Saumur Sidecar Tour: Loire Villages & Wine Tasting

Four villages and a vineyard from the sidecar of a motorcycle.

A private half-day sidecar tour from Saumur takes you through medieval villages and troglodyte landscapes of the Loire Valley, stopping at Clos Entre les Murs (the world's only vineyard of its kind) for a tasting at Château Parnay. You ride in a comfortable sidecar with a pilot-guide who speaks English or French. The tour covers around four hours with roughly 1.5 hours of travel time between stops. Up to two passengers can book per sidecar, and the experience suits all fitness levels.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Loire Valley villages and vineyard

• See Saumur medieval town and castle
• Visit Clos Entre les Murs vineyard and tasting
• Discover Candes-Saint-Martin village and viewpoint
• Explore old town of Chinon and Royal Fortress
• Visit Loire river quay town
• See Montsoreau village and castle

The experience

You start in Saumur, the pearl of Anjou, where the medieval castle overlooks the Loire Valley from its turrets. From there, the sidecar carries you through landscapes carved by history: past troglodyte dwellings unique to France, vineyards tucked into the valley, and the riverbanks that shaped the region's past. The ride itself is the point: comfortable and stable, the sidecar lets you take in the scenery without the effort of driving or the distance of a bus window.

The tour stops at Clos Entre les Murs, a vineyard unlike any other in the world, where you taste wines at Château Parnay. From there you move through four villages, each with its own claim: Candes-Saint-Martin, ranked among France's most beautiful, sits at the confluence of two rivers and holds the church where Saint Martin died in 397. Chinon spreads across the Vienne valley below a 10th-century royal fortress where Henry II and Richard the Lionheart once held court. Montsoreau, the only Loire castle built directly in the river's bed, anchors the Regional Natural Park. Turquant rounds out the route as a former river port with its quays still intact.

Your pilot-guide handles the navigation and the commentary, speaking English or French throughout. Helmets and gloves are provided and required. The tour works for families: infants can ride on an adult's lap, and the sidecar's stability suits all ages and fitness levels. If you're checking out of Saumur with a free afternoon and want to see the valley without renting a car or joining a group bus, this is the way to move through it.

What’s included

• Private transportation in a sidecar with helmet and gloves.
• pilot-guide in English or French.
• visit to Clos Entre les Murs vineyard.
• wine tasting at Château Parnay.
• stops in Chinon, Montsoreau, Candes-Saint-Martin and Turquant.

Options for this experience

2 options

1 sidecarUp to 2 per booking · Guide in English or French · 10:00 and 14:00Sidecar

2 sidecarsUp to 4 per booking · Guide in English or French · 10:00 and 14:00Sidecar

You pick the guide language when booking.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 10:00 and 14:00

Book up to1d before

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and French

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 14 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller-friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by RETRO TOUR CHÂTEAUX DE LA LOIRE

Is this one for you?Book one sidecar if you're traveling as a couple or with one child. Book two if your group is larger and you want each sidecar to carry up to two passengers comfortably. The fixed four-hour route covers all four villages and the vineyard in a single afternoon, so it fits a half-day window before checkout or an evening departure.

Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and French.

What exactly is Clos Entre les Murs, and why is it unique?

Clos Entre les Murs is the world's only vineyard of its kind, and you visit it as part of the tour with a tasting at Château Parnay included in the price.

How much time do I spend actually riding in the sidecar versus stopping at villages?

Transport between the attractions takes around 1.5 hours total across the four-hour tour, so you spend the rest of the time at Saumur, the vineyard tasting, and the four villages themselves.

Can I bring my young children, and will they be comfortable in a sidecar?

Yes. Infants can sit on an adult's lap, and the sidecar is stable and comfortable for all ages and fitness levels, making it suitable for families.

What's the difference between booking one sidecar and two sidecars?

One sidecar holds up to two passengers. If your group is larger or you prefer more space, you can book a second sidecar with its own pilot-guide.