Nymphea

Sunday, Day 1 Moulin de Nitray

Guests are met at the designated meeting point and transferred to Nymphea where a champagne welcome awaits at our mooring opposite the 17th century Moulin de Nitray. Dinner on board.

Monday, Day 2 Moulin de Nitray to Vallet

After breakfast, we cycle through the village of Nitray, and up to its eponymous Renaissance Château. Here, we’ll enjoy a wine tour and pre-lunch aperitif in the courtyard. Return to the barge for lunch and a cruise upstream to the pretty hamlet of Vallet, where Nymphea will moor for the night. This afternoon, we’ll visit the Chateau de Villandry, famed for its Renaissance gardens. Optional cycle back to the barge along the le Cher à Vélo cycle path. Dinner on board.

Tuesday, Day 3 Vallet to Civray-de-Touraine

After Nymphea makes a short morning cruise to Bléré this morning, cyclists will follow the towpath and country lanes to Bruno Curassier’s Domaine de la Grange for a wine tasting experience. Back on board, we’ll cruise to our mooring at Civray-de-Touraine. After lunch on board, we head via bike or minibus to tour the Château d’Amboise, a royal residence of the Kings of France for 200 years. We also visit Château du Clos Lucé nearby, Leonardo Da Vinci’s home for the last three years of his life. Return to the barge by bike. Dinner on board.

Wednesday, Day 4 Civray-de-Touraine to Chissay-en-Touraine

This morning we cruise under the 5-arch bridge of the impressive Château de Chenonceau before mooring nearby. From here we enjoy a 15min (or optional extended 1hr) cycle to explore the Château de Chenonceau, which is often called ‘the ladies château’, after those such as Henry II’s mistress, Diane de Poitiers, who added the bridge over the River Cher and the beautiful gardens. Evening cruise to Chissay-en-Touraine and dinner ashore at a local restaurant, La Boulaye.

Thursday, Day 5 Chissay-en-Touraine to Montrichard

After breakfast, cyclists head north for 22km to the Château de Chaumont, famed for its International Garden Festival on the River Loire. An energising freewheel down the riverbank leads us to a traditional wooden Loire sailing vessel, known as a ‘toue’. Here we’ll cruise leisurely along the river and stop off for an island picnic and perhaps a swim amongst the natural surrounds and pastoral scenery that lines one of the shallowest rivers in France. Disembark in Amboise, to return to Montrichard by minibus, or an energetic cycle back to Nymphea. Dinner on board.

Friday, Day 6 Montrichard to Nitray

Following breakfast, we explore the street market of Montrichard and the 12th century château of Foulques Nerra overlooking the medieval town square, or perhaps head to the local vineyard of the Meriau family to taste the regional Touraine vintages. After an early lunch, guests have the choice to enjoy another bicycle ride or a cruise aboard Nymphea for another passage under the Château de Chenonceau, and on to the hamlet of Nitray to meet up with the cycle party for a pre-dinner aperitif. Captain’s Farewell Dinner on board.

Saturday, Day 7 Nitray

After breakfast guests are transferred to the designated drop-off point.

*Cycling themed cruises are for charter cruises only. This sample itinerary and is subject to change. On alternate weeks the cruise is in the reverse direction. Various pick up and drop off points are available for charter groups.