Loire Valley - Advice sought plus possible companion ....

[Polite]

Date of my jaunt will be the week beginning 29.7.13 though there is some flexibility.

So the plan is to arrive at Saint Malo then cycle/train down to Nantes, stay there a night and cycle to Angers. The remainder of the trip will be something like this (an acquaintance has suggested this) though it is not set in stone;

Day 1: Angers to Rigny Usse. Day 2: Rigny-Usse to Tours. Day 3: Tours to Blois. Day 4: Blois to Orleans. Day 5: Orleans to Sully-sur-Loire. Day 6: Sully to Chatillon-su- Loire. Day 7: Chatillon to La Charite-sur-Loire. Day 8: La Charite to Nevers. Day 9: Nevers to Bourbon-Lancy. Day 10 Bourbon-Lancy to Paray-le-Monial. Day 11: Paray to Montceau-les-Mines. Day 12: Montceau to Chalon-sur-Saone. Day 13: Chalon to Dole.

My plan is to camp along the way. At Dole I may then get a train to La Rochelle to meet friends or up to Paris then along the Avenue Verte back to Dieppe.

Do experienced tourers have any advice about the ease of getting into a campsite - I haven't booked anything yet?
Tips about travelling through France by train with a bike?
Has anyone done this part of France before to share their experience?
Real life Michelin map versus a downloaded Michelin app?
Any advice about a portable iPhone charger - this will be my creature comfort?
All other tips appreciated.

I realize there are a lot of fears there though I am sure many will be answered as soon as I set foot, or rather pedal, in France.

Thanks.

 

[jay clock]

www.crazyguyonabike.com is the best place to start

 

[Herbie]

Date of my jaunt will be the week beginning 29.7.13 though there is some flexibility.

So the plan is to arrive at Saint Malo then cycle/train down to Nantes, stay there a night and cycle to Angers. The remainder of the trip will be something like this (an acquaintance has suggested this) though it is not set in stone;

Day 1: Angers to Rigny Usse. Day 2: Rigny-Usse to Tours. Day 3: Tours to Blois. Day 4: Blois to Orleans. Day 5: Orleans to Sully-sur-Loire. Day 6: Sully to Chatillon-su- Loire. Day 7: Chatillon to La Charite-sur-Loire. Day 8: La Charite to Nevers. Day 9: Nevers to Bourbon-Lancy. Day 10 Bourbon-Lancy to Paray-le-Monial. Day 11: Paray to Montceau-les-Mines. Day 12: Montceau to Chalon-sur-Saone. Day 13: Chalon to Dole.

My plan is to camp along the way. At Dole I may then get a train to La Rochelle to meet friends or up to Paris then along the Avenue Verte back to Dieppe.

Do experienced tourers have any advice about the ease of getting into a campsite - I haven't booked anything yet?
Tips about travelling through France by train with a bike?
Has anyone done this part of France before to share their experience?
Real life Michelin map versus a downloaded Michelin app?
Any advice about a portable iPhone charger - this will be my creature comfort?
All other tips appreciated.

I realize there are a lot of fears there though I am sure many will be answered as soon as I set foot, or rather pedal, in France.

Thanks.

I cycled along the Loire in 1988...great place to be on a bike...we had no problems camping...just roll up and pictch your tent...plenty campsites then to choose from not sure about these days but I imagine there will be plenty

 

[Dave Davenport]

Plenty of campsites, easy cycling, enjoy.

 

[Mile195]

CAMPSITES:
Been down there by motorbike. The French LOVE camping. There are sites everywhere, and they rarely cost more than a few euros. I've been motorcycle touring in France 5 times and I never book - just rock up and pitch... BUT - make sure you're where you want to be by about 18:30 latest... campsite receptions do begin to close by then, and most prohibit pitching without registering. That said, if you do find you've missed all the campsites, there's plenty of picnic areas on main roads where you could pitch overnight.

The Loire Valley is beautiful and very bike friendly. I remember coming across a PDF leaflet aimed at cyclists showing the whole region and a cycle route you can follow. I've no idea where I've put it, but I'm sure if you get onto the relevant tourist information websites you'll be able to track something similar down.

CHARGER:
I use a "freeloader" charger. It has solar panels on it to recharge it's battery (and will charge from USB too). iphones are very power hungry though, and these chargers aren't really designed to keep a smartphone and all of it's amenities running, but if you just want enough of a boost to make a few more minutes of calls each day then it's fine. To conserve battery turn off your Wi-Fi, turn off your bluetooth and turn off your GPS except when you need it. In fact, just turn the whole thing off and take a book instead! You're on holiday!

MAPS:
Don't rely on electronics. Batteries die. Signal goes. Get a paper map. It's very difficult to plot 70 or 80 miles of riding on a screen the size of a credit card anyway. You can spread a fold out map on the ground before you pack up your tent and see exactly where you plan to go, and where you'll stop en-route. Although I take a GPS unit with me on the motorbike for the cities I may end up in, my primary course I always plot on a paper map, and are much much better for open roads.

Can't advise you on the trains I'm afraid.

Hope that helps, and that you have a great trip!!

 

[Sham69]

I've had a few cycling holidays in France, usually travelling with a small group, and all were really enjoyable. In the late 80's, I cycled part of the Loire alone, starting from Nantes. In hindsight, I should have cycled in the other direction because a persistent strong wind became very boring and after a few days, lead to a ruptured achillies (possibly less-than-ideal footwear didn't help either). Sent the cycle back to the UK by train whilst I took an overnight train to the south of France to recuperate.

Most of my experiences are too long ago to be relevant to you but check out typical French weather, particularly winds in the Loire region for the dates you intend to go - that could affect route planning.
I found the carriage of cycles on French trains to be more limited than expected but that was a few years ago, situation may have changed. Generally, local train services accepted cycles (with cyclist) but long distance routes did not, so travelling any distance meant several train changes and took an age. However, I sent my cycle ahead to my starting point (Nantes) a few days before I travelled and picked it up at the station on arrival. The cycle had been roughly handled and suffered minor (easily repairable) damage though.

If I'm cycling all day, I'm not going to be camping! It was hotels/B&B's for me.

 

[fatblokish]

As part of my route from Caen to Clermont Ferand last year, I rode between Orleans and Nevers, though I stayed in B&Bs.
Well signposted Eurovelo route, flat as a pancake and generally off-road. 25 mm tyres served me well, as did my Garmin 800 and backup 1:100 000 map. The only advice I can give, based on my own experiences of this Loire route, is to make sure you have plenty of water to hand as shops/villages can be some way apart. I'd recommend carrying at least two full litres, and possibly a third as the heat was ferocious.

Oh, and trains were easy peasy....I did both local and intercity (not TGV) with the bike taking a well earned rest.

Oh, and go to Briare and enjoy the canal bridge.

 

[jefmcg]

http://www.loirevalleytourism.com/brochures/listing.php?page=
http://www.cycling-loire.com/

 

[Dave Davenport]

If you use the Loire cycle route don't worry about sticking to it too closely as it often takes you down rough tracks and all round the houses, just to miss out a short stretch of road that's perfectly fine to ride anyway.

 

[john59]

Being the peak season the Chateaus will be busy, so arrive early.
Some random photos from our 2008 Loire tour.

Loire tour 2008.

John

 

[DiddlyDodds]

Never cycled that way, but been on the motorbike with a tent , camping was no problem , ever village seemed to have a municipal site for a few euros.
not sure if you pass Azay-le-Rideau , but if you do stop there for the night , cracking village and with great restaurant.

Of the cycling I have done in France you get a lot more respect of drivers, and during the day the country roads are almost deserted.

 

[Polite]

CAMPSITES:
Been down there by motorbike. The French LOVE camping. There are sites everywhere, and they rarely cost more than a few euros. I've been motorcycle touring in France 5 times and I never book - just rock up and pitch... BUT - make sure you're where you want to be by about 18:30 latest... campsite receptions do begin to close by then, and most prohibit pitching without registering. That said, if you do find you've missed all the campsites, there's plenty of picnic areas on main roads where you could pitch overnight.

The Loire Valley is beautiful and very bike friendly. I remember coming across a PDF leaflet aimed at cyclists showing the whole region and a cycle route you can follow. I've no idea where I've put it, but I'm sure if you get onto the relevant tourist information websites you'll be able to track something similar down.

CHARGER:
I use a "freeloader" charger. It has solar panels on it to recharge it's battery (and will charge from USB too). iphones are very power hungry though, and these chargers aren't really designed to keep a smartphone and all of it's amenities running, but if you just want enough of a boost to make a few more minutes of calls each day then it's fine. To conserve battery turn off your Wi-Fi, turn off your bluetooth and turn off your GPS except when you need it. In fact, just turn the whole thing off and take a book instead! You're on holiday!

MAPS:
Don't rely on electronics. Batteries die. Signal goes. Get a paper map. It's very difficult to plot 70 or 80 miles of riding on a screen the size of a credit card anyway. You can spread a fold out map on the ground before you pack up your tent and see exactly where you plan to go, and where you'll stop en-route. Although I take a GPS unit with me on the motorbike for the cities I may end up in, my primary course I always plot on a paper map, and are much much better for open roads.

Can't advise you on the trains I'm afraid.

Hope that helps, and that you have a great trip!!

Cheers. Thanks so much.

 

[Polite]

Plenty of campsites, easy cycling, enjoy.

Cheers. Any thoughts on going west to east rather than the other way around.

 

[Polite]

Never cycled that way, but been on the motorbike with a tent , camping was no problem , ever village seemed to have a municipal site for a few euros.
not sure if you pass Azay-le-Rideau , but if you do stop there for the night , cracking village and with great restaurant.

Of the cycling I have done in France you get a lot more respect of drivers, and during the day the country roads are almost deserted.

Cheers. Will look out for the restaurant.

 

[vernon]

I've cycled the entire route along the Loire.

There's generally not a problem with camp sites. I have been squeezed into nominally full camp sites - motorists were being turned away but they always manage to find a corner for cycle campers. You might have problems with Orleans the camp sites by the river were all closed because of major redevelopments and I ended up staying in a Formule 1 budget hotel. Some of the camp sites were very expensive at 25€ per person per night but they were major holiday centres with lots of facilities that were superfluous to the basic needs of a cycle camper. I paid up once or twice when I was too hot and tired to seek an alternative.

I'd not worry about wind direction. There's no guarantee that they wind will be favourable no matter which direction you choose to pedal.

I was going to recommend the six map set of the Eurovelo Six route but a quick check on Amazon shows it to be out of print and the few on offer are stupidly priced. Stanfords and Sustrans are also out of stock. Perhaps someone here has a used copy for sale.