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?

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.)

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 .

This is an unusual partnership between a luxury River cruise and a traditional bike trip. It has some disadvantages.

Least favorite VBT trip taken. Being on a river cruise ship with 100+ non bikers made for a less personal group biking experience and placed time restrictions on long rides. Our guides were excellent. Those who planned the locals highlights, however, failed to provide culturally interesting or important events. Take for example, two winery visits where we learned little or nothing other than that their wine tasted pretty good. Too much riding in buses and too little biking.

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.

Some logistical issues/pour communications by VBT on the front end, most notably we booked/paid extra for a suite but were put in a standard room. But the crew & guides were wonderful once we got underway.

A trip well done from beginning to end, from bike to barge, from guides to chef and captain.

Excellent tour & guides. We are planning another tour next summer. Recommend the barge part to create a community of fellow bikers. Excellent meals & service. All staff was quite friendly & knowledgeable. ***** for Axel, Aernold & Werner and The chef!! Need for improvement: other bikes stored on the barge & mixup upon shuttle pick up in Luxembourg with no VBT personnel to greet us or give instructions.

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.

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.

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.

Excellent trip with superb location selection, exceptional leaders, and really great rides. Highly recommend this VBT tour.

Good flat rides in interesting rural areas of the Rhône Valley. Staying on a river boat and not living out of a suitcase was a plus. Accommodations were quite comfortable. The food on the ship was excellent and it was nice to not have to hunt for restaurants.

It was a pleasure from beginning to end. I particularly enjoyed the help of the staff with routes, things to see in local areas, their good humor and their ability to handle individual changes and preferences.