GR®3 The great Loire châteaux walk!

Fancy an adventure on France’s first signposted long-distance hiking trail? Launched in 1947, at the same time as the creation of the French Hiking Federation, the GR®3 follows the course of the Loire for almost 1,250 kilometres, from its source at Mont Gerbier-de-Jonc to its mouth at Saint-Nazaire.

Discover the GR®3 : An itinerary between castles and nature

Hike along this benchmark itinerary, which takes you to the foot of the châteaux of Amboise and the Clos Lucé, Villandry, Azay-le-Rideau, and the royal fortress of Chinon! The route is marked by the omnipresence of the Loire castles, emblems of the Loire Valley’s Unesco World Heritage classification as a cultural landscape.

The GR®3 also crosses Tours, as well as the state forest and vineyards of Chinon within the Loire-Anjou-Touraine regional nature park. As with La Loire à Vélo, the walking route benefits from a very mild relief.

©Randonnée dans la forêt domaniale de Chinon.|ADT Touraine / Jean-Christophe Coutand

The beautiful countryside is yours! And all the lovely surprises to discover...

As well as visiting the châteaux, the GR®3 is also very appreciated by nature lovers. Watch the many birds that have taken up residence on the banks of the royal river, for example, by boarding a traditional boat at Amboise, Rochecorbon or Tours. The captain will be sure to draw your attention to all the wildlife to be discovered.

Idemo to Chinon, but on the Vienne this time: in fact, the GR®3 deviates from the Loire from Tours to Candes-Saint-Martin, and heads off to meet its tributaries the Cher, Indre and therefore… the Vienne.

GR® is a trademark registered by the FFRandonnée, it designates the routes created by the FFRandonnée and identified under the name “GR®”, marked with white-red markings. Reproduction of the routes and the trademark is subject to the express authorisation of the FFRandonnée. Autorisation 2024-2025

From one garden to another, along the GR®3.

Beyond Touraine, this great route also crosses the neighbouring departments of Anjou and Loir-et-Cher. For example, the video below highlights the section of the GR between the gardens of Chaumont-sur-Loire and the gardens of the Château de Villandry. On the way, also admire the gardens of the King of Château Gaillard, and the parkland of Château de la Bourdaisière. Naturally, you can opt for other routes (between Blois and Tours, between Tours and Saumur, between Amboise and Chinon…) depending on your desires, the length of your holiday, or the rail links.

A well-known agency for enthusiasts of itinerant hiking and cycling, in France and elsewhere, La Balaguère offers an organised “Loire châteaux” break with 6 days’ walking between Amboise and Azay-le-Rideau, using certain sections of the GR®3. The same goes for Décathlon Travel.

Mon GR préféré - Saison 1 - GR®3 : Châteaux et Bords de Loire

Preparing for the GR®3

Get the topo-guide du GR®3 from the IGN (Institut national de l’information géographique et forestière) online shop and discover all the details of this exceptional route. For practical advice and further information, also visit the official website of the Fédération française de randonnée.

Map of your Overnight stops on the GR®3

Camping municipal de l'île d'or

Accommodation along the GR®3 For a restful break!

There is plenty of accommodation (campsites, hotels, B&Bs, etc.) along the way. So it’s easy to organise your own journey. The list of all the accommodation in Touraine will help you plan your stopovers. Below are a few suggestions for stopping off in our department:

1/ From Amboise (railway station) to Montlouis-sur-Loire (17 km; 4h30). Overnight: Montlouis-sur-Loire campsite or Le Clos du Roc bed and breakfast. On the way: Aquarium de Touraine, Montlouis vineyards, Maison Laudacius.

2/ From Montlouis-sur-Loire to Tours (14.5 km; approx. 4h). Overnight: Onlycamp Tours Val de Loire campsite, The People hotel/inn or Hôtel Ferdinand. On the way: stroll along the Loire with La Rabouilleuse, the Manoir des Basses Rivières garden, the Lulu Parc guinguette, Marmoutier Abbey, the historic city centre of Tours.

3/ From Tours (train station) to Savonnières (16 km; 4h30) or Villandry (19.5 km; 5h30). Overnight stay: Onlycamp La Confluence campsite, La Closerie du Chateauvert bed and breakfast, or Hôtel du Haut des Lys. On the way: the Parc de la Gloriette, the banks of the Cher, the boatmen of the Cher.

4/ From Villandry to Azay-le-Rideau (13.5 km; 3h15). Overnight: Onlycamp Le Sabot campsite, Le Grand Monarque hotel, A l’ombre d’Azay bed and breakfast. On the way: the gardens of Villandry, the château of Azay-le-Rideau.

5/ From Azay-le-Rideau to Saint-Benoit-la-Forêt (16 km; 4h30). Overnight: Bulle de Campagne guest house (or Au Sans Souci hotel / 20 km; 5h30). On the way: the national forest of Chinon.

6/ From Saint-Benoit-la-Forêt to Chinon (railway station / 12 km; 3h). Overnight: L’ile Auger campsite, Le Lion d’Or hotel, Aux Quatre Chemins bed and breakfast. On the way: Sainte-Radegonde troglodyte chapel, the royal fortress of Chinon.

Little hikes too!

As well as the long-distance hiking routes such as the GR®3 or Saint-Jacques de Compostelle, you can also quench your thirst for nature on the numerous little hiking trails that dot Touraine!

Live the experience

Ma Rando® The app you need!

Official application of the Fédération Française de la Randonnée Pédestre (French hiking federation)

Ma Rando® gives you access to thousands of interesting routes throughout France, with guidance tools, track recording, GPX downloads, dedicated PDF files, etc.