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A guide and itinerary for visiting the amazing castles in the Loire Valley by motorcycle.
Personally, I absolutely love the Loire Valley. It is a region known for white wine and its plethora of amazing, medieval castles (or chateaux in French). When I visit le Loire, I feel like I’ve been thrown into a historical French film, with every village looking like it came straight out of a storybook.
Before you read!
Have you checked the motorcycle riding in France guide? Click the link to get an overview of the rules and regulations when riding in France:
Getting to the Loire Valley by motorcycle
To reach the Loire Valley, you will likely come from Paris. It really isn’t the most exciting route, as the landscape around Paris is farmlands and fairly flat. However, there are several small, authentic French villages along the way, so you can stop and grab some local French food on your route.
If you take the highway with tolls, the journey will take about 2.5 to 3 hours.
If you go for no highways, you can expect to get there in 4 hours.
If you want to do some exploring on your way down from Paris, you can stop in Fontainebleau, Milly-la-Forêt, or even at Versailles. All of them are not too far off your route.
Where to rent a motorcycle in the Loire Valley
You can check BikesBooking.com for a range of options available in the city of Tours. Otherwise, you can contact local companies, such as Ride in Tours.
Where to stay in the Loire Valley
If you want to spend a night or two in the Loire Valley, I would recommend staying in Tours or in Orléans. They are the biggest cities in the region, while still being beautiful! If you would like to do some wine tasting, many of the wine tours depart from Tours. The Loire Valley is very famous for its dry white wine such as Sauvignon Blanc, but also Pinot Noir.
Where to stay in Tours – La Coupole Appartments
Simple apartments right in the center of the city for a great price
Where to stay in Orléans – Bohème Spa and Apartments
Close to the river and to the city center, plus the rooms all have a jacuzzi! Perfect for soaking after a long motorcycle ride
When to visit the Loire Valley
The summer is a nice time to visit the Loire Valley, although it may be a bit more crowded. The best time to visit the Loire Valley is definitely during the shoulder seasons, such as spring and early autumn. Since most of the chateaux have massive gardens for the royalty that lived there, in the spring you’ll find all the flowers in bloom and in autumn you’ll get to see fall colors.
Touring the castles in the Loire Valley on a motorcycle
In theory, you can visit a chateau or two in the Loire Valley on a day trip from Paris. If you really want to visit more, set up Tours, Orléans, or another city at your home base. From there, each village that houses a chateau is only about 40 minutes to an hour from each other.
Best Chateaux in Loire Valley to visit
The Loire Valley is actually FULL of chateaux so you will never have time to visit them all! These three are some of my favorites:
1. Blois
The city of Blois is a beautiful village situated on the Loire River and surrounded by greenery. You’ll love wandering the various cobblestone streets and exploring the Old Town. The Chateau of Blois is a spectacular landmark in the city, both from the inside as well as the outside.
2. Chambord
Chateau de Chambord is said to be the castle that inspired Disney for Beauty and the Beast. Although when I visited the exterior was under construction (downside to visiting in the low season), it was still magnificent to spot the castle looming behind these amazing stretches of garden.
There isn’t much to the town of Chambord, but it’s still very quaint with traditional French restaurants and many wine shops for some tasting, especially perfect for a warm, summer day.
3. Amboise
Amboise has an amazing chateau that overlooks the river. It was a favorite residence of many French monarchs, including King Henry II and Catherine of Medici. Queen Mary of Scots was raised here (Any Reign lovers?), but the Chateau d’Amboise is most famous for being the final resting of the one and only Leonardo da Vinci. You can visit his grave inside the chapel on the castle grounds.
Also in Amboise, you can head down the road a bit until you visit Da Vinci’s house, which has now been converted into a museum that showcases his inventions all throughout the interior of the house and the gardens. Some of his inventions are the basis of modern architecture today. If you visit Amboise, you really need to go to both attractions.
Other Things to do near Loire Valley
Go wine tasting in the Loire Valley
Before you leave the Loire Valley, why not take a winery tour and do some nice tasting?
Hop on a hot air ballon ride
Definitely a unique experience to have! These hot air balloon tours allow you to see the castles of the Loire Valley – from the air! How cool is that?!
Visit Loire – Anjou – Touraine Regional National Park
This national park is located between Tours and Angers and although not super hilly, is still great for riding in nature. In the summer, you can even take a canoe or kayak and explore.
What other places would you love to ride a motorcycle in France?
