France Bike + Boat Tour Reviews — 151 to 180 of 567
Laurie A.
3 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Quo Vadis Metz to Cochem
France, Luxembourg, Germany
Also great: the information sent ahead of time was extremely useful. It was hard to go through it all at Read More once, a suggestion i might have is to send topic specific emails. Maybe not weekly, but maybe monthly. Especially appreciated the extra work that was done to make sure we were prepared for the covid requirements, and especially that you took the care to make the decision to change the route to ensure there were no issues.
The crew and guide were all great. Some of the time I wished there could have been a little more education about the area and the things we were seeing.
Angela T.
3 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Caprice Provence - Wilderness of Camargue
France
Our original trip was cancelled due to Covid and we took the Camargue trip in its place. It turned out to be a lovely replacement. I had felt this covered ground I previously knew but seen from the perspective of biking round places previously seen the trip added such a new and fresh layer, as well as previously unknown places, that it was like seeing things for the first time.
The boat was comfortable and the food really excellent thanks to the innovative hands of chef Sara.
Highly recommended.
Sonya G.
3 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Quo Vadis Metz to Cochem
France, Luxembourg, Germany
There were so many memorable experiences on this trip. The Moselle River area is spectacularly scenic, and fortunately we had perfect weather days to enjoy the river, the towns, the castles, and the vineyards. We also loved returning each day to our "home", the Quo Vadis for yummy dry Riesling, exceptional food and social gathering with our trip mates. Highly recommend this trip!
Robert K.
3 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Caprice Provence - Wilderness of Camargue
France
The crew was very helpful and engaging.
Mary Patricia C.
3 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Quo Vadis Metz to Cochem
France, Luxembourg, Germany
The boat, staff and passengers were a delight. They were very COVID conscious. We loved the meals, and relaxation time on the deck. I would totally recommend the Quo Vadis! Hope to do another tour with them next year?
Jeanne H.
3 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Caprice Provence - Wilderness of Camargue
France
The bicycle riding and scenery while pedaling is most memorable.
Steve B.
3 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Quo Vadis Metz to Cochem
France, Luxembourg, Germany
For me it was the first time I saw the Quo Vadis and met Captain RJ and the crew. They were warm and friendly and the boat was beautiful.
Barry B.
3 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Caprice Provence - Wilderness of Camargue
France
Compared to our other trips, the Caprice felt very cramped i.e very limited on deck room for groups. Probably should add a Caprice clothes line to dry clothes, minor but very handy
breakfast was ok but repetitive, other trips had a buffet and especially cooked hot items
suppers were hit or miss, I thought ok but most of our group thought mediocre
guide was excellent as were bike stops, especially the Aqueduct-Pont du Gard, Palais des Papes, swimming in the med, light show. Probably should add a visit to a winery. Consider precharging for some events i.e. colosseum, light show kamisky and Cezanne) , museums,--Palais des Papes, Van Goughs asylum etc) rather than make them optional as some folks are tightwads and really miss out on a fuller experience.
Cycling guidebook is excellent
Good crew
Rebecca H.
3 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Provence - Wilderness of Camargue
France
The Ponte de Guard, the landscape and great food.
Great bicycles and charming and efficient staff.
The boat could use a wash line
Harold N.
3 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Caprice Provence - Wilderness of Camargue
France
The trip overall was well organized and executed in all respects with one exception. The crew were all very competent, friendly and helpful. The meals and service were also excellent, well prepared and presented. Our only complaint was with the execution of the required COVID test which was necessary within 72 hours of our departure. We were lead to believe that this important and necessary test would be all arranged by the crew and we would know where to go and what to do. This was NOT the case. Our group had to research and find the location of the testing on our own with some difficulty. There was much difficulty locating the testing site at the appointed time. We think the charge of 50 Euros per person was excessive. We did not fault our crew as they obviously had no idea that arranging COVID testing was their responsibility.
Johanna C.
3 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Around Paris
France
Can't think of a better way to experience Paris or to see its countryside. The quiet comfort and convenience of the barge along with the camaraderie of fellow bikers made for a memorable and very affordable trip.
Craig M.
4 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Fleur Montargis to Paris
France
I recently returned from a bike and barge trip in France which I booked through Tripsite. The trip was from Montargis to Paris and was provided by Bike Boat Tours based in Amsterdam. This trip was exceptional as it was for myself and 9 of my family members, eight of whom had never traveled to Europe before. I have personally used Tripsite many times in the past and as in all previous instances they were totally professional. They handled any communication to the tour provider, provided a link for trip insurance and all last minute advice regarding clothing, tipping, currency exchange, location where to board the boat, etc. Working with Tripsite is key to making foreign travel easy and I'm sure I will be contacting them again.
Ross M.
4 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Quo Vadis Metz to Cochem
France, Luxembourg, Germany
This is the best kept secret for those of us that enjoy intimate, caring, luxurious adventure with people that will care and spoil you along the way. Quo Vadis will always be our first choice if available and the standard by what we measure all of our other trips.
Patti S.
4 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Quo Vadis Metz to Cochem
France, Luxembourg, Germany
The beautiful scenery along the Mosel River is the star of this Bike and Barge trip! The vineyard along the steep mountain face for miles and miles, the gorgeous river meandering , the church steeple in every village, and the ancient castles on the mountain top! I could not believe I was there in the midst of this! Would not hesitate to recommend this trip to anyone and I have!
James C.
4 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Zwaantje Bruges to Paris
Belgium, France
Barge trip out of Paris was special. Great way to begin trip and see Paris on Sunday morning. Biking through back roads and trails of France and Belgium was great.
Paula H.
4 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Bordeaux Bordeaux - Châteaux, Rivers & Wine
France
Our guide was wonderful. It made our bike riding less stressful. Meet some great people from different countries. Enjoyed our dinner every night. The staff was helpful.
Blaine L.
4 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Zwaantje Bruges to Paris
Belgium, France
Trip was great.
Crew treated us to a very friendly and efficient environment. Food was amazing, dinners each night had a theme from different countries. It was a highlight of each to have this kind of dinner waiting.
Bike ride started in Bruge with great trails and welcoming towns. As we moved to France a few days of rolling hills with interesting stops during the day.
Our guide had his hands full with 24 riders but he was professional, organized, well informed and was just a great person to sit and talk with.
A great trip with a great crew looking after us.
Blaine Larsen
Camille B.
4 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Quo Vadis Metz to Cochem
France, Luxembourg, Germany
My favourite parts of the trip were spending time in Cochem, the happy hour the entire group would spend “debriefing” at the end of the day on the deck of the boat, both vineyards that we visited and the incredible gardens we saw as we rode along the Moselle river.
My suggestions:
Clear instructions about the day we board the boat. Everyone was confused about whether we simply drop off our luggage, stay on the boat, is there dinner on the boat?? Etc.
It would have been nice to have some background music on the boat during breakfast, happy hour, dinner or the evening. I heard a number of people mention this.
A few planned activities on the boat would have been a lot of fun. A theme dinner, trivia night, learn to make the local cocktail, a local historian gives a presentation, a quick and simple local language lesson, etc. People also commented on this and would have gladly paid another 100 Euros for a few little “extras” like these.
Celeste N.
4 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Bordeaux Bordeaux - Châteaux, Rivers & Wine
France
The trip was as we expected -- enjoyed both the biking & wine tours. Thanks for the ebikes.
Don B.
4 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Bordeaux Bordeaux - Châteaux, Rivers & Wine
France
Not moving and sitting next to a mud bank and a muddy river made the first couple of days disappointing. The rest of the trip was very good with Bordeaux and St. Emilion being the highlight of the trip. The staff and food was exceptional!
Carol H.
4 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Bordeaux Bordeaux - Châteaux, Rivers & Wine
France
The bike routes were good and some of the stops at vineyards were excellent but other vineyards were not really interested in providing tastings even when they had been pre-arranged by the boat company. The old bikes were in bad shape but the new bikes were of excellent quality. The e-bikes were a godsend to riders that struggled with the hills on the second day. Unless you are are a fairly strong rider the e-bikes were needed on 2 of the days. The bike mechanic was great and the GPS was helpful when it worked but it was not reliable. Paper maps were needed as a back-up. The rooms on the ship were cramped but OK overall. Our biggest concern was that the food was really BAD. We could not eat several dishes and they sometimes ran out of the main course.
Overall, given the steep price, we would not recommend this tour. Other barge and bike tours are much better value.
Ceira S.
4 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Quo Vadis Metz to Cochem
France, Luxembourg, Germany
Gorgeous Mosel with quaint towns cycling and being on a gem of a boat! Surrounded by great people and a great crew!
Thank you for wonderful memories!
William A.
4 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Bordeaux Bordeaux - Châteaux, Rivers & Wine
France
Biking in the Bordeaux region was memorable as well as the food and wine on our barge. The staff was welcoming too.
Elliot A.
4 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Bordeaux Bordeaux - Châteaux, Rivers & Wine
France
The trip was fantastic, especially the other people on the tour. My recommendation to newbies is to definitely sign up for e-bikes and the guided tour.
The only bad thing was that the noise level in the dining area was painfully loud. My ears are still ringing! They really need to install some acoustical tile or something.
Ellen K.
4 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Bordeaux Bordeaux - Châteaux, Rivers & Wine
France
Loved moving to a new spot in France every day and biking the country side. Exercise, vacationing with friends, drinking great wine - was wonderful. Fun to have so many options to enjoy the countryside - ebikes, guided, self guided, etc. easy to customize the trip for your desires.
Carol M.
4 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Quo Vadis Metz to Cochem
France, Luxembourg, Germany
I have been traveling for many years and have had many amazing adventures. I can honestly say that this is one the the best holidays I have taken. I loved being active and after a day of exploring to come back to the boat for a cocktail, wonderful dinner and conversation with the other guests. The crew made us feel at home. I cannot recommend this trip enough! We are already planning the next holiday. Thanks for a great experience.
Richard J.
4 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Zwaantje Bruges to Paris
Belgium, France
Zeaantje barge is very nice. Crew was great. Our guide, Andre, was the best we have ever had—very knowledgeable about the route and special sites to see/visit, adjusted our route a couple times to accommodate the rain. Frank, the cook, was really outstanding—creative meals, good variety. My only, minor, complaint is that the barge’s lounge can be very noisy when a group is in it, especially at meal time. Bikes were ok but could use some TLC; we had a lot of flats, and some brake issues, but everyone pitched in to make repairs.
Rick M.
4 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Bordeaux Bordeaux - Châteaux, Rivers & Wine
France
The boat was quite old and noisy. Due to either river conditions or dock accommodations, the skipper had to move the boat off the dock multiple times during the days and at night, disrupting sleep for many of the guests. Air conditioning did not work in several of the cabins, and the crew was very slow to repair. At our "welcome aboard" briefing, we were told that there were 130 life vests on board the vessel, and that was the extent of the safety briefing - nothing about where they were located or how to don them. No word about where fire extinguishers were located. Nothing about how to get off the boat in an emergency. If there was an AED on board, it was well hidden!
Several of the young ladies in the crew were very friendly and helpful to the passengers, but others were not very helpful at all - The Captain could best be described as an old Curmudgeon. Time for him to retire! The bikes were Read More old and somewhat worn out. Very little help from the crew with getting them set up and ready to roll each day. The first day of "bike fitting" was pandemonium, with 80+ people all trying to get their bikes at once. Probably could have been a little better organized - as could several other aspects of the trip. Our guide was trying very hard to do the best he could, but he was handicapped by a lack of experience and local area knowledge. His regular job was working in the office for the boat company, and I suspect he was pressed into service as a guide, probably because so many people requested the guided option.
The food was generally good, but there was no choice during evening meals. If you happened not to like duck, too bad!
While the crew and the company had no control over the weather, it rained almost every day, and to top it all off, I found I really prefer California/Washington wines to any we tasted in the Bordeaux region.
While this was our first barge experience, we have taken many other cycling trips, with other companies. In general, they have all been far more organized an better executed than this trip. The bikes were always better in quality and better maintained by the crew. The tour leaders were far more informed and informative about the areas we were riding in.
Bottom line: I will not take another bike/barge trip through your company, nor can I recommend your trips to others.
Kevin M.
4 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Bordeaux Bordeaux - Châteaux, Rivers & Wine
France
Cycling through the vineyards and countryside of France, Bordeaux area and spending time in France with friends.
Gina T.
4 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Bordeaux Bordeaux - Châteaux, Rivers & Wine
France
The biking and the tour guides, Alex and Bill, were amazing! Beautiful scenery and quaint towns with many fabulous wineries to check out along the way. Also saw kiwis, wicker and corn fields and enjoyed the most amazing fragrances of the flowers blooming as we traveled. This was our first boat/bike trip, so we have no comparison point. The boat is aging and we rarely had internet. The rooms are extremely small, but we didn’t stay in our room much. The food was fantastic and having lunch makings every day was very handy! If you are adventurous, I’d definitely recommend this tour!
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