Bike Tour Reviews  Bruges To Paris By Bike And Boat (and Reverse)


Bruges to Paris by Bike and Boat (and reverse)

COUNTRY: Belgium, France

7 nights
4/5 (12)
Rider Level: Recreational Electric bike tours Bike and boat tours
Rider Level: Recreational Electric bike tours Bike and boat tours

4/5 (12)
7 nights

Guided from EUR € 1190

Guided:
May 11, 18, 25; Jun 1, 8 ,15; Jul 6, 13; Aug 17, 24, 31; Sep 7, 14, 21, 28; Oct 5, 2024.

Description:
Along this route, you can choose programs of 7 or 14 nights. The full 14 night program will take you from Bruges to Paris, or from Paris to Bruges. If there is enough interest, excursions to memorials and interesting sites of the Great War may be…

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  • Bruges to Paris
    (2/5) Margaret Farran 5 months ago

    Not Really What We Expected

    We are seasoned bicyclists and have taken many bike tours. This tour was disappointing on a few fronts. The course of the tour had to change due to construction on the canal. This would have been fine except the guide, Harm, frequently did not seem to know where he was going. There were a couple of visits to places of interest (mining museum and a short stop at a WWI cemetery) but most times it felt like we were putting in time so as to not arrive hours before the boat arrived at its destination for the night. Our guide never led strolls around a town or provided much history. One evening when I asked if he could show us a pub to have a drink before dinner he said it was not his responsibility. We asked if we could bike on our own (as we have done on many other boat/bike tours in Europe) and were turned down. I pressed on quoting the description for the tour which read: "provide us with maps and all the information you'll need" to do a different distance. At that point Harm back tracked and said he'd provide this info. He never did. I've been biking for over 20 years on tours around the world and I have never had a guide so unhelpful and disengaged.
    The food was adequate. Nice dinners but breakfast and lunch were lacking. We needed more sustenance for biking in October. Most tours provide a snack after a day of biking but we could not rely on one each day on this tour. The group bought our own snacks when we could but it was all rather odd. As if this tour had never hosted bikers before.
    There was no wi-fi although the description said there would be. We at least had a data package, other people did not. What really gave us all pause was the captain's comments (1) it was too difficult to install wi-fi (I've never found that to be true on a boat) and (2) we really did not need it as we should not be on our phones during a tour. Rather presumptuous I thought. Don't advertise you have wi-fi when you don't.
    We had some rain which was to be expected in October. One day it was just too wet to bike. We all stayed on the boat - no wi-fi, cabins too small to lounge in them, and while there was a large library of DVDs the captain announced the monitor did not work, therefore no video watching.
    It felt like the boat was tired and the tour and crew either winding down for the season or going out of business.

    What was the date of your tour?
    October 2023
    How many tours have you completed?
    20+
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    Somewhat easier
    Do you recommend this tour?
    No
    • 2/5 Value
    • 2/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 3/5 Hotels or boat
    • 3/5 Scenery
    • 1/5 Route selection
    • 1/5 Guides (if applicable)
  • (2/5) bonnie100 October 9, 2018

    So So Vacation

    Good bike trip if you like a slow pace. Lots of time wasted at not very interesting sites. Had to "kill" time in order not to get to the barges anchoring site before the barge got there which was usually between 4-6 PM. The barge itself was fair. But some of the scenery in Belgium and France was beautiful making the trip tolerable. Food was average. Bikes were very good.

    What was the date of your tour?
    Sept. 14-31
    How many tours have you completed?
    6
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    Much easier
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    Solo travelers
    Do you recommend this tour?
    No
    • 3/5 Value
    • 3/5 Included meals
    • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 1/5 Hotels or boat
    • 4/5 Scenery
    • 3/5 Ease of navigation
    • 3/5 Tour documents
    • 3/5 Local tour company services
    • 2/5 Route selection
    • 3/5 Guides (if applicable)
  • (3/5) JEC65 June 25, 2018

    A different biking experience

    Thirteen days of easy to moderate biking. The crew were friendly and helpful. The food was excellent! Lots of extra sightseeing excursions to choose from. Very old boat with very small cabins was the only drawback but price was reasonable.Generally the routes were on quiet roads on all types of surfaces.

    What was the date of your tour?
    June 9-23
    How many tours have you completed?
    7
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    Much easier
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
    Do you recommend this tour?
    No
    • 4/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 1/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 3/5 Ease of navigation
    • 3/5 Tour documents
    • 4/5 Local tour company services
    • 3/5 Route selection
    • 2/5 Guides (if applicable)
  • (3/5) Joey September 29, 2018

    What was the date of your tour?
    Late September
    How many tours have you completed?
    7
    Do you recommend this tour?
    No
    • 3/5 Value
    • 3/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 2/5 Hotels or boat
    • 3/5 Scenery
    • 4/5 Ease of navigation
    • 3/5 Local tour company services
    • 3/5 Route selection
    • 3/5 Guides (if applicable)
  • (4/5) Whydoyouneedthis June 13, 2019

    France between Bruges and Paris is pretty flat and not to scenic. Very historic. Small towns are pretty well deserted and therefore not very interesting. The agriculture is industrialized. Canals, locks and industry of the canals was interesting. Two weeks is a long time seeing castles, churches and industrial farms.

    What was the date of your tour?
    May 2019
    How many tours have you completed?
    50+
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    Somewhat easier
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    • 3/5 Value
    • 4/5 Included meals
    • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 3/5 Hotels or boat
    • 2/5 Scenery
    • 3/5 Ease of navigation
    • 3/5 Tour documents
    • 3/5 Local tour company services
    • 3/5 Route selection
    • 4/5 Guides (if applicable)
  • (4/5) Debby October 4, 2019

    Great trip

    This was the perfect way to see the countryside, small villages and historical sites of northeastern France and northwestern Belgium. The barge was very adequate and the staff on the barge was great. The daily biking was very manageable and fun. I would definitely like to find another bike and barge tour. Two weeks seemed the perfect length.

    What was the date of your tour?
    9/14/2019--9/28/2019
    How many tours have you completed?
    4
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    Somewhat easier
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    Solo travelers, Families with teens
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    • 5/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 3/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 4/5 Ease of navigation
    • 4/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Route selection
    • 3/5 Guides (if applicable)
  • (5/5) David Baker 6 months ago

    Great experience for first time bike tourists

    The tour met and exceeded our expectations for a first time bike tourists. The barge captain had to make a detour due to construction which required changes in the itinerary but the crew and guide took it in stride and still gave a great experience.

    What was the date of your tour?
    September 2023
    How many tours have you completed?
    One
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    As expected
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    First-time bike tourists
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    • 5/5 Value
    • 4/5 Included meals
    • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 5/5 Ease of navigation
    • 5/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 4/5 Route selection
    • 5/5 Guides (if applicable)
  • (5/5) David Baker 6 months ago

    First time bike-barge touring

    This was our first time doing a bike-barge tour. We chose this tour based on positive recommendations from friends who had been on it before. Their recommendations and suggestions were spot on so when we took the tour we were well prepared. The crew of the barge were very pleasant and accommodating. If you're expecting five star cruise accommodations you'll be disappointed, but the dinners were outstanding and the cabins fulfilled our needs. There was maintenance on our original route so the captain had to take another route which meant all our rides had to be redone by the ride leader. We still had interesting and enjoyable rides. It's important to be a flexible traveler in order to truly enjoy this type of tour. We stayed in Bruge two days before the trip and we stayed two more days in Belgium after the tour and would recommend anyone taking this trip to do likewise.

    What was the date of your tour?
    September 2023
    How many tours have you completed?
    1
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    As expected
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    • American military cemetery in France (photo by David Baker)
    • Typical group riding day (photo by David Baker)
    • 5/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 5/5 Ease of navigation
    • 5/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
    • 5/5 Guides (if applicable)
  • (5/5) David Reynolds November 9, 2022

    Wonderful Bike and Barge Trip from Perrone to Bruges

    This was our first bike and barge trip. A couple of our good friends were also on the trip. We were so fortunate that there were only seven guests on the barge and four crew members! The barge could accommidate 14 guests. All seven of us became good friends and enjoyed all parts of the trip together.
    The crew was fantastic! Our guide, Sietse, made sure that we had a safe and memorable biking trip. He is very knowledgable about the route and the history of the region. Our chef cook, Hilde, is a gourmet cook and made every meal special. Henk, the mate is a jack of all trades helping navigate, take care of the barge and help Hilde in the kitchen. Marius, the captain, is a very knowledgable navigator and made sure that all aspects of the trip were comfortable.
    Our cabin was small but comfortable and very clean. Each cabin has its own bathroom with a walk in shower.
    The bikes were well maintained and if there was a problem, Sietse took care of it.
    We did have rain off and on for a couple of days so make sure to take rain gear. The biking was not difficult but e-bikes are available.
    We'd highly recommend this trip.

    What was the date of your tour?
    September 2022
    How many tours have you completed?
    This was our first bike and barge trip.
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    As expected
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers, Families with teens
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    • 5/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 5/5 Ease of navigation
    • 5/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
    • 5/5 Guides (if applicable)
  • (5/5) David Reynolds September 14, 2022

    Met our expectations!

    This was our first bike and Barge trip. We enjoyed all aspects of the journey from Perrone to Bruges except for the rain the last day of biking. The crew was excellent!e was an excellent cook and provided a variety of excellent meals. The captain Marius took good care of us as did Henk the first mate. Our guide Sietse was excellent. He enjoys history and was able to tell us many things about the history of the countries we traveled through.
    The Feniks can accommodate 14 guests but during this trip there were only seven guests. This allowed us to make good friends and be able to stay together while we were biking. It would have been crowded if there had been 14 guests on board.

    What was the date of your tour?
    September 2022
    How many tours have you completed?
    This was our first bike and barge trip.
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    As expected
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    • 5/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 5/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Guides (if applicable)
  • (5/5) Jane3538 August 6, 2016

    Great way to see a country

    The crew was amazing,catering to every need. The food was 5 star and the Barge has a homey comfortable feel. The guide took us expertly on tours thru back roads which took us to places that rival Versailles and Notre Dame.
    We were not seasoned bikers and found we were doing more than the advertised average miles per day but the terrain is mostly flat. The itinerary on the website was quite different from what we actually did. I would suggest contacting the Feniks directly for the actual itinerary prior to signing on. This trip would be recommended to others.

    What was the date of your tour?
    May 2016
    How many tours have you completed?
    This was our first.
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    Somewhat harder
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    Solo travelers
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    • 5/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 5/5 Ease of navigation
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
    • 5/5 Guides (if applicable)
  • (5/5) Oddly July 10, 2016

    History, Art and Backroads

    Wonderful, dedicated owners and crew, food was amazing and our guide adjusted our tour to the group members interests and cycling abilities. The small group (max 12) made for a supportive, friendly group and allowed for stops in small cafes and sites. I loved historic Bruges, Oedenaarde, Compiegne, the villages, old churches filled with art, wine, Trappist beers, cheese shops, pattiseries, back roads and bike paths, and visiting a cobblestone hill section of the Paris-Roubiex. Great way to see Europe!

    What was the date of your tour?
    May 2016
    How many tours have you completed?
    3
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    As expected
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    • Photo 1 (photo by Oddly)
    • Mail carrier, typical street in Bruges (photo by Oddly)
    • Mooring spot (photo by Oddly)
    • 4/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 5/5 Ease of navigation
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
    • 5/5 Guides (if applicable)