France

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.

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.

We had a great time! Everything was so well run and free of worry. The people were friendly the guides were so nice and they were from the area so very knowledgeable about the area. The hotels were top notch. There was plenty of food provided and snacks were so good while riding. It was a very interesting and beautiful area that wasn’t full of tourists and we could see how the people lived. This was my first trip and will not be my last. Had an awesome time!

We have done several VBT trips and this one rates at the top. The view and scenery were stunning. The biking was easy and relaxing. And fortunately, we were blessed with perfect weather. But as with all VBT trips, the guides truly make a difference. Jacky and Cedric were awesome. They are long time friends and play off of each other so well. They are helpful, informative, and really take care of you. The biking is easy and relaxing on this trip. The accomadations and meals were great. Highly recommended. We had a great time.

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.

A remarkable selfguided bike trip! Because it was selfguided, we took our own time pedaling and sight seeing. The bike app that loaded each and every turn and maps was amazing! It was also very good to have a short and a long loop biking so individuals can choose how many miles they want to bike every day. One suggestion would be to have rest days in between and make the trip longer. Chateau Pizay was superb as the other places we stayed. All in all i will give a 5 star rating. I am waiting for VBT to put up other self guided cycling tours.

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.

Riding a bike along the river, traveling through ancient cities with medieval castles overlooking them, experiencing innumerable UNESCO World Heritage Sites, was truly a bucket list experience.

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.

We had a wonderful time. The biking was great and the scenery picturesque. The barge cabins and lounges were comfortable and the food was great. Our guides, Axel, Steffi and Aernoud, were entertaining and looked our for our comfort and safety. Our only complaint was the excessive heat but that was not predictable or controllable. Next time we would go in the fall, not August. The side excursions to a former bell factory and to a family run winery were very interesting. We enjoyed seeing Roman mosaics in Nennig, the Roman amphitheater in Trier and the Eltz castle along the Mosel. The tour was equally balanced between vineyards, historic towns and castles, and enjoyable companions, food and wine. Our pretrip to Berlin was enjoyable and the hotel had easy access to transportation. We thought our walking tour through VBT would be the day we arrived so we had booked the following day for a tour of Potsdam. Therefore we ended up paying for a walking tour of Berlin the third day. Our tour guide to Potsdam educated us on the public transport system. Our post trip to Munich was disappointing only in that the hotel was not air-conditioned and it was not close to central Munich. Our VBT guide did take us to central Munich and showed us the sights we might want to visit on our own the day we arrived. She was very cordial and helpful and even said we could call her anytime with problems or advice.

Matthias and Werner were AMAZING guides. We miss them already! VBT, you all did it right and we had an amazing time.

To see Europe on a bike was the most amazing experience in my life. What a beautiful country to explore!

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!

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.

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.

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?

This was our first VBT trip and we thoroughly enjoyed it. The guides were knowledgeable, positive, friendly, helpful and very professional. The GPS navigation was great. The routes were scenic, culturally diverse, and well thought out. The excursions/tours were interesting too. Recommend the ebike for the hills!