France Bike Tour Reviews
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★★★★★ Ginger10 11 months agoPerfect 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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★★★★★ Chuck54 July 26, 2019· Burgundy Wine Trails: Beaune to Macon on the “Voie Verte”
- What was the date of your tour?
- 7-12-18
- How many tours have you completed?
- 1
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- France
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★★★★★ 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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★★★★★ John Rosenfeld 7 months agoThoroughly enjoyable
· Loire a Velo: Orleans to the Atlantic
Will plan by the tour group. Beautiful scenery. Many interesting sized to see that were both historical and educational. The bed and breakfast is that were selected were outstanding. Food along the way was outstanding. The directions were easy to follow
- Countries included in this tour?
- France
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★★★★★ mrank July 9, 2021
Great 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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★★★★★ Lcooper31k July 18, 2019
Perfect Way to Enjoy the Loire Valley
· Loire a Velo: Orleans to the Atlantic
This was our first bike tour, and we were a bit apprehensive about everything going well... but it did! The folks at biketours.com were so helpful and responsive, answering all our questions. We did Tours to Angers and it was a beautiful, relaxing (yet challenging!) ride. The bike paths/roads were easy to ride and follow, the rental bikes ride very well, the hotels at each town were superb (mostly old historic small hotels, all with AC), the breakfasts were delicious. But best of all, the scenery riding along the rivers and seeing or at stopping at the chateaus was fantastic. I can’t think of anywhere more perfect to do a bike tour. Directions were adequate, but we used the GPX files throughout the trip. When they took us off of the main Velo route, we really needed that extra technology, but once on the Loire de Velo route, it was very well signposted.One surprise no one told us... we needed to cross a small river using a self-operated ferry. We had no idea how to operate it! Fortunately, we met a Dutch couple who knew how to do it, so we crossed it.
- What was the date of your tour?
- July 2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- 1
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- 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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★★★★★ 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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★★★★★ Lindynw July 15, 2019A Wonderful Tour of the Loire Valley Chateaux
· Loire Valley Châteaux & Gardens Tour
This tour exceeded our expectations. First we wish to extend a huge thank you to Bernard and Lydia for agreeing to guide this tour even though we were the only 2 people who signed up for it. That was most generous and gracious. Bernard is knowledgeable, funny, and very kind. His guide-in-training, Lydia, who accompanied us added an extra amount of fun and was very willing to help with French translations. We feel very fortunate to have been on her first tour and know she will succeed in her future guided trips. Although our group was small we immensely enjoyed the hotels, the wonderful food and wine, the picnics, and the chateau visits. We were sad to have the trip come to an end. We highly recommend this trip and feel it is the best way to experience the chateaux of the Loire Valley.
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 29, 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, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- France
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★★★★★ mountainbroad November 7, 2016Golden Times
· · Provence by Bike and Boat
This bike tour will be revisited frequently in our memories. The countryside of Provence in the autumn, with the black bulls, white horses, and rose-colored flamingos, amidst the golden hills and winding river-ways set the scene for fine pedaling.
I knew that the food and views of southern France would be amazing, what I had not anticipated was the depth of history and exposure to art that would also surround the ride.
We had a few days of rain, and some of our riders decided to use the time to stay aboard or wander the towns. At those times, our guide went out of his way to inform the guests of possible itineraries to make the most out of their travels, even though they chose not to ride. Though, there were electric bikes available and experienced routing that allowed the riders of various abilities to be included in each foray. My husband, our three friends, and I chose to never miss out on the up-close experiences of riding to the small villages, visiting the museums and castles, enjoying the wine and olive tastings that were a part of our daily agenda.
Our guide, Hugo, was a superb asset in informing us about each site, exposing the group to history and foods and art and nature that we would not have discovered on our own.
In the evenings, after luxuriating over our fine dinners, and previewing the next day's ride, Hugo would take any interested folks out on evening walk-abouts in the small towns where the barge, Soleo, was docked. Again, sharing with us a part of France that made us feel lucky to just be able to take it all in.
On board, we were treated to the fine cuisine of the area and to a welcoming and genial captain and crew. As much as we enjoyed our ride time, the time aboard the boat, where we would enjoy conversation, music, wine, and food, all added to the delight of our days.
Though, my husband and I have been on many bike tours, this one will stand as a
golden time of great beauty and as an unmatched tour.- What was the date of your tour?
- October 8-15, 2016
- How many tours have you completed?
- 7
- 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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★★★★★ tricia November 4, 2019
Provence 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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★★★★★ Buffalo September 7, 2018Simply Fantastic
· Alsace Wine Country
The trip was excellent. The hotels selected were generally good (one was exceptional, one was mildly disappointing, the rest were all just good). The tour was well planned and pretty easy to follow. The first leg of the trip was in the valley. This helped to acclimate our group for the wine hills to come. The little villages and wine were exceptionally beautiful. We found the customer service of bike tours and the partner tour operator were also very good. We will definitely use bike tours sometime in the not too distant future.
Important note: with an E-Bike the trip was pretty easy (according to my wife). However, with a standard bicycle, I found some of the hills to be quite challanging. The second to last day I burned roughly 2900 calories.- What was the date of your tour?
- July 15 - 20
- How many tours have you completed?
- 1 with biketours.com
- 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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★★★★★ Marshall July 6, 2019
This was our 4th trip with this company and always great
· · Provence by Bike and Boat
- What was the date of your tour?
- 7/22-29/2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- 4
- 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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★★★★★ KathiD October 20, 2016We began in Avignon and ended in Avignon!
· Provence’s History, Landscapes, and Luberon National Park
We came to Avignon 2 days early so that we could become acclimated to the time zone difference. The tour operator very nicely delivered our rental bikes the day after we arrived. Therefore, we had the bikes for travel in and out of Avignon before we started our sel-guided tour.\. This was great because the wonderful Hotel La Ferme was about 3 miles outside of the city.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 11th to 18th 2016
- 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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★★★★★ Provence15 July 5, 2019
Amazing bike tour through Provence!
· · Provence by Bike and Boat
- What was the date of your tour?
- 22 June 2019
- 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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★★★★★ Chri October 19, 2016
Excellent
· Burgundy Wine Trails: Beaune to Macon on the “Voie Verte”
Really enjoyed our trip from Macon to Beaune through the vineyards.
- What was the date of your tour?
- 24.09
- How many tours have you completed?
- 4
- 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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★★★★★ KneeJerk July 5, 2019
· Loire a Velo: Orleans to the Atlantic
We went Orleans to Tours (self-guided) and it was lovely. Almost (!) completely level (handful of short challenges), paved path/crushed stone, 95% away from traffic, often shaded. I'm almost 64, in decent but not heroic shape, and it was easy. People very friendly (but not as bilingual as Danube trip, for example); accommodations quite satisfactory. Got quite hot (late June 2019) but that was apparently unusual. Printed materials disappointing -- almost all brochures in French only, no restaurant/bistro suggestions, few recommendations of nearby sites. Maps OK but cue sheets not written by native English speaker; need to download app and follow that way.
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- 6
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- 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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★★★★★ Smeglegs July 4, 2019
A very memorable experience with a group of friends who love to bike in Europe
· · Provence by Bike and Boat
Provencce by bike and boat was a great time, full of doable challenges and many laughs
with friends. The staff was extremely helpful and courteous. The food was prepared by Joseph the Chef with delicious surprises every evening. Our guide, Claudia, spoke multiple languages and was a cultural expert regarding the sites along the Rhone River.
My wife and I experienced our best biking tour in the Provence along the Rhone River.- What was the date of your tour?
- 6/20/2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- 5
- 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
