France Tour Reviews — 331 to 360 of 932

My husband and I have taken six trips with TRIPSite, mostly self-guided bicycle tours. We continue to appreciate the outstanding value we receive from TRIPSite and their vendors. Whether we ask for customized routes, additional layovers, comfortable accommodations or wayfinding/GPS materials, TRIPSite delivers every time. The regular bikes (not eBikes) we choose are high quality, the distances are manageable for two +70 year old cyclists, and the new GPS app worked beautifully. Our luggage was always delivered to our destination in a timely manner, our rooms were always ready when we arrived (really important when we craved a shower) and the included breakfasts were hearty and substantial prior to a day of cycling. Sixty percent of the two Loire Valley tours were on spectacular roads and picturesque trails without cars, a huge advantage for us for safety considerations.

We discovered that when we cycled through the vineyards, countrysides and forests, it was often difficult to find fresh water. On hot days in August, we had to carry up to 4 liters of water to ensure we avoided dehydration. Be prepared!

We did two back-to-back Loire trips for a total of 12 days and 250 miles. The chateaus were fabulous, the countryside was spectacular and the rivers and forests were verdant and lush. We highly recommend these two trips.

The crew, the guides and the scenery. The stops at historical places was a really nice bonus.

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.

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.

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.

The crew made this trip, a wonderful group of people!

7 very close friends have just spent a fabulous week with Steve and Karina and crew on their Barge Aurora in norther Burgundy. Right from the booking this was a special holiday. Carla and Tripsite made sure our 55th anniversary (for all of us) was a special event. There was nothing that they couldn’t accommodate.
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, 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.

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

Everything about the Famous Villages of Provence was memorable; the views, the wine, the food and especially the accommodations. The staff at the hotels were so friendly and helpful. We were thankful that we upgraded to ebikes as some of the climbs would have been challenging. There is a learning cure when using the GPS, but it is very accurate and we truly enjoyed riding along the country lanes through apple and olive orchards.

This was my 5th bike and barge trip—they have become my favorite kind of vacation. They take you away from your day-to-day life with full days of activity and slow, macro touring of a new, beautiful part of the world. It's a moving hotel; you bike all day, then find all your things as you left them in a new location without having to pack every morning. They have great food on board, and with all the exercise you do—you just eat what you want! The crew on The Caprice was excellent. Willy, the captain, told us everything—even the few wrinkles we encountered. One afternoon, he gave all of us a chance to steer the wheel from his deck up top. Irene, the chef, was superb. Every night's dinner including starter, main course and dessert where beautifully prepared, delicious and pertinent to the locale of our docking. Karima, the steward, was very attentive to us, a wonderful personality, a great wine sommelier—and creative folder of dinner napkins! Our riding guide Micaela (Micky) was even-keeled, never rattled and dealt with all of our personalities like a pro. The group signing that she organized of Sur Le Pont d'Avignon melted our hearts. She was excellent and made the trip! The boat itself was a little small. The traffic pattern in the dining area needs some work to go a little smoother. The highlight of the trip was the visit to the Pont du Gard—and it would have been nice to have 4 hours there.

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.

Wine, good food and laughter with good friends at the end of the day each day. I loved the City of Trier, the hotel we stayed in in Piesport- Wiengut Lehnert-Veit, and the Eltz Castle outside of Trier.

4.5 stars. If the gorgeous scenery, quaint towns, and efficiency of bag transfer were only being rated, it would be 5 stars. We’ve done 1 other European bike trip, and 6 bike and barge trips. We prefer the bike and barge for primarily 2 reasons: 1. You can drop your bags, unpack and call the boat home for the duration. 2. Great meals and camaraderie with boat mates is fun! Packing and unpacking is no fun. The Mosel was gorgeous, hotels were good, other than a few exceptions, and Tripsite always makes booking easy with friendly staff and good communication ;)

I felt strongly the pull of the Mosel River as it flows across 2,000 years of history, spanning the Roman Empire, centuries of struggle between France and Germany culminating in World War II, and the formation of the European Union in 1985. From the bike saddle, we observe workers pruning vines and collecting grapes, children attending school and residents running daily errands. The experience unfolding before our eyes is enhanced by knowing a bit of that local history -- imagining Roman life here from 2,000 years ago, contemplating daily life in a medieval castle in the 16th century, and understanding World War 2 and postwar efforts to establish the European Union and the Euro common currency. All these historical events shaped life along this river; the evidence surrounds you, from Roman ruins, to castles, farms, footpaths, commercial barge traffic, and agriculture. Part of this journey is taking note of the layering of the modern world over deep historical foundations.

Riding along the river the entire time with beautiful scenery and good bicycling surfaces.

The route and scenery exceeded my expectations.

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.

We loved riding through the beautiful countryside and stopping to see the important landmarks along the way.

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.

Our trip along the Moselle River from Metz France, through Luxemburg, to Koblenz Germany was a fantastic adventure! The route was easy to follow, especially with the GPS coordinates we were provided along with the detailed description of the towns. Our group of four travelled along the river following the mostly paved trail through fields and forests, vineyards, and city trails. The September air was crisp and cool and the vines were rich with clusters of grapes. Traveling comfortably an average of 35 miles on well-maintained e-bikes, we arrived at our destinations with plenty of time for exploration and discovery. Each town had its own charming character. Trier, one of the oldest cities of Germany was an incredible architectural experience with Romanesque arches, palaces and cathedrals. We discovered outdoor markets and enjoyed local Luxemburg cuisine as we learned about the creation of the Schengen agreement which led to the EEU. Old Roman castles dotted the terraced mountains and we took the time to visit a few of them, marveling at their size and strength, The small village of Neumagen-Dhron, with its historic and colorful architecture welcomed us with open arms as they celebrated their annual wine festival in the streets. Koblenz at the confluence of the Rhine and Moselle shared its dynamic march through history with monuments and statues. Accommodations were consistently excellent in quality and service.
This was my first adventure with Tripsite but by no means the last. Thanks to all at Tripsite for making this such a memorable vacation!

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.

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.

We really enjoyed our trip through the Provence region of southern France! Our guide, Michaela, was very knowledgeable of the history of the area, kept us on low trafficked roads on our bicycles, and was in general a lot of fun. Additionally, our eBikes were in great condition and we enjoyed using them throughout our tour. The only downside was our cabin on the Caprice as we both have allergies and there was a persistent mildew/mold smell which necessitated keeping the A/C on relatively high to dissipate it. The cabin was also quite small for us traveling as a couple—one of us literally had to crawl over the other to use the bathroom. The hardworking staff is to be commended.

Great aspects=the guide, food, staff
Less were the comfort of the beds and space in the bathroom

The scenery along the route is amazing. Rolling vineyards and hills are gorgeous. The chateaux were stunning with Chenonceaux the most spectacular (pro tip, GET THERE WHEN IT OPENS at 9am. You must reserve your time to visit online before you go. Also, get the audio guides whenever you can; really adds to the visit). We also took the canoe tour along the Cher river and saw Chenonceaux from the water; HIGHLY recommend doing this.
The chateau in Blois and Chaumont-Sur-Loire were gorgeous, as was Chambord. Cheverny was a treat with the hound pen and Tin Tin exhibit.
We found a winery on the route from Amboise to Vouvray (Caves Cathelineau in Chancay). We did a tour and then a tasting and it was one of the highlights of our trip
The route is rated Easy to Moderate. My wife and I are both experienced recreational cyclists and we opted for E-bikes. There ARE numerous hilly sections and wind; unless you truly love riding up hills, would strongly recommend an E-bike for this trip. Also, opt for the GPS guided route and use the app BikeGPX. I spent the $10 to upgrade the app and it was the best investment. I cannot imagine taking this tour using paper maps. Far too many twists and turns along the way to stay on track.

The trip was well organised, we saw lots of interesting new places, loved, the rides through the forests and the food was amazing! The most memorable part of the trip was the way the entire crew worked together to give us all a wonderfully enjoyable trip.Highly recommend a trip on board Feniks!

The wonderful guides who helped me, the splendid rides, the friendly stafff

Our guide, Michaela, started each beautiful ride through the country side with such a positive attitudes and great information!
Loved the trip up to Le Baux!

Highlights was wonderful riding on French country roads with mostly minimal traffic. The official route takes a lot of twists and turns. We improvised (e.g. following marked bike paths in the general direction we wanted to go in, and at times a slightly busier road) and it went well.

The Zwaantje crew and guides were first rate: highly competent, upbeat and accommodating. Our guides were fun to ride with and loaded with local knowledge, and were flexible enough to improve the schedule of sailing and ride routing to better match the weather and riding group. Very well done! We will be back for more.
The bicycles were fine, and in good order. Next time we will bring strap-on water bottle cages so good hydration is closer to hand.