rooster63 Posted April 17, 2018 Share Posted April 17, 2018 Off to France next month, regular visitors in past but 1st time with van. Would like to spend a couple of days by the Loire and use the cycle path (have read some info that you can now cycle alongside the Loire quite a distance) The plan is to cycle 15 miles max upstream one day from the base and then the same downstream the next day. Have done most of the main chateaux and towns. Anybody got a suggestion for a good site next to the Loire. Had a quick look at the ASCII book but nothing leapt out, in some way too many! Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColinM50 Posted April 17, 2018 Share Posted April 17, 2018 We were in Saumur last summer on the very nice campsite on the island and met a group of 24 Merkan Mormons who'd started cycilng from Nantes and were heading to Switzerland. Their ages ranged from tiny new born babes right up to an elderly very unfit ex TV star of 74. Several of them pitched on the pitch next to our and they seemed a really nice group. They'd been planning the trip for a year and had flown their bikes and trailers to Paris from Utah and then train to Nantes. They said the key is to not try to do too much at one go and if you want a day off, then take it. They had a map but weren't really following it, just going where the river took them. Not much help to you I guess but shows you're not the first to do it. This helps maybe? https://www.travelfranceonline.com/cycling-along-the-loire-river/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Solwaybuggier Posted April 17, 2018 Share Posted April 17, 2018 We spent a night a couple of nights back on an aire by the Loire, at St Mesmin just west of Orleans. Former municipal site, now set up by commune for MHs only, on hard standing. EHU included, €6 one night, €10 for 2, €13 for 3. Maybe a bit out of the main tourist stretches of the Loire, though? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rupert123 Posted April 18, 2018 Share Posted April 18, 2018 There is a spacious aire at Saumar which has a cycle track running right past it. You can cycle to the center of town in 15 minutes and continue beyond if you wish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crocs Posted April 18, 2018 Share Posted April 18, 2018 Another vote for the Saumur campsite Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted April 18, 2018 Share Posted April 18, 2018 These two links may be of interest https://en.francevelotourisme.com/base-1/itineraires/la-loire-a-velo/troncons/saumur-angers https://en.francevelotourisme.com/base-1/itineraires/la-loire-a-velo/troncons/tours-saumur We recently stayed at the campsite at Les Rosiers-sur-Loire https://www.yellohvillage.co.uk/choose_your_campsite/by_town/les_rosiers_sur_loire where I was told that the campsite on the island in the Loire at Saumur had been British-owned for a few years and, consequently, was very popular with the English. And last year we ovenighted at the campsite at Saint Martin de la Place https://terre-dentente.fr/en Aires-wise, there are several along the Loire in the Saumur region http://www.campingcar-infos.com/Francais/cci.php?numero=28848 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adiebt Posted April 21, 2018 Share Posted April 21, 2018 http://www.campingisleverte.com/fra We stayed here and cycled everyday , we had a ball ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crocs Posted April 22, 2018 Share Posted April 22, 2018 Derek Uzzell - 2018-04-18 1:40 PM We recently stayed at the campsite at Les Rosiers-sur-Loire https://www.yellohvillage.co.uk/choose_your_campsite/by_town/les_rosiers_sur_loire where I was told that the campsite on the island in the Loire at Saumur had been British-owned for a few years and, consequently, was very popular with the English. Not just with the English, Derek. :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gordonaldson Posted April 22, 2018 Share Posted April 22, 2018 The word is VELOSOLEX bike with an engine and made in France for touring Canals and the like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnval Posted April 26, 2018 Share Posted April 26, 2018 There is an aire at Turquant about 10km from Saumar. You can cycle through the vines to the chateau at Saumar ( nice cafe ) with good views. Then down into the town and cycle back along the river. Two years ago the aire at Turquant was free with jeton for water available from the local shop/bar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blaven Posted April 26, 2018 Share Posted April 26, 2018 gordonaldson - 2018-04-22 9:22 PM The word is VELOSOLEX bike with an engine and made in France for touring Canals and the like. Can't help feeling this technology is now outdated, not least because of the 2-stroke emissions now widely frowned upon. Don't get me wrong,-I'm a petrolhead myself and love the Velosolex vibe, but in my late sixties I'm having a ball with a Kalkhoff electric bike. Off to Holland in a week for a month with it. The only problem with electric bikes is that the technology advances so quickly and the products keep getting better. Don't buy a cheap bargain basement one though from a catalogue. Go somewhere reputable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted April 26, 2018 Share Posted April 26, 2018 rooster63 - 2018-04-17 4:10 PM Off to France next month, regular visitors in past but 1st time with van. Would like to spend a couple of days by the Loire and use the cycle path (have read some info that you can now cycle alongside the Loire quite a distance) The plan is to cycle 15 miles max upstream one day from the base and then the same downstream the next day. Have done most of the main chateaux and towns. Anybody got a suggestion for a good site next to the Loire. Had a quick look at the ASCII book but nothing leapt out, in some way too many! Thanks I suspect you're suffering from information overload! :-) There is a website here: http://tinyurl.com/y7p2y43p for "La Loire à Vélo", which covers the whole length of the Loire cycleway - about 800km in total - roughly from St Nazaire to Nevers. The problem in making any suggestions is that the Loire, at a little over 1,000km long, is the longest river in France, and you haven't given any clues as to which part/s you intend visiting! The website is quite informative so my suggestion is to single out somewhere that looks appealing, and then use the website to identify campsites nearby. If you choose one of the riverside towns, and get to the tourist office on arrival, you should find a lot of information on cycle routes in the vicinity, including local maps showing various routes plus the appropriate section of the Loire à Vélo map. You can also use the trains in summer to travel up and down the Loire with a bike, so that you can do train out and bike back trips (and/or vice versa) which would extend your range somewhat. To get best use of this facility, you will obviously need to be near a railway station. :-) Be aware that the published routes frequently use roads (mainly quiet roads) and are not exclusively cycle paths. The Loire valley below Orleans is not gifted with particularly spectacular scenery (especially to the north, across the Beauce plain); the interest is mainly in the riverside towns and the numerous chateaux (Talcy is a personal favourite). There is a large, flat, wetland area south east of Blois, called the Sologne, which is popular with water fowlers and fishermen, which also contains a number of good restaurants, most specialising in locally produced/shot/caught game, fish and fowl. The further up-stream you go, the more interesting the scenery becomes, IMO. But, the river exudes a kind of bucolic charm, and to the south there are extensive forests where deer and boar still roam, so the cycling can be much more varied than just following the river up, or down, stream, if you want more variety. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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