A Weekend Trip From Blois to Chambord: Volume 1 of Best Cycling Itineraries in France Guidebook Series

By Maggie LaCoste

Why settle for visiting France as an ordinary tourist when you can experience it by bike? If you are looking to add some fun and adventure to an upcoming trip to France, consider adding a weekend of bicycling to your plans.

The Best Cycling Itineraries in France Guidebook Series will show you how to tour France the way Europeans do–by bike. You’ll learn how to plan the perfect bicycling adventure like an insider, without breaking the bank and without needing an expensive tour outfitter.

The first guidebook of the series, “A Weekend Trip From Blois To Chambord”, is one of the most exciting bicycling itineraries in the Loire, and perhaps in all of France. Arriving at this magnificent castle by bike is an experience of a lifetime. And now you can learn to plan a weekend bicycling trip there for less than the cost of a Michelin map!

Learn how to add this bicycling excursion to a trip you are planning to Paris, Bordeaux or almost anywhere else in France. Learn about this easy itinerary in the Loire that is perfect for bicyclists of all ages and abilities. You’ll feel like an insider with detailed information on the best resources and maps for planning your trip, recommendations on places to stay, attractions to see and just the right amount of history to enrich your experience. Upcoming guidebooks to the series include best bicycling itineraries along the Loire and exploring the Burgundy vineyards by bike.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Maggie LaCoste
• Release date: Jun 5, 2013
• ISBN: 9780989498302

Maggie LaCoste

Maggie LaCoste is the publisher of the popular blog, Experience France by Bike. This insider’s guide is a wealth of information on the 3,000 km of car-free bike paths and the 300+ long distance cycle paths in France. When she’s not exploring new bike routes in France, she’s busy writing about the best and newest itineraries, sharing information on how to plan and take trips affordably, without the expense of bicycle tour organizers. Her latest venture is the Best Cycling Itineraries in France Guidebook Series, which features itinerary specific bicycle tours perfect for all ages and bicycling abilities.

Book preview

A Weekend Trip From Blois to Chambord

Volume 1 of Best Cycling Itineraries in France Guidebook Series

By Maggie LaCoste

Smashwords Edition

Copyright ©2013 by Maggie LaCoste

Cover design by Andrea Haseley

All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the author. The only exception is by a reviewer, who may quote short excerpts in a review.

Produced in the United States of America

"It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the

contours of a country best, since you have

to sweat up the hills and coast down them."

Ernest Hemingway

Table of Contents

Experiencing France by Bike

1. About The Route

Details About The Route

Best Maps For Planning

Planning Your Trip

2. Preparing For Your Trip

First Things To Do

Best Planning Resources

Getting To Blois

Renting A Bike, Questions To Ask

Where To Rent A Bike

3. Choosing Where To Stay

Lodging In Blois

Lodging Outside Of Blois

Lodging Close To Chambord

Camping French Style

4. History For Non-History Buffs

Historical Tidbits About Blois and Its Castle

Historical Tidbits About Francois I and Chambord

5. What To See Along The Route

10 Things To Do in Blois

10 Things To Do in Chambord

6. Food & Wine Of The Loire

Eat Well, Save $$

Having Fun At Market Day

The Perfect Picnic Lunch

Specialty Foods Shops

Wine Tasting Opportunities

Final Thoughts

EXPERIENCING FRANCE BY BIKE

Of all the locations to plan a bicycling trip, why choose France? Great food, incredible wine, fantastic markets, beautiful villages, historical and cultural attractions are all definitely factors. But above all, France is paradise for the recreational bicyclist.

France has always been popular with experienced cyclists, many of whom knock off 100 km on a typical Saturday morning ride. But over the last 10 years, France has developed an extensive greenway system with over 3,000 km of safe, car-free bike paths perfectly suited for recreational cyclists. In addition to these greenways, France also has over 300 long distance cycle routes, with more being added every year. As a result, cyclotourism is exploding as more and more people discover the adventure and excitement of exploring France by bike.

One of the challenges of planning a cycling trip to France is the limited sources of information. This is the reason I started Experience France by Bike three years ago. Since this time, the website has become recognized as one of the best resources for information on recreational bicycling in France.

While my website has increased awareness of the growing network of French bicycling itineraries, there was still a need for more detailed trip planning information. That’s why I’m happy to introduce my Best Cycling Itineraries in France Guidebook Series. This series is designed to help you through the trip planning process, similar to how I plan my trips. From information on each itinerary to best maps and resources, to where to stay and what to do, each guide will help you plan your next bicycling trip in France. You’ll enjoy the independence of planning your own itinerary just like the Europeans do, without paying expensive tour organizers.

Experiencing France by bike will open doors for you that other tourists will never see. You’ll casually interact with people you meet along the way and enjoy experiences that will enrich your travel and your life. You’ll enjoy life in the slow lane, where the only goal is to enjoy the magic of your French bicycling adventure, seeing a side of France that few tourists experience.

I hope you will enjoy Volume I of the Best Cycling Itineraries in France, A weekend trip from Blois to Chambord. Watch for upcoming volumes on best cycling itineraries along the Loire, and exploring the Burgundy vineyards.

Section 1

About the Route

Visit Chambord Like Few Tourists Experience

Visiting Chambord by bike is one of the most exciting adventures in the Loire, and perhaps in all of France! Unfortunately for most people, a visit to Chambord is a quick trip by car or tour bus, often just another attraction to cross off the list of things to see in France. For the lucky ones who visit Chambord by bike, it’s