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Cycling France’s Loire Valley

By WTOP Staff

KAREN SCHWARTZ
Associated Press

CHAUMONT-SUR-LOIRE, France (AP) — There are hundreds of miles of bike trails through the chateaux towns of the Loire Valley – and that’s what tripped us up.

We’d been trying to cycle the 17 miles (27 kilometers) from Chenonceaux to Chaumont, but kept getting lost. We even asked directions from a passing motorist who was certain she knew which way the bike route went, then sent us to the wrong town.

Now we were at a Y-intersection on the outskirts of Chaumont; facing two green-and-white bike path signs mounted on the same post, but pointing in opposite directions.

Perplexed, we took a guess and went right, eventually reaching our bed-and-breakfast from the back of town. Perhaps the other fork would have led to the front. Perhaps not.

Despite the misadventures, cycling in the Loire Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is thoroughly enjoyable. With 500 miles (800 kilometers) of bike routes, there are countless options depending on interest and ability.

Our five-day trip took us through farmers’ fields where we helped ourselves to fresh peas, and through shaded forests that surprised us with deer. We cycled along mostly flat pathways, paved roads, cobblestones and occasional gravel.

While the biking wasn’t nearly as challenging as the navigation, that isn’t why one cycles the Loire. It’s about the food, the wine, the scenery and the history. Indeed, the easy riding and fairytale castles make this an ideal trip to take with older children and teens.

Each town we visited – Amboise, Chenonceaux, Chaumont, Chambord and Blois – was built around an ancient chateau. Although few were ever fully inhabited and all were emptied during the French Revolution, they are architecturally interesting and historically intriguing.

Our favorite was the Chateau de Chenonceau and its beautiful gardens. It has not only been refurnished, but the wing built spanning the river Cher has been turned into a gallery that recounts the 16th century love affair between King Henri II and his much older mistress – along with the revenge his wife, Queen Catherine de Medici, eventually enjoyed.

It was also the site of our best meal, on the terrace of our hotel, La Roseraie, a simple 18th century inn that claims it has hosted Eleanor Roosevelt, Harry Truman and Winston Churchill among others.

We planned our self-guided trip with the help of Maggie LaCoste, who runs ExperienceFranceByBike.com. In Amboise, we passed two group cycling trips, one run by Backroads and the other by Butterfield & Robinson. They both offer six-day guided trips, but visit different towns.

Any feeling of superiority I had as we passed the riders in matching jerseys on those organized trips quickly vanished after a few wrong turns. Still, I liked the spontaneity of not keeping to a fixed schedule, and at one point, we hopped the train to Blois with our bikes and checked out a bustling Saturday market.

Spring and fall are the most popular cycling times as summers can be hot. Our trip in June coincided with several festivals, including a popular music event held outside the massive Chateau de Chambord, one of the biggest and most striking chateaus in France, and a garden festival on the castle grounds in Chaumont that continues until Nov. 2.

We rented our well-maintained Trek hybrids from a chain called Detours de Loire because it offered a network of drop-off options, allowing us to pick up our bikes in Amboise and leave them in Blois. There is an additional fee for this seasonal service, which varies with distance between locations.

We also hired Detours de Loire to drive our luggage from one hotel to the next for about $50 per transfer. We sometimes arrived before our bags, and on our last day, the driver forgot completely. It took several frantic phone calls to get them delivered in time to catch our train.

I later noticed ads from a similar service, Bagafrance, which appeared to charge a little less.

We encountered several cyclists who rode with panniers and carried their own gear, but I felt the baggage transfer was a worthwhile luxury. With no worries about securing personal items, it was easy to lock up the bikes and explore with only a water bottle and lunch in hand.

And, as we racked up extra miles looking for the correct path, it was nice not to have the extra weight. That said, there is one item I’ll be sure to keep close on my next Loire cycling trip: a GPS navigation system.

___

If You Go…

BIKING IN THE LOIRE: http://www.chateauxavelo.com/en or http://www.cycling-loire.com/

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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