“Loire à Vélo” in figures

It forms one of the finest cycle routes in France. “Loire à Vélo” is:

• an 800km “freewheeling cruise” (in 2012),
• a discovery of 2 regions (Centre and Pays de la Loire), 6 departments (Cher, Loiret, Loir-et-Cher, Indre-et-Loire, Maine-et-Loire, Loire-Atlantique) and 6 cities (Orléans, Blois, Tours, Saumur, Angers, Nantes).

The idea of this inter-regional itinerary originated in 1995 with the Centre and Pays de la Loire regions. The gigantic project has required €52 million to develop and signpost the whole of the route.

© E. Caracciolo

A much-travelled cycle route

“Loire à Vélo” represents some of the biggest visitor potential of all the French cycle routes. Over 700,000 cyclists take the Loire à Vélo each year!

It attracts huge numbers of tourists, including about one-third from abroad, mainly from Europe (Dutch, German, Belgian, British…) but also from further afield (Americans, Canadians, Australians…). And the Japanese are starting to give it a try, too! It also remains very much the “favourite” of French tourists.

SNCF railways stations to start or stop wherever you want

You can start your Loire cycle tour wherever you want, and leave the route at will. There is a regional train line (TER) along the river from Orléans, so you can simply head for the nearest station to the route (some 20 stations have cycle access) and get on the next train with your bike, of course. There are also countless car parks dotted along the way.

New: special cycle cars on the Interloire train between Orléans and Le Croisic

© Région Centre

From 3 July to 28 August 2011, between Orléans and Le Croisic, the Centre and Pays de la Loire Regions propose a service of specially equipped cars on Interloire trains to transport your bike hassle free.

 From 1st June 2011 and 48 hours before you travel, call the Special n° 09.69.32.81.50. (no extra charge) and book your cycle place in the Interloiretrain of your choice for €5 per bicycle. The booking will also require you to buy a valid second-class ticket for yourself.

On the day of the trip, an SNCF employee will be waiting on the train to load, stow and unload your bike at your destination on the Loire à Vélo itinerary. Payment is made for the service on the train to SNCF staff

Loire à Vélo alternates between quiet roads with little traffic (37%), green ways (27%), no-thoroughfare roads (24%), cycle tracks and lanes (12%). Two-thirds of the itinerary runs along the Loire. There are 300 stopping places for cycle tourists.

See the definitions of the different types of cycle routes 

As the figures show, Loire à Vélo is the “in-fashion” way to get out and about.