A weekend between Tours and Chenonceaux
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placeDeparture/ArrivalTours / Chenonceaux
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compare_arrowsDistance51 km
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access_timeDuration3 days
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Le bar à terrines Bistrot'Quai, lieu de détente et de restauration sur les bords du Cher © A. Verger_CRT Centre-Val de Loire
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Château de Chenonceau © D. Darrault - CRT Centre-Val de Loire
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Reproduction d'oeuvres de Léonard de Vinci dans le parc du Clos Lucé © Château du Clos Lucé
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Bouteilles de vins de Touraine © T. Martrou - CRT Centre-Val de Loire
Enjoy a weekend in Touraine with the family. Visit Tours, regional capital and a lively and gourmet city, Amboise and its royal château offering a journey in the footsteps of Leonardo da Vinci, and above all Chenonceau, the Ladies’ Château, to be discovered from a new perspective.
Day 1: Arrival in Tours
En vélo, à Tours, sur la place Plumereau © J. Damase - CRT Centre-Val de Loire Tours is easy to get to thanks to its multiple train connections. If you don’t have a bike you can easily hire one from Détours de Loire next to the train station and return it in Chenonceaux. They can also take charge of transporting your luggage between your places of accommodation. Settle into your Accueil Vélo accommodation – there are a large number of them in the regional capital – and spend time meandering on your bikes through this city listed as a City of Art and History. The terraces of the bars on Place Plumereau are perfect for passing the time before dining on Touraine specialities and Loire Valley wines in one of the many restaurants in this “International City of Gastronomy”.
Ideas for an outing :
An open-air-cafe evening in “Tours sur Loire” (lien) from May to September, or the illuminations on Cathedral Saint-Gatien… There’s no shortage of ideas in Tours!
Day 2: Tours – Amboise (29 km)
Before setting off, drop by at the Tours covered market to prepare a picnic of 100% local produce. On the menu: rillettes, rillons and goat’s cheese. Set off along the Loire in the direction of Amboise. Half-way along the route visit the Producteurs de Montlouis-sur-Loire wine cellar where over 2 million bottles await you in the galleries hollowed out in the tuffeau stone. Continue to Amboise, the city where Leonardo da Vinci spent the final 3 years of his life. “Cycle” in the footsteps of the genius to the royal château overlooking the city, or to Le Clos-Lucé, his final residence. Round off the day with a break in the tea room at Pâtisserie Bigot, a must for those with a sweet tooth! Spend the night in Amboise.
Pause vélo et visite du Clos-Lucé © D. Darrault - CRT Centre-Val de Loire Top tips for the family in and around Amboise :
- Visit the Mini-Châteaux park, home to miniature versions of 45 Loire châteaux.
- Embark on a fantastic journey across the seven seas of the world in the Grand Aquarium de Touraine
Day 3: Amboise – Chenonceaux (22 km)
En canoë sur le Cher, à Chenonceaux. Château de Chenonceau au loin. © G. Honyiglo - CRT Centre-Val de Loire As you leave Amboise, visit the Pagode de Chanteloup, an unusual monument built in 1775 in the heart of a 14-hectare park. Climb the 149 steps to enjoy a magnificent view of the Loire Valley and forest. Cycle on to Chenonceaux. Just before you arrive, take a well-earned break in Bistrot’Quai (lien), a terrine bar in the garden of the former lock keeper’s house on the edge of the Cher. You will also find Canoe-Company here. Take the opportunity to enjoy a unique experience paddling under the arches of the Château of Chenonceau in a canoe before exploring it from dry ground. At the end of this day spent between the Loire and the Cher, return to Tours by train, a journey of barely 30 min