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.

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

I LOVED this vacation. I am an avid biker; my husband is not; and we both enjoyed the levels of activity and flexibility. The vineyards and villages were amazing to see, especially by bicycle. Jean and Jean Francois took care of our every need, and the accommodations were wonderful. What's not to like?

Biking in Normandy and Brittany was recommended to us by a fellow VBT biker on our previous trip and we are so happy that we listened to him. The daily parade of classic French villages, farms, gardens, and estates were simply beautiful. Our guides Sophie and Jean were The Best, and we learned more about French culture, history, and language than we could have hoped for. We recommend this trip to everyone!

We had a wonderful experience. The itinerary, guides and bike routes couldn’t have been any better. Everything was planned the minute we landed in Paris. Would definitely recommend to anyone with an interest in the Normandy history.

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!

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 cruise ship is clean and comfortable and the crew is very accommodating. The scenery is lovely. The biking guides are friendly and very supportive. The tours are very interesting. Overall a fun trip. With the daily biking you don’t feel guilty eating the delicious food offered.

The VBT portion of the trip was 5 stars as always. The itinerary was excellent and our guides were fantastic. I enjoyed staying on the small barges and ships much more than the big ship. To be fair, the ship’s staff was excellent, the room was fine and the food was very good. My biggest complaint was the acoustics in the dining room which made it impossible to talk to anyone who wasn’t seated next to you. Further, we did not upgrade our room and found ourselves on the lowest level near the water line. We heard every vacuum toilet flush and a lot of water sounds that kept us awake. Additionally, the furniture in the lounge was uncomfortable and there didn’t seem to be enough seats for all the guests at once.

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.

Overall really enjoyed the trip! VBT staff and barge staff were very friendly, helpful and knowledgeable. They had a challenge to deal with the extreme heat that was present. The barge itself does not appear to be adequately outfitted to deal with such heat. The individual room AC was inconsistent at best. Not the staff's fault as they constantly tried to make it work as best they could. As passengers, we took steps to reduce the heat's impact and the staff accepted deviations from their normal procedures, which was good for all.

Our VBT trip through Germany, Luxembourg, and France exceeded all expectations. Our wonderful guides — Steffie, Peter, and Axel — were knowledgeable, funny, and incredibly approachable. The barge crew was also fantastic. And what can I say about Chef Roger and his amazing meals? I’m just glad we were biking each day to work off the extra calories! This trip was unforgettable, and I highly recommend it — 5 stars!

River cruise, hiking/walking, cycling all in one tour. Very high marks!

The self-guided Beaujolais tour is a reasonable value and can be enjoyed without the guide (although the VBT guides are always great).  We appreciated the excellent lodging and quality bikes, per usual with VBT.  Locals in this region are very friendly but fewer folks speak English than in the big cities. The Beaujolais tour has a few really nice views, but the views and scenery aren't as good as other VBT tours. Twice on our tour, the hotels said they didn't have our luggage (not a great thing to hear when you arrive bedraggled after a day of riding) but eventually the hotel found it after some haggling. This tour includes a miserable hilly detour around what appeared to be a perpetually closed tunnel, and it was hard (for us and other riders) to find our way back on the route once we slogged the unplanned hills. The "Ride with GPS App" was okay in general but gave confusing and contradictory directions more often than I'd think...but it wasn't much of a problem.

The trip was amazing and very enjoyable. The only glitch was the tunnel was closed on one of the day trips and the copied map provided for the alternative route wasn’t very clear and we got lost. We called the support person but it was 2 hours before he called us back.

Biking on bike paths and small roads was fabulous. And little time was spent on transit. Two hotels stood out for both accommodations and food: Lavey aux Bains and Talloires.

This tour had great cycling, fantastic hotels and stunning scenery! Each day was better than the previous but our stay at Abbaye de Talloires and day 4 cycling around Lake Annecy were highlights for me.

Our cruise/bike trip from Lyon to Nice was great! Despite the cool and sometimes rainy weather and fierce winds, we rode on! We enjoyed the walks through each city, and the beautiful rides along vineyards, and fields of fruit and sunflowers. The olive oil tasting was fun and delicious, and the walk through the museum and delicious lunch by the water looking up at Pont du Gard were highlights for us! The bike routes were easy to follow and well thought out. And last but hardly not least was the delightful and knowledgeable guidance of our trip leaders, Sophie and Bruno. They shared so much about the areas we visited, and were so much fun to be with. There was nothing they couldn’t or wouldn’t help out with- we felt so secure under their leadership and guidance!

My wife and I just got back from this tour and have nothing but good things to say. It was our first VBT trip, but will not be our last. We signed up for the full trip/air package and all aspects of our travel were seamless and flawless. VBT partnered with Emerald Cruises for the cruise portion of the trip and the partnership worked well. The ship was luxurious, the food was great, and the crew was friendly and helpful. The cycling was fantastic! This area of France has miles and miles of bike paths and quiet country roads. The routes were carefully planned and well-documented in the Ride with GPS routes. The daily mileage was in the 20-25 mile range over most flat terrain along the Rhone River and nearby vineyards. Our host/guides, Sophie and Bruno, were fantastic! In addition to being great ride leaders, they shared a great deal of local knowledge. Our group was relatively small (8 guests) so we had a good chance to get to know the group and make new friends. Bottom line - this is a five star experience. You won't be disappointed.