Tours / Sainte-Maure-de-Touraine
The Loire, Cher and Indre are the three major rivers you’ll ride alongside, in that order, on this Scandibérique stage leading you south. You cross an agricultural plateau, the town of Ste-Maure de Touraine at its heart, to link up with the Vienne Valley. Following minor roads from village to village, enjoy remarkable discoveries, some marking the time Frankish leader Charles Martel fought off Arab invaders in these parts in the 8th century. Spot parks, keeps, churches, statuary, reliquaries… The markets are packed with fine local produce. On a picnic, savour different Sainte-Maure goat’s cheeses (laitier and fermier), with their distinctive cylindrical shape and straw through the middle. At the end of your meal, see who draws the short straw to have to transport all the local goodies you’ve bought to your next stopover!
Gradients and elevation
Road types
Surface
The route
On minor roads with little traffic. Signposted EV3.
Surfacing smooth: asphalt
Connection
The Scandibérique cycle route and the Indre à Vélo route meet at the level of Veigné.
Trains
- Tours and Saint-Pierre-des-Corps train stations
- Veigné train station
- Sainte-Maure Noyant train station
Don’t miss
- Tours: the historic medieval city; the Cathedral Quarter; timberframe houses scattered around the town, most spectacularly on Place Plumereau; the many museums; events staged year-round.
- Veigné: the old water mill; Saint-Maxent Church; the manor and its grounds
- Ste-Catherine de Fierbois: the church and its reliquary
- Ste-Maure de Touraine: Boumiers neolithic dolmen; the château; the church; the remarkable covered market
