Cycling through the vineyards of the Loir Valley
In the soft light of a spring morning or a lingering summer, the Vallée du Loir reveals itself by bike as a promise of slow, flavorful riding. There are no flashy grands crus here, but rather a pocket-sized vineyard, precious and discreet. At every turn, a cellar carved out of tufa stone, a bouquet of spices in a glass of Pineau d'Aunis, a mineral sparkle in a Jasnières. Saddle up for a three-day interlude between valleys, forests, vineyards and charming villages. A journey on two wheels where you take time for everything: pedaling, chatting, tasting.
You'll love
Cycling from estate to estate, nose to the wind and taste buds on the alert
Nuggets to be found in the antique shops of La Chartre-sur-le-Loir
Discover the remarkable garden of the Prieuré de Vauboin
Admire the giants of the Bercé forest
Day 1 : discover the vineyards of Jasnières
The morning begins with a stop at La Maison Voyages & Vignes in La Chartre-sur-le-Loir. Here, we introduce you to the two local appellations:AOC Jasnières, obtained in 1937, andAOC Coteaux du Loir, recognized in 1948.
Once you've finished your tasting, it's time to get on your bike - electric or muscular, as you prefer - and set off on loop no. 5, sixteen kilometers of pure escapism through the Jasnières vineyards.
The path winds through vineyards planted on limestone hillsides. Here, the tuffeau and oceanic climate provide the perfect conditions for the Chenin Blanc grape to express all its finesse. The "Mon Idée" panorama awaits you at the turn of a hill. Up there, facing the vineyards that ripple to the horizon, it's easy to understand why winegrowers speak so movingly of their terroir.
Stop off at Domaine Lelais in Ruillé sur Loir. In their troglodytic "Bacchus" cellar, dug out in the 16th century to extract tufa stone, Francine, Claire and Guillaume tell their family story through a guided tasting. Their wines, matured in this stone cathedral of perfect conditions, carry the soul of the vineyard.
The loop then takes you back to La Chartre-sur-le-Loir, a village where antique and second-hand dealers have turned every street into a walk through time. Between two shop windows laden with forgotten treasures, you'll find ceramists and glassmakers, heirs to a craft tradition that still enlivens the heart of the village.
Day 2 : the Dême valley and its secret gardens
This second day takes you on loop no. 4, an eighteen-kilometer discovery of the Dême valley. More confidential than its big sister, the Loir valley, this valley reveals itself to the rhythm of your pedal strokes. The landscapes change: here vineyards give way to meadows, there woods pierce the horizon with their deep green.
The Prieuré de Vauboin in Beaumont-sur-Dême awaits you. Behind the walls of this 1621 dwelling lies a medieval garden classified as a "Remarkable Garden". As you pass through the gate, you enter a world where nature is sculpted with art. The garden is divided into two worlds: to the east, a vegetable garden and orchard in keeping with monastic tradition; to the west, a cloister of plants and a boxwood labyrinth inviting you to meditate. Hundred-year-old trees, precisely pruned over generations, create geometric volumes that seem to defy the laws of nature.
Further along the route, the Domaine de Cézin in Marçon opens its doors to you. Amandine and Xavier, the fourth generation to run this family estate, cultivate seventeen hectares using integrated farming methods. In their tuffeau cellar, they invite you to taste their Coteaux du Loir and Jasnières, the fruit of a unique terroir where flint-rich sandy clay provides the minerality so characteristic of the valley's wines.
Day 3 : between sights, vineyards and exceptional forests
Your last day begins with a visit out of the ordinary: the Maison Courtin in La Chartre-sur-le-Loir. An antiques dealer, collector and artist, Grégoire Courtin has recreated three stores and a 1920 cabinet of curiosities in his boutique.
Then on to Chahaignes, for a visit to Domaine de la Raderie. Christophe and Michelle Croisard welcome you to the heart of their 25 hectares of vines, where they perpetuate a savoir-faire handed down from generation to generation. Here, Chenin for the whites and Pineau d'Aunis for the reds and rosés are king. In the winery adjoining the magnificent cellars dug into the tufa rock, you'll discover how these wines of character are created. Tasting reveals all the complex aromas for which Loir wines are renowned.
To round off your stay, head for Jupilles and the Bercé state forest. This 5,400-hectare massif, classified as an "exceptional forest", is home to some of the finest oak trees in France. In the Futaie des Clos, look up: these three-hundred-year-old giants sometimes reach heights of over forty meters. From the stump of the famous Boppe oak, several paths invite you to encounter these natural monuments. Take one last look at these giants before setting off again. The light is filtering through, the birds are singing and the journey is drawing to a close.
