Château de la Bourdaisière – Nitray Dam loop from Bléré - La Croix

Bike touring routes & trails

Château de la Bourdaisière – Nitray Dam loop from Bléré - La Croix

Moderate

4.6

(45)

268

riders

Château de la Bourdaisière – Nitray Dam loop from Bléré - La Croix

02:50

48.1km

160m

Cycling

Moderate bike ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. The starting point of the route is accessible with public transport.

Last updated: August 15, 2026

Waypoints

Start point

Train Station

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3.41 km

Château de Fontenay

Highlight • Castle

This castle cannot be visited, it is a hotel.

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5.24 km

Path of the castles - even the little ones!

Highlight • Other

Here you can photograph endless castles, both large and small.
I wasn't able to photograph all of them - I wasn't allowed to stop that often!

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15.2 km

Château de la Bourdaisière

Highlight • Castle

Opportunity to go from Tours by the banks of the Cher (preferably right bank) or by the greenway along the D140 from La Ville aux Dames.

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23.6 km

The Nitray dam is a needle dam established on the Cher.

Built in 1841, it was intended to make the Cher navigable. However, the sharp drop in river traffic during the 20th century made the tributary of the Loire unsuitable for commercial navigation. Only pleasure boats pass through it now.

It was classified in 2011 as a historical monument.

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33.3 km

Lock and riverside scenery along the Cher

Highlight (Segment) • River

The Loire and its tributaries are a wonderful cycling area. The route now follows the Cher towards Tours. Leisure captains and lock keepers wave to the cyclists. Cycling is a relaxing pleasure here.

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37.3 km

Superb view of the Château de Chenonceau

Highlight • River

It goes on gravel, but if you are careful it can be done for a few meters on the way to see the castle from its best point of view!

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37.8 km

View of Chenonceau Castle from the cycle path

Highlight • Castle

Chenonceau Castle has the unique feature of being built partly on a bridge spanning the Cher River. It was Catherine de Medici who, wishing to have sumptuous parties, was at the origin of this idea. The first floor of the "bridge" was entirely given over to numerous dances. Chenonceau is one of the most visited castles of the Loire castles and is also nicknamed the home of the ladies. It thus belonged successively to Diane de Poitiers then to Catherine de Médicis (respectively the lover and the legitimate wife of Henri III King of France) but also to Louise Marie Madeleine Guillaume de Fontaine, by her marriage Madame Dupin, who was born in Paris on October 28, 1706 and died in her Château de Chenonceau on November 20, 1799. A woman of spirit, famous for her beauty, Louise Dupin was also a personality of the Age of Enlightenment and held brilliant literary salons. She notably received Voltaire, the Abbé de Saint-Pierre, Fontenelle, Marivaux, Montesquieu, Buffon, Marmontel, Mably, Condillac, Grimm, Bernis and Rousseau. In the park of Chenonceau, on this side of the river, is the impressive tomb of this lady. This tomb is inspired by antiquity and is supported at the corners by large lion paws. You can enter the tomb for free.

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