Here’s a run that has it all: paths along the Loire River, the grounds of three castles, historic churches, great views, and a running track. Ambroise is a Loire Valley town located 22 km east of Tours. Note: entry fee might be required for some of the Châteaux. Thank you to Mark Miller for his route suggestions here.
Château Gaillard Amboise. CC 4.0
‘Runseeing’ Tour. Our 8.5 km tour starts on the south side of the Loire at the Pont du Maréchal Leclerc. Run on the bridge to the L’Ile d’Or, an island in the middle of the Loire River. A highlight of the route is the ~4 km tour of the island, which includes the allée leading to the Chapelle Saint Jean (there’s a running track behind it!). Come back over the bridge, passing the Chapel of Saint-Hubert, an important Gothic chapel that’s also Da Vinci’s burial site. Then, run the grounds & panoramic terrace of the Château Royal d’Ambroise, a Gothic & Renaissance 15th-century chateau. Continue uphill on Av. Victor Hugo (note: narrow!) for 0.5 km to the Château du Clos Lucé, the former home of Da Vinci. (Add-On here with with the lovely wide gravel paths through a treed park).
Mark Miller
Continue on Rue de Clos Lucé, then LEFT on the All. de Pont Moulin to see the Château Gaillard Amboise, a restored Italianate castle with lovely gardens & grounds (not really for running). Retrace your steps, but in instead of Av. Victor Hugo down the hill, bear RIGHT on Rue Léonard Perrault, passing the Panorama sur la Ville d’Amboise, which has a great view of the old town.
River Route. Run the paths along the Loire River as a standalone route or in combination with our Ambroise ‘runseeing’ tour. From the Pont du Maréchal Leclerc, a path heads for 4 km east along the south side of the river to the Etang de la Varenne sous Chandon (fishing pond). Nice water views, and some wooded sections. Part of the Loire à Vélo cycle path. Pleasant, flat and traffic free, going right past the Friday/Sunday Markets. It makes a nice extension to L’Isle d’Or for a long run.
Here’s a run that has it all: paths along the Loire River, the grounds of three castles, historic churches, great views, and a running track. Ambroise is a Loire Valley town located 22 km east of Tours. Note: entry fee might be required for some of the Châteaux. Thank you to Mark Miller for his route suggestions here.
Château Gaillard Amboise. CC 4.0
‘Runseeing’ Tour. Our 8.5 km tour starts on the south side of the Loire at the Pont du Maréchal Leclerc. Run on the bridge to the L’Ile d’Or, an island in the middle of the Loire River. A highlight of the route is the ~4 km tour of the island, which includes the allée leading to the Chapelle Saint Jean (there’s a running track behind it!). Come back over the bridge, passing the Chapel of Saint-Hubert, an important Gothic chapel that’s also Da Vinci’s burial site. Then, run the grounds & panoramic terrace of the Château Royal d’Ambroise, a Gothic & Renaissance 15th-century chateau. Continue uphill on Av. Victor Hugo (note: narrow!) for 0.5 km to the Château du Clos Lucé, the former home of Da Vinci. (Add-On here with with the lovely wide gravel paths through a treed park).
Mark Miller
Continue on Rue de Clos Lucé, then LEFT on the All. de Pont Moulin to see the Château Gaillard Amboise, a restored Italianate castle with lovely gardens & grounds (not really for running). Retrace your steps, but in instead of Av. Victor Hugo down the hill, bear RIGHT on Rue Léonard Perrault, passing the Panorama sur la Ville d’Amboise, which has a great view of the old town.
River Route. Run the paths along the Loire River as a standalone route or in combination with our Ambroise ‘runseeing’ tour. From the Pont du Maréchal Leclerc, a path heads for 4 km east along the south side of the river to the Etang de la Varenne sous Chandon (fishing pond). Nice water views, and some wooded sections. Part of the Loire à Vélo cycle path. Pleasant, flat and traffic free, going right past the Friday/Sunday Markets. It makes a nice extension to L’Isle d’Or for a long run.
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Essentials
'Runseeing' Tour: 8.5 km (5.3 miles); River route is up to 4.2 km one-way
'Runseeing' Tour: 64m (211 feet); River route is flat
Paths along the Loire River extend in both directions from the city's historic center, featuring wonderful water views. Within a few km, the scene becomes increasingly pastoral. The lake loop on Île Charlemagne is also lovely.
A popular landscaped park 8 km south of Orleans. Create your own route combining the park paths, adjacent University of Orléans campus, and running track.
Nice running options in this picturesque hillside town. Our 'runseeing' tour features the Château Royal de Blois, famous Escalier Dens-Papin, & levée paths out to the Parc des Mées. Good options for a longer run on levée paths on both sides of the Loire River.
A good off-road running option just south of Ambroise. Enjoy the Loire Valley views at Chanteloup Pagoda, then run for 3+ km along a wooded path, with an option to continue on pretty vineyard roads to the Domaine des Malidores winery. Flat!
For a pastoral run in Tours with lots of variety, head just south of the city to combine paths along the Cher River, the Parc Honoré de Balzac island park, Parc du Lac, and the fields of Parc de la Gloriette. Water views, park paths, and fun bridges.
Chinon is another popular stop on a Loire Valley tour, known for its Forteresse Royale de Chinon. Our route incorporates a loop on quiet roads past fields & farms on the south side of the river, and then an inspiring approach to the hilltop castle.
River paths, castles, and hillside vineyard roads make for scenic running in these beautiful adjacent villages. We've put together some routes that can be run standalone or combined, including to the confluence of the Loire & Vienne Rivers.
A classic Loire Valley run, with paths along the Loire & Thouet Rivers, and a loop around the hilltop Château de Saumur. Overall it's 13 km, with options for different distances.
Up to 11 km of scenic paths along the Maine River from central Angers, with great water views and a pastoral scene. Additional paths on the Mayenne and Sarthe tributaries.
A scenic run combining the pleasantly landscaped paths of Parc Balsac with a 5 km loop on scenic paths around Lac de Maine. Nice green spaces & water views. Can add with Maine River paths, & paths through the wooded Parc Saint Nicolas.
Run a loop around the only village to lie on an island in the Loire Valley! Scenic paved walking paths ring the low-trafficked island, forming a flat 9 km loop. The terrain is pastoral, with open fields, farms, and river views. 15 km south of Angers.
A great opportunity to experience some scenic running in hillside vineyards. Savennières is a village just north of Ile Béhuard, 15 km south of Angers. Create your own route on hillside roads, or combine with the Chemin des Perrières pedestrian path.
The Loire à Vélo Cycle Path is a beautiful long-distance cycle route in France, stretching 900 km. Much of it follows the Loire River towns covered in our Loire Valley guide. Use it as a resource to find a run or extend one of our routes. Great website, interactive map.
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Essentials
'Runseeing' Tour: 8.5 km (5.3 miles); River route is up to 4.2 km one-way
'Runseeing' Tour: 64m (211 feet); River route is flat
Review or Comment on This Route/Share a Photo!
Share your feedback on this route and see that of other Great Runs users. Click on the image icon to upload a photo. And please let us know if there are notes or changes we should incorporate!