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.
France
Exceptional vacation
CMMitch, Arlington, VA, USA
France: Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, Les Baux & Avignon
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
Best views of France's Alsace Region
This trip was better than anticipated. We expected a great time, but this was outstanding in service, leadership and bike friendliness.
Meadows Two, New Meadows, ID, USA
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
Incredible trip
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.)
bostonfam, Boston, MA, USA
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
A Great Trip
The VBT guides were fabulous, going above and beyond our expectations. The planned routes were as described, on bike paths or very lightly traveled roads, making the rides safe and carefree so we could take in more of the gorgeous scenery and small towns that we were riding through. The stops for lunches and the cheese and wine stops were fun and delicious. The ship accommodations (we got the upgrade) were comfortable, the food was good, but the service could’ve been better.
K and M, Wisconsin
Rhine Bike & River Cruise: Basel to Amsterdam
Best trip ever
I never use VBT before, but I will definitely use them for my next trip. our leaders, Matilda and Felix were fantastic! I highly recommend VBT To anyone who is looking for a great experience.
Cberyl,
Rhine Bike & River Cruise: Basel to Amsterdam
Fantastic trip - one of the best from VBT
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!!!
Kathy B,
Germany, Luxembourg & France Bike & Boat: Mosel River Valley
Loved this Tour
Everything about this tour was amazing. Highly recommend!
Deborah B, Connecticut
Germany, Luxembourg & France Bike & Boat: Mosel River Valley
Mosel Bike and Barge Trip - Unforgettable
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!
PSSpeaker, Pennsylvania
France, Luxembourg & Germany Bike & Boat: Mosel River Valley
Wonderful trip with a hiccup
We had a wonderful trip. The bikes were new and great. Rides were fairly level and easy. The guides were helpful, knowledgeable and first rate. The food and accommodations were also quite good. Highly recommend this trip for a first trip with VBT. We will definitely be looking at other VBT tours. Only hiccup was on the first day. There was no one from VBT with the bus to pick us up at the first hotel. The bus driver just had a schedule - which was also incorrect and could not contact anyone from VBT as it was 3:00 AM in the States. I also understand there were problems for individuals returning to the States due to the Lufthansa strike but we continued on our own and missed those.
Jan K, Northern Virginia
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
Beautiful and great cycling
Great trip. Eve and Jean Marc were fantastic guides. We rode hybrid bikes and they were perfect. There were only two little hills that were more difficult than easy. The Abby we stayed at was our favorite
Jhonna, Wisconsin
Switzerland & France: Lake Geneva, Annecy & Valleys of the Alps
Outstanding trip!. Incredible itinerary and guides
Great in every way. For our first VBT trip we got lucky with the perfect group and tour guides. Cedric and Eve were fantastic. Perfect weather was a surprise plus.
Tom T,
Switzerland & France: Lake Geneva, Annecy & Valleys of the Alps
Vbt bike and boat
I loved riding the e bikes and Bruno and Sophie were great getting us into the feel of every new town. The staff on the ship was a delight. We loved the Paris and Nice extensions. The hotels were in very convenient Transfers were also coordinated to the minute.
Donna Schreiber, New York and Florida
France Bike & River Cruise: Lyon to Nice
France Bike and River Cruise 2023
I want to rate this trip as 4.5 but that option is not available. The biking was great - loved the e-bike! Visiting the towns/villages along the route was a highlight. There were advantages and disadvantages to the river cruise; being a small part of the larger group of cruise passengers made it difficult to form a cohesive biking group. But staying in one place for the duration of the bike trip was a plus. Recommend the trip for those who enjoy biking as well as visiting historical towns and villages.
Sue K,
France Bike & River Cruise: Lyon to Nice
VBT Bicycling Vacations
Country Walkers