Loire Valley Old world villages and fairytale chateaux Discover, at a slow pace, the beautiful Loire Valley. What once was an exclusive paradise for the kings of France is now a UNESCO site open to visitors from around the World. We carefully designed a bike tour through this magnificent region that unfolds between quaint villages, quiet forests, perfect gardens and magnificent castles. There is a thing for everyone 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 Chinon. You ll be sure to enjoy everything Loire has to offer. ITINERARY OUTLINE Trip Essence / Page 2 Daily Itinerary / Page 3-4 Arrival & Departure / Page 5 Bike Information / Page 5 Terms & Conditions / Page 6 Reserve Your Space! / Page 6 Ciclismo Classico 1-800-866-7314 info@ciclismoclassico.com www.ciclismoclassico.com 1
TRIP ESSENCE Discover the magnificent and unique castles of the Loire Valley Pedal quiet roads along the Loire river Get immersed in the French lifestyle with a wine and cheese tasting Visit Chateau de Chambord, the largest chateau in the Loire Valley Stroll through the gardens of Chenonceau Taste well-known Loire Valley wines, such as Sancerre, Pouilly, and Touraine et Chinon WHAT S INCLUDED Bike rental, see page 5 for details Service of local, professional guides throughout the program Ciclismo jersey and water bottle All accommodations TRIP DETAILS 2018 Trip Dates May 21 - May 26 Jun 18 - Jun 23 Jul 16 - Jul 21 Jul 23 - Jul 28 Aug 13 - Aug 18 Check website for departure dates Ability Level Easy Summary of Daily Distances Day 1: 10 miles Day 2: 20/37 miles Day 3: 37 miles Day 4: 26/32 miles Day 5: 23 miles Day 6: Au Revoir! Optional extra loops available Trip Price $4,395 Single Supplement: $600 All breakfasts, 2 lunches, 4 dinners Winery visit and tasting Local pastry tasting French cheese lecture and tasting Pre-tour shuttle to the first hotel & Post-tour shuttle to Saumur and Tours Train Have something else in mind? Itinerary available as a private tour or... Create a custom itinerary with help from our experienced travel consultants! Contact Us 1-800-866-7314 info@ciclismoclassico.com Ciclismo Classico 1-800-866-7314 info@ciclismoclassico.com www.ciclismoclassico.com 2
DAY 1 COURT CHEVERNY Daily Mileage - 10 miles Riding Terrain - Flat Hotel - Relais Trois Chateaux Location: Court Cheverny Duration: 2 Nights www.relaisdestroischateaux. com/ Welcome to the Loire Valley! We meet at 12:15 pm at the Blois train station for a 20 minute transfer to 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 de Cheverny for the first introduction to Loire s castles and an overall trip overview. 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 CHAMBORD LOOP Daily Mileage - 20/37 miles Riding Terrain - Flat Hotel - See Day 1 Today we head North East towards the Chateau de Chambord, the largest chateau in the Loire Valley and largest enclosed wooded park. The garden 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 church of Fontains en Sologne, or the covered market of Bracieux, one of France s best preserved monuments of this kind. DAY 3 BLOIS AND AMBOISE Daily Mileage - 37 miles Riding Terrain - Flat and rolling Hotel - Le Manoir Les Minimes Location: Amboise Duration: 3 Nights www.manoirlesminimes.com/ en/ Our first stop is the town of Blois, a maze of tiny streets shadowed by important renaissance style castles. Then, along tiny roads and bike lanes 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 castle where Leonardo Da Vinci spent the last years of his life. The hotel is located in the heart of the Loire country, offering unparalleled views of the Chateau Royal and the Loire. Brimming with character, the hotel has elevated hospitality to an art form. All rooms are air-conditioned and have their own unique, sophisticated character. Wi-Fi available throughout the hotel. Ciclismo Classico 1-800-866-7314 info@ciclismoclassico.com www.ciclismoclassico.com 3
DAY 4 CHENONCEAU LOOP Daily Mileage - 26/32 miles Riding Terrain - Flat and rolling Hotel - See Day 3 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 in the countless decorations, architecture, garden design and furniture of this place. It has also always been a favorite refuge for the most important 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 winery in the area. The vineyards around Amboise are some of the most beautiful you ll find reds, whites, sparking and rosés. DAY 5 TOURS Daily Mileage - 23 miles Riding Terrain - Flat and rolling Hotel - See Day 3 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. Additionally, this area is an important source of great wines such as Vouvray. Montlouis and Tourraine. We ll start from our hotel in Amboise and take the bike paths all the way into the historic town. The bike paths will lead us home as well. DAY 6 AU REVOIR! We will have a shuttle to either the Saumur Rive-droit Train Station or the 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! Ciclismo Classico 1-800-866-7314 info@ciclismoclassico.com www.ciclismoclassico.com 4
ARRIVAL & DEPARTURE GETTING TO COURT CHEVERNY Fly to Paris (CDG) and take a train to Blois station to meet our 12:15 group 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 train leaves Paris Austerlitz at 10:37 am, arrives in Blois at 12:01 pm. If you miss the shuttle, take a taxi (approx. 30 minutes) to the first hotel. * Please inform the office if you plan on taking this scheduled group shuttle at least one month in advance via this form: www.ciclismoclassico.com/travel-plans DEPARTING FROM TOURS OTHER INFORMATION For Flight Reservations Valerie Wilson Travel Call: 1-855-780-2022 or E-mail: ciclismoair@vwti.com Travel Insurance MH Ross Call: 1-800-423-3632 http://bit.ly/mhross_insurance Transportation Rome2rio http://www.rome2rio.com 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 shuttle you to the Saumur Rive Droit Train Station, which has hourly trains to Paris (Montparnasse), changing in St-Pierre-des-Corps - 2 hour train. BIKE INFORMATION Bianchi Via Nirone 7 Bianchi carbon fork, Shimano 105 triple groupset, an adjustable stem, and a wheel set laced with 32 spokes and 25mm tires. Included on all tours Aluminum Hybrid More relaxed riding at a look-around-you pace, this is our custom-built, highperformance aluminum hybrid bicycles with straight handlebars. We also have woman-specific frame. Included on all tours Bianchi Intenso and Vertigo The carbon frame guarantees maximum performance with minimum stress for the riders, thanks to Bianchi s special C2C (Coast to Coast) frame design/ geometry and different material combination. Carbon bikes are equipped with compact crank and 11/32 cassette. Available for $250 Bianchi Intenso or Vertigo with Shimano included on all intermediate and advanced tours at no extra charge Tandems Cannondale road or hybrid: racing posture with 700c wheels, or a more straight up position and 26 inch wheels. Co-motion Periscope: accommodates smaller team or even children. Available for $400 Honey tandem: light and responsive and perfect for experienced tandem riders. Available for $400 ebikes Available on all easy and athletic beginner tours, 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. ON THE BIKE Included Ciclismo Classico water bottle Two water bottle holders Map holder on handlebars (or Garmin Edge GPS) Handlebar bag Tire pump Combination bike lock Gel-padded saddle Choice of pedals Card with your tour leaders mobile phone numbers Garmin Edge GPS Included on all carbon bikes and premium tandems (Co- Motion and Honey) $30 rental fee for other bikes Pedal Options Flat pedals Half-toe pedals (without straps) Toe cage pedals Things to Bring Helmet Optional: clipless pedals with shoes Optional: your own saddle Ciclismo Classico 1-800-866-7314 info@ciclismoclassico.com www.ciclismoclassico.com 5
INSURANCE, TERMS & CONDITIONS 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 followed: 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 31-44 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 attn: Rosa 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. Ciclismo Classico 1-800-866-7314 info@ciclismoclassico.com www.ciclismoclassico.com 6