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France

Provence is a Pleasure!

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.

Idaho21, Idaho

France: Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, Les Baux & Avignon

Exceptional vacation

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.

CMMitch, Arlington, VA, USA

France: Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, Les Baux & Avignon

Wonderful trip to Alsace!

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!

Cheryl M,

Switzerland, Germany & France: The Black Forest & the Alsace Wine Route

Couldn't be better.

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?

Jenny H, Plymouth, MN, United States

Switzerland, Germany & France: The Black Forest & the Alsace Wine Route

Beyond Expectations

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!

scienceteech, Elmira, NY, United States

France: Normandy & Brittany

Bicycling France Normandy/Brittany

Planning and ride with VBT was priceless!. Our bicycle hosts did a fabulous job taking care of our every need. We also did the 3 day in Paris pre-trip, which if you do the 3 day Paris pre-trip, make sure you book all excursions in advance. We pre-booked Eiffel Tower, Palace Versailles, Tuk Tuk Paris, Louvre Museum. My one negative comment was in the city of Dinan. We had a tour guide that was obviously very familiar with the City, Architecture and history. Unfortunately, we could not hear a thing she said. She talked softly, kept walking away, talking to 1 or 2 people....you get the idea. It would have been much better if she had us wear earpieces while she talked. Other than that, fantastic time and would recommend this trip.

Beech9A, DC

France: Normandy & Brittany

Best vacation ever.

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 .

Goldenboy1, Vancouver, WA, USA

France: Burgundy, Beaujolais & Dijon

Fantastic trip!

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!

karen27, Denver, CO, USA

France: Burgundy, Beaujolais & Dijon

dietary restrictions for those who need them

We were on Emerald Sky with this VBT Rhine Bike & River Cruise. I had specified that I needed a lactose intolerant diet. This was not offered to me at all. Last VBT bike trip, when it was only VBT riders, all was perfect for the foods I need. I also saw this with those who needed gluten free meals. My only menu option for dessert was cheese and fruit. I got very bored with this. I spoke with a server and she found sorbet and it was delicious. I see Emerald Sky should have followed through the specifics VBT has passed on to them.

Julie R,

Rhine Bike & River Cruise: Basel to Amsterdam

Rhine review

The two guides were really great. They did everything possible to create a very enjoyable riding experience for all of us. My carbon fiber road bike was phenomenal. Like floating along. The choice of bike routes was fine. Very scenic, and illustrative of how people lived in these rural communities. I especially enjoyed the wine tasting stops. Learned a great deal about the EU and agriculture there. The ship was very nice and the food excellent. However the VBT group was a bit constrained by the rules and schedule of the large number of people on board for the cruise only; ex:!the dining experience was very loud and raucous. The only other comment is that the airport pick up in Zurich was not well organized and the taxi taking us from the hotel opera to the ship was totally disorganized resulting in the driver being lost for a couple of hours searching for the boat.

Peter G, Brattleboro Vermont

Rhine Bike & River Cruise: Basel to Amsterdam

Barge cruising is great!

Cruising on the Princess Royal was a delightful way to travel! We could relax each evening after a full day of biking and enjoy delicious, thoughtfully prepared meals and good company. Our guides Axel, Aernoud & Steffi were enthusiastic and full of detailed information about the Moselle and each of the river towns we visited. They anticipated our every need or wish. Couldn’t ask for better!

Sherri, Richland WA

Germany, Luxembourg & France Bike & Boat: Mosel River Valley

Fantastic bike and barge experience

We enjoyed beautiful, scenic trails led by 2 very helpful, informative and caring guides. Our ship was very comfortable and the staff very competent and caring. Meals were delicious and dietary preferences were accommodated, too.

sherl, Chicago

Germany, Luxembourg & France Bike & Boat: Mosel River Valley

Moselle River Bike & Barge

Wonderful leaders, crew and accommodations on the barge

3rd VBT Tour, PA

France, Luxembourg & Germany Bike & Boat: Mosel River Valley

Bike & Boat through the scenic Mosel River Valley

Beautiful scenery! Our guides, Axel, Aernoud, and Werner were wonderful, Chef Jules' food was very fine cuisine, and the biking was easy as rated. The Princess Royal barge was lovely inside and the perfect size for our group to get to know one another. We really liked staying put for the week and not having to repack every day or two. This was our 6th VBT trip but our first bike & boat, and we would do a bike & boat again! We always do the pre- & post-trips - they help with jet lag beforehand and can provide relaxing downtime afterward.

SF and PS, Arlington, VA

France, Luxembourg & Germany Bike & Boat: Mosel River Valley

Peaceful French countryside at your own pace.

This tour has a little bit of everything we wanted. Great riding in gorgeous French countryside, excellent accommodations (as always with VBT), our bikes were perfect and GPS maps were easy to follow. Having an affinity for wine doesn't hurt, but this ride would be great just to experience the culture and atmosphere of the area.

Tail Rider, Michigan

France: Vineyards of Beaujolais

Beautiful Beaujolais

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.

VASSD, San Diego

France: Vineyards of Beaujolais

A remarkable journey

We signed up for the 1st trip of the season which included the pre trip in Chamonix and the post trip extension in Lyon. Both are highly recommended. The routs are fairly easy, scenic & thankfully didn’t include a lot of climbing. The accommodations were tip tops, the two guides Cedrick & Sophie were excellent and they each had different skills that complemented the other. I cannot recommend this trip highly enough!

John V G, California

Switzerland & France: Lake Geneva, Annecy & Valleys of the Alps

Refreshing Vacation

The scenery is spectacular! The guides were knowledgeable and helpful, as well as entertaining. It would be nice to have local tour guides for the towns where Ride With GPS walking tours were included. This was a refreshing vacation.

Rocky, North Carolina

Switzerland & France: Lake Geneva, Annecy & Valleys of the Alps

Just do it!

This was a truly wonderful trip! The river boat was great with very good food and service. The biking part could not have been better organized, designed or executed. Our guides, Sophie and Bruno, were delightful and could not have been more pleasant or helpful. They were wonderful resources for cultural and historical information and easily stepped in to give us local tours when the ship's tour time conflicted with our biking schedule.

Terry W, Florida and Maryland

France Bike & River Cruise: Lyon to Nice

Review of Rhone River Bike Trip Sept 2022

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.

CjBM, Idaho

France Bike & River Cruise: Lyon to Nice

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