Switzerland  Bike Tour Reviews (page 10)

  • Lake Constance Classic
    (4/5) Susan Ferrante-Collier 11 months ago

    Girls on Bikes

    · Lake Constance Classic (11-nights)

    It was an amazing trip, we are very appreciative for the assistance of bike tours in making the trip as lovely as it was. My only complaint is that one of the hotels was in the middle of a huge construction situation and there were unpleasant septic issues. Choosing another hotel would have been preferable

    What was the date of your tour?
    September 4-16
    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?
    Austria, Germany, Switzerland
    • 4/5 Value
    • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 4/5 Ease of navigation
    • 3/5 Tour documents
  • (4/5) Pierre C. 11 months ago

    nice trip but some advance planning is required

    · Lake Constance Classic (11-nights)

    Hotels and views were excellent for the most part. A couple of things to note: 1. Bikes are heavy duty and therefore very heavy, we upgraded to e-bikes 3 days into the trip, that was a big help. 2. Trails are not well marked, we met a few different groups during our tour of the lake and everyone was complaining about the written directions and even the gps tracking. Be prepared to have to stop, take an assessment and even back track a few times a day.

    Crucial items if you want to use GPS tracking; buy a phone holder that can attach your phone to the bike before leaving on the trip, otherwise you will have major issues setting up your phone so you can see it properly (I tucked mine into the front basket which had a protective transparent cover, however with the glare, it was hard to read). Also, make sure that you bring a backup battery pack as 2 -3 hours of tracking and your phone will be dead.

    Be prepared to bike some busy roads and gravel roads. One hotel (Bergenz) was located in a residential neighbourhood, there was ooe other restaurants within 600 meters, the rest were in town, 1.5 km away. Although the hotel restaurant was very nice, we spent more on dinner than we anticipated. Note that in St. Gallen almost all businesses and restaurants are closed on Sunday and many are also closed on Monday. Choices for meals and things to do become scarce if you are there during that time.

    Finally, be prepared to spend lots of money in Switzerland $50CAD hamburgers in a sit down restaurant seems to be the norm, not for the faint of heart. If you want to save some money I suggest flying into Germany before and after, accommodations and meals will be a lot cheaper (we spent 3 days inSwitzerland before and three days after, we figure that those 6 days cost us at least an extra $1K compared to what Germany prices would have been).

    What was the date of your tour?
    Sept 2024
    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?
    Austria, Germany, Switzerland
    • 4/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 1/5 Ease of navigation
    • 2/5 Tour documents
    • 4/5 Local tour company services
    • 1/5 Route selection
  • Three Lakes Tour
    (4/5) gsf1 August 8, 2017
    · Three Lakes Tour: From Geneva to Annecy

    What was the date of your tour?
    7/9/17
    How many tours have you completed?
    2
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    Somewhat harder
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    France, Switzerland
    • Stage 1: Near Ft. L'Ecluse (photo by gsf1)
    • 5/5 Value
    • 4/5 Included meals
    • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 3/5 Ease of navigation
    • 4/5 Local tour company services
    • 4/5 Route selection
  • (4/5) Becca August 8, 2017

    Savoie self-bike

    · Three Lakes Tour: From Geneva to Annecy

    Taste the cuisine and drink the wine of Savoie, swim in pristine lakes, visit medival villages, castles, and vineyards.

    What was the date of your tour?
    Jul 30
    How many tours have you completed?
    3
    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, Switzerland
    • 5/5 Value
    • 4/5 Included meals
    • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 2/5 Ease of navigation
    • 3/5 Tour documents
    • 4/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
  • (4/5) sacman July 12, 2018

    Organized Adventure

    · Three Lakes Tour: From Geneva to Annecy

    Well organized trip down to the street. While normally I stay in design hotels, due to the nature of the trip and the remote locations, the team did a superb job in accommodating us. The Chateau was certainly the highlight.

    What was the date of your tour?
    July 2018
    How many tours have you completed?
    7
    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, Switzerland
    • 4/5 Value
    • 4/5 Included meals
    • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 3/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 5/5 Ease of navigation
    • 5/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 4/5 Route selection
  • (4/5) 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
    • 5/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 4/5 Scenery
    • 1/5 Ease of navigation
  • (4/5) 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
    • 4/5 Value
    • 4/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 4/5 Ease of navigation
    • 4/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
  • (4/5) Brooke Bushman June 19, 2024

    A fun trip

    · Three Lakes Tour: From Geneva to Annecy

    We enjoyed this trip but it was not our favorite tour we’ve done. We had a few minor issues with the e-bikes and in general did not like them as well as e-bikes we’ve had before. We messaged the operator about one of the issues while there and never got a reply. We paid for upgraded hotels and overall were pretty disappointed with the quality of them. We especially did not like the hotel in Saint Helene. The countryside was beautiful and it was a great route.

    What was the date of your tour?
    June 2024
    How many tours have you completed?
    2
    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, Switzerland
    • 3/5 Value
    • 4/5 Included meals
    • 3/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 3/5 Hotels or boat
    • 4/5 Scenery
    • 3/5 Ease of navigation
    • 3/5 Tour documents
    • 2/5 Local tour company services
    • 4/5 Route selection
  • (4/5) Damon Di Florio July 3, 2024

    Fun Way To See Europe

    · Three Lakes Tour: From Geneva to Annecy

    Nice routes to get to each hotel, plenty of time to add in any extras, lots of pretty towns and villages along the way. Great breakfasts each morning at the hotels, very comfortable beds to sleep in and just enjoyable riding each day.

    What was the date of your tour?
    June 2024
    How many tours have you completed?
    This was my first self guided (solo) tour but have done 4 European group tours
    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, Switzerland
    • Beautiful Seyssel (photo by Damon Di Florio)
    • Lake Bourget near Aix-Les-Bains (photo by Damon Di Florio)
    • Cruet - Saint - Laurent (photo by Damon Di Florio)
    • Lake Annecy (photo by Damon Di Florio)
    • Beautiful Annecy (photo by Damon Di Florio)
    • Beautiful Annecy (photo by Damon Di Florio)
    • 4/5 Value
    • 3/5 Included meals
    • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 4/5 Ease of navigation
    • 5/5 Tour documents
    • 3/5 Local tour company services
    • 4/5 Route selection
  • (4/5) Kelly Seither July 23, 2024

    Good starter trip for beginners

    · Three Lakes Tour: From Geneva to Annecy

    Easy to use bikes and routing maps, complete with recommendations for stops. All luggage was moved on time. The route- scenery and riding surface and scenic paths- was very nicely arranged. Everything about our trip was very tidy and we had confidence in the team.

    What was the date of your tour?
    July 2024
    How many tours have you completed?
    0
    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
    • Mid day stop in Canal de Saviers (photo by Kelly Seither)
    • Sunflowers in July in Vions (photo by Kelly Seither)
    • The views! Serrieres-en-Chautagne (photo by Kelly Seither)
    • 4/5 Value
    • 4/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 3/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 5/5 Ease of navigation
    • 5/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
  • (4/5) Gerard Hickey 11 months ago

    Fun four days of biking

    · Three Lakes Tour: From Geneva to Annecy

    Highs were the bicycle paths that for most of trip were separate to roads and vehicles. It really allowed you to relax
    Surprises: the videos had indicated that a bike computer would b provided with the tour directions. We were told the first day that is no longer the case and we were told use our phones. I had brought my garmin 1050 and would have liked to download the trails to it but the file was not compatible and cyclomundo could not provide directions
    Other surprise was some if the not being open until 4.30pm. This was a problem when you arrived wet after being riding in the rain.

    Countries included in this tour?
    France, Switzerland
  • Lake Constance to Lake Maggiore
    (4/5) Timothy Ricks September 30, 2023

    Exquisite Visual Treats

    · Lake Constance to Lake Maggiore

    A few easy days, then some more challenging climbs. Finally a long descent and a ride to Locarno on Lake Maggiore. Some rain and wind added to the adventure.

    Pros: Beautiful scenery. A few nice hotels. Reliable rental bikes. Memorable rides. Excellent luggage transfers.

    Cons: Too much gravel and trail riding. While some hotels were very nice, many were sub-par, in our opinion. Bikes were heavy, slow and unresponsive—making the cycling harder and slower. Tour provider never met nor communicated with us directly—they just delivered written instructions and rental bikes to the first hotel. It seemed that they really were not so interested in our business.

    What was the date of your tour?
    September 2023
    How many tours have you completed?
    15+
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    Somewhat easier
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    Solo travelers, Families with teens
    Countries included in this tour?
    Switzerland
    •  (photo by Timothy Ricks)
    •  (photo by Timothy Ricks)
    •  (photo by Timothy Ricks)
    •  (photo by Timothy Ricks)
    • 4/5 Value
    • 4/5 Included meals
    • 3/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 3/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 5/5 Ease of navigation
    • 3/5 Tour documents
    • 2/5 Local tour company services
    • 3/5 Route selection
  • Three Lakes Tour
    (4/5) Lorne F - toronto, CDN 2 months ago

    Great beautiful route

    · Three Lakes Tour: From Geneva to Annecy

    Great way to see the French country side (9/-0) Riding was not difficult. E-bikes were good. My battery did not hold a charge for the entire day (7-8 hours of riding ). Would have been nice to have an extra battery. The staff did not fit my wife’ for her bike properly at the outset (the seat could not be lowered). The GPS guidance was confusing at times - they need to have a better app. Hotels were 7/10 (pleasant but not great - although they were A+ - Annecy was nice) I would recommend staying an extra day in Annecy at the end (beautiful town). I give the trip overall an 8/10.

    What was the date of your tour?
    June 2025
    How many tours have you completed?
    A number of tours
    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, Switzerland
    • 4/5 Value
    • 4/5 Included meals
    • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 3/5 Ease of navigation
    • 3/5 Tour documents
    • 4/5 Local tour company services
    • 3/5 Route selection
    • 3/5 Guides (if applicable)
  • (4/5) Jodie Lawlor 4 weeks ago

    Beautiful Scenery!

    · Three Lakes Tour: From Geneva to Annecy

    What a wonderful trip...we had never been to France so most of the trip was in France, as we returned to Geneva for some extra days. The routes were great, the gps we used was outstanding. There were 6 of us riding, 4 on electric, 2 on regular bikes. We were all good with the distances and elevations...it was very hot for our trip but we took breaks frequently for water and that did the trick. The included breakfast were good, we had to dinners that were included and those were wonderful. Our hotels were all great except for night 3...I would have given the trip 5 stars if not for that one hotel. This was our 3rd trip with Biketours and they have all been great!

    What was the date of your tour?
    July 2025
    How many tours have you completed?
    3
    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, Switzerland
    • 5/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 5/5 Ease of navigation
    • 5/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
  • Aare Cycle Route
    (4/5) Petexter October 10, 2016

    Great all Round trip except for the maps

    · Aare Cycle Route: Along the Jura, Aare, and Rhine Rivers

    Route maps failed at the departure point from the main route to the hotel. Upside: met a lot of very helpful people. Downside: consistently irritating.

    What was the date of your tour?
    Late September
    How many tours have you completed?
    3
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    As expected
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists, Families with young kids, Families with teens
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Switzerland
    • 4/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 3/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 2/5 Ease of navigation
    • 3/5 Tour documents
    • 4/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
  • (4/5) Professor October 10, 2016
    · Aare Cycle Route: Along the Jura, Aare, and Rhine Rivers

    What was the date of your tour?
    9/26 - 10/4
    How many tours have you completed?
    12
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    Somewhat harder
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Switzerland
    • 3/5 Value
    • 4/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 1/5 Ease of navigation
    • 3/5 Tour documents
    • 3/5 Local tour company services
    • 4/5 Route selection
  • (4/5) Heidi August 17, 2017

    Fun bike trip through switzerland

    · Aare Cycle Route: Along the Jura, Aare, and Rhine Rivers

    A different and fun way to experience Switzerland. About 90% on dedicated bike paths or bike lanes, which makes it a very safe way of biking. Hotels were mostly very comfortable, but most lacked air conditioning, which would have been greatly appreciated in temperatures of 90plus degree for most of the week.

    What was the date of your tour?
    7/30-8/7/2017
    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 young kids, Families with teens
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Switzerland
    • Photo 1 (photo by Heidi)
    • Photo 2 (photo by Heidi)
    • Photo 3 (photo by Heidi)
    • Photo 4 (photo by Heidi)
    • Photo 5 (photo by Heidi)
    • Photo 6 (photo by Heidi)
    • 4/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 3/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 4/5 Ease of navigation
    • 4/5 Tour documents
    • 4/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
  • (4/5) apitzer October 19, 2017

    Cycling in Switzerland is Way more Accessible than you think!

    · Aare Cycle Route: Along the Jura, Aare, and Rhine Rivers

    I went on a portion of this tour from Thun to Bern to Biel/Bienne as a BikeTours.com staff member. The route was super easy to follow, very flat, and almost always on bicycle paths. We covered the daily distance quickly and were rewarded with more time to explore the perfectly-preserved and lively medieval town centers each night. The northern part of Switzerland is on a plateau, so it is not at all like the Alps. I missed the mountain views, but I definitely appreciated the more flat terrain.

    Don't miss the Old City, the Clock Tower, the Rose Garden, or the bizarre, centrally located Kindlifresserbrunnen (German for "Child Eater Fountain") in Bern. Allow time to explore Biel/Bienne's old town. It is smaller than Bern, just as charming, and with a more local vibe. The nightlife in Biel/Bienne was more lively than expected, and there seemed to be a large student population. This is a fully bilingual German-French city. Very unique!

    I visited Konstanz for one day at the end of this tour, and it was beautiful! Very charming, red-tiled buildings dominated the historic district. Be sure to climb up to the top of the Cathedral in Konstanz, and definitely visit the Island of Mainau, which is a beautiful botanical garden.

    What was the date of your tour?
    September 3, 2017
    How many tours have you completed?
    This was my first!
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    Much easier
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists, Families with young kids, Families with teens
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Switzerland
    • Photo 1 (photo by apitzer)
    • Lake Thun Hillside (photo by apitzer)
    • Bern (photo by apitzer)
    • Spiez (on Lake Thun) (photo by apitzer)
    • Streets of Bern (photo by apitzer)
    • Swiss Chalet (photo by apitzer)
    • 5/5 Value
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 4/5 Scenery
    • 4/5 Ease of navigation
    • 5/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
  • (4/5) kpatout August 21, 2019

    Great trip!

    · Aare Cycle Route: Along the Jura, Aare, and Rhine Rivers

    The biketours.com staff did an excellent job making sure we were prepared for our trip. The route was beautiful and manageable (even for those of us who weren't experienced cyclists). One concern we had was that the directions within a city - to and from the hotels - weren't detailed enough and we needed to use our cell phones and google maps to find the way every time. We were also unable to reach the local tour company by phone after making many attempts. However, biketours.com was able to help us each time we had a question. Overall I would definitely recommend biketours.com and this tour in particular.

    What was the date of your tour?
    August 2019
    How many tours have you completed?
    one
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    Somewhat harder
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists, Families with young kids, Families with teens
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Switzerland
    • 5/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 3/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 2/5 Ease of navigation
    • 4/5 Tour documents
    • 1/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
  • Swiss Lakes by Ebike
    (4/5) Timothy Ricks September 18, 2023

    Spectacular beauty

    · Swiss Lakes by E-bike: Lake Geneva to Lake Lucerne

    Outstanding vistas! Spectacular beauty!
    Pros: 1. Some really fine hotels, many with great views. 2. Reliable luggage transfers. 3. Reliable bikes. No mechanical problems with either e-bike or regular bike.
    Cons: 1. Eurotrek’s maps and gps often do not match up with the routes you need to take to navigate each day. Result is that it is essential to bring your own Garmin device AND your smartphone in order to navigate when your hotel may not even be in the same town as the gps would take you. 2. Most Swiss hotels have no A/C, and with climate change, they are too hot. Open windows bring noise and insects, so not great sleep. 3. Eurotrek’s non-electric bikes are sturdy, reliable, heavy and slow. Be prepared for a good workout and slow riding.

    Countries included in this tour?
    Switzerland