Loire Valley Day Trip
Every Tuesday in June, July & August
Saturday departures on June 7, August 9, and August 30
Sunday departures on June 8, August 10, and August 31
Operated by Blue Marble Travel
Train down from Paris, or meet us in the Loire Valley. Then tour the valley’s elegant châteaux, royal forests, and beautiful scenery, by bus or by bicycle. Blois, Chambord and Cheverny are all on your route. Visit one, two, or all three, moving through the day at your own pace, with a trouble-shooter / factotum always in the background to help!
Blois is home to the valley’s most historically important château, the de facto royal palace during the golden age of the renaissance. The medieval town spills happily down the hillside surrounding the château: white stone, red brick chimneys, and roofs of blue slate.
Chambord is the valley’s biggest château, though built as a “mere” hunting lodge. A veritable jewel of renaissance architecture, 440 rooms of royal excess surrounded by a forest. Da Vinci designed the staircase, some clown diverted a river to pass in front... there is a lot going on. And finally...
Cheverny, one of the most sumptuously furnished of the region’s châteaux, and one of her most harmonious. Built in the 17th century in a unified style, Cheverny’s classical architecture presents a pleasing contrast with renaissance Chambord and largely pre-renaissance Blois.
And in between, the sunflower fields, oak forests, and babbling brooks of the Jardin de France, France’s beautiful and self-assured heartland.
Jump directly to
- Train + Bike itinerary
- Train + Bus itinerary
- Prices
- How to Sign Up
- Meeting Your Trip
- Cancellation Conditions
...If You Have to Cancel
...If We Have to Cancel
By Bike
Travel amongst the châteaux by bicycle, following dedicated bike paths and country lanes with minimal traffic. A wonderful way to feel the breezes and see the bucolic countryside of the Jardin de France. Terrain is flat, distances can be expanded or contracted to taste....
The Itinerary
Meet at Paris’ Austerlitz station, at 8:30a.
An alternate meeting is available in Blois, at 11a.
Details are below, “Meeting Your Trip.”
An express train brings you to the Loire Valley in 90 minutes.
We size your bikes in the Blois station forecourt, and off you go! A detailed route guide leads you on a 16-kilometer (10-mile) pedal through fields and forests, and to Chambord Castle.
All but a couple of k are on bike paths or farm lanes, and traffic is virtually absent. Our “sweep rider” follows the rear cyclist, and is available to help you learn the gears, or solve any mechanical issues.
Lunch in the forest of Chambord (not included in the price): cafés, restaurants, and picnic tables with spectacular views of the château are all available. Then in for a visit. Maybe change steeds, and go for a horseback ride in the forest.
In the afternoon, either return to Blois directly (via a different route), or tack on an excursion to Cheverny, and continue to Blois from there (39 kilometers / 25 miles via Cheverny).
Our “Sweep Rider” will follow the direct route, but will then be positioned at the Blois station until the final rider is in, to help rescue a stranded rider in case of emergency. Rental cell phones are available if desired.
Return to Paris on your own schedule: trains from Blois back to Paris run hourly until 9p.
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By Bus: the Itinerary
- Meet at Paris’ Austerlitz station, at 9a.
An alternate meeting is available in front of the Blois station, at 11a promptly.
Details are below, “Meeting Your Trip.”
- An express train brings us to Blois, in the Loire Valley, arriving at 11a.
- A bus meets your train, and takes you from the Blois station forecourt, past the Blois château (you’ll be able to visit when you return), and across the river to Chambord, a half hour away.
If you prefer to visit Blois before going out to the country châteaux, a second bus is available at 1:30p. See below for an overview schedule of the buses that will be at your service during the day.
- Lunch in the forest of Chambord (not included in the price): cafés, restaurants, and picnic tables with spectacular views of the château are all available. Then in for a visit. Horseback riding and cycle rental are available if you want to go for a promenade in the forest.
You may spend more or less time at Chambord, depending on how much time you wish to give to each of Chambord, Cheverny and Blois. Our buses will continue to Cheverny and Blois at 2:15p, and again at 4:45p. Exact schedules will be given to you on the day of the trip, an overview of all buses is shown below.
- In the afternoon, either return to Blois directly for a leisurely visit, or make an additional stop in Cheverny.
Buses from Cheverny back to Blois operate at 2:45p, 5:15p and 6:15p. Trip time is 30 minutes. The 5:15p bus is designed to get you back to Blois in time for a quick visit of the château, if so desired. An overview of all buses is offered below.
- Return to Paris on your own schedule: trains from Blois back to Paris run roughly hourly until after 9p.
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Bus 1
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Bus 2
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Bus 3
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Bus 4
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| Blois Station |
11:10a
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1:40p
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–
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–
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| Chambord Château |
11:50a
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2:20p
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4:50p
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–
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| Cheverny Château |
12:15p
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2:45p
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5:15p
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6:20p
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| Blois Station |
–
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3:25p
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5:55p
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7:00p
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Prices
149€ / person, Train + Bus.
Includes...
- Train from Paris to the Loire Valley and return.
A discount is available to guests who do not need train tickets in one or both directions. - Bus from Blois to Chambord, Cheverny and return to Blois.
- Entry to one, two, or all three châteaux.
- A Tour Manager, present on the train to Blois, in Blois, in Chambord, and back in Blois for assistance in boarding the return train. Also reachable by cell phone at all times.
- A “Route Guide,” including discussions of the sites en route, bus meeting times and points, and schedules for return trains to Paris.
179€ / person, Train + Bike.
Includes...
- Train from Paris to the Loire Valley and return.
A discount is available to guests who do not need train tickets in one or both directions. - Rental of a 21-or-more speed road touring cycle, designed for distance riding on paved lanes and paths.
Equipped with seat tools, air pump, patch kit, spare inner tube, and lock. A choice of bike styles and sizes is available. The bicycle is mormally delivered to you at the Paris railway station, and reclaimed from you when you return. - Transport of a bicycle from Paris to Blois and return.
- Entry to one, two, or all three châteaux.
- A Trip Coordinator / Sweep Rider
Our Coordinator / Sweep Rider is present in Blois, on the ride from Blois to Chambord, in Chambord, on the return ride to Blois, and in Blois for assistance in boarding the return train. Also reachable by cell phone at all times. - A detailed “Route Guide”
Offers discussions of the sites en route, detailed cycle routes between Blois, Chambord, and Cheverny, and schedules for return trains to Paris. - Use of a detailed road map, in case you should get off-route, or choose to explore on your own.
Discounts
- If you do not need train tickets: 30€ (15€ if you need tickets in one direction only).
This presumes you are travelling on a railpasses, or are meeting and / or leaving the group in Blois. - If you bring your own bicycle: 40€
- Age-Based Discounts (not cumulable with “no train ticket” discount)
- 11 and younger: 40€
- 12 - 25: 20€
- Over 59: 10€ - Groups of 4 or more: 10€ / person
- A single person can only qualify for either an age-based or a group discount. The two are not cumulable. Thus, if your group contains 4 people, and some qualify for higher, age-based discounts, those who do may claim them, and those who do not will receive the 10 € “group” discount.
Discounts are refunded after the operation of the trip. They cannot be deducted from the payment upon sign-up.
How to Sign Up.
Please follow the appropriate link to your trip application:
Loire Valley by Bike – – – Loire Valley by Bus
If part of your group is doing each, please fill out two application forms, one for each part of the group.
If you qualify for any of our discounts, the corresponding amounts will be refunded to you at the end of your trip.
Meeting Your Trip
Trips assemble at the bumper for track 8 of the Austerlitz station (Gare d’Austerlitz). The bumper is the thing at the end of the track, the point at which an arriving train would plow into concrete were it to fail to stop.
An alternate meeting is available in Blois, at 11a, in front of the station, on the right side of the main entrance as you face the station, beyond the café terrace.
Cancellations and Refunds
Trips Operate “Rain or Shine.”
If you have signed up for the “Train + Bike” version, and wish to switch to the “Train + Bus” version, you may do so at any time until the eve of departure (in the event of a bad weather report, for instance). There is no additional charge, but the difference in price between the bus and bike versions is not refunded.
Call or e.mail Blue Marble’s Paris office before our close of business, and obtain your change code (absolutely required — without it, there will be a 20€ additional charge for the change).
If you reach Blois with the bike, look at the sky, and decide you prefer the Train + Bus version, you may switch on the spot for a fee of 20€.
Cancellation of Your Participation
Cancellation of your participation in a trip, and / or of any optional extra services, is effective only when received in writing by our Paris office (e.mail is OK). For cancellation to be effective, you must obtain a cancellation code. No refunds will otherwise be made. With a cancellation code, costs will be refunded less the following amounts:
- 2 weeks or more prior to trip departure: an administrative charge of 25€ / person.
If either the hotel night in Blois, or independent extensions which include hotel nights, has been subscribed, an addtional 20€ / room cancellation charge applies. - 5 - 13 days prior to trip departure (in other words, by close of business on the Friday before trip departure): 50€ / person.
If either the hotel night in Blois, or independent extensions which include hotel nights, has been subscribed, an addtional 20€ / room cancellation charge applies. - By close of business in our Paris office on Monday, the eve of trip departure: 90€ / person.
If either the hotel night in Blois, or independent extensions which include hotel nights, has been subscribed, an addtional 40€ / room cancellation charge applies.
No refunds can be made on or after the start date of the trip.
For the purposes of cancellation, optional extras are considered to be a part of the total trip cost.
Examples: if you cancel your trip and your helmet 3 weeks prior to the trip, the total trip cost is considered to be 184€ (179€ + 5€). The refunded amount is 159€ (184€ - 25€). If you cancel only your helmet, no refund is available, as the administrative charge is greater than the refund amount. But, at least you don’t have to lug around an extra piece of styrofoam for the day.
Cancellation by Blue Marble
Trips require a minimum of 4 participants to operate. In the event of fewer participants, we will make the decision to cancel the trip 3 days prior to trip departure, at the close of business.
On your application form, please be sure to give us a means to reach you. If an e.mail address, be sure to check your e.mail. If you are travelling, and cannot, call us to confirm the conditions of operation of your trip.
In the event of a cancellation, registered participants will have a choice of either:
- A full refund
- Making the trip independently, with a “Route Book” provided by us.
There is no reduction in price if this option is selected. A Blue Marble representative meets you at the Austerlitz station at the regular meeting time, briefs you on the day’s activities, and remits any equipment ordered, as well as the route book. If you are doing the trip by bike, you will park the bike where we show you at Austerlitz station upon your return from the valley.