A gay and lesbian bike trip: Travel to France's grand chateaus

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Bicycling in France's Loire Valley with Alyson Adventures

It's easy to get to know the other travelers in our small, friendly, gay and lesbian groups.

An active, outdoors vacation with Alyson Adventures.

Bicycling is the perfect way to travel to the grand chateaus of France, and our friendly lesbian and gay groups add an extra dimension to the week.

Valley of the Kings: Bicycling in France's Loire Valley

Bike to France's better homes and gardens -- and a millennium of French history.

For two centuries, the kings of France outdid one another as they built palaces and chateaus along the Loire Valley. Our bicycling week begins in Blois, at a chateau constructed over four distinct and romantic periods of French history. We'll enjoy a festive French dinner; those with extra energy can also drop by Blois's gay pub.

Then we begin bicycling. Each day you'll discover the distinct personality of a new chateau, from the grandeur of Amboise to the elegance of Chenonceau (where gay Henri III held drag parties -- a fact omitted from most guidebooks!) and the enchantment of Azay-le-Rideau. Between castles, you'll realize why bicycling is such a perfect way to travel on a vacation in France. Pull over with ease for a quick swim in a solitary woods, or at a café on a cobblestoned street, in a whitewashed village where time seems to have stopped..

Highlights:

Picnic with the black swans of Chenonceau chateau, once home to Catherine de Medici, perched on stone pillars over the river Cher.
Stroll the celebrated 3-tiered gardens at Villandry.
Pause and dream on the edge of Chinon Forest at Usse, the storybook castle that inspired the legend of Sleeping Beauty.
Bike past sunflowers, vineyards, and a solitary windmill, to the pastoral abbey at Fontevraud, Eleanor of Aquitaine's final resting place.
Roam the historic ruins of Chinon, once a Roman stronghold, later the chateau-fort where Joan of Arc changed the course of French history.
On a hot day, get away from it all as we show you our secret swimming spots.
For selected departures, this tour can be combined with Big Loire, Little Loir, which tours other parts of the same region.

Is it the right vacation for you? This is the ideal introduction to bicycling in France, with days of 25 to 35 miles over roads that are largely flat. You can keep a leisurely pace, peppered with stops at chateaux and other attractions; for those who want longer cycling routes, we have lots of suggestions.

Past travellers comment on this trip: "There is no question - cycling is the best way to see France."— Bruce Lawson, Toronto, Ont.

"This truly was one of the best vacations I've ever taken."— Robert Elmore, San Francisco, Calif.

Dates and Price:
June 29 to July 6, 2008: $2,395: A trip for gay men & lesbians.

Prices are per-person, based on double occupancy. Tours often fill up months before departure. We regularly update our travel schedule to show the status of this and other trips.

Travelling Alone?
So are most of the people who travel with us. You do not need to pay extra to travel by yourself. Prices are per-person, and the single supplement applies only if you'd like a room by yourself.

Location: Begins in Blois, France; ends in Chinon.

Price includes: Comfortable hotels each night; Services of two tour guides; All breakfasts, 2 lunches, and 5 dinners with wine included; Transportation to get luggage (and tired riders!) to destination; Use of bike; A wine-tasting; Map, guidebook, and route suggestions.

Not included: Transportation to and from start/end points; 4 lunches; 2 dinners; Souvenirs, snacks, admissions; Gratuities for guides.

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