Our starting point in Blois, Hotel Anne Bretagne

Rose on old village wall, Day 1

We have had three spectacular days riding on cycling paths and rural roads under sunny skies in the Loire Valley.  With Blois as our starting and ending point, we pedaled through the valley enjoying prolific birdsong, small unmapped villages, incredible histories of 16th century chateaux of the region, so memorable surprises, and unbelievable meals.

Route-finding was not always as easy as we would have liked–in spite of maps and a detailed itinerary–but we had some incredible experiences; some of which were planned and many which were not.  All told we biked about 55 miles in three days, each one of us on his/her own bike, and the kids did remarkably well. Below and on our photos page are a sampling of some photos from along the way.

This old tower seemed surprised when we appeared around the corner

Chateau Chambord, largest in the Loire valley, has a central staircase and floor plan thought to be designed by Leonardo DaVinci. Like a number of sites, it was in the process of restoration through a national French cultural preservation program.