Image of Sophie LE BERRE

Cycling tours around Vouvray (Loire Valley, France)

I was born in Tours (Loire Valley), in 1966, and as far as I remember, I have always been attracted to flowers and gardens. Sundays spent in the countryside with my grandparents, who were pharmacists and had a wonderful knowledge of plants, mushrooms, birds and animals, surely helped me to develop a taste for nature from the beginning. After studying Japanese at University, I spent five years in Japan, where I enjoyed hiking in the mountain, learning ikebana (Ohara school) and experiencing a different culture, in which the four seasons play an important and aesthetic role in everyday life. Japan is a great country for self-introspection and contemplation. After many years working in various parts of France, experiencing different fields of activities, I have decided to come back to my hometown and start a new business as a freelance guide. My purpose is to give you the opportunity, in one morning or afternoon, to visit private gardens around Vouvray, attend creative workshops and taste local beers or wines, by bicycle.

The tours are for small groups of people (6 maximum), in English and French.

Contact : Sophie Le Berre, Cette adresse e-mail est protégée contre les robots spammeurs. Vous devez activer le JavaScript pour la visualiser.

"Au fil du végétal" (Vouvray and Vernou-sur-Brenne) - "Following the plants"

Jardins de Loire : atelier de céramique sur le végétal

Ceramic workshop using the technique of stamping

Jardins de Loire : visite des jardins de Jallanges

The castle and the gardens of Jallanges©

Jardins de Loire : dégustation dans une micro-brasserie

From the hop to the beer

Guided tour by bicycle for a small group of 6 people, on the theme of "the plants in all states and phases".

PROGRAMME

  • We will pick up some leaves 🍃 and flowers 🌹 on our way after leaving the tourist office,
  • Then we will stop by Anne's atelier for a ceramic workshop 🙌 using the technique of stamping (with the leaves and flowers gathered previously),
  • We will get back to road and head for Jallanges, where we will take time to visit the castle 🏰 and the gardens 🌿,
  • And we will end our getaway with a beer-tasting session in the sole and unique brewery 🍺 of Vouvray!*

Tour of 14 km by biclycle, leaving at 14:00 and coming back at 18:00. If you don't have any bicycle, I can give you the names of bike rentals around Vouvray.

Price: 55 € per person, all included (ceramic workshop, creation sent by the post office, entrance fee for the castle and the gardens, tasting session, guidance and explanations).

*The beer-tasting sessions will be held on Thursday only and replaced with something else on Monday.

Planning and online pre-booking below / "Following the plants"

"Au fil de la Cisse" (from Vouvray to Nazelles-Négron) - "Along the Cisse river"

Jardins de Loire : le Grand Coteau

Garden created by Francis Poulenc

Jardins de Loire : Moulin de Moque-Souris

View over the Cisse River from the mill of Moque-Souris

Jardins de loire : la Cisse au moulin de Goubert

The Cisse River at the mill of Goubert

Guided tour by bicycle for a small group of 6 people, along the Cisse river - a charming river flowing into the Loire river in Vouvray.

PROGRAMME

  • We will ride on the tracks of a famous family 🎨 of Touraine,
  • Then we will visit the Music Room 🎼 and the garden 🌿 created by the famous French composer Francis Poulenc who had a country house in Noizay,
  • We will discover the natural site of a beautiful water powered mill along the Cisse river 🐟 "mocking the mice" 🐭, running a bed and breakfast, where we will be welcomed by the owner for a refreshment 🍹 in the garden,
  • Then we will end our getaway with the visit of a little soap factory 🧼 and we will go back to the tourist office.

Tour of 29 km by bicycle, leaving at 14:00 and coming back at 18:00. If you don't have any bicycle, I can give you the names of bike rentals around Vouvray.

Price: 37 € per person, all included (entrance fee for the Music Room and the gardens of Francis Poulenc, refreshment at the mill, guidance and explanations).

Planning and online pre-booking below / "Along the Cisse River"

"Au fil de la Loire" (Vouvray and Rochecorbon) - "Along the Loire river"

Jardins de Loire : vue sur les bords de Loire à Rochecorbon

Banks of the Loire River

Jardins de Loire : vue sur la vallée de la Loire depuis un jardin classé Remarquable

View over the Loire River from a private garden

Jardins de loire : from the vine to the wine...

From the vine to the wine

Guided tour by bicycle for a small group of 6 people, along the Loire river.

PROGRAMME

  • We will follow the Loire river ⚜ and visit a beautiful private garden 🌿 awarded the "Outstanding Garden" label 💮 by the French Ministry for Culture at the end of 2022; a pure fresh and green oasis,
  • Then we will ride 🚲 across the vineyard 🍇 on the top of the hill, in the heart of the Vouvray Appellation,
  • And our getaway will end with a wine-tasting session 🥂 in a domain nestled in a pretty valley, and we will go back to the tourist office just before lunch time.

Tour of 12 km by bicycle, leaving at 9:45 and coming back at 12:30. If you don't have any bicycle, I can give you the names of bike rentals around Vouvray.

Price: 34 € per person, all included (entrance fee for the private garden, wine-tasting session, guidance and explanations).

Planning and online pre-booking below / "Along the Loire River"