 Aurec-sur-Loire to Feurs

Stage 6 Feurs to Roanne

Stage 7 Roanne to Digoin

Middle Loire

Stage 8 Digoin to Bourbon-Lancy

Stage 9 Bourbon-Lancy to Decize

Stage 10 Decize to Nevers

Stage 11 Nevers to La Charité-sur-Loire

Stage 12 La Charité-sur-Loire to Sancerre

Stage 13 Sancerre to Briare

Stage 14 Briare to Sully-sur-Loire

Stage 15 Sully-sur-Loire to Orléans

Lower Loire

Stage 16 Orléans to Beaugency

Stage 17 Beaugency to Blois

Stage 18 Blois to Amboise

Stage 19 Amboise to Tours

Stage 20 Tours to Bréhémont

Stage 21 Bréhémont to Saumur

Stage 22 Saumur to Angers

Stage 23 Angers to Montjean-sur-Loire

Stage 24 Montjean-sur-Loire to Ancenis

Stage 25 Ancenis to Nantes

Stage 26 Nantes to St Brevin-les-Pins (St Nazaire)

Appendix A Facilities summary

Appendix B Tourist information offices

Appendix C Youth hostels and gîtes d’étape

Appendix D Useful contacts

Appendix E Language glossary

Updates

April 2025

Author updates

Stage 6 (p85, bottom of page)

A new cycle bridge over the river Renaison in Roanne has led to a change in the route. Where the route bears L before a railway bridge, continue ahead under railway and cross new bridge over Renaison then bear R on cycle track through Place Aristede Briand to reach stage end by W end of Loire bridge in Roanne.

Stage 7 (p88, beginning of stage description)

The new route into Roanne ends at a different place to previously. From new route start point by W end of Loire bridge in Roanne, follow Quai Commandant de Fourcauld N using cycle track R beside river. Continue over lock at entrance to Roanne port then fork R on cycle track along flood dyke (Allée Amiral Merveilleux du Vignaux), re-joining original route.

Stage 13 (p123, beginning of ‘combined route’ description)

A new stretch of towpath cycle track has been constructed at Bannay. The route no longer turns L on bridge over canal into Bannay. It now continues along towpath passing Bannay on opposite side of canal, re-joining original route soon after Bannay lock.

Stage 22 (p199, at end of route description)

From five-way junction in Pl du Lycée, go ahead into Rue Hanneloup and continue to dual-carriageway (Bvd Maréchal Foch) with tram tracks down the centre. Cross tram tracks and turn L. Pass Foch-Haras tram stop then turn R at next crossroads (Bvd du Roi René), re-joining original route.

April 2025

Temporary diversions (April 25)

Stage LV17V Muides-sur-Loire bridge closure

Work began in February 25, and will continue until the beginning of June 2025. Traffic is alternating for a large part of the worksite with pedestrian and cycle traffic maintained. However, a complete closure is scheduled from 12 to 25 May 2025 inclusive, with day and night closure to all traffic. This bridge provides access to the alternative route via Chambord. There is no practical alternative route and between these dates cyclists need to follow Stage 17 on the N bank of the Loire directly to Blois, missing out Chambord.

Stage LV19 Montlouis-sur-Loire diversion

Major road works in Montlouis-sur-Rhone will close Rue Foch for a period of approximately six months from 10 March 2025 to mid September. An alternative route is waymarked.

Stage LV21 weak bridge near Candes St Martin

A bridge over a side stream beside the river Vienne between Orval and Candes St Martin has been closed after engineering tests found it to be in a poor condition. A long-waymarked diversion follows local roads V5, D118 and D7, although a better diversion would be to follow D118 directly from Orval. This diversion is of indefinite time length.

Stage LV22V Lac de Maine diversion

A damaged pipe carrying water into Lac de Maine is causing flooding, which has closed the cycle route near to the PAVOA water sports centre. From February 2025 a waymarked temporary diversion has been instigated between the Pyramid and campsite in Parc du Lac de Maine. This diversion is of indefinite time length.

Stage LV24 Le Fourneau route closure

From January to December 2025 the C203 local road has been closed for structural reasons where it runs alongside the Fourneau quarry. A waymarked diversion follows the riverbank from La Rabotière (22km) to Le Fourneau village (28km). While this diversion is initially temporary (for one-year), it may turn out to be a permanent route change.

Stage LV26 Nantes construction work

For three years from January 2025 to December 2027 major construction work on a new bridge and tramlines in the centre of Nantes is causing disruption to traffic. The cycle route following Quai de la Fosse is being maintained while the work goes on but may be subject to occasional temporary diversions.

June 2024

River Loire Cycle Route: Stage 2

The 1.14km long Taulhac tunnel between Le Riou and Coubon Valhac (p55, the fifth tunnel on the Voie Verte du Velay) is closed for four months from 18 Mar–19 Jul 24 while work is carried out to strengthen the tunnel walls and roof.

A partially waymarked diversion leaves the route in Le Riou, 800m before tunnel mouth and 150m after exit from fourth tunnel. Turn R ascending through Le Riou then after end of village turn L at T-junction (D188) and descend steadily to reach roundabout. Go ahead (first exit, sp Coubon) then after 150m, turn R (Rue du Château) beside sign marking beginning of Le Puy-en-Velay.

Follow this road ascending past edge of Taulhac then bear R onto Rue Antoine Valette (D38). Pass under motorway, then after 100m fork L (Ave Louis Jonget) and turn second R (Ch de Buisson). Go ahead over crossroads (D38 again) into Rte de la Croix de Valhory. Where this bends sharply L, go ahead on narrow no-through-road (sp Les Farges). After 100m, cross bridge over Voie Verte du Velay on route of old railway (with N mouth of Taulhac tunnel visible R) and turn immediately L downhill to rejoin stage 2 and continue into Coubon Valhac.

This diversion adds 2.5km distance and 80m ascent to the stage. This can be avoided by continuing ahead at beginning of Le Puy-en-Velay (ie not turning R into Rue du Château) then bearing L (third exit) at next roundabout and following main road downhill into centre of Le Puy-en-Velay, thus missing out the section of cycle route through Brives-Charensac.

September 2023

Stage 10

Stage 10 (p108). The excursion from Verville lock to Nevers ends at Place Mossé, opposite the northern end of Nevers bridge. In this square you will find Café Vélo, a café with overnight accommodation that specialises in serving cyclists. A tyre pump, basic tools and water bottle re-fill are available.

November 2022

Travelling with a cycle on Eurostar

After 3 years since they ‘temporarily’ ceased carrying cycles because of covid, Eurostar have begun carrying them again, but with a very limited service and with conditions of carriage that are not attractive to touring cyclists. Before covid, all trains to Paris and Brussels carried up to six cycles, two fully assembled and four dismantled, in specially designed fibreglass bike cases. Eurostar provided the cases and tools to dismantle/reassemble bikes in an area dedicated to this procedure.

The reinstated service carries bikes only on trains to Paris (not Brussels) on selected departures from London between 07.55 and 15.31 or from Paris between 11.13 and 18.13. Fully assembled bikes are not being carried. Four dismantled bikes can be carried, but cyclists must deliver their bikes already boxed to the baggage counter in either London or Paris. Pre-booking is compulsory and riders must now travel on the same train as their bikes. After completing the journey, boxes must be collected directly from the train and cycles reassembled on the platform.

This is far from ideal, and until Eurostar fully reinstate their previous cycle carriage policy, cyclists are recommended to take their bikes by plane, ferry or Euroshuttle when heading to the European mainland. The situation could potentially change.

The Cycling UK website www.cyclinguk.org has a page dedicated to Eurostar cycle carriage policy, which is updated regularly to contain any new information.

Downloads

The River Loire Cycle Route - GPX File

By Mike Wells

After a career in marketing, culminating as marketing director of a leading supermarket group, Mike Wells started to write walking and cycling guides in his fifties. He has been a keen cyclist for over 25 years. After completing various UK Sustrans routes, such as Lôn Las Cymru in Wales and the C2C route across northern England, he then moved on to cycling long-distance routes in continental Europe and beyond. These include cycling both the Camino and Ruta de la Plata to Santiago de la Compostela, a traverse of Cuba from end to end, a circumnavigation of Iceland and a trip across Lapland to the North Cape. Even further afield he has ridden the Congo-Nile trail from the Congo basin to the source of the Nile in Rwanda's Nyungwe national park. On all these trips he was accompanied by his partner Christine, who sadly died in 2020.He has written 10 cycling guides for Cicerone, including a series following the great rivers of Europe. For a full list of Cicerone books and articles by Mike Wells, visit his author page.

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