More than 700 miles of bicycle trails and signed bicycling routes will be open in the Loire Valley and Burgundy regions of France this summer.
Those areas have discovered the benefits of bicycle touring to the local economies. They're promoting cycling in their regions by extending bike routes — 350 miles have been added in the past year — and promoting the trails on websites geared to bicyclists.
Loire Valley
The Loire Valley in western France has about 250 miles of bike paths and routes ready this year, with another 250 miles planned for the near future.
Called the Loire a Velo, the signed route is made up of low-traffic minor roads and bicycle paths that follow the Loire, Europe's last untamed river. Eventually, it will link Cuffy in the Cher region to St. Brevini les Pins on the Atlantic Coast — a distance of nearly 500 miles.
According to the La Loire a Velo website, nearly half of that route is mapped out now. In the west, the route starts at St. Florent le Vieil, passes near Angers and ends at Tours. Another section goes from about Blos to Orleans.
The Loire a Velo bicycling maps (a .pdf file) show the on- and off-road routes, campgrounds, inns, grocery stores and restaurants.
Blois trails
In addition, the Blois, a 190-mile network comprising 11 cycling itineraries have been mapped out, including 19 miles of bicycle-only tracks, 43 miles of paths and 120 miles of minor roads. The routes take bicycle riders to vineyards, small villages, castles and palaces. See Pays des Chateaux map.
If you don't want to get soaked by the airlines for carrying your bike to France, check out the list of bike rental locations in the Loire Valley.
Burgundy
Meanwhile, the Burgundy region is adding 120 miles to its already existing 370 miles of bicycle routes.
The Jurnalo blog says a circular route passes through the departments of Cote- d'Or, Nievre, Saone-et-Loire and Yonne. It uses roads, abandoned railroad right-of-ways, and paths along canals.
While the official Burgandy bicycle tourism website — www. la-bourgogne-a-velo. com — doesn't appear to be ready yet, here are websites for Burgundy tourism and an outfitter than sponsors tours in Burgundy.
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