The Loire by bike with a dog
Today, I suggest a getaway along the Loire… by bike and with your dog! Wow race! A new experience to put on your counter. What could be better than discovering French heritage under the sun, at the pace of a bike, while having fun and sharing a family vacation? And then ride a bike with your dog, is to share a moment of great complicity. I let you take the wheel of Hector and Cécile to discover their experience along the Loire?
Hector, Cécile's dog
Hector is a Jack Russel super active 7 year old. Just recovered from a small leg injury, and a period of forced rest, my little warrior came with us to cycle around the Loire. What a great experience, I can't wait to tell you about it! Châteaux, Loire, Bike and Dog: we really enjoyed ourselves.
The Loire by bike with your dog
At the beginning of June, my friend and I went for a bike ride with my dog, Hector, along the Loire. A magical experience! We chose to leave for 4 days for the first time, from Saturday to Tuesday. To organize this trip and find our route, I looked up the internet and the Loire à vélo guides. It is important to visualize the stages in advance and to determine a precise course where you are sure to be able to take your dog. Remember to book your campings ahead of time and call them to make sure they allow dogs. You also have to pay attention to the number of kilometers between each stage so as not to get exhausted from the first day... bike poorly prepared can quickly become a nightmare...
To cycle along the banks of the Loire, we took our own bikes, our panniers and our equipment and presto! Here we go for 4 days of adventure… The organization of the bike is a bit like a tetris, to manage to hold everything together, you need a few tricks. Hector was placed at the front of the bike in his dog basket, then I had panniers on each side and the rest of our equipment on the luggage rack (tent, duvet, food, croquettes…). I strongly advise you to travel light and only take the minimum required for your 4 days of cycling. Indeed, the weight of your equipment is a parameter to take into account in the difficulty of your route.
During this bike ride on the banks of the Loire with my dog, my route was as follows:
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We started from Beaugency with my dog and my friend, and we stopped for the first stop at Chaumont-sur-Loire. About 55 km for this first stage. The important thing is to make many stops to hydrate, to hydrate your dog and to refresh him. The heatstroke are very dangerous for our dogs and it is important to know how to prevent them. Hector took advantage of these stops to stretch his legs and go sniffing new smells.
Musher and Sophie: “Cécile is right, it is very important to take regular breaks. Whether your dog travels in a basket or in a dog trailer attached behind your bike, he needs breaks. He will need to stretch his legs. And find solid ground. And if he's running alongside you, he'll need to change his pace and rest even more. Be careful not to make your dog run too long and too quickly if he is not used to it at all. He could very quickly become exhausted and injured. You will also find lots of good advice in the article “Cycling with your dog "
Arrived at Chaumont-sur-Loire we settled in municipal campsite where we were very well received with Hector. However, we did not have time to visit the castle. If you want to go there with your dog, only the gardens are accessible.
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From Chaumont sur Loire, we joined Amboise, still cycling. A course of about 20 km. We had been warned of a big climb through the vines on arrival in Amboise, and indeed, it climbs a lot! But on arrival at Ile d'Or campsite in Amboise, the game is worth the candle, the view of the castle of Amboise is truly magical… the setting is very pleasant. In addition, the campsite is dog-friendly and has a car-free area, reserved for bike hikers like us. Dogs are accepted everywhere in the campsite except in the sanitary facilities.
Regarding the royal castle of Amboise, it is accessible to small dogs that can be carried, the others are prohibited. The gardens are accessible to dogs on a leash, but the underground passages are forbidden to all dogs.
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The next day we continued our bike ride to Langeais. A last stage of about 55 km to reach the lake campsite in Langeais. A pretty campsite with adorable staff who knew how to welcome my dog as they should!
For Langeais castle, it is necessary to plan 2 to 3 hours of visit. The castle is accessible to small dogs that can be carried only.
Finally, we made the return to Beaugency by train. What a pain ! Take the train with a dog, it is complicated ! But when you add the bikes and all the panniers, it's a real obstacle course...
Musher and Sophie “If you have planned to cycle the Loire route with your dog, I strongly advise you to stop at the Montlouis-sur-Loire campsite ! A campsite that welcomes dogs with kindness, at no extra charge. You can also go there if you have several dogs! And the top of the top? It is located by the river and right on the Loire by bike route!”
The necessary equipment for bivouac biking with your dog
Before leaving, I packed my dog's suitcase. I like to do check list to know what to put in your suitcase and be sure not to forget anything! I took his bowl, its croquettes and its transport basket in which he decided to sleep elsewhere.
For us, the humans, I equipped myself with waterproof panniers for the bike, camping equipment (tent, duvet, raincoat…) and the subsistence minimum for 4 days. I advise you to take all the necessary toiletries in small format (toothpaste, shampoo, cream, soaps, etc.) in order to lighten your bike as much as possible.
The best memory of Cécile and her dog on the banks of the Loire
During this 4-day stay along the Loire, everything was great, top weather conditions, friendly people, a beautiful route… My best memory of this bike trip with my dog along the Loire was the discovery of the village of Soap dish between Chaumont sur Loire and Langeais. It is a small authentic village, flowery and really pretty, the church classified as a Historic Monument is also to be seen! The village of Amboise was also a very beautiful memory.
A little anecdote? On Sunday, we thought we would stop like every day in a supermarket to buy something to eat. But caught up in our adventure, we totally forgot that on Sundays, everything is closed! Impossible for us to find something to eat! Finally after several kilometers, we found a small grocery store. The manager kindly let us in with Hector to do some shopping. In the end, my dog completely succeeded in his seduction operation since the grocer even offered him a small piece of sausage!
Last advice for cycling with your dog along the Loire
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We were lucky during our journey because we had good weather and we avoided a few heavy showers just after our return... So remember to study the weather forecast before embarking on this adventure and take suitable equipment to these conditions while traveling light. I advise you to go in the middle of the season. In the middle of summer, you risk being much too hot!
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Also remember to organize your trip in advance to avoid unpleasant surprises. For example, make a checklist to make sure you don't forget anything and plan your route and your stages.
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It is important to balance your bike well, to ensure your safety and facilitate your movements.
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You must also adapt your Loire by bike route to the size of your dog. For my part, my dog is a Jack Russel so he was traveling on the front of the bike in his basket. On the other hand, for large dogs, it is possible to rent or buy a bicycle trailer for dogs. These are placed at the back of your bike and protect your dog during your journey.
Musher and Sophie: “Cécile is right, these trailers are perfect for dogs that do not fit in a basket. It is not possible to make your dog run for tens of kilometers several days in a row unless he has special training such as sled dogs for example. You will therefore have to find a way to transport your dog so that he can accompany you on this adventure: the trailer is a good idea. If your dog is not used to traveling there, give him an adaptation phase and take it easy.”
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Take your time, don't put pressure on yourself about the arrival time. After all, you are on vacation or weekend with your dog so no stress! Enjoy the scenery, take gallery and remember to let your dog roam from time to time so as not to inflict a 6 hour trip in a basket or trailer. The experience must be as pleasant for him as it is for you 🙂
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Finally, I strongly advise you to follow the route of the guides of the Loire by bike. I advise you not to take the road that runs along the Loire because it is dangerous.
Finally, I really invite you to test this experience with your dog, it's unique! France is full of wonderful places to discover. We have a rich cultural heritage and it is important to know it and bring it to life! I enjoyed this stay so much that I have already planned to set off again on the paths along the banks of the Loire with my dog. I am taking you.?
A big thank you to Hector and Cécile for this lovely story! I've had this route in mind for Musher and me for a few years now. Every spring the idea comes back like a boomerang and I haven't had the courage to get started yet, but the article by our duo from Wouafer's made me really want to. It's decided next spring, I'm leaving with my dog on a bike along the Loire. If you want to contact Cécile for more information on her Loire by bike route, you can reach her by messenger.
I think that with all these tips, you are finally ready to swallow the miles… Happy holidays Wouafer's!