Stage Blois - Chaumont-sur-Loire

A short, quiet day between two of the great châteaux of the Loire. From Blois to Chaumont-sur-Loire the Way changes bank and advances along the left side of the river, with an almost flat profile and a landscape of woodland, flood meadows and small villages of white tufa.

The stage begins by crossing the Loire over the Jacques-Gabriel bridge, an eighteenth-century work that offers one of the best views of Blois. On the far bank, the Vienne quarter soon gives way to more rural surroundings. The route passes through Chailles, on the edge of the Forest of Russy, an extensive oak wood covering the plateau between the Loire and the Cosson.

The midpoint of the day is Candé-sur-Beuvron, set at the confluence of the Beuvron and the Loire. The village, with shops and a café or two, is a good place for a rest. From here the way runs close to the levee, with wide views over the river, its islands and the sandbanks where herons and terns rest. The surface is good and route-finding simple, often coinciding with the Loire à Vélo.

Chaumont-sur-Loire appears strung out at the foot of the slope, dominated by its château. The fortress, built by the Amboise family between the late fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries, belonged to Catherine de' Medici, who handed it to Diane de Poitiers in exchange for Chenonceau. Its round towers and drawbridge give it a still medieval air, softened by a large landscaped park.

Since 1992 the estate has hosted the International Garden Festival, which each season brings together creations by landscape designers from all over the world. The village is small and accommodation limited, so it is advisable to arrive with a booking made.