VeloAsia

he picturesque Loire’s castle-lined routes that were long the playground of kings and queens, and the small country roads are perfect for moving along on two wheels. Here are the tombs of Richard the Lionheart and Eleanor of Aquitaine, the mysteries of the Wine Grower’s Brotherhood in Chinon’s Caves Painctes, and majestic chateaux.

Although some would claim Burgundy and the Val de Loire are not nearly as adventurous as our other destinations, they would be mistaken. While your friends may scoff at such an apparently bourgeois voyage, those who know tremble at the very idea of cycling through the heart of where the Grand Crus are hand crafted, where Michelin starred restaurants are as common as McDonalds in L.A., and of course, the idea of struggling with one’s already limited French after indulging in both. Not for the faint of heart!

This trip will not provide a vivid exploration of one of France's notable wine regions but exposure to the Val de Loire beauty, curiosity, adventure and above all... pleasure! We will enjoy leisurely cycling along pastoral landscapes in settings of unique beauty and historical interest. The Loire is also known for its delicious cuisine marked by fresh trout and salmon, countless varieties of goat cheese, and mushrooms from the Saumur caves (the world's largest mushroom producer) make meals taste as fine as the châteaux look. Here too are wines rival those from the Burgundy region making them perfect for toasting to beauty and grandeur of Val de Loire.

While grand châteaux will be the focus of the Val de Loire, our focus in Burgundy will be grand crus. Burgundy… idyllic land of medieval majesty, flavorful fare and the grandest grapes. Winemaking has been in the blood here since Imperial times, and the passage of history is measured not against the clock but by Mother Nature’s calendar. The soul is in the soil, which has served as battleground for conniving kings and dueling dukes, and weathered the boot prints of marauding armies of Huns, Spaniards and oenophiles alike.

Clearly, Burgundy is the spiritual homeland of French wine and villages such as Chablis and Nuits-St-Georges are known throughout the world. And while Burgundy may well be famous for its wine it has a great deal more to offer including Renaissance châteaux, medieval abbeys and fortified villages which all stand testimony to the colorful history of this lesser-known region of France, perfect for exploring on two wheels and a fourchette...

Here we'll dine splendidly on Boeuf Bourguignon, the region’s signature dish, and on one of France’s most celebrated cheeses, Epoisses, which comes from a lovely little village of the same name. Of course, locals will insist you wash down the cheese with a glass of vielles vignes (old vine) Chablis.

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