Located between Amboise and Orleans, Blois is another picturesque hillside town in the Loire Valley, known for its gothic cathedral and impressive Château Royal de Blois. There are also extensive levée paths on both sides of the Loire River — great for a longer-distance off-road run. We’ve put together a ~9 km ‘runseeing’ tour of Blois, hitting major site, a couple of small parks, and a section of the Levee paths.
Levée Path, North Side. Google Street View
Start at the tourist office near the Château, and enjoy ~1 km around the grounds. Then head toward the river, and get the heart rate up on the Escalier Dens-Papin (stairs). Run east along the river promenade (quai) & Levée des Tuileries for 1.5 km, to the D956 bridge. Continue east to Parc des Mées, which has some nice paths and a loop around some fields. Come back down to the river and come back west along the Levée de Loire, cross over the D956 bridge, and return to town on the Levée path along the south side of the Loire.
Jardins de l’Évêché. Mark Lowenstein
Option: From the river, take the hill stairs up to the Blois Cathedral, and run along the Jardins de l’Évêché, which features great views of the city.
Add-Ons: Levée path on north side of the Loire River extends for 10+ km east, and for 18+ km east on the south side.
Pro Tip: Great spot for a post run drink is at the end of Jardins de l’Évêché.
Located between Amboise and Orleans, Blois is another picturesque hillside town in the Loire Valley, known for its gothic cathedral and impressive Château Royal de Blois. There are also extensive levée paths on both sides of the Loire River — great for a longer-distance off-road run. We’ve put together a ~9 km ‘runseeing’ tour of Blois, hitting major site, a couple of small parks, and a section of the Levee paths.
Levée Path, North Side. Google Street View
Start at the tourist office near the Château, and enjoy ~1 km around the grounds. Then head toward the river, and get the heart rate up on the Escalier Dens-Papin (stairs). Run east along the river promenade (quai) & Levée des Tuileries for 1.5 km, to the D956 bridge. Continue east to Parc des Mées, which has some nice paths and a loop around some fields. Come back down to the river and come back west along the Levée de Loire, cross over the D956 bridge, and return to town on the Levée path along the south side of the Loire.
Jardins de l’Évêché. Mark Lowenstein
Option: From the river, take the hill stairs up to the Blois Cathedral, and run along the Jardins de l’Évêché, which features great views of the city.
Add-Ons: Levée path on north side of the Loire River extends for 10+ km east, and for 18+ km east on the south side.
Pro Tip: Great spot for a post run drink is at the end of Jardins de l’Évêché.
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Essentials
9 km (5.6 miles), with options for more on levée paths
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.
A run that has it all: paths along the Loire River, the grounds of three castles, historic churches, and great views. Ambroise is a Loire Valley town located 22 km east of Tours.
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
9 km (5.6 miles), with options for more on levée paths
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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!