France

Bike routes were beautiful and enjoyable! Loved the town of St. Remy and the location of our hotel. Really enjoyed Avignon and again, the location of the hotel made exploring the city very easy.

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.

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!

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.)

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.

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!

Our guides-Matilda and Felix, were incredibly kind, helpful, humorous and competent. They really went above and beyond to make it a wonderful experience. The bike routes were lovely w just a few hiccups due to road construction. The cruise ship was great. Very very pleased for our first VBT experience. The only issue we had was not getting picked up at the airport, but we were reimbursed for the cab ride.

This was our fifth trip with VBT, but our first bike and boat trip. Staying aboard a river cruise ship while doing a week-long bike ride certainly has the advantage of only having to unpack once. Like others here, though, I think I prefer a motel to motel trip where you get more immersed in the countries and cities you visit by staying at local hotels and eating at local restaurants. I think the bike group is also more tightly knit by the end of the ride when traveling with just your small bike group rather than a ship full of river cruisers. But I am glad I experienced at least one bike and boat trip, and if you are considering a bike and boat trip, this is a great one. We biked in four countries. The cities and villages we visited were beautiful, interesting, and quaint. The bike rides outside of those cities took us through beautiful countryside, along canals, and past vineyards. The ride is mostly on bike paths, mostly flat, and mostly easy. There is one significant climb that was tough for this 69-year-old and a couple afternoons of strong headwinds. Otherwise - easy riding. The guides were fantastic. The ship was nice enough, although not as nice as some we’ve been on. We wondered when we signed up for the ride why they were busing us to Den Haag after we left the ship at the end of the cruise rather than keeping us in Amsterdam. But we are glad they did. We thoroughly enjoyed our day there.

Lovely countryside, incredible food on the Barge, the crew and bike guides were the best ever (this our 9th VBT trip). We loved it!

First timer and a wonderful experience. The staff and leaders are exceptional. Well organized and you are well cared for. Food, cleanliness of the boat and service were all above what was expected. Felt at home with everyone. Well organized group.

Lovely region to bike and cruise through. The Mosel is less busy or congested compared to the Rhine. The accommodations and food were very comfortable (esp. beds) and DELICIOUS. The VBT staff so accommodating even offering me an e-bike mid-way through to make me more comfortable. The side trips to wine cellar, bell foundry were also great.

Wonderful trip. We’ve taken a lot of VBT trips and this was a favorite.

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.

This was our first self-guided tour and we had a lovely trip. The scenery was beautiful: small villages and hillside vines. The food and wine was amazing. The ride was primarily on bike paths, and as usual the hotels were terrific. VBT never lets us down.

Beautiful trip starting in magical Chamonix. Mostly bike paths along scenic rivers and mountains. Great hotels with super locations and perks-thermal baths, lake swimming,spa options and more. Energetic, engaging leaders made the trip memorable. Long shuttles and busy towns-Annecy and Chamberry were too touristy and crowded.

Good sights, leaders and food. Unfortunately got injured on day one which deeply limited my ability to participate in biking. Disappointing and depressing.

VBT guides were great as well as the Cruise Ship staff. VBT administration need a bit more education on the details of this Tour. To elaborate, when I first was inquiring about the tour and the bikes available, I was told the E-Bikes were not being used on this tour. When we arrived we learned that the majority of the guests had E-Bikes. The first 2 days were quite windy, and if we had an E-Bike we would have joined the group, but instead did a local tour with the Ship group. On the last day of riding my husband and I were able to borrow E-Bikes from guests that were not riding that day. My husband's battery was not fully charged and another guest had no battery at all and had to find the support vehicle to even ride. The accommodations were great, staying on the 2nd floor or 3rd is a must to take in the spectacular views. We were on the 2nd floor and the only problem was noise from above which was easily rectified with earplugs which the ship provided. Logistics at the Train Station leaving Paris for Lyon were not coordinated properly, assigning random seating so we could not sit with our spouses. But once we figured it all out we truly enjoyed the train, taking in the spectacular scenery on our way to Lyon. VBT's logistics coordination were completed without a hitch. Always on time and done with comfort in mind. We enjoy good food and would rate theirs fairly at the top, but some came up short. Wouldn't hold this against them. Dining room was beautiful and the buffets were laid out so that there were hardly ever a line to stand in. We would recommend this tour to all.

Sophie & Bruno, the trip guides, are very enjoyable, accommodating and knowledgable about France, the historical sites and culture. The rides were easy, scenic and offered the appropriate level of activity for beginner to intermediate riders who are over 50 and not wanting hilly courses. Sophie and Bruno did provide us with additional options for a couple days when we wanted to go further. The food on the ship was excellent. The hybrid bike I rode and the road bike my husband rode were both very good. The GPS system to guiding us is very good. We did get off course a few times but with the GPS system it is possible to get back on course. The rooms on the ship were very small but very comfortable - we upgraded to a panorama level room and it was well worth it. This way of biking and sightseeing is great for us "older" people who want to get out in the countryside and bike but don't want the extra work of packing and moving every couple days. This is not for people who want hard challenging bike rides but more for people who enjoy flat roads through countrysides, vineyards, along the river and canals. We didn't really like the last hotel in Nice but the location was great so that was OK.