France Tour Reviews — 421 to 450 of 943

The crew was very helpful and engaging.

The whole trip was fantastic. The variety of terrain was great. The GPS was invaluable and steered us just right. I would suggest stopping at a market before leaving for the day to get lunch to take on the ride and then stopping at patisseries or glaciers in the towns for treats.

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?

The bicycle riding and scenery while pedaling is most memorable.

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.

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

The Ponte de Guard, the landscape and great food.
Great bicycles and charming and efficient staff.
The boat could use a wash line

This was an excellent trip. Our first trip in almost two years. The hotel was lovely, excellent service and restaurant. The bike riding itself was also very good. The routes were well organized and on very quiet roads and bike paths. We had zero issues with traffic. The terrain is relatively flat with only the climb and descent to the Loire river posing any kind of difficulty. The area was relatively quiet due to the pandemic however most restaurants were open as well as the various chateau. We were able to create the pass sanitaire with our Canadian vaccine certificates so entry into restaurants and attractions was a non-issue. They do scan at most restaurants and often times on the train.

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.

The Canal du Midi tour is a wonderful cycling experience - generally easy riding along a lovely tree-lined waterway and across gorgeous countryside. The daily distances were about right, 30 - 40 kms, and allowed us to arrive at our destinations not all all tired and with enough time to explore and relax when we got there. I would think this would be a perfect first tour for uncertain, inexperienced riders and even for families. The stops were all excellent and varied - some rural, some more urban, most with historical significance (especially Carcassonne and Narbonne!), and the canal itself becomes a big part of the tour as you learn about its history and its many innovative engineering achievements. The food, of course, was also a highlight of the tour, and I would definitely recommend including the additional meals, as the restaurants selected were all first class, served exquisite local fare, and were in excellent locations. The hotels and inns were also all excellent choices. We are so appreciative of the local organizers for all these great arrangements, and also for the seamless support along the way - the bags were always picked up by 9:30, and they were always waiting for us when we arrived at our lodgings. Robert of Ruckenwind is clearly very passionate about cycling and he was an enthusiastic presence and a great resource throughout the trip. Some things worth noting beforehand, however: 1) the canal paths start out smooth and paved, and also very well shaded, but get progressively more uneven as you get farther away from Toulouse, some with rough gravel patches and others with mud puddles or dried, rutted spots that are hard to navigate; and the plane trees are dying in places so you are periodically exposed to the hot sun; 2) the routes often diverge from the canal, partly to avoid some of those rough patches, but also, I think, just to get riders off the canal to offer some diversity and to allow you to see more of the landscapes. This is generally a good thing, and you can never really get lost because you always have a sense where the canal is. But we did lose our way sometimes, and often had to rely on our GPS to find our way back. Anyway, thanks again to Tripsite, to Ruckenwind (especially to Robert!), and to the local operator for a truly memorable cycling experience!

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.

We loved the Bed and Breakfasts Tripsite set us up with! Very charming with delicious breakfast food

This was the best bike trip of our lives. We took it in early June, 2019 with e-bikes and upgraded accommodations. Unless you're a strong cyclist, e-bikes are the way to go for this trip. First, the hotels were amazing and in each one after the first the specific rooms reserved were wonderful. The first hotel in Avignon was simply awful. Not only because the air conditioning was out, but the room was tacky, in bad repair, and was musty. The tour needs to have this changed. The common areas were just fine, it was only our room. Another thing to change would be the route on the first day through Avignon - heavy traffic, a lot of road construction, and then cycling on a road with a narrow shoulder, semi trucks, and 30 mph winds. This was still a five-star trip. I hadn't done much research ahead of time, and so Les Baux de Provence and Fontaine de Vaucluse each came as a complete and wonderful surprise - I had not even imagined places of such beauty and charm. There were some minor problems with the GPS, particularly the road barred off in one place. Fortunately we had a hotspot which we took with us each day, and were able to figure out how to reroute ourselves using Apple maps, but we would have been in trouble otherwise. We went to the market at Isle sur la Sorgue, but it was impossible to visit with bikes due to the crowds of people. We didn't dare leave the e-bikes, even locked, so we had to take turns going in - but still fun!

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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

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.

The trip was as we expected -- enjoyed both the biking & wine tours. Thanks for the ebikes.

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!

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.

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!

Biking in the Bordeaux region was memorable as well as the food and wine on our barge. The staff was welcoming too.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Suggestion for others: Take a different bike/barge trip!

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 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.