June 2012 officially marks the completion of the entire route ‘La Loire à Vélo’: a continuous cycle track which starts at Cuffy in the Cher and finishes at Saint-Brevin-les-Pins, at the edge of the ocean in Loire-Atlantique.

It is, undoubtedly, the longest and most ambitious ‘sustainable’ tourist project of this decade. ‘La Loire à Vélo’ is a major gateway to the Loire Valley. This route, the best of its kind, puts all the heritage, food & wine of the ‘Valley of Wonders’ at your feet (or more appropriately wheels). Today, ‘La Loire à Vélo’ is a holiday ‘must-do’, experienced by over 700,000 tourists in 2010!

‘La Loire à Vélo’ is a dream itinerary for all fans of cycling and getting close to nature. It is the perfect trip to enjoy with your partner, as a family or in the company of friends.

The route, which is well marked and safe, takes you through the Loire Valley revealing all its treasures – exceptional surroundings, châteaux, gourmet restaurants and vineyards. You have unrestricted views of magnificent Loire landscapes which make up this UNESCO World Heritage Site. There are more than 800 km to explore.

You can pedal at your leisure while marvelling at the beautiful natural scenery and the Loire Valley’s finest treasures. Designated itineraries mark out cycle tracks, greenways (40% of the route), and the meandering country roads are all yours to enjoy. There are not too many ‘ups and downs’, so the journey is comfortable, whatever your level of expertise. And you can choose your pace, whether you want a short escape ‘away from it all’ or you want to spend all your holiday on 2 wheels.

All the resources you could want for in the realm of ‘the little queen’. The Loire’s landscapes have a rich heritage of 2000 years of history. To help you with your plans, ‘La Loire à Vélo’ puts a whole range of exclusive services at your disposal, designed to ensure your safety and well-being as a ‘cyclotourist’. Over 100 places offering cyclotourism accommodation. There are over 100 hotels, B&BS and campsites offering a special welcome to cyclotourists. Customised services include enclosed parking areas and repair equipment. And, in order to lighten the load, it is possible to arrange transfer of your baggage from one stop-off point to the next.

Sam's Scoop

 ‘La Loire à Vélo’ is part of a European project, the ‘Euroveloroute of rivers’, and forms a section of the route ‘Eurovelo 6’ which joins the Black Sea to the Atlantic Ocean. The objective is to follow three of the largest rivers of Europe, the crucible of European civilization: the Loire, the Rhine and Danube. Enough cycling to keep you pedalling for a lifetime!
To find out more: http://www.eurovelo6.org/