The Best Day Of The Bikepacking Trip So Far - Bikepacking France

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I’m riding the Eurovelo 3 from Paris to Bordeaux, and after a couple of rough days battling the heat I’m finally looking forward to reaching the highlight of the whole trip, The Loire Valley. And to finally get some shade from the trees lining the river. The Loire By Bike trail offers some spectacular and varied stretches along the Loire river, with everything from singletrack sections to easy flat gravel sections. It also goes through some beautiful small towns as well as remarkable architectural wonders. This might be the best day of the whole trip!
Bike:
Kona Sutra
Bike Bags:
Ortlieb Handlebar Pack 15L
Ortlieb Frame Pack 6L
Ortlieb Seat Pack 16,5L
Clothes:
Adidas Adilette Flip Flops - amzn.to/40eKFyQ
Craft Core Enduro Jacket
2 Forclaz Merino Wool T-Shirt
Nike Mens Dri-FIT Short Sleeve Polo Shirt - amzn.to/3j2aq1w
Padded MTB Shorts
Columbia Silver Ridge Convertible Pants - amzn.to/3jalGfE
2 Pair of Socks amzn.to/40dU4H6
Merino Underwear - amzn.to/3XRU9hZ
Merino Wool Buff - amzn.to/409sYkd
Giro Fixture Mips Helmet - amzn.to/3XKHsoZ
Science In Sport Water Bottle - amzn.to/3WLLsV9
Northwave Cycling Shoes
Sunglasses
Cooking Gear:
Sea To Summit X Mug - amzn.to/3Hg7GJ1
Light My Fire Spork - amzn.to/3Dncn2J
Wine Bottle Opener ;-)
Tools:
Lezyne HV Bicycle Hand Pump - amzn.to/3lHxnJc
Park Tool VP-1Vulcanizing Patch Kit - amzn.to/409NhOC
Crankbrothers M19 Multi-Tool - amzn.to/3j0A86D
Squirt Long Lasting Dry Lube - amzn.to/3iWqYIf
CTC Plastic Bag + packaging
Inner Tube - amzn.to/3Dq1oFP
Bike Lock - amzn.to/3HHcWqs
Toiletries:
Toothbrush
Toothpaste
Shaving Gel
Mach 3 Razor - amzn.to/3j2bYsm
Contact Lens Case
Travel Schampoo bottle
Camping Equipment:
Naturehike Cloud Up 2 Tent - amzn.to/3aA1MTp
Sea To Summit Collapsible Backpack - amzn.to/3RvanLP
Aegismax UL Down Sleeping Bag - amzn.to/3BVCStv
Aegismax Nano 2 Ultralight Sleeping Bag - amzn.to/3RcZcqR
Sea To Summit Reactor Insulated Sleeping Bag Liner - amzn.to/409RLVs
Nemo Tensor Insulated Sleeping Pad - amzn.to/3Y98qGC
Nabaji Microfibre Towel L - amzn.to/3Y3KDbh
Electronics
Samsung S20 - amzn.to/3Y544jR
Dji Mavic Pro Drone - amzn.to/3FKsVBk
GoPro Hero7 Black - amzn.to/3JoetTC
Canon G7X Mark II - amzn.to/3XO7lnY
Zoom H1N Recorder - amzn.to/409ewZA
Rode Smartlav+ Lavalier - amzn.to/3RcZcqR
2 Anker PowerCore 20000 mAh - amzn.to/3JpPxvg
Bag Of Cables and Extra Batteries
DISCLAIMER: This description contain affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive a small commission. There is no additional charge to you! This helps support the channel and allows me to continue to make videos like this. Thank you for your support!

[@WheelsonaBike]

Such stunning views! I can see how people like cycling in Europe so much. Thank you for sharing all the tips, so very useful. Look forward to the next one.

[@BikeTouringMike]

Thank you Agnieszka. Glad you enjoyed it!

[@flamingitaur]

I really appreciate your humble approach to your videos Mike. Something about the way you present the content is relaxing, yet exciting at the same time. It's nice to be able to see your journey unfold. I look forward to more videos! Stay safe out there.

[@knutselaardre1272]

The Loire à Vélo route is fantastic. I cycled it this year in May. My next trip will bee definitly in France.

[@jorg3leon]

Thank you for sharing, Mike! I have great memories of the bike tour I did last year in France. Part of it was on the Loire a Velo, from Nantes to Orleans, which was the best part of the trip, I think. The towns, the castles and the views are just incredible. It was a wonderful experience... By the way, I know your are friends with Darren Alff, and we have not known anything about him since he stopped making content. I wonder how he is doing. Is he well?

[@harrygrimley4352]

Beautiful scenery. Thanks for sharing this with us. Glad you figured out how to beat the heat by riding early.

[@ac4486]

My girlfriend and I cycled along the Loire in 2022 during a heatwave in August. We went from Orleans to Nantes where it is possible to hire bikes at one end and drop them off at the other - i wish more cycle companies could do this arrangement. What a beautiful trip.

[@megandavid5274]

Glad you had a beautiful day! The ride looks stunning and charming. Thanks for enduring the heat to share this with us.

[@philkarn0]

Great bit of relaxing entertainment on a dark eveing in the UK for me. Great stuff, Mike, thanks again 👍🏼

[@carolinewilmer7925]

Enjoyed while cycling on my indoor bike on a rainy day in Hertfordshire 😊

[@chrislonsberry1974]

Great video Mike! I’m in my 70’s and I don’t do well in the heat so I totally get where you’re coming from with the heat! I’m enjoying seeing France!

[@rabh6746]

Such a beautiful ride Mike, France looks like a great country to cycle through👍

[@camaleaao]

Yes!! Ítalo remind me a bit my last june tour from Toulouse to beziers along the canal du midi. So nice 😊

[@lancecrawley9542]

Beautiful day!

[@BikeTouringMike]

Beautiful day, beautiful surroundings!

[@rkivlogi]

Loving the series 👍 And the views, man! So nice. Good job on filming and capturing them too 🤌

[@MichaelMatthews-gu5gz]

Have a great trip my friend, it's Michael here from Mississauga Canada 🇨🇦

[@sueg2658]

It looks like it was a beautiful ride and journey, minus the heat. I bet it would have been so nice to stop and take a dip in the public water rest area. Maybe they don’t have those in France. I have no idea. Looking forward to more videos. Be well and enjoy the journey.

[@alafenetre81]

As a French, the heat is one of the reasons I go to Sweden in the Summer :-)

[@abderrahim8953]

Is france hot in the summer?

[@alafenetre81]

@@abderrahim8953 Now yes, it can be. In the South temp can reach 40°C some days.

[@lv2keepfit493]

I just sub'd, enjoy watching your videos plus I'm considering buying the Kona Sutra SE. Looking like you've put on many miles with that bike and it's standing up like a champ! I'm deciding on a 54 or 56cm. I'm in the middle according to the charts. 5 10"

[@benbuffalobrown4594]

Been enjoying your videos You should come to US Do GDMBR or RAGBRAI or BRAN Would be cool footage

[@BikeTouringMike]

Would really love to do GSMBR, but I'm afraid the whole route would take me a lot more time than I have, being away from work and family. Ragbrai is only a week, and that is a much more ideal time window for me. I'll probably go over the pond and ride that within the next two years. Would love to pay Ryan a visit as well.

[@benbuffalobrown4594]

@@BikeTouringMike yes I know what you mean. I have always had a hard time getting off work. You could just do a section of GDMBR. I am biased but I think the Montana section is super hard but beautiful. That’s were I first ran into Ryan and John/Mira I need to learn your video skills as my utube videos of GDMBR aren’t good at all

[@benatkins2106]

Love these videos. Reminds me of my bike trip to Normandy in September. what sunglasses are you wearing? Thanks 🙏

[@stigdanielsen384]

Hi Mike, excellent movie, as usual. One question though, which app did you use to find the public (outdoor)water faucet...?

[@iainc222]

Enjoying your videos Mike, thanks for your work on them. We would also be interested to know what app you use for finding drinking water. Iain

[@ludwigfella]

Hi Mike, I am truly enjoying your videos as I also go bike touring (Seine and Loire and many tours in Germany this year). Which software or app are you using to create the dynamic maps showing your routes? Greetings from Aschaffenburg in Germany! We are directly at the Main River Bike Path, so if you plan to bike here please let me know. There is always coffee & cake for you!

[@bolleolympus]

Misunner deg! Jeg greier nesten ikke sykle på grunn av utslitte knær og hofter. 👍👍👌👌

[@guylandolt]

graet tour! but with which app do you find drinking water? thx!

[@bradlyttle]

There is a potable water app for your phone?

[@bui340]

There's some error at 6:00

[@BikeTouringMike]

Yeah, I just hit a tree branch. Thought it would be funny to leave that in.

[@bui340]

​@@BikeTouringMike okej, well something is wrong the frozen picture won't let go and after somehow passing it, it reappears again after the commercial break It's back on track again now. Really smooth editing and music. Very professional!

[@Per7nnesson]

Tips Ha ett par armvärmare som du blöter ner så ofta du ser vatten, fartvinden gör att vattnet avdunstar och under tiden har du ett par armkylare. När jag cyklade den sträckan du kör i denna episoden (jag körde andra hållet) blötte jag ner armarna flera gånger per timma, enkelt när man cyklar bredvid en flod/kanal). Gör enorm skillnad när vi nordbor cyklar i ett sydligt klimat.

[@robadr13]

So beautiful. I would have been tempted to stop in every small village for coffee/wine/baguettes, etc. I did some cycle touring in Southeast Asia some years ago, and I found one of the best strategies for heat was to place a small, thin hand towel over my head (under my helmet), letting it hang down the back of my neck. The evaporation of the sweat from the towel kept my head noticeably cooler, and the towel also shaded my head and neck more efficiently. It wasn't stylish, but it worked.🙂 I also found that a baggy, long-sleeved light cotton shirt seemed cooler to cycle in than a T-shirt. It reduced my exposure to the sun, and the slight flapping of the loose material in the wind felt more comfortable than a tighter fitting shirt.

[@DoriBoulean]

This year we did also the Loire à vélo from Nevers to Nantes. It was magnificent. I did not yet edit the videos I've shouted then. Your video hurries me to start the work because there are very nice memories.

[@RedHeadAgent]

EuroVelo3 is a dream trip for me. Thanks for bringing us along. It looked so hot because no one else was out-and-about except for you, Mike. So glad that you had a great day.

[@goldenstardust]

That small branch on the road almost took out your GoPro! Yikes! Those low riding shots look great though!👍

[@mauritzallberg7302]

Very nice mike!!! Thanks...i still wait the video you go north cape...or you stopped😂

[@Jon97.]

I'm hooked on your videos. They are very enjoyable to watch.

[@scharrmah]

Yup, I did subscribe because I saw you on Ryan Van Duzers channel Great work👍👍

[@franknobody5965]

Hi Mike, beautiful video! Hey, I have two questions: What kind of App are you using to find Drinking Water? And why are you navigating with your phone? Does the Garmin not do that?

[@chrisbailey2861]

Awesome Mike!!! Your videos have a great story, beautiful scenery....and make me smile. 😊 Thanks for bringing us along!!!!

[@OutdoorNiklas]

I love your Videos, keep it up. This tour looks Incredible.

[@mattttt3057]

Beautiful video. Do you book ahead the camping grounds or just hope for the best! Is it September?

[@helendale7668]

The part along the Briare Canal is really nice, I did it one evening in July in the other direction, getting to Montargis at about 9 pm. There was hardly a soul on it, just a few dog walkers.

[@myronas]

Great video. How do you like this bikepacking gear over the typical bike touring paniers setup?

[@liamahern8527]

Great video Mike, enjoy the hot weather 🤪. We are waiting for storm Ciaran to hit here in Southern Ireland 🇮🇪 Lots of rain due.

[@paulenright]

Wow such a beautiful trip sorry to see the heat has been an issue global warming making it unbearable for so many .... on lighter note nice to see William Nylander get the game winner ... go leafs ; look forward to seeing you having a nice glass of wine in the next one Mike👋

[@12villages]

1) how many kms do you ride in a single day? 2) how long before you stop and get down for a short break? Because of the saddle pain.

[@edinelsonramirez5656]

Why just only 1 lonely bottle for the precious water?

[@terrynelson2385]

Good Good

[@wannagobiking9071]

Good to see you got your mojo back😂 when did you cycle there? I cycled from nantes to tours early july in 35 degrees and that completely overcooked me in the end..

[@RoadyPacking-CyclingAdventures]

That canal and aqueduct section into the Loire Valley looks stunning dude ;-) A very special place

[@Scor-ah]

Mike, I found while riding through the Canadian Rockies last summer during a super hot spell (110 F) that if I soak my shirt in that luke warm water in my water bottle it keeps me cooler than if I drank it. It is amazing how much cooler you feel with the wind from cycling blowing on that wet shirt. Love your videos

[@colinwellman9480]

Nice leg of your trip Mike. When you're in France and looking for water if you see a cemetary you'll find a tap with water. If it's not drinkable it will be marked up 'Non potable'. I've never found one marked like this, most come from the mains water supply and are drinkable. Agree about the heat here, it was almost unbearable and going outside was like going into an oven. Thanks for the video

[@Nickonabike]

Another great video Mike. Cycled some of the same sections of the Loire as part of my Marseille to UK tours back in June. Seeing you riding the same trails bought back some happy memories.

[@oeftiebikepacking]

So epic! France has so many nice things to offer 🚴🚴

[@garethblake7374]

I enjoyed cycling the Loire last year. Recognised various bits.

[@simonwiltshire]

Thankyou mike for letting us share some more of your travels, heat makes everything harder work, i know i live in spain and in the summer months things get quite tough.

[@hammockdweller]

While the rain is falling outside, thanks to your video I can dream about good weather next year and I might go to France again.

[@Rlaplante73]

A wonderful day on the tour. Beautiful landscapes! Thanks for sharing and taking us along with you :)

[@danielwyvern8892]

Embrace the heat. I live in Florida. Sweat cleans the pores.

[@paulhadfield8006]

Stop complaining about the lovely hot weather it could be raining

[@PumpkinVillage]

That was a fantastic day and it did look very hot. Thanks for the video and take care, Al

[@r-xggh]

Awesome. Some sections look like Rhone-Rhine canal.

[@susanwinston4123]

What a beautiful day! Thanks for sharing it with us!

[@Draganbikepacking]

Really enjoyable to watch Thank you

[@dustysadventures]

I know the sprinklers felt good! Great trip so far

[@kizzmitten1]

That was awesome Mike, thank you!

[@Lucverleure]

Loire is indeed a highlight in France

[@Chunky246]

I thought it was me, but the video constantly hangs or buffers (no its not my internet of pc....) :) I gave up after the 100th advert from refreshing :\

[@BikeTouringMike]

The video is in 4K, might want to lower the video quality to 1080p or 720p if it's buffering. That's my tip.