France

Great trip! Our guides were great hosts and made sure everyone was safe, comfortable, and getting the most out of each day. Gorgeous part of the world.

This was our first VBT vacation and we have already registered for a second trip. Provence and the Alpilles is a beautiful region of France with abundant fruits, vegetables and other agriculture. The bicycle travel through the French countryside gives an up-close and personal travel experience.

We had an amazing time - And I can't speak highly enough of every aspect of this trip! Our VBT leaders, Sophie and Bruno, were exceptional, planning everything down to the smallest detail. They were a pleasure to be with in every way. We loved every hotel, each unique, and in the heart of a city, with lots to do in the area. Our e-bikes were brand new, and easy to navigate. We were blessed with beautiful weather and enjoyed our rides each and every day. I would highly recommend this trip - it will definitely not be our last. We are already booked for one next year!

This trip was better than anticipated. We expected a great time, but this was outstanding in service, leadership and bike friendliness.

The trip through Normandy and Brittany was beautiful, historic, and fun! It was the perfect mix of biking though the country, visiting historic sites, and enjoying special treats along the way. Our guides Luc and Kevin were outstanding!

We had a wonderfully-planned week of cycling along small, beautiful farm roads with itineraries bringing us to the coast of most days. Riding in August in 70 degree weather was great. We all loved seeing the texture of rural, historic France and learning more about Normandy and Brittany. The trip includes a focus on local food culture - the visit to the Cider farm was really special, as were the Cancale oysters and dinners at local restaurants. We also got so much out of learning more about WWII even though I did not choose this trip primarily for that reason. There were helpful guided tours, and the option to visit museums if you wanted more depth. I'm so glad we could take advantage of this aspect of visiting France. The Trip Leaders were extremely knowledgeable, good humored, well-seasoned guides who knew the area well and had set up a number of local experiences. We found the cycling to be engaging - beautiful rolling farmland that left me in a little better shape by the end of the week but wasn't overly challenging. (The shorter option was also always available.)

This was our first Vermont Bike vacation but it certainly will not be our last! What a great time .For us it was a perfect mix of activity,culture ,wine and food. The countryside is just delightful and beautiful. The guides were excellent and our fellow travelers were wonderful .

The Burgundy Wine Route trip was an exceptional vacation...it was a great mix of activity, leisure, learning and sightseeing. The trip leaders were personable, knowledgeable, and fun-loving, our fellow travelers were all interesting and friendly people, and the food, accommodations, and scenery were all first class. The daily route length choices ensured that everyone would be happy with their activity level, too. I’d highly recommend this trip to anyone who loves good food, wine, and outdoor activity. The pre and post trip extensions are also well worth it...especially the pre-trip in Lyon...there was so much to explore there!

Enjoyed the trip. The routes, guides, food, and sleeping arrangements were great. The tour guides were excellent, couldn't ask for more! Looking forward to a future trip.

Great trip, don’t buy the airfare. The guides were amazing, the rides were beautiful and well thought out. My only complaint was the airfare. Booing through a 3rd party made changes very difficult, and the VBT attitude was “not our problem” from the first airline issue. Buy the trip but get your own airfare

What a well planned tour. So special to have every aspect of our trip prearranged for us. They thought of everything. Just ride and enjoy.

The Mosel River trip was quite memorable. I loved cycling through the river valley, the history, the scenery, the vineyards and of course our VBT guides and staff on the barge. Everyone was very accomodating and ensured that we had a great experience. I'm glad we selected this destination and would recommend to any avid cyclist.

This trip was first class. We enjoyed exploring Luxembourg City and Metz before boarding the barge. The barge experience was excellent - the rooms were small but adequate, the food was wonderful, and the crew was attentive and engaged well with the guests. The bike leaders, Axel, Arnaud, and Felix worked very well together, were very well organized and knowledgeable, and were very funny and entertaining as well. Felix's piano skills were a surprising addition to some of our evenings. Most of the riding was on very good, paved bicycle paths rather than on roads. I would make two suggestions: first, incorporate a short history lesson about the Maginot Line and include a couple of short stops to allow viewing of some of the remains of that fortification; second, find a way to allow another hour or so in the very charming town of Saarburg that we had to rush to see. The combination of VBT's organization and support, beautiful scenery, great food and wine, and glimpses into history from the Roman times until the present made this a very memorable week.

Our VBT Bike and Barge trip along the Mosel River was absolutely marvelous and an experience I will never forget. From start to finish, every detail exceeded my highest hopes. Traveling with VBT is pure joy; the accommodations, leadership, and seamless organization made everything effortless. The scenery was breathtaking, with each day somehow more beautiful than the last. The staff seemed to anticipate every need before we even knew it ourselves, making us feel completely cared for. The food was delicious and perfectly paired with wonderful local wines and beer. Karima and Antine provided delightful service throughout the trip, graciously serving our meals and keeping our cabins beautifully prepared. Axel, Peter, and Steffie were incredible hosts whose warmth and energy made this journey truly extraordinary.

This was our first self guided trip, and I really enjoyed it. Biking in the French countryside seemed ideal for a self guided trip where we may want to stop longer in town, or enjoy a more leisurely lunch. The routes were challenging, since all the longer options went to the must see places (how can you not have a Chardonnay in Chardonnay??). I still enjoy the non-electric bikes, and found this to be the most challenging of my VBT tours, but it was still do-able, and I felt great at the end of each day. Just be prepared for some longer routes and hills. The infamous tunnel was open and a highlight to bike through. The guide said it's closed mid-October through March to allow bats to roost over the winter. Our restaurant stops on the route were fantastic, and it was nice to see how proud the waiters were about the local wine.

Beaujolais, Chardonnay and beyond, this tour was all I dreamed of.

This trip was a life altering experience. VBT made everything so easy! The itinerary was well thought out and the tour leaders had extensive knowledge of the areas that we visited. We had a wonderful group of participants which further enhanced our experience. We can’t wait to take another tour with VBT.

This is a great trip. The views of the snow covered alps as you rode were spectacular as were the lovely villages (late May trip). It would even be better if we wound through a few more small towns instead of so many bike paths. I personally wouldn't have minded a few hills. What made the trip, however, were our two guides, Michel and Cedric, The have been friends for thirty years. It showed and their comic interaction was most entertaining. Cedric gave a few days of Swiss history which was excellent. They were both excellent bike mechanics, which always helps. The hotels were diverse, from 1000 year old abbeys to newer, high end ones. The food and wine were also great. 5 STARS!

The consummate France Biking and wine trip. The guides were outstanding the routes were amazing and the food and wine were the best. Highly recommend including both the pre and post extensions to Paris and Nice for a complete France experience. The ship and crew were superb. Excellently maintained and operated vessel.

Great trip! Wonderful leaders!!! Sophie and Bruno are two of the best leaders we’ve ever had on a VBT tour (we’ve been on six). Food on the Emerald riverboat was superb. Only criticism is that on my step through hybrid, there wasn’t room on the bar for my water bottle. That made it necessary to stop for a water break and that’s difficult.