Enjoy 'the other' tour de France...

The bird of prey had no idea we were so close on its tail - or maybe just didn't care - because we were almost as quiet.

The banks of the River Loire in central France are a paradise for nature lovers and we had found the best way to experience it - from the saddle of a bike.

Mention the French and cyclists in the same breath and it conjures up images of lycra-clad supermen tackling the Tour de France.

But our short break along the Loire Valley could not have been further away from the testosterone-fuelled race which dominates Gallic life for the month of July.

It was most definitely the place to get away from the stress of everyday life as we pedalled along what must be one of the most beautiful and gentle cycle routes in Europe.

La Loire Vlo, as the French say, is part of a €52 million scheme to develop and signpost a cycle-friendly trail which follows the meandering route one of France's great rivers, from Orleans to Nantes, covering 800km.

Not many will complete the route but doing your own 'stage' of the La Loire Vlo will make a great holiday to suit your own timescale - and pedalling limits.

The trail is already popular with continental cyclists and several bike firms and hotels have joined forces with the tourist boards of the Loire departments to set up a network which provides bikes, transport for your luggage, a range of hotel stopovers and information about the best sights to pause awhile at - after all no-one wants to be in the saddle all day!

Spotting the hen harrier, a rarity in Britain, was the highlight of our first ride from St Hilaire, just outside Orleans, to the sleepy market town of Beaugency. Here the trail is through easy rural scenery which gives you the first chance to clear your lungs of the city traffic fumes.

After a meal and hotel stop to rest our legs it was on to St Dy-sur-Loire with a diversion to look round one of the biggest castles in France, the Chateau de Chambord, home of French kings before Paris became their capital.

It is an ideal detour for cyclists because the chateau, which features a most impressive double spiral staircase which defies logic, is set in one of the biggest enclosed parklands in Europe with 13,000 acres of forest criss-crossed by a network of cycle paths and picnic sites.

After that Blois is the next major town to look round, or take a river cruise on a futreau, one of the traditional Loire fishing boots now converted to catch tourists in the summer.

Further down river is the ancient city of Tours.

The impressive St Gatien cathedral towers above a maze of charming streets and squares, many lined with timber-framed buildings from the 15th century.

From Tours it is a short ride to the man-made caves which line the banks of the Loire in this area. The 1,800km of tunnels were created when the local stone, tuffeau, was dug out to build the castles and churches of the Loire and it was not long before the locals realised they would be the perfect place for storing the wine made from the vineyards above them.

A most enjoyable way to break a day's ride is to stop off at one of the many wineries which line the river bank in the appellation de la Loire. We halted at the Langlois-Chateau at St Hilaire-St Florent where the sparkling Cremant de Loire is made by the champagne method and it is so good that our MPs are among their best customers, with a large shipment sent to the House of Commons cellars each year.

With a wine tasting session to whet our appetites, the next logical stop was a meal in the curious setting of a cave restaurant. The caves which are now a 'farm' for two of French cuisine's favourite delicacies - snails and mushrooms - with both growing equally well in the same constant temperature.

Sitting down to eat at La Cave des Moines the menu inevitably offers both of the above in various dishes and who could refuse in such unusual surroundings.

The next day, our last in the saddle, we rode alongside the Maine, a tributary of the Loire, which took us to Angers. The 9km stretch from Bouchemaine to Angers was voted to best of the trip as we enjoyed sightings of a multitude of wildlife. After a look round Angers, with its impressive castle filled with medieval tapestries, it was time to hand back our two-wheeled steeds and hop on to the superb TGV train to Paris before transferring to the Eurostar and back to the UK.FACTFILE

Fares from London to Angers start at 79 return per person in standard class. For bookings visit www.raileurope.co.uk or call 08708 304 862.

Self-guided bike tours can be arranged through Detours de Loire, whose staff speak English, at www.locationdevelos.com or call 00 33 247 61 22 23.

Maison de la France tourism office in London: www.franceguide.com or 09068 244 123

Loire Valley Tourist Board: www.visaloire.com or 00 33 238 79 95 19

Western Loire Tourist Board: www.WesternLoire.com or 00 33 240 89 89 87.