The hidden treasures of France's La Charité-Sur-Loire by bike

Bike Touring Collection by Guillaume Favez

Tours

36:08 h

374 mi

11,500 ft

This Collection takes you from France's art and history-rich city of La Charité-sur-Loire to many monuments and beautiful nature spots. After visiting the city's 900-year-old bell tower, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, you follow the small roads of the Eurovelo 6 cycle path.

The Eurovelo 6 is a perfectly signposted and safe European cycle route that connects the Black Sea to the Atlantic Ocean and passes through La Charité-sur-Loire. You explore the beautiful slopes of the region of Nièvre to the east and the Cher region, which is a little flatter, but just as beautiful, to the west.

You follow small country roads through these two regions, visiting many castles and wine estates en route. You visit the cathedral in the famous city of Bourges, wander the streets of Nevers, the historic capital of Nivernais, and take a glass in the renowned wine city of Sancerre, named "France's favourite village in 2021".

All of the Tours in this collection start from La Charité-Sur-Loire, which you can reach by train along with your bike. The station has two secure bicycle parking areas too. You can find more information about the SNCF station at La Charité-Sur-Loire here: ter.sncf.com/bourgogne-franche-comte/gares/87696195/La-Charit%C3%A9-sur-Loire/pratique (in French).

On The Map

Tours

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
À la Découverte des Petites Routes du Cher — Les trésors de La Charité-Sur-Loire
04:09
44.6 mi
10.8 mph
825 ft
825 ft
Intermediate
Intermediate bike ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
Composed of cycle paths and paved roads, this circuit is suitable for all bikes. The difference in height is very low and if the distance impresses you, the “8” route at the end of the Tour will allow you to take a short cut to gain around twenty kilometers!

With a departure from the Basilica of Notre…
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Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
Boucle sur les Premiers Kilomètres de la Loire à Vélo — Les trésors de La Charité-Sur-Loire
02:53
30.2 mi
10.5 mph
775 ft
775 ft
Intermediate
Intermediate bike ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
With a total length of less than 50 kilometers and a drop of less than 250 meters, this Tour is within the reach of the vast majority of cyclists. Divided between cycle paths and small roads, the entire Tour is secure and suitable for all cyclists, only the Fourchambault bridge is a little busy and will…
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Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
A la Découverte des Petites Routes de Nièvre — Les trésors de La Charité-Sur-Loire
04:02
40.2 mi
10.0 mph
2,025 ft
2,025 ft
Expert
Expert bike ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
With its 66 kilometers and more than 600 meters of elevation gain, this Tour is certainly not a mountain stage, but it is still aimed at seasoned cyclists. Fortunately, there is no further uphill for the last 15 kilometers!

No marked cycle path for this Tour. Instead, small, uncrowded roads, picturesque…
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Visite de la Région de Sancerre — Les trésors de La Charité-Sur-Loire
04:09
43.1 mi
10.4 mph
1,025 ft
1,025 ft
Intermediate
Intermediate bike ride. Good fitness required. Some portions of the Tour may be unpaved and difficult to ride.
Totaling some 70 kilometers, this Tour may seem long but it is relatively flat, thanks to a start that runs along the Loire via the official “La Loire à Vélo” cycle path.

This cycle route in the heart of nature takes you the first 25 kilometers to the pretty village of Saint-Satur. If necessary, extend…
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Les Châteaux de L'Est du Cher — Les trésors de La Charité-Sur-Loire
06:45
72.3 mi
10.7 mph
1,400 ft
1,400 ft
Expert
Expert bike ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
With its 120 km, this Tour dedicated to those nostalgic for the castles of yesteryear is not for everyone, but it can easily be covered in two days, with a one-night stay around Nérondes, halfway between journey. The drop of less than 450 meters well distributed throughout the Tour should not deter you…
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Les Châteaux de L'Ouest de la Nièvre — Les trésors de La Charité-Sur-Loire
10:46
108 mi
10.0 mph
4,475 ft
4,475 ft
Expert
Expert bike ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
Admiring the castles in Nivernais is not for everyone: this 176 km Tour is aimed at seasoned cyclists and will not leave you much time to visit if you plan to take it on a single day! Otherwise, you can complete the route over two or three days, without hurrying and taking the time to discover these…
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De Bourges à La Charité-sur-Loire
03:24
35.8 mi
10.5 mph
1,000 ft
950 ft
Intermediate
Intermediate bike ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
Getting to the prefecture of Cher from La Charité-Sur-Loire will require a considerable effort of 117 kilometers. A one-night stay in Bourges, halfway through, will allow you to stop and visit this charming city, traveling only 60 kilometers per day.

There is no question of taking the Nationale 151, very…
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