Experiences

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Experiences

Carine and Anthony on the Loire à Vélo from Nantes to Blois

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Who are we? Carine and Anthony, both aged 29. We live in Nantes and love all kinds of outings (hiking, travelling, sightseeing)! At the end of last year, we decided to get into cycle touring. After all, the Loire à Vélo goes right past the end of our street and it would be a shame not to make the most of it! We started with a few rides of 15, 20 and then 35 kilometres. Before long, we made plans to ride the Loire à Vélo from Nantes to Anthony’s parents’ house, not far from Chambord. We started training because Carine was nowhere near fit enough. Anthony, on the other hand, has always been sporty. He could ride 100km a day no problem! We set a date and started planning our itinerary: stages, equipment, etc.

Térence and Ophélie on the Loire à Vélo from Nevers to Saint-Brevin-les-Pins!

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We love sporting challenges and often spend our holidays touring. This year, because of the Covid crisis, we decided to stay in France and cycle the whole of the Loire à Vélo. Ophélie, who hails from the Centre region, had wanted to take on the challenge for a while, so it was the perfect opportunity to embark on the adventure! We started out with no time objectives. We decided to leave Nevers and travel to Saint-Brevin-Les-Pins with our equipment on our bikes (tent, sleeping bags, camping stove, etc.), motivated to the max!

    Cédric, Chloé, Noa and Maël from Nevers to Angers on the Loire à Vélo!

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    The Cédi&Clo family is composed of Cédric, aka Papa Cedi; Chloé, aka Mama Clo; Noa, five, aka Noa-chou; Maël, 2 two nearly three, aka Maelous; Buzz, our faithful tandem (the first to arrive in the family and which has already carried us along many roads in France and beyond) and Wouiwoui, the kiddie trailer hired for the occasion that joined the family for the duration of the trip. We set out to discover the Loire and its château during our holiday in April 2022. With all our gear we formed a real quatridem! We aroused amusement, amazement and encouragement wherever we went. From Nevers to Angers, the route offers 511 km of discoveries with pretty towns, château, churches, play areas...

      Jean-Luc on the Loire à Vélo from Orléans to Nantes

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      "Covid and the closure of the swimming pools deprived me of my favourite sport. Still hesitant about travelling abroad, I decided to invest in an e-bike to visit France along greenways: a different way to travel while going my own pace! After the “Tour of Gironde” in 2021, my attention was drawn to the Loire à Vélo, another experience which I would recommend. As I’m from Haute-Savoie, I drove to my starting point with my bike on the rack and left my car at a guest house. Given the time of year (spring), I decided to opt for comfort for the night because the mornings can be chilly in April, although I do appreciate the charm of a bungalow or tent in summer!"

        Claire and Pat on the Loire à Vélo route from Ancenis to Saint-Brevin-les-Pins

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        “A native of Liré, the River Loire was an integral part of my childhood! My parents lived in a flood zone, so I have plenty of memories of the river and its high tides, which meant getting around by boat in all weathers! When I return to my native region of Anjou, I always visit the banks of the Loire, in the company of my partner. We’re both fans of sport. La Loire à Vélo was therefore an opportunity to combine my two passions in life!”