France

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.

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 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?

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.

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!

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 was my fourth VBT trip, and sad to say it was my least favorite. (Our past trips were Lake Constance, Ireland Connemara and Puglia.) The boat was very nice and luxurious and the food was great, but I did not feel like I was submerged in the country as with other trips. It felt like we were dropped off in a town to ride and then returned to the boat every afternoon to the same dining room for 7 nights in a row. The 2 guides we had were very nice gentlemen, but communication was lacking. Some examples: the group left on a ferry without us, and we weren’t told which ferry to take, we were never quite sure what time we were to meet up everyday, and a route had a detour that we had to figure out on our own. We were scheduled to have 3 guides, but one was unavailable. Perhaps that would have helped. Of course the biking was nice with pretty views along The Rhine, but the biking routes seemed too short. One day the guides discouraged us from riding because they felt the route wasn’t that great. Perhaps they should pick a different route we would have liked. More bike rules info and instruction would have helped in Amsterdam. Taking boat tours may have their advantages for some, like not having to pack every other day. We certainly enjoyed the laundry services. But the large boat lacked the charm of the usual boutique hotels and the fabulous hotel restaurants we fondly remember from past trips.

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

Fantastic trip, made even better by our 3 guides that did a lot of last minute planning to insure that this trip was safe, fun and memorable. Due to a last minute boat change, many pieces had to come together, but their knowledge of the area and bike trails made it happen. We traveled with 26 great riders. Highly recommend this trip!!!

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

This trip gives you a combination of beautiful scenery, variety of terrains, and a ton of history. Way more than I expected. Outstanding. The VBT tour guides were entertaining, knowledgeable, kind and caring. Very well run organization. I was a little worried about navigating a foreign country, but the work that went in to build the Ride with GPS app was incredible. I always felt in control and the level of details that were provided at every turn were terrific. I always feel relaxed and I was able to enjoy the ride, instead of worrying about directions.

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.

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

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.

I had an excellent time. The hotels were wonderful. The food was great. The trails picked for excursions. Were EYE popping?

Our leaders, Luigi and Jean Marc, were well organized, attentive to our needs, and delightful to be around. Chamonix, where the trip starts, is all about Mont Blanc. You can take a cable car to a nearby peak and see in all directions, if it is not cloudy. The cable car ride is still worthwhile if it's cloudy. You can also enjoy the river walk and ride a train, north and south, for free. The bike rides were mostly on bike paths and often downhill. There were three steep climbs which the ebikes and road bikes managed easily. Mountains were always in sight and so were rivers, especially the Rhone. We had rain several days, but no washouts. The trip ends in Lyon, a metropolitan city. There are museums, a river walk, river cruises, and shopping. Lyon is also the gastronomical center of France. We took advantage of Greeter Lyon Metropole which arranges free tours with local citizens. The strolls, as they are called, are usually two hours but our guide gave us a four hour tour. One downside is theft by pickpocket. In our group, one person had a wallet stolen, another a cell phone, and another thwarted a theft attempt. Take precautions and the thieves will look elsewhere.

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.

Amazing trip. Great guides and the ship staff was exceptional. The chef did an outstanding job of feeding us.