France Bike Tour Reviews (page 5)
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★★★★★ Ginger10 July 4, 2022Perfect bike tour through stunning countryside
· Three Lakes Tour: From Geneva to Annecy
My husband and I completed this self-guided tour in June 2022. Everything about the trip was perfect. We went for the higher level accomadations and were very pleases, especially with the Chateau. Much of the trip is on bike paths which makes it more enjoyable. Luggage transferw were flawless and the e-bikes were terrific.
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 2022
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- France, Switzerland
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★★★★★ Richard 69 May 29, 2022A nice ride
· Strasbourg to Mainz: Imperial Cities and Charming Landscapes Along the Rhine
This is our eighth time cycling in Europe so we are experienced cyclers. This is the first and only time we had any problems. When we arrived in Strassbourg in the evening and checked our bikes we noticed right off that one of the bikes had a problem. We called Eurobike the next morning to resolve the issue and we were underwhelmed by their response. After several phone calls and two and a half hours taken out of the day we planned to spend sightseeing in Strassbourg I finally demanded that they bring us another bike which they reluctantly agreed to do. If we had not taken an extra day in Strassbourg there would have been no way for us to complete the first leg of our tour. So there was that.
We have always chosen the B level hotels and have always been more than satisfied. This tour the hotels were hit and miss. The Hotel Ibis in Heidelberg gave us a room that was literally the size of a closet nd it was more than a mile walk to get to the historic old town. The hotel Asgard in Worms was also a long way from the city center. I will say that all the hotels served a good breakfast.
The bikes were the typical rental bikes that we always get so they are a little heavy and slow so no surprises there. But we found the road surfaces to be very rough in many places which made for very slow travel and we found ourselves reaching our destinations much later than we planned.
We cycled through forests and lots of farmland which was fine but we really did not cycle along the Rhine as much as we would have liked. The scenery was pleasant enough but not nearly as spectacular as other tours we’ve taken.
The printed directions are always confusing and at times our route was not as well marked as we would have liked so there was a lot of stopping to check our phones. We found the app that we downloaded to be very helpful.
It’s always fun and exciting to be cycling in Europe and we did enjoy ourselves and had many fine meals along the way. Unfortunately this ride did not compare favorably with the other seven tours we’ve taken. -
★★★★★ Susan B March 22, 2022Best time ever on a bike tour
· Nature, Villages & Castles of the Loire River Valley
We had the most wonderful time on this tour. We are 73 and 75 years old, fairly frequent bike riders at home, and were completely capable of doing this easy route. Mostly flat, had to walk a couple of minor hills, very little riding in traffic. The route was beautiful (we were blessed with great weather in late September), the hotels were outstanding (I recommend taking the dinner package option with the tour; we didn't but ate at the hotels because several were in very small towns. The food was absolutely gourmet.) Our bikes were first class; the whole trip was just magic. People at Biketours.com are super easy to work with. Will definitely use them again.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2022
- How many tours have you completed?
- 4
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Much 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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★★★★★ mrank July 9, 2021Great trip - highly recommend!
· Loire a Velo: Orleans to the Atlantic
We just completed the 9 day Orleans to Angers segment of this tour and really enjoyed it. It's the first trip we have taken that we would actually take again, but next time complete the entire 13 night tour. We have taken quite a few bike tours but this one provided the best supporting materials we ever had. The turn-by-turn materials and maps were very well done and easy to follow. We never needed the GPS. Of course the trail itself is extremely well marked, which helps a lot. In addition to the great support we received from the local tour company, the Bike Tours support while setting up the tour was also very good.
The bikes were fine, a bit heavy, but comfortable. Our only issue was the tires on both bikes were under-inflated upon receipt, but we were able to resolve that without too much issue. We always carry our own tire gauge and check regularly. One bike had a mechanical issue, but the tour company was excellent at quickly resolving it.
All the hotels were great and were prepared for our arrival. They also had very good facilities for storing the bicycles. Luggage transfer went smoothly and always arrived at our hotel before we did. The only minor issue was that one hotel did not have a lift, which was surprising, but not a big deal for us. I mention it in case it might be a concern to others.
The meals, both breakfasts as well as dinners we purchased were top notch. We only had a complaint about the poor service in the Orleans restaurant. The food was good, but the entire restaurant was served by one person and it took forever to get through our meal. While the meals were all delicious, in hindsight, we may have gone without the supplemental meal package and just purchased dinners on our own. There were so many choices in almost every town that we would have enjoyed an occasional casual meal, like a delicious pizza vs the traditional French food every night. However, you can't go wrong in going with the meal package. It is definitely a French experience!
Finally, the only other suggestion I would give is to alert people in the riding materials that there is a river crossing that you have to manage on your own using a little metal raft that you have to pull to your shore, load the bikes, and then pull to the other side. Its not too difficult, but managing the loading of bikes was a little tricky. I read afterwards there are ways around this crossing but it would have been good to know about it ahead of time.
All in all, a great trip and maybe in the future we will be back to do it again.
It goes without saying that the trails, scenery and points of interest were fantastic with lots of stops along the way. Even with less than great weather, we totally enjoyed this tour.
- What was the date of your tour?
- 6/25 - 7/5, 2021
- How many tours have you completed?
- 10
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- France
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BikeTours.com staff reply from Bruce July 10, 2021
Thanks for your review and glad that you had a nice trip! Good suggestion for the riding materials. What wonderful photos!
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★★★★★ Htim November 10, 2019Beautiful and Fascinating
· South of France: UNESCO World Heritage Sites
Beautiful routes, fascinating history, quaint, picturesque towns, grand castles and walled cities. Lodging ranged from excellent to very good. Bicycles and computer were great—we opted for carbon road bikes. Only negative was that the tour was short—one day had to be cancelled because of very heavy rain, and the last day was just a loop from Carcassonne to Limoux and back.
- What was the date of your tour?
- October 2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- 8
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- No
- Countries included in this tour?
- France
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★★★★★ tricia November 4, 2019Provence bike and boat tour
· · Provence by Bike and Boat
This trip was a fabulous way to experience southern France. I loved the mix of biking, touring specific sites, and sit down dinners on the boat; I appreciated our guide's flexibility in accommodating various preferences--she was knowledgeable, attentive and fun. The entire crew was outstanding and aimed to please. The food was beyond my expectations and was plentiful and presented beautifully. There was a reasonable balance of "together" time and "alone" time with opportunity to join in group activities or wander off on your own. Very well done! As a casual biker, the e-bike made it possible for me to not only do the trip, but enjoy every minute.
- What was the date of your tour?
- October 11, 2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- 0
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- France
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★★★★★ Kathy B October 28, 2019
Something for everyone
· · Provence by Bike and Boat
Roman ruins, midieval hilltop castles and walls, vistas and views that will take your breath away. Our crew and guide were outstanding, informative and fun. The food was fabulous: local, interesting, well prepared and well presented. This could have qualified as a food tour alone!!
- What was the date of your tour?
- October 12, 2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- 1
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- France
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★★★★★ RobtheSlowSwimmer October 27, 2019
Great Trip
· · Provence by Bike and Boat
Terrific guide, terrific food, terrific tour. I loved the routes. The views were amazing. The riding was not challenging, except for the one climb which was a nice workout. I would recommend an ebike for those less than fit. The room on the barge is a bit tight, but you don't spend much time in your room. I had a great time, and will do it again.
- What was the date of your tour?
- Oct 12 - 19, 2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- one
- 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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★★★★★ Michigan group October 27, 2019
Bike trip of a life time
· · Provence by Bike and Boat
- What was the date of your tour?
- October 2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- France
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★★★★★ Shawnmarie October 26, 2019
Great way to see Provence
· · Provence by Bike and Boat
Everything about this trip was wonderful! The Captain, chef, and steward were so warm and gracious. The French dinners onboard the barge were thoughtful, creative and delicious! Our cycling guide, Tamara, went above and beyond to give us a truly amazing experience! Cheers to L’estello!
Job very well done! Merci Beaucoup!- What was the date of your tour?
- October 12 - 19, 2020
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- France
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★★★★★ klrea October 23, 2019Touring Provence
· Provence Getaway: The Secrets of Southern France (4 nights)
This is an amazing and beautiful part of the country to visit, and our bike tour organizers set up a really great agenda. However, we don't feel that bicycling was the best way to see the area, and next time we will rent a car instead.
We opted for the self-guided tour because we wanted to be in control of when and where we stopped. The tour organizers were super helpful and friendly and did everything possible to set us up and get us on our way. However, the bikes were extraordinarily heavy, much heavier than what we are used to riding at home, and, for the amount and type of riding that was on our schedule, made the touring harder than we expected it to be. Also, this was my husband's first bike tour, and the first self-guided tour for me. I found that having to watch the GPS and navigate detracted from being able to enjoy the countryside as we rode through. Finally, while, the little towns along the way were lovely and a delight to see, we were not accustomed to the provincial French practice of closing up shop in the afternoon until opening back up for dinner at 6pm, and so were often without food for the day. It was hard to time the riding to arrive in time for lunch when we didn't know how the riding would take.
One more unexpected event was the arrival of the Mistral winds on the last day of our ride, which came blustering in at 30 mph. So, while the weather was nice otherwise, the strong and cold wind made riding heavy bikes uphill something we took a pass on. Fortunately, we were able to find transportation by car into the area that we wished to visit.
For these reasons, although I think this is a great company, I think there are some places that are best visited by car, even though I am an avid and strong cyclist at home.- What was the date of your tour?
- 4 October 2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- 6
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers
- Do you recommend this tour?
- No
- Countries included in this tour?
- France
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★★★★★ griffin vulture October 16, 2019· Provence’s History, Landscapes, and Luberon National Park
- How many tours have you completed?
- 7
- 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
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★★★★★ Bean October 14, 2019
Beautiful Area - Terrible Bikes
· · Provence by Bike and Boat
Great way to see Provence, but the bikes were really really heavy and the guide was not very good.
- What was the date of your tour?
- Sept 28-Oct 5
- How many tours have you completed?
- 10+
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- No
- Countries included in this tour?
- France
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BikeTours.com staff reply from Chloe October 15, 2019
Hi, and thanks for the review. We appreciate you letting us know about the heavy bikes and that the guide was not very good. Feel free to reach out if you'd like to provide further details. We're glad you thought the area was beautiful. We agree!
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★★★★★ Michelle2019 October 10, 2019
· Provence’s History, Landscapes, and Luberon National Park
I would not recommend ChainGang as a tour operator for this area. Far better and more savvy operators with better maps and navigation are out there. At the end of the trip no one from the company checked in with us. A bit strange having all their equipment. Their printed material in a folder was ridiculous. We asked for map holders and ended up using clothes pegs and a plastic bag. Why the maps?
- What was the date of your tour?
- 17 Sept - 3 Oct
- How many tours have you completed?
- Several
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- France
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BikeTours.com staff reply from Chloe October 11, 2019
Hi Michelle, and thanks kindly for the review. We appreciate you letting us know that the maps and navigation left something to be desired. On many self-guided tours, the operator will not meet with you at the end of the tour. They will simply pick up the equipment from the final hotel. However, each operator handles this differently. Based on the rest of your review values, it seems like you enjoyed the other aspects of the tour. We certainly hope so!
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★★★★★ lifejazz October 7, 2019
Amazing Sights in Provence
· Provence Getaway: The Secrets of Southern France (4 nights)
We enjoyed our bike tour through Provence. Our first time to use e-bikes, which given the winds and the hills, seemed like the thing to do. Really enjoyed the e-bikes for their ease of use and making the windy or hilly sections enjoyable. The orientation was very thorough and the combination of the gps and the paper charts made navigation very easy. The two hotels were, not to understate it, wonderful. Excellent accommodations, lovely people, great food. We even got attached to a French Bulldog, Cinquante, belonging the owners of the hotel in Collias. Quite the character! On the whole the ride was through vineyards and side roads. The only unpleasant bit was from Collias to Tarascon. We spend too much time on heavily trafficked shoulder-less roads with trucks and cars whizzing by at 50 miles an hour a couple of feet from us. We've been riding for several decades and as a practice, I would never ride on that kind of road. So that bit needs some adjustment (which is why this is a four star instead of a five star review). But other than that, the rest of the ride was a delight.
- What was the date of your tour?
- 9/16-20
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- France
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★★★★★ BadgerBiker October 6, 2019
Provence self-guided
· Provence’s History, Landscapes, and Luberon National Park
Excellent tour through spectacular scenery & history. Good hybrid bikes & hotels. Only complaint is self-guided directions are a little sketchy. GPS routing definitely a big help, but had a couple glitches too (e.g. bridge out on one back-road trail!). Highly recommend this tour, would be perfect if GPS routing was spot on.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- 3
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- France
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★★★★★ Debby October 4, 2019Great trip
· · Bruges to Paris by Bike and Boat (and reverse)
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.
