Bruges to Paris Tour Reviews — 61 to 90 of 92

4.7 out of 5

 


Jeffrey D.
6 years ago

Verified Reviewer

The trip was excellent, as attested by this being our 4th one. We will definitely be booking more. The route was good, although France lacks the same quality of bicycle paths that Belgium and The Netherlands have. There was a bit of climbing and some of the women in the group were very happy to have an electric bike option for those climbs. The barge was very clean and quite nice. The staff was excellent and really made you feel as part of the family. They went over and above for most everything. The food was very good and plentiful. The highlight of the Brugge to Paris ride would have to be Chantilly and entering Paris on the barge. The sights were incredible and seeing them from the water gave a whole different experience. The guides were great and the system of having "corners" and a "sweep" meant that no-one got lost and we could still ride at different paces. I am convinced, and I tell this all the time to anyone who listens, that these bike/barge trips are the best value for your money, period. There is no better way to see a country, than by bicycle.

Delia D.
6 years ago

Verified Reviewer

The food was great and loved the coffee machine. Would like dinner at 7:00 pm rather than 6:30 pm to give us more time to relax and enjoy the day. No one ever eats in France before 7:30 pm and I felt like we were being treated as young campers. The Fleur needs new towels. The existing are rough and not vey absorbent. It was a very happy and congenial crew. Bert, Petra, Ellen and Aga. Thomas was most accommodating... Bike trails were good. We had the unusual situation where the majority ie 12 out of 20 bikers were of Olympian caliper. Their preferred speed was 30 to 35 kms an hour and the rest would have liked between 15 and 20 kms. and hour. We all coped but it meant you couldn't relax and enjoy the scenery. Two guides would have been the solution as promised.

Eldon W.
6 years ago

Verified Reviewer

The excellent staff and guide combined with the great mix of rural and forest countryside and the history in the cities and towns along the way.
Tripsite should do a better job of editing the text on their website. There were several incorrect descriptions.

Michelle H.
6 years ago

Verified Reviewer

The bike & barge trip from Paris to Brugge on the Feniks was an amazing experience. The crew was exceptional, the scenery beautiful and the price was terrific. I highly recommend this trip.

Paula Clair S.
6 years ago

Verified Reviewer

The scenery was a photograph almost each moment. Incredibly knowledgeable guide made every day a new adventure. Plus a very doable ride for all skill level.

Kurt A.
7 years ago

Verified Reviewer

The Zwaantje and crew are top notch, and present a great value. Some of the routes in northern France had a little too much traffic. Riding in Belgium and Netherlands seems nicer. Once is enough for this tour.

Jeffrey D.
7 years ago

Verified Reviewer

Most memorable part? There were so many, but Chantilly Castle and the Montmontre area of Paris that we had a tour of immediately come to mind. Make sure that you can ride a bike and can manage at least 30 miles on a route with the same level of climbing, otherwise use an e-bike to help you along. Bring 2 pairs of street shoes, as some days they might get wet. Remember that there will be an opportunity to leave a tip at the end, and it should be about 5-6% of the booked price. Drink wine and beer, talk to people, don't be shy about anything and remember to have fun.

Diane C.
7 years ago

Verified Reviewer

Wide range of scenery and experiences especially going on the barge through the tunnel and excellent guiding by Fred.

Michael & Cynthia K.
7 years ago

Verified Reviewer

The overall experience of the barge & bike tour through wonderful countryside, villages & towns was excellent. The barge skipper/owner & staff were very good & most pleasant. The meals were of a high standard & variable throughout the two weeks.
The bikes were also very good. I had ordered an electric bike with our booking but the order did not go through. However, the ordinary hybrid bike provided did the job so I happily stayed with that.
We were also to have a double bunk, but that request did not get through either, but that was OK.

Trent A.
7 years ago

Verified Reviewer

Most memorable part: Going through the locks. Tip would be to practice cycling up hills.

Madeline N.
7 years ago

Verified Reviewer

Two items that were not as expected.
The literature states two guides but there was only one guide. This means there could only be one guided ride per day. So provide two guides or change the description of the trip to say only one guided ride per day.
Our pre-trip information provided a location for the where the barge would be moored in Paris. We selected a hotel near this location and planned activities based on this location. The boat did not dock at this location. We were not told that the location was changing. The boat docked. We didn't know where we were at and our guide also didn't know where we were at. Guide was very good. This was an issue with the boat captain.

Deborah P.
7 years ago

Verified Reviewer

Needed the second guide as group unwieldy for one. Unlike prior trips, guide gave little info on trip sites/locales, despite being quite personable.

Christine C.
8 years ago

Verified Reviewer

This was a fun trip full of historic sites. Would have liked to have maps so we could go off at our own speed sometimes. The side trips for additional mileage were great. Got to ride some of the "Tour de Flanders" route with cobbles and hills. Chantilly was fantastic! Also took a side adventure to a roman ruin, something we weren't expecting in that part of France.

Tony Davies
8 years ago

Verified Reviewer

We did the bike barge trip from Bruges to Paris on the Zwantjie. We would absolutely recommend the trip. Our comments are:
1. While the cabins are small, they are still adequate and good layout in the bathroom ( each cabin has it's own) . They are kept very clean. They all have AC as the porthole does not open.
2. The rides was rated easy to moderate. It was MUCH harder than Bolzano to Venice so be prepared. I would say it should be rated moderate. The second week is easier than the first - perhaps due to improved fitness but also l think there are less hills.
3. Meals were good and wholesome.
4. Staff were incredibly obliging. Nothing was too much trouble. Thank you Martyn ( the Captain ), Michael ( mechanic ), Chris ( chef/cook ), Gosha ( amazingly efficient at serving meals/alcohol and cleaning the cabins ) and our great guides, Christain and Elia.
5. Size of about 24 riders is excellent. For us, better than say 30-40 as on the Ava Maria. You get to Read More

Gloria S.
8 years ago

Verified Reviewer

Accommodations were too small. The rest of the journey made up for lack of space. No room to put our belongings.

Jim S.
8 years ago

Verified Reviewer

What stands out is the friendly competent crew - Coba, Marianne and Petra, the gourmet chef - Franco, the experienced knowledgeable guides - Piet and Wouter. Together they made the two week journey both comfortable and memorable.

Jen Herold
8 years ago

Verified Reviewer

We had a fantastic trip on the Fleur, It was well above our expectations.
The crew were fun and helpful in every way. ( food was excellent )
Bikes were easy to ride, i would take a gel seat cover for extra comfort.
Cabins were bigger than expected and the bathrooms clean with a instant hot water.
Our guide was informative, she took us into places that you would not normally enter.
We had a fun team of riders, thanks guys from the Smurfs xxx

M. McDonnell
8 years ago

Verified Reviewer

Nearly everything excellent. The only downside was the cycling was promised to have the option of two different rides each day i.e. a long or a short ride with two different guides. There was only one guide so both options were compromised into one medium length ride each day. Many on the tour would have preferred a longer ride most days.

S. Mather
8 years ago

Verified Reviewer

It was well above our expectations in every way, cabins, staff, cleanliness and the gourmet meals all the time. Fantastic experience.

B. Milroy
8 years ago

Verified Reviewer

Everything exceeded expectations. I would definitely recommend the Fleur and trip

Paavo Kivisto
8 years ago

Verified Reviewer

Issues related to the boat: bad smell, cabin room was cozier than we would choose in the future. Laundry facilities were inadequate. We really enjoyed the trip, the guide and the experience!

Wendy Hallinan
8 years ago

Verified Reviewer

Outstanding cuisine, wonderful smiles and life long memories. We have already recommended our trip to many people. Fantastic Elodie!

Linda Harve
8 years ago

Verified Reviewer

Our second bike and barge trip with Tripsite. What a lovely way to spend a vacation!

Alica Kline
8 years ago

Verified Reviewer

Food was great, would have liked more flexibility on cycling.

Gayle Carter
8 years ago

Verified Reviewer

We had brand new bikes and the guides had to spend most of their early evening time adjusting the bikes (Brugge to Paris trip) but in the end got all the bikes adjusted so they all ran well. All the boat staff and guides were fantastic.
Love your trips-must do more.

Gordon Maze
8 years ago

Verified Reviewer

We highly recommend the Paris to Bruges bike and barge on the Elodie but one must be a strong cyclist as there are hills. The food was really excellent. Comradery among the group was high, and that's one of the great aspects of the trip.

Raylee Flick
10 years ago

Verified Reviewer

We had an absolutely fabulous time in September this year on this trip. Cycling was fantastic-Francien an excellent guide, Inma a wonderful gourmet cook. The crew was always helpful and cheerful. The group of fellow cyclists were great fun - lots of laughs. Thank you, we will be back!!

Jim Elkan
11 years ago

Verified Reviewer

Our Kansas City biking group just got back from our annual European bike ride..This year it was a Bike and Barge trip: Paris to Bruges..It was a great trip..The Elodie was as pleasant as advertised, the food, prepared by Chef Sander, was excellent..Our guide, Ono was very good and patient with us..Michael, our Captain, couldn't have been better..

The countryside was beautiful..It was a memorable trip and we'll see you again next year..

Jim and Janet Elkan

Darcy
11 years ago

Verified Reviewer

I recently enjoyed the Paris to Bruges bike & barge tour and I loved it. The crew were fantastic, the service was excellent and the daily ride with a wonderful guide was great fun. It was one of the best travel experiences. Thanks to everyone on the Elodie for the ideal holiday. (I was on the 30th Sept 2012 trip)

Beth Ridenour
11 years ago

Verified Reviewer

This was the best way to enjoy Europe combining bicycling through painting-like landscapes on a well balanced tour of culture, history and fun with a fantastic caring crew and fabulous food! The addition of a dozen Australians made it even better; and barging into Paris on a sunny afternoon with a glass of wine was divine. We're booking again in 2013!