Loire Valley Cycling

July 2023 – Cycling through the Loire Valley in central France in the summer is a special experience! Unimaginably huge sunflower fields appear, one after another as we rode on relatively flat and quiet roads. Many of the roads were so small that it felt as if we were on a path or a driveway until a car would appear and remind of that these were indeed roads used by the locals! We visited many magnificent chateaus, the most famous and indeed the largest I have ever seen was the Château de Chambord.

The weather was not always favorable for cycling during our week in the Loire Valley, indeed our stubbornness to continue our ride despite the ominous approaching clouds led to one of the wettest bike rides I have ever ridden. Rain was pelting sideways and into our faces as we rode the 22km from Rigny-Ussè to Coteaux-sur-Loire. The sun then came out and we were able to eat outside, enjoying a spectacular sunset.