It’s a typical scene: a man dressed in sporty, stylish cycling gear, sounding like an Englishman, sits casually on a bright red plastic chair next to a chip stand at a beautiful campsite
and raves in flawless French about France being a "cyclist’s paradise." Judging by his facial expression, my disagreement is seen as a personal affront.
He isn’t entirely wrong. My wife and I are on the “Le Loiret au fil de l’eau” circular tour. In 2024, the Canal d'Orléans was opened up here as a bicycle path. Not only has the signage been renewed—or created in the first place—but every few kilometers there are rest areas with partially covered tables, public toilets, water taps, and even USB charging stations for phones, protected from the rain and integrated into the bike racks.
However, I still find it an exaggeration to call France a paradise for cyclists across the board. I would love to integrate cycling into my daily life in the countryside. But since there are no bike paths in our area and the country roads are quite dangerous, my old "iron horse" leads a sad existence hanging from the garage ceiling. The nearest well-developed bike path is 17 kilometers away.
To be fair, much has happened in the last ten years in the cities I know: Paris, Nemours, Fontainebleau, and Orléans have been and are being expanded for cyclists. But until this development manifests itself outside of metropolitan areas in a way similar to the Netherlands, it will still take years, if not decades. So, not quite a paradise—but a very good start.
The Tour
Our tour began right at our front door. Montargis was the perfect entry point for us onto the circular route along the old waterways, about 50 kilometers from our home—a pleasant day's stage that is easily manageable even with children.
Since the tour runs along the towpaths, it is very easy to ride. Towpaths (Leinpfade) are the paths on which draft animals used to pull barges along the canals. Short inclines only occur at the old locks.
The Canal d'Orléans was inaugurated in its current form in 1692 and decommissioned as a waterway in 1952. In November 2021, the Loiret Department acquired the canal to preserve it as a flood protection measure and cultural heritage site. Since commercial shipping no longer operates here, nature has largely reclaimed the nearly standing water. On the Canal de Briare, however, you still encounter houseboats traveling leisurely at 10 km/h.
The section along the Loire is the most scenic. Theoretically, the roughly 200-kilometer circular tour can be completed in two days. With children or if you want to visit the sights, however, at least four days should be planned.
Camping En Route
We took advantage of the beautiful weather and went tenting. The cost for two people was between 9 and 14 Euros per night for a tent and two people. The campsites are mostly simple but have the essentials and were consistently very clean.
- Camping Maltournée in Châteauneuf-sur-Loire → lamaltournee.fr
Huge plots, a wonderful view of the Loire, and a food truck with pizza and fries—an ideal place to stay for two nights. - Camping Vieilles-Maisons-sur-Joudry → vacances-seasonova.com
About two kilometers from the Canal d’Orléans, right on a small lake with a swimming beach and a highly recommended restaurant. Due to the lake's popularity, it can get a bit louder there.
We were traveling in August—peak season. Nevertheless, none of the campsites were even close to full capacity. Reservations are therefore generally not necessary. Additionally, we came across several sites that we hadn't found online—presumably because they were still very new.
Note: Most campsites are operated by the municipalities and are only open from May to the end of September. A quick check in advance is advisable. If you want a fresh baguette in the morning, you can often order it at the reception the evening before and pick it up the next morning. Only at one campsite was this service missing.
Conclusion
The EuroVelo routes in France are definitely worth considering. A classic is the EuroVelo 6 from Orléans to Nantes, easy to ride and lined with the magnificent Loire Châteaux.
However, if you first want to try out a shorter cycling holiday in France, the “Le Loiret au fil de l’eau” circular route is an excellent choice.
Official websites for the tour:
https://www.loiretbalades.fr/fr/je-randonne/velo/canal-dorleans
https://www.leloiretaufildeleau.fr/
