France Bike + Boat Tour Reviews — 301 to 330 of 566
Sam
6 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Bordeaux Bordeaux - Châteaux, Rivers & Wine
France
A GREAT experience on a bike & barge trip! I LOVE Bordeaux and the bike routes were beautiful !!! absolutely amazing from the start to the end.
The staff members were superb and we had fun !!!
I highly recommend this trip !!!
Steve & Ginny B.
6 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Bordeaux Bordeaux - Châteaux, Rivers & Wine
France
We cannot tell you enough good about MS Bordeaux, the Captain and his crew. It was so enjoyable to arrive on board, unpack for eight days, and relax. On other bike rides, we unpacked every night and repacked every morning. I think another bike/barge is in order. Tim LaMonte and I are researching next year’s ride already!
The food was exceptional (except for one night when the chef was off. My red mullet was raw and not cooked. Can you spell Y-U-C-K?). Every day, we packed our lunches (except when we did our walking tour of Bordeaux with Sebastian, see below.) Desserts were yummy!
The bike rides were great and we discovered fantastic wines!
There were 84 passengers on-board. A large group was from Australia, some from Canada, Switzerland and the USA. Even though those of on the non-guided ride tour rode at different speeds, we continuously found each, and other helped each other find our way Read More and found places of interest. The camaraderie with other riders was phenomenal.
I had an e-bike. Ginny had a regular bike. On the last day, she traded it in for an e-bike! She will get one for the next tour! Tim also traded his bike for an e-bike on the last day.
In the middle of the week, we could ride our bikes on a short bike path or take a walking tour of Bordeaux, or both. We decided to have a relaxing day and took the walking tour.
Sebastian, the bartender, had the day off. We asked why he did the free walking tour on his day off. His response was simple. He loved to tell people about his country and take them on tour of his hometown, Bordeaux.
A total delight was our interaction with 19-year old Dorrian (sp?). He was the highlight of the trip. He gave the welcome briefing, the evening briefings on what to expect the next day, and was always available.
1. Dee LaMonte had a flat tire. We called Dorrian and he was there within 15 minutes
2. Dorrian was on different roads where the non-guided riders were, and always got us on the right track.
3. Every time we were not sure of where we should be, Dorrian showed up like magic!
4. Another flat tire, a telephone call, and Dorrian found us again. He took Dee LaMonte and her bike in a van to MS Bordeaux. Dorrian also offered a ride to the rest of us, however, we declined and rode the rest of the way back.
The final night on board, was the Captains Dinner, a party and lots wine flowing and lot of dancing! A perfect way to celebrate the end of our adventure!
Lee F.
6 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Bordeaux Bordeaux - Châteaux, Rivers & Wine
France
It was an altogether pleasant experience; the highlight was the lovely little village of Saint-Émilion.
Patti P.
6 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Anna Maria IV Loire Valley Bike and Boat - 2019
France
The best part was traveling with friends. I would have enjoyed more information about the area and towns we were traveling through.
Karen T.
6 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Anna Maria IV Loire Valley Bike and Boat - 2019
France
The food at breakfast was the same for 7 days, as were the luncheon meats. The bread was fabulous but could have been switched up with some protein like eggs to start the day. The dinners were, on most occasions, tasty and delicious but lacked quantity after a long bike ride.
My biggest complaint was the cost of the water. The days were hot, the stores and restaurants along the way were closed and for the temperature we should have been provided with water or somewhere to fill our bottles. The boat charged too much Read More for a small bottle and provided only one even smaller bottle for the day.
Our bike guide did not provided any history of the areas we saw and at night, we were not given any tours of the place we were moored at.
Last but not least, all the bikes needed to be tuned up, several chains, when changing gears, fell off, some brakes did not work well and some gears would not change properly.
The most memorable part of the trip were the rest of the passengers, we all enjoyed each others company and had the ability to laugh at some of the situations described.
Eileen A.
6 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Clair de Lune Around Paris
France
Most Memorable? For me the day we cycled through the city of Paris. We got to experience a very authentic side of Parisian life, zooming along the myriad of bike paths with the locals, enjoying the sights, sounds and smells and knowing we were in the capable hands of our guide. Having a guide removes all of the navigational stress and allows for the freedom to sit back and enjoy the ride.
Gary F.
6 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Zwaantje Bruges to Paris
Belgium, France
Great trip, great barge, well organized, a list of fellow passengers for each cabin would have been helpful from the start
Keep in mind the MPS Zwaantje does provide hairdryers for each cabin, provides WiFi- a truly upscale barge.
Jeff K.
6 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Bordeaux Bordeaux - Châteaux, Rivers & Wine
France
Beautiful chateaus. Great wine. Not allowed to drink in cabin. Cabin extremely small. Shower barely fit one person. Guide excellent. No sauna or hot tub. I would recommend this trip but not this boat (the Bordeaux).
Pauline J.
6 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Feniks Bruges to Paris
Belgium, France
The crew of the Feniks, provided the most amazing experience. The food simple satisfying and enjoyable. Food fresh, tasty, and cooked well by the Nelje. Marius and Reinhold, provided amazing care of all our needs The accommodation small, efficient and clean. You always slept well. The guide Nina with her amazing knowledge showed us her secret places, backroads, canal paths, and bike paths. She encouraged all riders while challenging us beyond what we thought we could do. As a experience it exceeded my expectations. Looking for a different French/Belgium experience do this trip you never forget it. Will do another trip this way, and if possible on the Feniks...
Pam M.
6 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Feniks Paris to Reims
France
A great trip in many ways. Good staff - helpful and friendly. Good scenic route with chances to visit places of interest, very good food. Only draw back was problems with 3 out of 4 'E' bikes and a lack of expertise in how to fix them causing stress to some riders.
Ann B.
6 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Fleur Montargis to Paris
France
The time on the boat was fun and enjoyable. Your description of the bike ride being easy to moderate was way off. It should have been described as hard to difficult!! It was very misleading.
Elaine Newman • 3 years ago
Could you please tell me what you found difficult about this trip? Were there a lot of steep hills etc?
Eileen F.
6 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Fleur Montargis to Paris
France
Awesome trip with a wonderful crew. The only misleading part was the description of easy to moderate biking. The hills of France made this trip more difficult than expected.
Jehiel from Tripsite • 6 years ago Tripsite Staff
Hi Eileen,
Jehiel here from Tripsite. We work diligently at rating each one of our tours so you can have a comfortable and satisfying experience. To prepare travelers for the ride, we mention in the Skill Level section of this page, the average daily distances and what to expect for hills/climbs. We hope that this information gives travelers enough information to determine if the tour fits their fitness and comfort level.
Wendy K.
6 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Anna Maria IV Loire Valley Bike and Boat - 2019
France
My Read More recommendation to HAT tours is to provide maintenance support for the tour if they are going to continue to use these bikes. I have been on another company's bike and barge tour through Provence in 2014 and they had maintenance support which could be contacted promptly to fix and/or transport bikes/people when required.
Bruce K.
6 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Anna Maria IV Loire Valley Bike and Boat - 2019
France
Roman, Matilde and guide Ari, couldn't do enough to make welcome and please our entire group, especially during some minor technical difficulties that were not of their making. The quality of the bikes, whether due to model, age or degree of maintenance is something that our entire group of eighteen agreed is an area that could be looked at HAT tours; a lot of pressure fell upon the Anna Maria crew (especially Ari) to rectify faults not of their making. A less flexible and tolerant group of paying passengers might have made for an uncomfortable trip.
Neil M.
6 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Bordeaux Bordeaux - Châteaux, Rivers & Wine
France
Most Memorable Part: The accommodations, the staff and of course cycling through all the beautiful country side.
Nelson G.
6 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Bordeaux Bordeaux - Châteaux, Rivers & Wine
France
We had a great time riding through Bordeaux’s beautiful wine country. Our trip was enjoyable for our entire group of varying cycling abilities. The E-bikes made it easy for those that needed them. The staff was excellent and very personable. We were treated as art of the family. We are looking forward to our next cycling adventure.
Paul K.
6 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Bordeaux Bordeaux - Châteaux, Rivers & Wine
France
Having a guide for this trip was very beneficial. For the first 3 days our guided group consisted of 30+ people. This was too large of a group and was pretty much a pain. We eventually broke into a group of 8 riders with Dorian as our guide, that was perfect. We were able to travel at a much more leisurely pace, visit many wineries, tasting rooms, small villages and churches.
Jehiel from Tripsite • 6 years ago Tripsite Staff
Hi Paul,
Thanks for this feedback. I agree two guides are better than one with big groups. That way you can have two different riding paces and everyone is content. I will share this feedback with our local partner! Thanks again.
Linda H.
6 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Clair de Lune Around Paris
France
Sailing into Paris in the seine was spectacular, what a way to get acquainted for the first time and also enjoy how Parisiennes live and play along the river. Make sure you bring your sunscreen.
Brad W.
6 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Arlene II Mainz to Strasbourg
Germany, France
Much of the bike ride was difficult to navigate. Signs on the road are not always clear. Expected more country rides but much of the bike ride was through cities with many vehicles (somewhat dangerous). If we elect to travel with Tripsite again, we will do more research to determine ease of navigation along the bike route and how much of the route is through traffic.
Patrick S.
6 years ago
Verified Reviewer
L’Estello Provence - Wilderness of Camargue
France
The most memorable part for me was the camaraderie formed within the group. Mainly because our guide, Helmut, was so personable and caring. Also, Tripsite did a great job filling our time with memorable adventures. I'm so glad I chose to use an e-bike.
Richard O.
6 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Clair de Lune Around Paris
France
Our guide, Chris, was exceptionally talented. He answered questions clearly and completely, and he offered many interesting comments about the various sites we traveled through. Our captain, Connie, was also thoroughly competent and provided additional insight about our travels, especially thru the various locks. Meals were good. Breakfast was standard European and I appreciated their encouraging us to prepare sandwiches and snacks for lunch. Be aware that the instructions for meeting the tour bus from the train station, Gare du Nord, were incomplete: You have to continue walking about 100 meters on Rue de Maubeuge beyond Rue Ambroise Pare to find the bus. Also, this bike trip was considered "easy" based on the relatively flat terrain and modest miles ridden.
However, the paths were not always very smooth; we experienced rocky, bumpy, pitted and muddy roads for much of the trip. In general, however, this was a very memorable trip; I'd do it again!
Jillian M.
6 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Zwaantje Bruges to Paris
Belgium, France
The experience of being able to see the countryside, remote villages and sites at a slower pace with the experience and knowledge of a guide is the highlight. It is good to leave your luggage onboard the barge and know you return each evening to great food and rest.
August D.
6 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Zwaantje Bruges to Paris
Belgium, France
It's a shame that the incompetence and the misogynistic attitude of one person can affect what could have been a fantastic trip, our guide on several occasions got lost and we ended up doing many more kilometres of riding including a very long and steep hill climb that we had to walk in the hot sun.
I can not praise the Captain and crew of the Zwaantjie more highly it's a shame he has no control over the guides that are allocated to various trips.
Peter and Denise Marzo
6 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Mainz to Strasbourg
Germany, France
1. The boat was outstanding (5 star)
2. All the meals were nothing short of scrumptous (all three..every day) (5 Star)
3. The SE staff were knowledgable, polite and always willing to help. (5 Star)
4. Embarking and disembarking was seamless. (5 Star)
5. Our onboard guide was outgoing and fun to talk to. (5 Star)
6. The rooms were tight, but manageable. two single beds, good storage for your clothes and a small but efficient washroom.
7. The bikes were well serviced and enjoyable to ride. If you're not a seasoned cyclist, don't worry, the gears were easy to change and many of the people opted for the ebike option which really helped.
8. Biking directions were a challenge. At first we thought it was a language issue, but many of the German people were getting lost as well. We saw Read More no vineyards, one castle, and we traveled through many cities. We had three in our group take spills, mainly because of the city routes we had to take. The "Look for Signs" were often non-existant or hard to find and we found that our group of 10 cyclists were spending too much time conferencing, trying to find the correct route.
Twice we encountered local people who actual lead us to get us back on track. This was definitely challenging, but boy did we bond!! We stopped in small towns having lunch in the town squares, trying local beers and cheeses. Restaurants willing to let us eat our bagged lunches in their restaurant when we bought some drinks.
Suggestions:
1. Arrive a couple of days early to explore Mainz, it's a beatiful city.
2. We flew in and out of Paris and the train system is amazing, but I would suggest closer Airports (Frankfurt to get to Mainz and Paris for Strasbourg).
3. Get comfortable being lost and embrace the journey. We always found our way and have some incredible stories about our rides.
4. Talk to the locals they are magnificent and were always willing to help.
The bottom line is that we are already planning our next bike and barge adventure, there are lots to choose.
My actual rating would be a 4.5 out of 5
Howard B.
6 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Clair de Lune Around Paris
France
The attentiveness and skill of the crew was most memorable. Chris was an awesome guide, encouraging everyone and being a wealth of knowledge about the environs. Conor was personable and available to share her knowledge and experience. Kim is a great cook and quite a character. Together, they overcame the limitation of an outdated too small barge to create an environment that allowed the riders to really enjoy the countryside and each other.
Raine P.
6 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Bordeaux Bordeaux - Châteaux, Rivers & Wine
France
The routes were described well before each ride and usually easy to follow, however at least one person in your group should have a GPS. The guide and scenery were exceptional. The food was great but it was difficult getting vegetarian food for dinner even though I had requested vegetarian when I signed up.
Jenny D.
6 years ago
Verified Reviewer
L’Estello Provence - Wilderness of Camargue
France
The trip was amazing!! From pink Lakes, to Pink Flamingos, White Sandy Beaches, to the Punta Du Gard, Castles, Sunsets, Fields of Lavender, and Van Gough. This trip was a feast for the senses. What a fun trip. I've already booked my next one. This was excellent!!
Molly C.
6 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Clair de Lune Around Paris
France
Overall the trip was great. Route was rated as easy, but it was a little more difficult than expected. Lots of traffic in Paris and trails and streets were often more like off-road or mountain biking. That should be made clear from the beginning.
Mary W.
6 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Clair de Lune Around Paris
France
This tour of the Seine was delightful. The boat and crew were top notch. Our guide was extremely knowledgeable about the history and bike routes of the area. And the weather was c'est bon. It was the trip of a lifetime.
Marco, Captain | Clair de Lune • 6 years ago
Thank you for your feedback hope to see you again.
Judy C.
6 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Bordeaux Bordeaux - Châteaux, Rivers & Wine
France
It was absolutely amazing from start to finish. The weather was warm, sunny, and perfect for biking. The country roads, surrounded with miles of vineyards, and the canal bike paths were beautiful. The small towns and villages were charming and delightful destinations; there was always an old castle or church to explore. The picnic lunch that we packed each morning allowed us to experience a variety of "picnic" spots. One day we were on the steps of the University of Bordeaux; another day sitting along the Garonne River in St. Macaire.
The boat, with just our family plus another couple, was terrific. We got to know the crew quite well-- actually, all on the boat became one big family. It was the trip of a life-time for all 15 of us. Everyday a grandchild would come up to me and say, "Mema, this is the best trip I've ever been on. I am having so much fun." From the youngest, at age 12, to the oldest at 78, we are left with memories that will never be forgotten.
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