France Bike + Boat Tour Reviews — 91 to 120 of 567
Lynne P.
2 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Princesse Royal Metz to Cochem
France, Luxembourg, Germany
The bikes were a problem everyday- not well maintained or just end of season but not good
The barge was very warm- esp with comforters- suggest availability of a sheet for these conditions. A soap dish is needed in the shower, the hair dryer was very inadequate. Need to have some sort of wax paper or plastic bag for the sandwiches- wrapping in napkins does not work. The barge should offer/highlight local wines!!! The whole point of this trip is particular.
Our guides Heddy and intern Micah were fabulous.
Laura H.
2 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Iris Metz to Cochem
France, Luxembourg, Germany
Reik welcoming and friendly nature & Omar's cooking.
I learned never to be on the last trip of the season, the exterior of the boat was kinda 'sad' looking.
Guides should actually know where they are going and put safety of riders at the top of their concern. Paul was so careless he was dangerous.
I don't think I would've gone on this trip if I would've known that I wasn't free to ride/stop when I wanted to or even provided the route information. I've been on several trips with Backroads and this did not measure up.
Tripsite staff • 2 years ago Tripsite Staff
Thank you so much for taking the time to write to us, we appreciate it immensely! This season was incredibly difficult for guides and crew, every week it seemed we had to find new personnel because folks were out with COVID. However, the safety and comfort of our guests should be paramount. I'm so sorry to hear about your experience with the guide, I have already inquired about his behavior and will ensure it is dealt with properly.
For nearly all our tours, we provide GPS tracks for independent cycling. However, there are a select few guided trips, such as aboard the Iris, which are still strictly group tours. I am sorry this wasn't to your liking, I do believe the Iris will eventually provide information for self-guided riding but until then, we have other boats offering this service. I hope you were still able to enjoy other aspects of the trip, despite these issues
Glenn S.
2 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Princesse Royal Metz to Cochem
France, Luxembourg, Germany
Great scenery, great chef on the barge, nice boat, and great guides! Overall a great experience. However if I must find something that needs a bit of upgrading, it’s the bikes. They were getting pretty tired and needing tune ups. Some had bald tires and most lacked correct air pressure in the tires, on previous Boat Bike trips the bikes were much better maintained. It was the end of the season and the bikes had gone through a lot over the year was the reasoning, but I paid so I expect good bikes regardless of the time of year.
Prosper B.
2 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Clair de Lune Strasbourg to Nancy
France
However (and there's always a "however") this tour, which was described on your website as "easy" was anything but.
I am 68 years old and have never used an e-bike on any tour, including the hills of Provence, but the hills encountered on this trip were challenging even for the riders half my age. The tour description was erroneous and misleading. I say misleading because looking at the tour guides' maps, the elevation levels were clearly labeled but not communicated to the guests. So those on e-bikes had a much different experience than those of us (4 out of 10 guests) who did not. Those of us who did not struggled.
The other complaint was a lack of things to see in the middle of the tour, Read More unless churches are your thing and that's all I seemed to see in the form of tours, which got repetitive.
Nothing I have complained about here would prevent me from traveling with Tripsite again, as I am a true believer in this experience. BTW, the crew and the culinary staff were superb, as always.
Tripsite Staff • 2 years ago Tripsite Staff
Thank you so much for taking the time to write this feedback, it is invaluable to us and makes us better! We're so sorry for the issues you experience with the difficulty. Rating the difficulty level of a tour is the hardest aspect because of how subjective it can be. We do our very best but sometimes we miss the mark! I'm so sorry for this. I have already increased the difficulty rating of the tour and hopefully, the terrain will be better represented. I will also be adding the elevation to each day so future travelers are fully informed.
Clifford H.
2 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Iris Metz to Cochem
France, Luxembourg, Germany
Traveling on the IRIS was nice. Highlights: Bike ride from the extinct volcano down to the Mosel was a great 40 mile ride (almost all down hill). The wine tasting excursion was set up by our guide Paul. Quite different than others I have been to. It was an intimate meeting with the owner of the winery that had been in his family since the 1600s. It rained (really just a mist) during 2 of our rides but with rain gear, it didn’t effect us.
Give me a call if you would like to hear some minor suggestions for improvement.
Alan L.
2 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Zwaantje Bruges to Paris
Belgium, France
Biking from Noyon - Compiègne, the Compiegne forest was very beautiful to bike through.
As we neared Paris, the biking was sometimes more difficult due to traffic on some sections of the route.
Edward M.
2 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Zwaantje Bruges to Paris
Belgium, France
Comfortable lodging, excellent food (especially the soups- thanks Frank) knowledgeable guide and unforgettable landscapes - what more could you ask for?
John M.
2 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Zwaantje Bruges to Paris
Belgium, France
OK. So we weren't expecting luxury at this price and on a barge trip. The rooms took a bit of getting used to but we really only slept there and mostly ears the comfortable common areas. Loved every minute of the biking and every bite of the food. Chef was amazing. The crew worked their butts off looking after us and the bike guide was everything one would want. Knowledgeable competent careful and patient. My only wish would be for a larger room and a bigger window but hey I got what I paid for and more
Laura C.
2 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Fleur Montargis to Paris
France
Tamy is by far the best guide we have ever had lead a trip.
The boat was wonderful with brilliantly laid out facilities, especially in the guest rooms.
Last but certainly not least, all the boat staff were exceptional and the food was amazing.
Francis D.
2 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Clair de Lune Strasbourg to Nancy
France
Enjoyed all aspects.Nancy and Strausburg really nice to visit at beginning and end.
Debra S.
2 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Feniks Bruges to Paris
Belgium, France
The captain and crew were wonderful! The boat was very comfortable. The food was amazing. The bicycle route was beautiful with interesting stops.
Bruce Z.
2 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Iris Metz to Cochem
France, Luxembourg, Germany
The places we biked to were wonderful....villages, river views, vineyards. The Iris was fantastic. Great crew, wonderful boat. Was very hot part of the trip and the crew did a great job adapting to the heat. Would highly recommend this trip.
Patricia G.
2 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Iris Metz to Cochem
France, Luxembourg, Germany
The scenery along the Mosel was very nice and the biking was generally as advertised- easy. Day 2 was more challenging than expected with more hills (not steep but long). It might have been helpful to know in advance, as the description only mentioned the downhills. Strictly speaking, I’m not sure I’d classify it as an easy ride. Having said that it was a truly gorgeous ride.
I also enjoyed the ride through Trier. Rikko did an excellent job giving the historical background.
Rikko and Paul were eager for feedback on the days rides and open to suggestions during the evening briefing. As a result we often split into 2 groups, allowing riders to go Read More at their own pace. They also adjusted the daily rides as we had a couple of very hot days. Their flexibility was appreciated.
I would certainly recommend this trip to others. It was worth the wait!
Christopher B.
2 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Clair de Lune Strasbourg to Nancy
France
The boat elevator.
James C.
2 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Clair de Lune Strasbourg to Nancy
France
Captain and crew of Clare de Lune were great. Enjoyed time aboard piloting down canal and through locks and down canal elevator, (not kidding... elevator). Barge cook delivered top-notch meals. Biking along canal was easy... but would recommend taking some of the more difficult routes away from the canal for beautiful rural scenery and panoramas. Enjoyed Nancy and Saverne and loved Strasbourg.
Antoinette T.
2 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Clair de Lune Strasbourg to Nancy
France
The start (Nancy) and the end (Strasbourg). In between, we biked a lot but did not visit much...
Sandy P.
2 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Zwaantje Bruges to Paris
Belgium, France
The crew, the guides and the scenery. The stops at historical places was a really nice bonus.
Kelly L.
2 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Metz to Cochem
France, Luxembourg, Germany
The crew was fantastic. The chef made delicious farm to table foods daily. The first mate was personable and fun as well as the captain and hospitality director.
Bikes are as described and worked well. Scenery was also interesting.
James W.
2 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Caprice Provence - Wilderness of Camargue
France
This was our sixth bike and barge trip. Our over-all experience was great!! The food was fantastic, the service from staff was excellent, and the bikes were better than our own. The Caprice is older and very tight quarters, both in the cabins and in public areas. This was a small inconvenience compared to the total experience.
Wendy C.
2 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Clair de Lune Strasbourg to Nancy
France
The amazing crew, some of the key sights, the cycling (despite some rain storms), and the Clair de Lune overall. While rooms are small, they are fine and efficiently appointed and always clean. Marco was a great skipper, and Jen was a superb chef. Great food; happy clients! A combination of electric and hybrid bikes which allow all age groups to ride.
Patricia M.
2 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Clair de Lune Strasbourg to Nancy
France
The crew made this trip, a wonderful group of people!
John G.
2 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Aurora Luxury Northern Burgundy & Paris
France
Aurora is a floating 5 star intimate hotel. She is in immaculate condition. Her crew are well trained and extremely pleasant to have with you. Every little thing to make you comfortable has been thought of and taken care of. They even curate the music that they play in the background to your age group.
We were touring at the end of a difficult season for Steve and Karina with a very hot and dry summer. Plus Covid was still disruptive. Very low water levels made following the planned itinerary very difficult. In spite of that and because of Steve’s knowledge of the area they were able to provide us with a great experience.
Our bike guide, Read More Weiger,had an encyclopedic knowledge of the area and never seemed to look at a map except to show us where we were. He was a pleasure to be with.
This was a memorable trip for us all. We would use Tripsites experience and expertise without hesitation in the future.
Thank you Carla, Steve and Karina. And all the crew.
The “Summer of ‘67” gang.
Robert B.
2 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Olympia Mainz to Strasbourg
Germany, France
The boat was wonderful as was the staff. Food too was excellent. There were two central problems with the trip. The first is the route. We had anticipated that the trip down the Rhine would be in beautiful sections building t instead we spent a week in heavily industrial areas where there was little along the river that was beautiful at all.
The second problem was that it appeared that no one from the company had checked out the route of the biking since it was first established since roads had closed and there were continuous diversions. As a consequence we (and when I say we i mean many of the bikers) were lost within 15 minutes of departing every day. While the trip was billed as "self guiding" clear and accurate maps are needed
Tripsite • 2 years ago Tripsite Staff
Thank you so much for taking the time to write to us.
We're so sorry your experience was less than stellar. The Rhine river is quite beautiful but there are certainly some sections that are more scenic than others. It seems this route needs some heavy updating, especially considering all the closures you have mentioned. Getting lost is no fun, and again I offer our apologies for the lack of proper direction. We will be making changes for the coming departures to ensure this route is as beautiful and scenic as our travelers expect.
Maureen K.
2 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Caprice Provence - Wilderness of Camargue
France
Suzanne R S.
2 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Caprice Provence - Wilderness of Camargue
France
Mickey, our tour leader, took us out after dinner on the barge, on a walking tour in Arles. I had been asking when we would see the location of where The Bedroom at Arles was painted. That is where she took us. In addition, we saw the location of where Starry Night was painted. She let me bring a friend from our sister barge.
Nancy H.
2 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Caprice Provence - Wilderness of Camargue
France
Crew and guide were fantastic.
Our dinners were amazing. Chef put much thought into selecting and preparing our evening meal always paired with a fabulous wine.
Enjoyed recapping our day’s ride after dinner with our guide, Mickey.
Each day brought a new adventure of riding. Lots of variety.
Might include a walking tour of Avignon as part of the trip.
Patricia B.
2 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Caprice Provence - Wilderness of Camargue
France
We loved riding through the beautiful countryside and stopping to see the important landmarks along the way.
David M.
2 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Caprice Provence - Wilderness of Camargue
France
Arles (Van Gogh & Roman buildings), Barbegal Acqueduct, Les Baux, olive oil mill visit, Pont du Gard. Camaraderie on board the Caprice and while riding. The hospitality and warmth of the Caprice crew. So many other great sites and experiences too. Our guide Miki was great; bike routes were pleasant and relatively free of traffic interference. I felt safe while riding and saw a lot little things along the ride that interested and pleased me - things you don't see from a car, train, or bus.
One area needing improvement: Poor WIFI aboard the Caprice. Higher capacity and more reliable WIFI would have been appreciated.
Tripsite • 2 years ago Tripsite Staff
Hi David!
Thanks so much for submitting this feedback. We agree wifi is important when traveling and unfortunately wifi on boats can be unreliable. We have partnered MyWebSpot and use it when we travel. Hope this helps for future trips.
Thanks again!
Kathleen M.
2 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Caprice Provence - Wilderness of Camargue
France
The guide, the itinerary and the chefs were superb!! 5 stars for them!! But the boat, and specifically the boat owners, get a 1 star. How cheap can they be??!! They didn't even provide a plastic bike water bottle. And they charged a hefty fuel surcharge, even after the price of fuel had plummeted. This was my third bike and barge, and I will never go on another barge owned by this company.
anna • 2 years ago Tripsite Staff
Thank you so much for your feedback. We always recommend bringing your own reusable water bottle as most boats are looking to limit their plastic usage. I understand the fuel surcharge is super inconvenient, no one enjoys charging this! Unfortunately, gas prices in France continue to be historically high. We look forward to eliminating this surcharge in the near future. I do hope you were able to enjoy the tour despite your negative experience with the boat, if we can do anything else for you don't hesitate to reach out!
Linda C.
2 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Iris Metz to Cochem
France, Luxembourg, Germany
The biking throughout was excellent: we had great guides and the barge crew was friendly, accommodating, and VERY professional. Plus there seemed to be a castle on every hill, like biking through a fairytale.
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