Provence Southern France Bike Tour Reviews
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- ★★★★★ Joanne Z
Bike tour of Southern Fran e
South of France: UNESCO World Heritage Sites
We loved our bike tour through the rolling hills and quaint villages of France. We especially enjoyed visiting the UNESCO Heritage Sites and wished we’d had a little bit more information on this history of the region.
Would it be possible to include some not so famous sites that are worth visiting on your map interface such as chapels, wineries or cafes worth visiting ?- What was the date of your tour?
- Oct 1,2025
- How many tours have you completed?
- First time road bike tourist. We usually mountain bike
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- France
- ★★★★★ Anne Stanek
Peaceful tour of some lovely countryside and beautiful little medieval villages.
South of France: UNESCO World Heritage Sites
We surely enjoyed this trip. The beginning in St. Gilhem le Desert was perfect - such a lovely little town nestled into the mountains. There were a lot of uphills and wonderful long downhills on quiet roads. It was a nice variety of scenery and towns. We were particularly grateful for our Ebikes as the hills would have been difficult and tiring without them. It was a most enjoyable bike tour all round.
- Countries included in this tour?
- France
- ★★★★★ Helen Stowe
Mostly Marvelous, Somewhat Scary
South of France: UNESCO World Heritage Sites
For the most part, the trip was wonderful -- accommodations were varied, but all just fine for a shower after a long day on the road, comfortable beds, good breakfasts, and pleasant hosts. Countryside was beautiful, and we were blessed with perfect weather. However, we occasionally felt that we had too many miles to travel so we weren't able to take advantage of visiting the UNESCO sites mentioned in the guide book. Electric bikes were fun (a first for most of us) and essential for making it up the long hills. On the downside, the last 3km into Carcassonne was hair raising....so much traffic, trucks that weren't about to slow down or give us any leeway as we approached narrow bridges. We managed to find a pleasant bike path along the canal that took us right into the city, with only a few streets to navigate; and we wondered why your tour didn't direct us onto that bike path instead of along the dangerous and busy road...and if anyone in the company had actually ridden that route into Carcassonne. I was so unnerved that I chose to skip the last day's ride and walked around the city instead (and loved every minute of that!).
- Countries included in this tour?
- France
- ★★★★★ Roger and Pam Riedel
We all enjoyed everything about our trip!!!
Provence by Bike and Boat
We absolutely enjoyed our stay on the Caprice. Georgio was our guide and I don't think we could have enjoyed anyone better. He is very knowledgeable and witty! We would love to ride another tour with him in the future. We were a group of 5 and we all had the best experience. The Caprice staff treated us very well. The ship was always clean and comfy. The post ride snacks were perfect after riding in 97-degree weather every day. All the food was more than we expected, and we were thrilled with the vegetarian options for those of us that are veggie preferred people!
Still going thru all the photos and reliving the trip. We made great memories and hope to meet up with Georgio again in the near future. Thank you all for this very memorable trip.- Countries included in this tour?
- France
- ★★★★★ Jennifer Sutton
Beyond expectations!
Provence by Bike and Boat
This slow way of travelling is perfect for savouring Provence on all levels…
Captain Willy and crew were extremely friendly, attentive and helpful. Our bike tour guide Michela was very safety conscious as well as informative and inclusive, all done with her Italian humour! The schedule was packed but never rushed. It helped that our group was cohesive and respectful of each other…and punctual! The food was excellent and our bow berth beyond expectations.
I have already recommended this tour to others!- What was the date of your tour?
- April 22 from Avignon
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2
- 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
- ★★★★★ Jennifer Sutton
Beyond expectations!
Provence by Bike and Boat
This slow way of travelling is perfect for savouring Provence on all levels…
Captain Willy and crew were extremely friendly, attentive and helpful. Our bike tour guide Michela was very safety conscious as well as informative and inclusive, all done with her Italian humour! The schedule was packed but never rushed. It helped that our group was cohesive and respectful of each other…and punctual! The food was excellent and our bow berth beyond expectations.
I have already recommended this tour to others!- What was the date of your tour?
- April 22 from Avignon
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2
- 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
- ★★★★★ Sara guinea
Excelente
Provence Getaway: The Secrets of Southern France (4 nights)
It was a very nice try, we enjoy it very much, it’s a great company, starting with the atención online, follow with the pick up, the hotel, and the nice selección of the ride, the bikes are very good. I will recomendé 1000% and will go back some day
- Countries included in this tour?
- France
- ★★★★★ Matthew Mink
A reasonable option for early November
South of France: UNESCO World Heritage Sites
We lucked out with the weather with temperatures in up to 20 degrees C. Only a spot of rain which we were prepared for. Enjoyed the kindness of the people in this part of France. The food and wine were great. Highlight was staying at a converted lemonade factory in Olonzac and Minerve. Gravel canal route was a bit monotonous on the on day into Carcassonne and probably put us at risk of a puncture but the bikes did well.
- What was the date of your tour?
- Nov 2024
- How many tours have you completed?
- Lots
- 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
- ★★★★★ Ron Walker
Highly Recommended Itinerary
Provence by Bike and Boat
This was a great trip and I'm giving it 4 stars rather than 5 only because I wasn't crazy about our boat, the Caprice. The dining area is just way too cramped when the boat is fully booked. From what I saw of the L'Estello, which does the same route, it might be a better choice. Otherwise, it was great. We did a ride out of Amsterdam earlier this year, and riding around Provence is about 100x more interesting than riding Friesland. I'd highly recommend that area to everyone. Specific to the local operator, the e-bikes were excellent, loved our guide, food was terrific and the team was very focused on providing a great experience for the guests.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2024
- How many tours have you completed?
- 7
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat 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
- ★★★★★ ALEX BERESNIEWICZ
Great trip
Provence by Bike and Boat
Beautiful countryside with little climbing made for a totally enjoyable trip. Our guide, Alex, was absolutely amazing, our care on board the boat was flawless, and the meals at dinner were all excellent. Five stars!!
- Countries included in this tour?
- France
- ★★★★★ Brian Deutscher
South of France Tour
Provence by Bike and Boat
A great way to review, cities and the countryside in the south of France. Our group of six enjoyed each day. E bikes allowed as to cover significant distance and enjoy the sites without having to exhaust our selves. Winds were particularly high the first couple of days.
Unless your a person who regularly bikes 50 kms, I would recommend the ebikes.- Countries included in this tour?
- France
- ★★★★★ Janet Fraser
How a tour guide can ruin what could have been a great experience
Provence by Bike and Boat
While the cycling was good, scenery lovely, other passengers and crew delightful, the irritatingly arrogant sexist and intrusive behaviours by our tour guide (Heim) who claimed to have built the company, put a huge damper on the trip for many of us. Although we enjoyed the bikes, the meal times were chaos due to too many passengers in too small a space. Also the general condition of the boat, Caprice, needs improvement.
- What was the date of your tour?
- Aug, Sept 2024
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers
- Do you recommend this tour?
- No
- Countries included in this tour?
- France
- ★★★★★ Beth Alcorn
Cycling the south of France
South of France: UNESCO World Heritage Sites
Excellent trip and experience. Every detail was covered from the first pick up and orientation to the drop off of our bikes. Route instructions were spot on, accommodations amazing and overall route beautiful. Highly recommend this trip!
- What was the date of your tour?
- April 2024
- How many tours have you completed?
- 8
- 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
- ★★★★★ Margaret
Beautiful arrangements, somewhat difficult cycling
Canal du Midi: Carcassonne to Sete, the South of France and the Sea
Carcassone is stunning. All of the hotels were good to excellent. The terrain is quite varied. The cycling was more difficult than I expected -- there are some serious climbs on the first two days, and most of the route is on public roads so you have to deal with cars. The tour company did their best to avoid traffic but they can't create a bike path where there is none. Fortunately, French drivers are used to bicyclists. I would recommend this trip to experienced cyclists but not to newbies.
The preparatory material was good. We were given printed maps and also an app for our phones. Both were good but the app was great because you could use it while you were on the bike, and it gave you an audible warning if you got twenty meters off the trail. The app also kept track of the percentage of the daily ride you had covered, and had a few more features. This was the first time I'd had an app and I really appreciated it.- How many tours have you completed?
- 4 counting this one
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- France
- ★★★★★ Richard Rogers
Not as I had expected
Provence by Bike and Boat
Not expecting to ride as a group. The riding involved more road riding and realize that a leader was necessary. The riding in Southern France is not as developed as Central Europe.
- Countries included in this tour?
- France
- ★★★★★ Charles Hammer
What we hoped for; got more
Provence’s History, Landscapes, and Luberon National Park
We chose this ride because the average daily ride is longer than some. Had been to other parts of Province before but this was new and special, enhanced hugely by what the guides brought to the experience. A cautionary note: there are several days of not so gradual elevations. Strong riders made the climbs on traditional bikes, but others really needed what the e bikes brought to the experience.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- 3
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- France
- ★★★★★ Eric Meer
Great Trip for September!!
South of France: UNESCO World Heritage Sites
Trip went very smoothly. Towns were beautiful and quaint, hotels were accommodating as advertised, ebikes were brilliant and easy to use. Would definitely recommend standard bike seats or gel seats vs. the wider ones. 4-5 days takes a toll on the sitting muscles :). Would recommend adding a 2nd night in Bezier and doing only 1 night in Carcassonne.
Also, would recommend the company update it's map of Montpellier train station. The meeting point didn't match the map, but we figured it out.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- This was the first
- 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
- ★★★★★ Joanna Havener
Loved every minute!
Provence by Bike and Boat
Our tour leader was fun, knowledgeable and very safety conscious. The route was almost all flat, only one big climb on Wednesday. The ship's crew was helpful and saw to it that my husband had potato chips in his lunch. They accommodated my wish for vegetarian meals. The small towns were charming and I loved learning about their history. Highly recommend this trip. (My husband and I are in our 70s and the ebikes were a great help to us.)
- Countries included in this tour?
- France
- ★★★★★ Annik Stahl
Could have been better
Provence by Bike and Boat
The tour leader (Helmut) was great, as was the boat crew. There were some fun times biking but the miles and miles of harsh gravel was not in the description of the trip. (This was not "country roads" -- this was ROCKS and my back ached for days afterward.) Had I know, I would not have chosen this trip as I just had surgery. I found the food to be absolutely awful. The dinners were beond strange and hey, maybe something besides HAM HAM HAM every day for lunch? I lost 4 pounds during that trip.
While I know there are some great trips to be had with this company (my dad has been on several and said this one was the worst). this was not one of them. Like I said, some fun time biking but not enough to recommend this trip.
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Do you recommend this tour?
- No
- Countries included in this tour?
- France
- ★★★★★ Charles Stahl
A Bit Dissapointing
Provence by Bike and Boat
Compared to the previous five bike/barge trips I have done with company this tour was disappointing. The boat and it's crew were great, the cabins were clean and as comfortable as possible. No problems there. The breakfasts and afternoon snacks were plentiful and good. However, the dinners were often not edible. The Italian cook was very sweet, but the food was often unrecognizable and tasteless. I am not a fussy eater, but I along with my dinner companions often sent the food back uneaten.
The printed material does say that riding is done mostly along country lanes, but the amount of riding on gravel was daunting. I feel that should be mentioned in the literature. The guide was extraordinary, both knowledgeable and well spoken, not to mention very approachable. The highlights were indeed highlights, but negotiating the busy streets while riding through small towns was scary at best. Perhaps doing this trip is mid-summer would be more picturesque, but the weather wouldn't be as perfect as it was for us in late August/early September. Had this been my first bike/barge adventure perhaps I would be less critical, but with many other tours co choose from, I would not recommend this particular tour.
- 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?
- No
- Countries included in this tour?
- France
