FAQ

Available as a card or digital format, present your pass to our partners. From the date of purchase, you have one year to use your pass, which is nominative and personal. The 24h, 48h, 72h duration starts from the first use at one of the attractions or partner locations.

Regardless of your pass duration, you can access several sites:

• Château and Gardens of Villandry
• Azay-le-Rideau Castle
• Cloître de la Psalette
• Tours Castle
• The Hôtel Goüin
• Olivier Debré Contemporary Creation Center
• Fine Arts Museum
• Compagnonnage Museum
• Natural History Museum
• Saint-Cosme Priory
• Tours Guided Tour by Mini Train
• A guided tour and wine tasting at the Cave de Vouvray
• A self-guided tour and wine tasting at Maison Lacheteau - Grandes Caves St Roch
• Day bike rental (48h and 72h Pass)

Each site can only be visited once during the pass duration. You also benefit from a guided tour of Tours (reservation required).

This list may change during the year. Partners may vary between the pass purchase and first visit.

By presenting your pass, enjoy discounts and exclusive benefits with our leisure, shops, and restaurant partners. Example: 5% at Vinothèque de Tours, 10% on canoe rentals...

Some activities require prior reservation with the partner. Discover all benefits here.

Most partner sites are within walking distance. You also enjoy special rates for the Fil Bleu bus + tram network available at the Tours Tourist Office.

• On-site 

All year round, buy your digital or card pass at the Tours Tourist Office or from our reseller partners.

• Online

Directly on the website under "Buy the pass". You will receive your pass by email (no postal shipping). Contact us if any issue occurs.

• Included sites 

No reservation is needed to visit a site. However, check opening hours in advance. The pass is not a skip-the-line ticket and does not include temporary exhibitions, guided tours, or special events unless stated otherwise. The pass must be presented at the ticket office.

• Partners offering a discount or benefit

To enjoy discounts, some activities require prior reservation with the partner (city guided tours, escape games...). See here for the list of partners.

You can contact us using the contact form.

Every year, some of the largest castles in the Loire - Amboise, Azay-le-Rideau, Chenonceau, Chinon, Loches, Villandry and Langeais - celebrate the end of the year.

Four types of Pass are offered at advantageous rates and allow you to take advantage of offers from partners (local shops, leisure activities...).

The Passes are valid for the duration of the event "Christmas in the country of castles".

Depending on the Pass chosen, visit 3, 4, 5, or 6 castles (limited to one visit per site). Present your Pass at the entrance to visit the castles and/or enjoy partner benefits.

Yes, your Pass is valid for the entire duration of the event (except in case of site closure).

You can visit each site once.

You have until the end of the event to visit the number of castles specified in the Pass you selected.

No, your Pass is nominative and cannot be shared. Sites may request photo ID of the pass holder. The name must match the one used at the time of purchase.

If a technical issue prevents Pass validation at a partner site, access cannot be denied if the Pass is valid. For physical card issues, present it promptly at the Tours Tourist Office or reseller for exchange. All rights from the previous card are transferred to the new card.

Access to the night of all castlesis free without charge and without reservation.

Child rates at sites (depending on age) may be better than the Christmas Pass.

We advise you to check with the sites to find out their rates in order to consider the best option.

This Pass is only valid for the indicated dates and cannot be transferred to another period.

Buy your Pass on our online store and receive it directly by email. Also available at all Touraine Tourist Offices as a physical or digital card and from our reseller partners. No postal delivery or Click & Collect. The digital version allows you to obtain the Pass without traveling.

The Pass activates automatically at first use, no prior online activation is needed.

We recommend reserving your bike 48h in advance with the desired agency to ensure availability.

Several points for the withdrawal and restitution of bicycles are available in strategic places along the route from La Loire à Vélo. These points allow you to rent a bike in one city and return it to another, thus making your journey flexible. Example: you can rent a bike in Tours and return it to Orleans.
You will find a complete list of addresses and opening times on the website.
Roue Lib':
55 Rue Bernard Palissy, 37000 Tours
7 Allée du Sergeant Turpin, 37400 Amboise
Détours de Loire :
37 Charles Gille Street, 37000 Tours
39 Avenue du Dr Jean Laigret, 41000 Blois
58 Rue de la Charpenterie, 45000 Orléans

Beware the bike must be deposited in the same sign as its removal. Example: if I take my bike at "Détours de Loire" in Tours, I have to drop it off at "Détours de Loire" in Tours, Blois or Orléans.

Bikes must be picked up and/or returned during the partner agencies' opening hours.

Bike pick-up or drop-off must be done at a partner agency, either Détours de Loire or Roue Lib.

Bike rental is included, but using your own bike is also possible.

Bike rental includes: a standard bike (electric bikes available for extra charge if in stock), helmet, and route coverage from one agency to another.

The Pass does not include bike assistance or insurance against damage/theft. We recommend arranging this with the rental agency or your own solution.

We suggest using your Pass on the Loire à Vélo route between Tours and Orléans to fully enjoy its advantages. Other routes are possible.

For visiting sites included:
It is not necessary to book to visit a site. However, it is recommended that the opening days and hours be checked in advance.
Please note that the Pass does not constitute a skip-the-line ticket and does not include access to temporary exhibitions, guided tours or specific activities, unless otherwise stated. It must be presented at the ticket office of the sites.

For offers that offer a discount or benefit:
To benefit from a discount, some activities require a prior reservation directly from the partner (e.g. guided tour of the city, escape game, etc.).

Discounts and benefits are valid throughout the period of validity of the Pass. Offers in restaurants (breakfast, snack) are limited: 1 time for the Pass 24 hours, 2 times for the Pass 48 hours, 3 times for the Pass 72 hours. See the list of partners online.

The Pass is valid from 14 April until 30 September 2026 inclusive. Certain seasonal activities may be restricted. Check the opening times and periods in advance.

It is not possible to extend your Loire à Vélo Pass. Once chosen, duration cannot be extended.

The app allows you to view partners on a map and link with Google Maps to create your routes.

To safely park your bike along the route "La Loire à Vélo", several solutions are available:

- Some professionals labeled "Bicycle Home": these establishments (tourism offices, tourist sites, accommodation, etc.) have adapted bicycle parking, often located closer to the entrances than car parking, which facilitates access to cyclists.7

- Other parking points: find all the dedicated services on the website of "La Loire à Vélo" along the route and on Metropole Tours.

Luggage and bike storage services: for greater peace of mind during your walking visits, some conciergeries, free or paid, offer to safely store your bike and luggage. For example, Détours de Loire provides a storage service in its agencies, with a rate of €5 per luggage per day and €8 per bike per day. More information on their website: Détours de Loire.
Find all dedicated services on the Loire à Vélo website.

If the Customer does not receive an email following the purchase of a digital Pass, regardless of the point of sale, they can contact the place of purchase.
In case of a technical malfunction of the Pass preventing its validation at a partner site, the Customer cannot be denied access to that site, provided that their Pass is valid at the time of the visit.

The Loire à Vélo Pass is neither exchangeable nor refundable. This information can be found in the Pass’s Terms and Conditions of Sale and Use.

The Pass remains valid regardless of weather conditions or unforeseen events. No refund is provided in case of bad weather or cancellation on your part.

Each attraction and bike rental provider already offers different discounted rates depending on the child’s age. Depending on these discounts, the Loire à Vélo Pass may be less advantageous for children.

I can use my bike for the entire validity period of my Loire à Vélo Pass. The bike rental ends when the Loire à Vélo Pass expires.