THE LOIRE - France 2014 - page 531

By Shuttle Van : Quart de Tours runs a high-season-only shuttle service between
AmboiseandtheChâteaudeChenonceau. Touraine Evasion runsasimilarshuttlelinking
Amboise with Chambord and Chenonceau (see “Amboise Connections,” here ) .
By Minivan Excursion: Tour operators Acco-Dispo, Quart de Tours , and Loire
Valley Tours offer half- and full-day itineraries from Amboise and/orTours that hit all the
main châteaux (see “Amboise Connections,” here ) .
Minivan excursions also leave from the Tours TI office to many châteaux; some
include wine-tasting (book online at www.tours-tourisme.fr ) . The TI is right outside the
Tours SNCF train station (easy connections from Amboise, Blois, or Chinon; see “By
Train,” earlier).
By Taxi
Taxi excursions can be affordable when split among several people, especially from the
Blois train station to nearby châteaux, or from Amboise to Chenonceau. For details, see
“Blois Connections,” here , and “Amboise Connections,” here .
By Bike
CyclingoptionsareendlessintheLoire,wheretheelevationgainisgenerallymanageable.
(However, if you have only a day or two, rent a car or stick to the châteaux easily reached
by buses and minivans.) Amboise, Chenonceaux, Blois, Azay-le-Rideau, and Chinon all
make good biking bases and have rental options (ask at the TI in each city for bike rental
shops). A network of nearly 200 miles of bike paths and well-signed country lanes con-
nect manychâteaux nearAmboise. Pick upthefreebike-path mapatanyTI,buythemore
detailed map available at TIs, or study the route options at www.loireavelo.fr . (I also list
several accommodations with easy access to these bike paths.)
About five miles from Chinon, a 30-mile bike path runs along the Loire River,
passing byUsséandLangeais, then meets the Cher River at Villandry andcontinues along
the Cher to Tours and beyond. To follow this route, pick up the La Loire à Vélo brochure
at any area TI.
Détours de Loire can help you plan your bike route and will deliver rental bikes to
mostplaces intheLoireforreasonable rates.Theyhaveafullrangeofbikesfromkid-size
totandems,andwillshuttleluggagetoyournextstop.TheyhaveshopsinAmboise,Blois,
and Tours and allow one-way rentals between these and their partner shops at no added
charge ( www.locationdevelos.com ) .