France Bike Tour Reviews (page 4)
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★★★★★ Ellen Hatfield October 10, 2022Great trip!
· Loire Valley Châteaux & Gardens Tour
This trip was a great way to explore the Chateaus of the Loire Valley. The trip was over nice roads and was very scenic. We were a returning group with experienced riders, so we had a lot of fun and traveled at a good pace. Our guide, Sam Taylor, really made the trip. He was fun, engaged with us, knew his stuff and can change a tire at a remarkable pace. He is a fantastic guide.
The only thing I would recommend is having the chateau tours included in the tour price. It was a real hassle having to get tickets for a large group at the site. I guess I thought the tickets were included in the tour. We had someone from our group pay for the tickets, but then we had to do a money exchange everyday which was a pain.
I also thought some wine was included but we could get more if we wanted. We paid for- What was the date of your tour?
- Sept 2022
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- France
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★★★★★ Tonja clark October 10, 2022Best trip ever!
· Three Lakes Tour: From Geneva to Annecy
This was a perfect trip! The scenery was amazing, the weather perfect, and the length of the daily rides was very doable.
The entire trip was made easier because of how well it was organized.
I love the self guided, without the hassle of moving our bags from place to place. Annecy is a wonderful city, so I recommend spending extra time there. We returned to Geneva by bus which went very smoothly.
I recommend doing the A+ hotels, you won't want to miss the Chateau; it was a treat. It's beautiful, the staff was incredibly friendly and the food was delicious.- What was the date of your tour?
- October 2022
- How many tours have you completed?
- One
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- France, Switzerland
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★★★★★ Amy Lynch October 9, 2022
It was a beautiful trip! Well organized and easy to follow!
· Three Lakes Tour: From Geneva to Annecy
It was an amazing vacation. The route was charming, beautiful and somehow more spectacular every day. We had great weather which made for great photos! It was a special way to explore France and love it even more.
- What was the date of your tour?
- October 2023
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- France, Switzerland
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★★★★★ Amy Lynch October 9, 2022
It was a beautiful trip! Well organized and easy to follow!
· Three Lakes Tour: From Geneva to Annecy
It was an amazing vacation. The route was charming, beautiful and somehow more spectacular every day. We had great weather which made for great photos! It was a special way to explore France and love it even more.
- What was the date of your tour?
- October 2023
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- France, Switzerland
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★★★★★ Murray Goring October 8, 2022Tours to Anger 4 day bike ride
· Loire a Velo: Orleans to the Atlantic
We went with our son and his wife. It was their first longer bike ride. They loved it. We did too but felt our previous Danube trip from Passau to Vienna was better. The hotels and food was good but the bike route was boring at times.
We missed not having a spa hotel included.- How many tours have you completed?
- 8
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- No
- Countries included in this tour?
- France
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★★★★★ Kathleen Cook October 5, 2022
Fantastic Trip
· Loire Valley Châteaux & Gardens Tour
This trip was even better than expected. The riding was enjoyable. The routes were mostly flat and lightly traveled roads or bike paths. Our guide, Sam, was very knowledgeable and personable. Hotels and meals were great too. We upgraded two hotels. A+
- What was the date of your tour?
- September-October 2022
- How many tours have you completed?
- 5
- 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
- Countries included in this tour?
- France
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★★★★★ John DesRosier September 28, 2022First bike trip was a great success
· · Provence by Bike and Boat
We had never been on a bike tour before and absolutely loved the Provence tour. The ebikes made a big difference in making the trip so enjoyable. The food on the boat was excellent night after night and the staff friendly and helpful. Special thanks to Claudia, our tour guide, for making the week wonderful.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September, 2022
- How many tours have you completed?
- 0
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- France
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★★★★★ Jan Ludwinski September 28, 2022
Nice and easy
· Loire a Velo: Orleans to the Atlantic
We did the 13 day tour. Food and accommodations were excellent. The bikes were rugged and reliable and we never ran out of charge. My one strong recommendation would be that the bikes be equipped with front shock absorbers, which would make the rougher roads more pleasant and easier on the wrists. The ride was almost exclusively in rural areas although there were a few places near the larger cities of Tours, Angers, and Nantes that would make some novice urban riders uncomfortable, but they were quickly forgotten.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2022
- How many tours have you completed?
- None previously
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Much easier
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- France
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★★★★★ Tony VanGarderen September 23, 2022
Beautiful area of France!
· Burgundy Wine Trails: Beaune to Macon on the “Voie Verte”
A great way to experience the beauty of Burgundy. Loved cycling through the vineyards as well as along the Voire Verte. The hotels had a lot of character. The bikes were great, one ebike and one regular.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2022
- How many tours have you completed?
- 3
- 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
- Countries included in this tour?
- France
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★★★★★ James Hutcherson September 21, 2022
Could have been better
· Loire a Velo: Orleans to the Atlantic
This tour was our 12th bicycle tour, but the first in France. Distances were good, weather cooperated, Hotels were excellent. Route was very well sign posted. We found the route much more difficult than we expected. Many hills. The previous reviews and description did not even mention that aspect. These would have not caused much of a problem if we had opted for ebikes, and the vast majority of riders that we encountered did have ebikes. I would disagree that this tour would be labeled as family friendly, unless the family has no kids. One difficulty we had was that there were no intermediate stops for coffee, snacks, lunch, water, etc. I would recommend packing those items from the departure town each day. While the route does generally follow the river, most of the route is not next to the river and it is not visable most of the time. I hope this review does not deter anyone from this tour, since the castles, hotels, food should be enjoyed. Just a little heads-up advice.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2022
- How many tours have you completed?
- 12
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Much harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- France
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★★★★★ William Sholten September 20, 2022Our Alsatian Bike Trip
· Strasbourg to Mainz: Imperial Cities and Charming Landscapes Along the Rhine
We have enjoyed 2 other bike trips in the past. This route was not easy to follow without GPS. We used a Garmin GPS to help confirm our path along the way (and highly recommend this). There are many intersecting bike paths around towns, so we had to stop often to determine which route/path to take. There were several detours due to construction (not indicated on our route plans) which made travel both longer and more challenging to navigate.
We cycled on gravel roads in addition to the bike paths, making the ride somewhat longer than anticipated.Hotels were comfortable, but not all hotels in Category A had air conditioning. Hotel staff and breakfasts were first rate!
Rental bike performed well but were heavier than expected.
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★★★★★ Diana Helmbrecht September 19, 2022Beautiful tour through vineyards.
· Provence’s History, Landscapes, and Luberon National Park
This was a very beautiful and fun tour. Our guides Sam and Tim were excellent - knowledgeable and pleasant to be with. Riding paths through the vineyards were absolutely gorgeous, and wine tasting a definite plus :). Every day ended with a gourmet dinner, wine and good company.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2022
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- France
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★★★★★ Mary Partheymuller September 19, 2022
Wonderful way to bike through this Lake country of France from Geneva.
· Three Lakes Tour: From Geneva to Annecy
Loved the choices of sport versus moderate rides on several days, which satisfied all participants. As a single participant, the last hotel was disappointing, but satisfactory . Most accommodations were quite nice.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2022
- How many tours have you completed?
- 3
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- France, Switzerland
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★★★★★ Christopher Blair September 17, 2022
Strasbourg - Mainz
· Strasbourg to Mainz: Imperial Cities and Charming Landscapes Along the Rhine
It was okay.
First day, bags were not picked up. Had to call. Delivered after dinner time. Expected some explanation or perhaps an apology. Nothing. -
★★★★★ David Reynolds September 14, 2022Met our expectations!
· · Bruges to Paris by Bike and Boat (and reverse)
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. -
★★★★★ Richard Butler September 5, 2022
Great trip
· · Provence by Bike and Boat
Our August trip onboard the Caprice was fantastic. Good weather, a little windy at times, but not many hills. No equipment problems and the boat operated without a flaw (no AC problems, thank God). Guides Helmut and Alex were excellent, as was the assistance of the captain, Filippo. But if you want the best, highest quality cuisine aboard any bike/barge trip...just look to see if Chef Sara is listed. She was exceptional at combining the wines and flavors of Provence with her meals.
- What was the date of your tour?
- August 2022
- How many tours have you completed?
- 3
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- France
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★★★★★ Shirley Burche August 29, 2022
More than I expected
· · Provence by Bike and Boat
This was a great way to experience the Provence area of France. Our tour guide, Helmut, was pretty good about instructing us especially in the areas where we needed to merge into traffic for the traffic circles.
The crew on the barge, Filippo and Sara, were fantastic and took very good care of us. Especially enjoyed the gourmet dinners that Sara prepared.
I will never forget this trip especially my time on the Bike and Barge portion of it.
- What was the date of your tour?
- August 2022
- How many tours have you completed?
- This was my first one
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- France
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★★★★★ Rob Gage August 4, 2022
Great, but different from expectations
· Strasbourg to Mainz: Imperial Cities and Charming Landscapes Along the Rhine
The mapping software was essential in staying on the recommended path, as sign posting wasn't always clear. The whole trip was more variable than we had expected, both from road quality and scenery.
One suggestion is that the instructions on picking up the bikes could have been sent out ahead of time and made clearer. -
★★★★★ Arik August 4, 2022
Nice ride. Two complaints.
· Three Lakes Tour: From Geneva to Annecy
1) The phone app didn't work at all (for three of us who tried). And the GPS they gave us as a backup is a decade outdated. Thank goodness for Google Maps, though that didn't always yield the most scenic routes.
2) Too much time spent on bike routes that were really highway shoulders, with a bicycle silhouette stenciled on the asphalt.Great hotels, fantastic food, (and priceless company we provided ourselves).
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2
- Countries included in this tour?
- France, Switzerland
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BikeTours.com staff reply from Kirsten August 4, 2022
Thank you for leaving this feedback. We are working with our local partner to improve the phone app and GPS for this tour. We are glad you still had a memorable time and hope to help you plan your next trip!
