of the route is on dedicated cycle paths, although care is necessary as these are sometimes shared with pedestrians. Use your bell, politely, when approaching pedestrians from behind. Where you are required to cycle on the road there is often a dedicated cycle lane.
Many city and town centres have pedestrian-only zones. These restrictions are often only loosely enforced and you may find locals cycling within them – indeed, many zones have signs allowing cycling. One-way streets often have signs permitting contra-flow cycling.
Contra-flow cycling is often permitted in one-way streets
France does not require compulsory wearing of cycle helmets, although their use is recommended. Modern lightweight helmets with improved ventilation have made wearing them more comfortable.
Emergencies
In the unlikely event of an accident, the standardised EU emergency phone number is 112. The entire route has mobile phone coverage. Provided you have a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) issued by your home country, medical costs of EU citizens are covered under reciprocal health insurance agreements – although you may have to pay for an ambulance and claim the cost back through insurance.
Theft
In general the route is safe and the risk of theft very low. However, you should always lock your cycle and watch your belongings, especially in cities.
Insurance
Travel insurance policies usually cover you when cycle touring, but they do not normally cover damage to, or theft of, your bicycle. If you have a household contents policy, this may cover cycle theft, but limits may be less than the real cost of your cycle. Cycle Touring Club (CTC) offer a policy tailored to the needs of cycle tourists (www.ctc.org.uk).
About this guide
Text and maps
There are 26 stages, each covered by maps drawn to a scale of approximately 1:150,000. These maps have been produced specially for this guide and when combined with the detailed stage descriptions it is possible to follow the route without the expense or weight of carrying a large number of other maps, particularly after Nevers where signposting and waymarking is excellent. Beware, however, as the route described here does not always exactly follow the waymarked route. GPX files are freely available to anyone who has bought this guide on Cicerone’s website at www.cicerone.co.uk/842/gpx
Gradient profiles are provided for Stages 1–6, the hillier part of the route. After Roanne there are few hills and except for an alternative route that goes uphill to Sancerre (Stage 12) no ascents of over 50m are encountered.
Place names on the maps that are significant for route navigation are shown in bold in the text. The abbreviation ‘sp’ in the text indicates a signpost. Distances shown are cumulative within each stage. For each city/town/village passed, an indication is given of facilities available (accommodation, refreshments, YH, camping, tourist office, cycle shop, station) when the guide was written. This information is neither exhaustive nor does it guarantee that establishments are still in business. No attempt has been made to list all such facilities, as this would require another book of the same size. For full listing of accommodation, contact local tourist offices. Such listings are usually available online. Tourist offices along the route are listed in Appendix C.
Although route descriptions were accurate at the time of writing, things do change. Temporary diversions may be necessary to circumnavigate improvement works and permanent diversions to incorporate new sections of cycle track. This is particularly the case between Bourbon-Lancy and Decize (Stage 9) and after Nantes (Stage 26), where much of the route is classified as ‘provisional’ and work to provide a separate cycle route is ongoing. Where construction is in progress you may find signs showing recommended diversions, although these are likely to be in French only. Deviations and temporary routes are waymarked with yellow signs.
Some alternative routes exist. Where these offer a reasonable variant, usually because they are either shorter or offer a better surface, they are mentioned in the text and shown in blue on the maps.
Language
French is spoken throughout the route, although many people – especially in the tourist industry – speak at least a few words of English. In this guide, French names are used with the exception of Bourgogne and Bretagne, where the English Burgundy and Brittany are preferred. The French word château covers a wide variety of buildings, from royal palaces and stately homes to local manor houses and medieval castles. See Appendix F for a glossary of French terms that may be useful along the route.
THE LOIRE CYCLE ROUTE
Near Bouchemaine (Stage 23)
PROLOGUE
Getting to the start
| Start | Le Cheylard (442m) or Langogne (914m) |
| Finish | Gerbier de Jonc, Geographic Loire source (1417m) |
| Distance | 31.5km from Le Cheylard, 51.5km from Langogne |
| Waymarking | None |
For those arriving by bus at Le Cheylard, or by train at Langogne, the following directions will take you to the start of the route proper at the Geographic Loire source.
From Le Cheylard
From terminus of route 12 bus from Valence at Ave Saunier in Le Cheylard (442m) (accommodation, refreshments, camping, tourist office), follow D120 NE (Ave de Saunier, sp La Voulte sur Rhone) downhill for 150m. Ignore the signpost pointing L to Gerbier de Jonc. Turn L (D578, sp Lamastre) across bridge over River Eyrieux. Bear R into Ave de la Gare, and just before pedestrian crossing turn sharply R (Ch d’Aurives) downhill on narrow lane towards riverbank. Turn R under bridge (Voie des Boutières) and fork R to continue out of village.
You are now on well-surfaced cycle track along route of old railway line cut into valley side. This track is followed for 7km past Riotord and derelict bridge (both L) to reach beginning of St Martin-de-Valamas. Emerge onto asphalt road and follow this bearing R, and turn immediately L at T-junction. Bear L on tree-lined road to cross river bridge then turn R (D120) uphill into St Martin-de-Valamas (8km, 551m) (accommodation, refreshments, camping, tourist office).
Where road turns sharply R at hairpin bend, turn L (D237, sp Gerbier de Jonc) and follow D237 for 22.5km, at first climbing gently through Valamas (10km, 564m) and Arcens (14.5km, 626m) (accommodation, refreshments, camping) along the Eysse valley.
After Arcens, road climbs steadily through forest, passing junction with D337 road R (18.5km, 700m), after which climb becomes steeper. Ascend through La Chazotte hamlet to reach St Martial (21.5km, 885m) (refreshments, camping), which sits on hillside overlooking pretty lake. Turn sharply L in village (sp Gerbier de Jonc) and climb steeply through forest round a series of seven hairpin bends.
Pass La Chaumette L (accommodation) then emerge above forest to reach T-junction on top of ridge with rugged cone of Gerbier De Jonc rising R and views in all directions (31km,
