Cycling The River Loire Cycle Route - Cicerone Press

The 1052km Loire cycle route starts at the source of the 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 and the fully waymarked Loire a Velo, 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 included.

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

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)