LOIRE VALLEY CLASSICO Ability Level: Easy / Duration: 6 days / 5 nights PEDAL YOUR PASSION

ITINERARY OUTLINE Valley Trip Essence / Page 2 Old world villages and fairytale chateaux Daily Itinerary / Page 3-4 Arrival & Departure / Page 5 Discover, at a slow pace, the beautiful . What once was an exclusive paradise for the kings of is now a UNESCO site open to Bike Information / Page 5 visitors from around the World. We carefully designed a bike tour through / Page 6 this magnificent region that unfolds between quaint villages, quiet forests, Terms & Conditions perfect gardens and magnificent castles. There is a thing for everyone Reserve Your Space! / Page 6 here; from natural reserves with dozens of different bird species, to unique gastronomic features, and for the dessert lover, the Tarte Tatin. The Loire Valley produces 25 AOC wines like Sancarre, Pouilly, and Touraine et . You’ll be sure to enjoy everything Loire has to offer.

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TRIP ESSENCE TRIP DETAILS • Discover the magnificent and unique castles of the Loire Valley Ability Level • Easy • Pedal quiet roads along the Loire river Summary of Daily Distances • Day 1: 10 miles • Get immersed in the French lifestyle with a wine and cheese tasting • Day 2: 20/37 miles • Day 3: 37 miles • Visit Chateau de Chambord, the largest chateau in the Loire Valley • Day 4: 26/32 miles • Day 5: 23 miles • Stroll through the gardens of Chenonceau • Day 6: Au Revoir!

• Taste well-known Loire Valley wines, such as , Pouilly, and Optional extra loops available Touraine et Chinon

WHAT’S INCLUDED Have something else in mind? • Use of a carbon road bike (see page 5 for details) • Itinerary available as a private tour or... • Service of local, professional guides throughout the program • Create a custom itinerary with help from our experienced • Ciclismo jersey and water bottle travel consultants!

• All accommodations Contact Us 1-800-866-7314 • All breakfasts, 2 lunches, 4 dinners [email protected]

• Winery visit and tasting

• Local pastry tasting

• French cheese lecture and tasting

• Pre-tour shuttle to the first hotel & Post-tour shuttle to and Train

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DAY 1 Highlights

COURT CHEVERNY Welcome to the Loire Valley!

Daily Mileage - 10 miles We meet at 12:15 pm at the train station for a 20 minute transfer to Riding Terrain - Flat our first hotel. You’ll meet the guides and fellow travelers at 1 pm for a light lunch and bike fitting before our first ride. We’ll stop at the Chateau Hotel - Relais Trois Chateaux de Cheverny for the first introduction to Loire’s castles and an overall trip • Location: Court Cheverny overview. • Duration: 2 Nights • www.relaisdestroischateaux.com The hotel is located near the most beautiful Castles of the Loire Valley. They have a certain charm, with all modern conveniences, and a traditional French restaurant preparing regional and authentic food from fresh products.

DAY 2 Highlights

CHAMBORD LOOP Today we head North East towards the Chateau de Chambord, the largest chateau in the Loire Valley and largest enclosed wooded park. The garden Daily Mileage - 20/37 miles and hunting park are both listed as historical monuments. Along the way we’ll go by some hidden treasures of history of art, like the early Gothic Riding Terrain - Flat church of Fontains en Sologne, or the covered market of Bracieux, one of France’s best preserved monuments of this kind. Hotel - See Day 1

DAY 3 Highlights Our first stop is the town of Blois, a maze of tiny streets shadowed by BLOIS AND important renaissance style castles. Then, along tiny roads and bike lanes Daily Mileage - 37 miles we follow the quiet Loire river and arrive in Amboise. French history has left an important mark on the magnificent castle and the Clos Lucè, the small Riding Terrain - Flat and rolling castle where Leonardo Da Vinci spent the last years of his life.

Hotel - Hotel Le Choiseul Located at the edge of the Loire and at the foot of the Royal Castle of • Location: Amboise Amboise, the hotel Le Choiseul is a charming castle hotel typically from • Duration: 3 Nights Tours built in 18th century. The hotel enjoys an exceptional location in the • www.grandesetapes.com/chateau- heart of the Valley of Loire castles. hotel-choiseul-amboise/en

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DAY 4 Highlights

CHENONCEAU LOOP Today we visit the castle and gardens of Chenonceau, the second most visited castle in France after Versailles. Our eyes will once again get lost Daily Mileage - 26/32 miles in the countless decorations, architecture, garden design and furniture of this place. It has also always been a favorite refuge for the most important Riding Terrain - Flat and rolling women of France’s history, above all Caterina de Medici. Today we’ll also find out more about the “Loire” wine region with a visit of our favorite Hotel - See Day 3 winery in the area. The around Amboise are some of the most beautiful you’ll find reds, whites, sparking and rosés.

DAY 5 Highlights

TOURS Our last ride will bring us to the heart of Tours: one of the most beautiful towns in France that is home to a majestic 15th Century Gothic Cathedral. Daily Mileage - 23 miles Additionally, this area is an important source of great wines such as . Montlouis and Tourraine. We’ll start from our hotel in Amboise and take Riding Terrain - Flat and rolling the bike paths all the way into the historic town. The bike paths will lead us home as well. Hotel - See Day 3

DAY 6 Highlights We will have a shuttle to either the Saumur Rive-droit Train Station or the AU REVOIR! Tours Train Station, whichever one you have chosen as your method of departure. We hope you enjoyed your time here in the grandiose Loire Valley!

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ARRIVAL & DEPARTURE OTHER INFORMATION For Flight Reservations GETTING TO COURT CHEVERNY Valerie Wilson Travel Call: 1-855-780-2022 or Fly to Paris (CDG) and take a train to Blois station to meet our 12:15 group E-mail: [email protected] shuttle* on day 1 to the first hotel. For up to date train schedules, visit http://www.sncf.com/en/passengers. On the weekends, the INTERCITIES Travel Insurance train leaves Paris Austerlitz at 10:37 am, arrives in Blois at 12:01 pm. If you World Nomads miss the shuttle, take a taxi (approx. 30 minutes) to the first hotel. Call: 1-816-905-3963 (Direct/ * Please inform the office if you plan on taking this scheduled group shuttle at least one Collect month in advance via this form: www.ciclismoclassico.com/travel-plans 1-844-207-1930 (Toll-Free within USA) https://www.worldnomads.com/ DEPARTING FROM TOURS travel-insurance/ We will shuttle you to Tours train station (20m) to Paris (Montparnasse and Austerlitz stations direct) - 1 hour and 40 minute train. Otherwise we will Transportation shuttle you to the Saumur Rive Droit Train Station, which has hourly trains to Rome2rio http://www.rome2rio.com Paris (Montparnasse), changing in St-Pierre-des-Corps - 2 hour train. BIKE INFORMATION ON THE BIKE Included: Bianchi Intenso and Vertigo • Ciclismo Classico water bottle • The carbon frame guarantees maximum performance with • Two water bottle holders minimum stress for the riders, thanks to Bianchi’s special C2C • Map holder on handlebars and a Garmin Edge (Coast to Coast) frame design/geometry and different material GPS combination. Carbon bikes are equipped with compact crank and • Handlebar bag 11/32 cassette. • Tire pump • Bianchi Vertigo included on all Easy and Athletic Beginner free • Combination bike lock tours. • Gel-padded saddle • Bianchi Intenso included on all Intermediate and Advanced tours. • Choice of pedals • Card with your tour leaders’ mobile phone Bianchi C-Sport 2.5 numbers • More relaxed riding at a look-around-you pace, this is a high- performance aluminum hybrid bicycle with straight handlebars. Pedal Options: It has a sloping design for superior comfort and bigger tires and • Flat pedals hydraulic disc brakes. Included on all tours. • Half-toe pedals (without straps) • Toe cage pedals Tandems • Cannondale RT 2: Racing position with 700 c wheels. Available Things to Bring: for $400, limited availability. • Helmet • Honey bicycles: Racing position with 700 c wheels. Available for • Optional: clipless pedals with shoes $400, limited availability. • Optional: your own saddle • Co-motion Periscope: Racing position with 700 c wheels. Accommodates smaller team or even children. Available for $400. • Cannondale Hybrid MT800: Upright position with 26 c wheels and straight handlebars. Available for $400.

E-Bike: Bianchi Manhattan • Available on all Easy and Athletic Beginner tours, and some Intermediate and Advanced tours. Please contact us for more information. Available for $400.

Bike type outside of Europe may vary, please contact us at 800-866-7314 for more information.

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Insurance Ciclismo Classico will not assume responsibility or liability for any loss or damage of personal effects or for any injury or loss during the duration of the tour. Therefore, we highly recommend that you obtain travel insurance. Information on travel insurance will be sent to you via email once trip deposit is received. We recommend MH Ross, but travelers may choose the insurance carrier of their choice.

Cancellations and Refunds All requests for refunds must be submitted in writing as soon as possible to Ciclismo Classico. Exceptions to their cancellation policy cannot be made for any reason, including weather or personal emergencies. There is no refund for unexpectedly leaving a trip early or arriving late. The purchase of short-term travel insurance policy is strongly recommended. Cancellation fees are determined as follows:

Days before departure – Cancellation fee 121+ days - 50% of the deposit* 91-120 days - 100% of the deposit* 61-90 days - 30% of the trip price 31-60 days - 60% of the trip price 0-30 days - 100% of the trip price

*You may transfer your trip deposit to another departure in the same tour season up to 90 days before your original departure with payment of a $100 per person transfer fee. Prices quoted are subject to adjustment without prior notification. OR your deposit (currently $600) may be carried forward to the following year as a credit toward the final balance of a tour. At the time of booking, we will ask for another $600 deposit to secure your spot. Carried-forward credits expire at the end of the year to which they are applied.

Alterations to the tour itinerary Sometimes modifications may be made to the itinerary. We will notify you of any changes that may affect your arrival, departure or lodging. Any changes to the program are made in the best interest and safety of the group.

To review our policies, please visit http://www.ciclismoclassico.com/plan-your-trip/policies/

RESERVE YOUR SPACE!

To reserve a space, call Ciclismo Classico at 800-866-7314. Or, mail your deposit and contact information to:

Ciclismo Classico 30 Marathon St Arlington, MA 02474

At the time of registration, a deposit of $600 per person is due, payable by Visa, MasterCard, American Express or check, made payable to Ciclismo Classico, along with your full name, mailing address, phone number(s) and email address. We cannot confirm reservations without a deposit. Final payment is due 90 days before departure payable by check, credit card, wire transfer or money order. All travelers must review and sign a terms and conditions statement and a waiver form.

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