Introduction - Lack of Imagination Loire Valley - Tandem Tour - July 2021 - CycleBlaze

May 30, 2021

Introduction

Why are we going to the most obvious touring location in France?

After the COVID-19 pandemic, life is restarting.  We've had our vaccinations and slowly but surely we're emerging from our admittedly comfortable cocoon.

Dinner at friends (unmasked), Lunch at a restaurant, travel more than an hour from home... Bit by bit, things are returning to "normal".  Why not do a tandem tour?

Things in France are still a bit uncertain at this juncture, so we decided to confine our summer travel to within France this year.  So that was the first constraint on a tour.

But one good thing about this summer is that it seems that the number of foreign tourists might be at an all-time low!  So why not go where we could benefit from that?  The Loire Valley, chateau central, beckoned.

The route, as planned
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This tour is in the "middle" Loire region.  We'll be starting from Nevers and finishing in Tours.   I've added a quick detour to the Cher river valley to pass by the chateau at Chenonceaux.  Seven days of riding, with a layover day in Orleans.  We'll then take the train back from Tours to Nevers.   We'll drive to and from Nevers - it's an easy day's drive from home.

Thanks to Booking.com, all the hotels are reserved.  AND cancellable without penalty up to a few days before the tour in case things go sideways.  So here we go!   Starting on Bastille Day, just to make it more challenging!

We have visited the chateaux of the Loire valley numerous times, so I don't think we'll actually be going inside any of them.  But they still provide great photo opportunities, and seeing them from a bike will be something special for us.  And we have great memories of our previous trips to the region.

Our daughters in front of Chenonceaux, way back in 1994.
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Steve Miller/GrampiesOh, so jealous. One of our favourite regions and tours. We are still waiting for our second shots here in British Columbia and would not feel comfortable on an airplane yet. Will be following in your tire tracks with great interest.
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3 years ago
Rachael AndersonSounds like a wonderful trip! I look forward to following it.
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3 years ago