The Perfect Family Biking Vacation: Loire Valley, Sword-fighting, & Castle-Hotels

A biking vacation in France, in the castle-sprinkled Loire Valley, conjures up enough dreamy visions of graceful rivers, meticulously manicured gardens, flying buttresses, and fairy tale castles. But imagine your family in this setting, realizing that everyone is equally captivated and excited about the daily program. Backroads, “The World’s #1 Active Travel Company,” and one of TravelStore’s preferred suppliers, offers first class guides to navigate family bicycle tours on child-friendly routes, while satisfying the kids’ and adults’ versions of fun and curiosity.

Tour leaders are critical to a successful guided cycling vacation, and Backroads provides genuinely enthusiastic, knowledgeable, and motivating leaders who have endured a rigorous recruiting and training program. On a family vacation, Backroads provides a dedicated Kid Coordinator who orchestrates activities for the entire family, even giving the children a few hours per day of kids-only fun, connecting them to the local culture. Insofar as the biking is concerned, generally, children over nine years old may ride their own bikes. Otherwise, they ride on a trailer bike or trailer.

Young ones will use their legs instead of their thumbs and not even notice they left behind TVs, iPads, and their electronic devices when they are engaged in their own real world adventures. For example, the Loire Valley Family Bike Tour offers peaceful roads leading to fairy tale castles, fencing, and chocolate-making classes. You can also have a visit to Sleeping Beauty’s castle and the most exquisite gardens with mazes, which children are bound to enjoy exploring.

Meanwhile, parents can enjoy touring spellbinding villages and their chateaux loaded with rich histories and elegantly appointed art as well as learning about historical figures such as Joan of Arc, Honore de Balzac, and Leonardo da Vinci. There is also no shortage of local vintners where touring and tasting can be enjoyed without distraction before returning to one of the many magical castle-hotels in the region.

Each itinerary balances quality time together and apart, and families will share memorable experiences while biking, exploring, and recharging. Backroads has perfected the art of the family adventure vacation by mixing bicycling with peppy and knowledgeable guides, kid-friendly routes and fun diversions. Also, if you are not drawn to bicycling, the multi-sport and camping trips can also guarantee a balanced family adventure. TravelStore can assist in helping you choose the best adventure suited to your family, so let the magic begin, and go active!

Cynthia Bartlett