Provence  Bike Tour Reviews

  • Provence by Bike and Boat
    (2/5) Richard Rogers 6 months ago

    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
  • Garonne Canal
    (3/5) Thomas Wall November 7, 2022

    Enjoyable ride with lots of canal views

    · Garonne Canal: From Bordeaux to Toulouse

    In order to ensure we had dedicated bike paths I think we sacrificed variety. The scenery was beautiful but we saw a lot of the canal. Enjoyed the small towns and our hosts were great! Small hiccup with luggage transfer was a bit aggravating. All-in-all, an enjoyable trip.

    What was the date of your tour?
    September 2022
    How many tours have you completed?
    This was the second
    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
    • 4/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 4/5 Scenery
    • 4/5 Ease of navigation
    • 3/5 Local tour company services
  • Provence by Bike and Boat
    (3/5) 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
    • 3/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 1/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 2/5 Hotels or boat
    • 4/5 Scenery
    • 1/5 Ease of navigation
    • 3/5 Tour documents
    • 1/5 Local tour company services
    • 2/5 Route selection
    • 1/5 Guides (if applicable)
  • (3/5) Mary Gallagher 8 months ago

    Great biking - barge was ok

    · · Provence by Bike and Boat

    Biking in Provence was outstanding- but the cabin we stayed in (Cabin 1) was not satisfactory. Crew we’re great and tour leader was knowledgeable and experienced. Unfortunate about our accommodations.

    Countries included in this tour?
    France
  • (3/5) Jon Kramp 8 months ago

    A fine tour with issues

    · · Provence by Bike and Boat

    The bike/boat tour started off by my not being able to initially find the boat. The route of the tour is normally serviced by two boats with the boats sailing the route in opposite directions during each week. Due to low bookings, only one of the two boats servicing the route was in operation. The boat I expected to sail on was the one that was out of service and docked and it took some time to find the boat that was in service.

    The boat I actually sailed on, Caprice, is a converted cargo barge. The cabins contained the expected features for a 'standard' category passenger river vessel. However, the cabins are on the small side. The dining/lounge area was also on the small side considering that the boat was operating at full passenger capacity. Food service was very good and the crew was helpful. Snacks and drinks were available at the end of the days cycling.

    The biking route and sights seen along the way were as advertised. However, there were two cycling related issues:
    1) The tour description of 'There will be some hills' is correct for most days but that there were two climbs each of about 5km length.
    2) All but five of the tour members selected to book an electric bike for the tour. Only one of the tour members completed the tour without the use of a non-electric bike because of the slope and length of the climbs. Booking an electric bike for this tour is recommended for most people.

    One day of the tour included a continuous 5km stretch of gravel surface. The tour used multiple types of roads. The major roads were all in fine condition. The smaller one lane roads, mainly used by farmers to reach the fields, were often in poor condition with pot holes common. It should be noted that all of the bikes offered on the tour were if good quality and in good repair. During the tour there was only one minor issue with any of the bikes.

    It should be noted that some days on this tour were a bit long considering that temperatures were in the mid 90'sF to just over 100F range. On one day, for example, biking started about 8 AM and ended slightly before 6 PM. Hydration was an issue but the biking part of the tour included multiple stops each day to refill water bottles and/or purchase drinks.

    A printed map of the biking route was not provided and is not available. Those doing the tour non-guided, only done by 2 people on selected days on my tour departure, will need to have a mobile phone to access route information.

    What was the date of your tour?
    July 2023
    How many tours have you completed?
    5
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    Much harder
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    France
    • 4/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 3/5 Hotels or boat
    • 4/5 Scenery
    • 5/5 Ease of navigation
    • 4/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Guides (if applicable)
  • (3/5) Mary Gallagher 8 months ago

    Disappointing Accommodations

    · · Provence by Bike and Boat

    Recently returned from Provence bike and barge and very disappointed with cabin accommodations. Bathroom sink located in main cabin from which we heard gurgling and draining from other cabins. Also heard loud banging from floor probably due to mechanical issues due to location of cabin - farthest on the bow. Overall not suitable for guests. Crew, guide and food were great- but cabin (#1) was not acceptable.

    Countries included in this tour?
    France
  • Provence by Bike and Boat
    (3/5) Linda Ewing 8 months ago

    Provence Bike Trip into the Countryside

    · · Provence by Bike and Boat

    Really enjoyed the bike trip through the Provence countryside which visited several picturesque towns along the way. Our guide Alex was wonderful; she had done her homework so was able to provide us the history of what we were seeing. Plus Alex was great fun and made sure everyone was safe and comfortable while riding. Barge on-board staff was also super responsive and friendly. All the local staff was excellent!

    My only criticism of the trip is the business model used by the barge company. The 'Caprice' boat itself is 'past its prime' --- old, really cramped room accommodations. We were unlucky and assigned what appeared to be the smallest double twin room that didn't even have space for the tiniest sink in the bathroom (it was installed next to my bed's pillow). In fact, all the rooms were smaller than on other barge boats I've been on. Also, the dining area was so tight you couldn't get out of your chair without your neighbor also moving. Bottomline, the company owners are squeezing too many people on the boat so they get more revenue.

    What was the date of your tour?
    July 15 - 22, 2023
    How many tours have you completed?
    3
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    As expected
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    Solo travelers
    Do you recommend this tour?
    No
    Countries included in this tour?
    France
    • 3/5 Value
    • 3/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 1/5 Hotels or boat
    • 4/5 Scenery
    • 5/5 Ease of navigation
    • 4/5 Tour documents
    • 2/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
    • 5/5 Guides (if applicable)
  • Provence by Bike and Boat
    (3/5) Charles Stahl 7 months ago

    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
    • 4/5 Value
    • 1/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 3/5 Scenery
    • 2/5 Ease of navigation
    • 3/5 Tour documents
    • 4/5 Route selection
    • 5/5 Guides (if applicable)
  • (3/5) Annik Stahl 7 months ago

    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
    • 3/5 Value
    • 1/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 2/5 Hotels or boat
    • 2/5 Ease of navigation
    • 3/5 Tour documents
    • 1/5 Route selection
    • 5/5 Guides (if applicable)
  • Canal du Midi
    (4/5) Margaret 5 months ago

    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
    • 5/5 Value
    • 4/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 5/5 Ease of navigation
    • 4/5 Tour documents
    • 3/5 Local tour company services
    • 3/5 Route selection
  • UNESCO World Heritage Sites
    (4/5) JayF September 23, 2017

    Some Surprises!

    · South of France: UNESCO World Heritage Sites

    We had some terrific rides on this tour. The most notable being the third day of riding with a stop at Minerve. The scenery was incredible. The first two days also had some great vistas.
    We took the time to explore the first night's village of St. Guilhume le Desert. Worth the time. We also stopped and walked the cave at Clamuse. The vineyards on the hillsides and in the valley were treats to cycle through. We enjoyed exploring the villages in which we stayed such as Villeneuvette and Siran.
    The accommodations were all adequate with a couple highlights with the Chateaus in Lignan sur Orb and Siran. La Source in Villeneuvette was also charming.
    The staff at all the accommodations were all very helpful and friendly.
    The included meals were lovely.

    I do have some criticisms/suggestions:
    1. When we booked this trip we wondered how we were going to achieve our usual daily mileage of 80-100kms. The tour is rated a 3 "rolling, hilly terrain". Discover France rates it as Hobby or Active. We were surprised when meeting with our Discover France contact at the 1st hotel that every ride except the canal ride into Carcassonne is rated Active/Pro. We have cycled frequently in rolling, hilly terrain such as Kentucky, rolling hills do not have names (as at least one of the climbs did). There were a few long climbs that by no measure qualify as rolling hilly terrain. We are also familiar with categorized climbs so we adjusted our expectations and pedaled. One steep incline on a rare broken pavement type road will stay with me for a while.
    2. Discover France titles this ride "The Best of Languedoc" which is exactly what it is, you may want to adjust Biketours.com title as Narbonne is not on the itinerary.
    3. A shorter road bike option into Carcassonne should be provided. There is a hybrid bike ride along the canal or a long road bike option. The weather was not co-operative on that day and we had to make our own shorter road option into Carcassonne.
    4. The Hotel Montmorency was the smallest room on the trip and frankly a let down after the Chateau de Siran. At the end of the trip with all your stuff for two days it gets cramped. As well the hotel is really an annex of another with check in at the Chateau du Hotel, although there is no mention of the need to go across the street to check in. Checking in through a 4 star hotel had me questioning "why are we not staying here?". As noted previously the staff were excellent at Hotel Montmorency (really Chateau du Hotel), strictly room size issue. The location cannot be beat either.
    5. Another day in Carcassonne might be offered as an option. The medieval city and the other sites in Carcassonne cannot be done justice in half a day. To chose between riding and properly seeing a place such as Carcassone is one that should not have to be made.

    What was the date of your tour?
    Sept 14-20 2017
    How many tours have you completed?
    Countless
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    Somewhat harder
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    Solo travelers
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    France
    • 4/5 Value
    • 4/5 Included meals
    • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 5/5 Ease of navigation
    • 4/5 Tour documents
    • 4/5 Local tour company services
    • 4/5 Route selection
  • (4/5) BadgerBiker October 4, 2019

    South France self-guided

    · South of France: UNESCO World Heritage Sites

    Hotels and most meals were very good to excellent. Very good scenery and most roads were paved, in good or better condition and lightly travelled. Bikes were heavier than necessary for terrain, but sturdy (only needed hybrids on the Canal day). Detailed cue sheet, but hard to follow on-the-fly, especially through the towns. GPS was more helpful, but wrong route on Canal du Midi day. Accommodated 1 vegan traveller well, except 1 place where there was a communication snafu. Overall a very good tour, but could work on routing accuracy and tips on scenery/history along the way (and maybe lighter hybrid bikes!).

    What was the date of your tour?
    Sept 2019
    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
    • 4/5 Value
    • 4/5 Included meals
    • 3/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 3/5 Ease of navigation
    • 3/5 Tour documents
    • 3/5 Local tour company services
    • 4/5 Route selection
  • Provence’s History, Landscapes, and Luberon National Park
    (4/5) Gennie August 10, 2017

    Southern France in the Summer

    · Provence’s History, Landscapes, and Luberon National Park

    The tour of Provence was absolutely beautiful! I suggest anyone considering a trip to France to do this tour, however, not in late summer. Temps exceeded 100 degrees most every afternoon. Tour cue sheets need some tweeking. We had to backtrack on several occasions. The written packet should also include a description of what to expect on that day of tour. Relying on what is written on this website is not always accurate and needs more information. We would have missed some very interesting places if not directed by locals and hotel concierges.

    What was the date of your tour?
    late July/early August 2017
    How many tours have you completed?
    several
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    Somewhat harder
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    Solo travelers
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    France
    • 3/5 Value
    • 4/5 Included meals
    • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 3/5 Ease of navigation
    • 3/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
  • (4/5) Rosann October 7, 2018
    · Provence’s History, Landscapes, and Luberon National Park

    Absolutely fabulous trip. Weather was gorgeous, setting was amazing, hosts also wonderful but if doing the self guided tour be prepared for some lost an found adventures. The route sheets sometimes required interpretation especially in villages where instructions like cross railway turn left so that track is on your right doesn’t make sense, others included take the gravel track up a steep hill - there were 4 tracks only one paved. This one also interesting as we went through on a Sunday - hunters had just shot a wild boar :0| Also suggest taking an extended tool kit- we had a flat on aMonday - local bike shop closed - the tyre was stuck to the rim on one side- had to prize the tyre off the rim with screw driver. Phone call to organizers were not returned- hotel owner very helpful but not a mechanic. We still had a great trip though and will definitely do another with this crew again.

    What was the date of your tour?
    20-27 September 2018
    How many tours have you completed?
    This is our 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
    • 4/5 Value
    • 4/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 1/5 Ease of navigation
    • 2/5 Tour documents
    • 3/5 Local tour company services
    • 4/5 Route selection
  • (4/5) BikerPT September 14, 2019

    Bike ride in the wind

    · Provence’s History, Landscapes, and Luberon National Park

    There were a number of good things about this trip. The two guides were very attentive and knowledgeable of the region, helping the group to experience some amazing sites. The scenery was fantastic; the vineyards and wineries were a site to see/experience. It was a real sense of accomplishment to ride up a 3K class 2 hill that has been a part of the Tour de France. We did ride with head winds blowing constantly at up to 40 mph for three of the six days on the trip; the one day with a tailwind, we biked at 33 kmh with ease.

    What was the date of your tour?
    September 2019
    How many tours have you completed?
    3
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    Somewhat harder
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    France
    • 4/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 4/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 4/5 Route selection
    • 5/5 Guides (if applicable)
  • (4/5) 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
    • 4/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 1/5 Ease of navigation
    • 1/5 Tour documents
    • 2/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
  • (4/5) David Coleman November 7, 2022

    Trip of my dreams

    · Provence’s History, Landscapes, and Luberon National Park

    Still looking for my refund from Bernard for an overpayment.
    Can get anyone to respond to my emails.Hope someone will respond to this inquiry. The trip was very enjoyable, great group of people. Sam was a wonderful guide

    Countries included in this tour?
    France
  • Garonne Canal
    (4/5) Robert Sterndale November 7, 2022

    A beautiful ride through mostly rural, agricultural France

    · Garonne Canal: From Bordeaux to Toulouse

    Bordeaux and Toulouse are interesting cities alright but most of our time was riding through an expansive agricultural area. Finding our way out of Bordeaux was not difficult. Once we reached the canal we "sailed" along the paved towpath all day, every day. The bike trail was mostly well maintained paved surface with a few stretches that were bumpy. We saw active pavement maintenance so it is being improved where needed.
    The Roadbook navigating program served well as a way finder except on the last day when it took us to the wrong place in Toulouse a couple kilometers or more across the city from our hotel. That was a hassle.
    Being of a certain age, we opted for e-bikes on this trip. These were pedal-assist type bikes which we all mastered quickly. The terrain was mostly very canal-flat but the e-boost was welcome for the occasional rise and toward the end of the day the boost was welcome. The hotels along the way were not right on the canal and some hill climbing was involved there.
    Bikes were well maintained and thoughtfully configured for our various heights but no orientation or training was provided for the bikes, they were just left at the starting hotel.
    We enjoyed the hotel/B&B stays. B&B hosts were gracious and accommodating. Rooms were clean and comfortable.
    We did this in late September which is the end of their tourist season. Weather was fine. Bike traffic was light.
    The canal trail provided a very scenic but repetitious view. We saw an interesting variety of agricultural activity along the way.

    What was the date of your tour?
    September 2022
    How many tours have you completed?
    9
    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
    • 4/5 Value
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 4/5 Scenery
    • 4/5 Ease of navigation
    • 3/5 Route selection
  • Provence by Bike and Boat
    (4/5) Wignh September 15, 2018

    Met my expectations

    · · Provence by Bike and Boat

    Excellent barge, with welcoming A/C in southern France in mid-summer. Dinners were varied and tasty - but desserts were magnifique! Make-your-own lunch to go on the bike - which is standard bike/barge arrangement - becomes boring after a few days. But what I will remember is this once-in-a-lifetime highlight: watching France win World Cup at a jammed packed outside bar in a small town!

    What was the date of your tour?
    mid-july
    How many tours have you completed?
    8
    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
    • 4/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 4/5 Scenery
    • 5/5 Ease of navigation
    • 4/5 Tour documents
    • 4/5 Route selection
    • 5/5 Guides (if applicable)
  • (4/5) Alanran July 29, 2019

    Beautiful Provence by Bike and Barge

    · · Provence by Bike and Boat

    The boat was really nice and the crew was great -- from captain to chef to on-board host. They did an exceptional job making our time on the boat pleasant.

    The biking was also nice in spite of the 98 degree temperatures, full on sun and mistral winds in our face -- even had to peddle going down hill sometimes. That said, we saw beautiful villages, olive orchards, vineyards, sun flower fields and lavender fields -- beautiful terrain -- even some of the areas covered in the Tour de France -- Pont du Gard. The visit to Le Beaux de Provence was special going into the cave with Van Gogh paintings put to motion and sound.

    All in all it was a fun tour with a great group of riders.

    What was the date of your tour?
    July 13-20
    How many tours have you completed?
    4
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    Somewhat harder
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    Families with teens
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    France
    • 4/5 Value
    • 4/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 4/5 Ease of navigation
    • 3/5 Tour documents
    • 3/5 Local tour company services
    • 4/5 Route selection
    • 2/5 Guides (if applicable)