Luxembourg Tour Reviews — 91 to 120 of 122

4.8 out of 5

 


Art R.
6 years ago

Verified Reviewer

  Iris Metz to Cochem
France, Luxembourg, Germany

We were on a river cruise from Amsterdam to Budapest last year, and we noticed that the rivers we were on had beautiful paved and much-used bike trails, often on both banks. Then our friends from Chicago, a couple our age, learned about a barge biking trip in Europe and went on it last fall. They invited us to join them this year on a similar trip on the Moselle River, from Metz, France to Cochem, Germany. Here's the concept: at Metz, we arrived at the Iris, a small ship fitted out for 24 passengers and five crewmembers. Besides the passenger cabins, the ship had a dining room, a lounge, and an outside deck- not all the other things you associate with a cruise ship. Each day at around nine or 10 o'clock in the morning, we would get off the ship with bikes provided by the outfitter, and bicycle about 30 miles along the bike path on the river. We were led each day by Wouter, our guide, who was a history major as well as a very competent tour guide. He and the other four Read More

Joanne F.
7 years ago

Verified Reviewer

  La Belle Fleur Lorraine Tour
France, Germany, Luxembourg

We truly enjoyed this trip, with beautiful flowers in every town and swans everywhere. One night, we had a bevy of swans peaking in at us as we ate dinner!. The bikes are great, with comfortable seats and smooth gearing. The dinners were always a delicious surprise. Sanders and Els were wonderful hosts, and our guide, Seitze, was extremely knowledgeable about the history of the Mosel area, including Roman aqueducts, medieval castles, World War II sites, and, of course, the history of the EU. Nancy was my favorite big city but we also had a night time walking tour of a little town overlooking the Mosel, called Liverdun...where delicious Madelines come from! Very cute town. We went in early September and the cabins were a bit warm even at night. You can open windows, but it could be uncomfortable in the summer. Biking was mostly flat so not difficult but I definitely got some exercise. Another favorite: stopping for coffee and pastry each morning!

Rita J.
7 years ago

Verified Reviewer

  Iris Metz to Cochem
France, Luxembourg, Germany

Most memorable part: The incredible scenery and the knowledge of our guide.

Jim M.
7 years ago

Verified Reviewer

  Iris Metz to Cochem
France, Luxembourg, Germany

The most memorable parts was the Saar River part of the ride, biking above the River with our guide and riding thru the vineyards. The little towns and the Roman History. Had no idea about the Roman history in this region before this trip. The Levees on the river. Just the general beauty of the area. The grapes growing on the sides of the mountains. Both our barge crew and all the people on the trip. FUN! FUN! FUN!

Leo R.
7 years ago

Verified Reviewer

  Iris Metz to Cochem
France, Luxembourg, Germany

The total crew got involved in the trip and were always available to assist us with any problems or questions. It helped to break the ice with other bikers and soon we were one cohesive and fun group.

Patricia B.
7 years ago

Verified Reviewer

  Iris Metz to Cochem
France, Luxembourg, Germany

Most memorable are the meals. The daily ports and after dinner walks. 1 issue - directions to the barge were horrible.

Wendy & Robert K.
7 years ago

Verified Reviewer

  Iris Metz to Cochem
France, Luxembourg, Germany

It is very hard to say what was the best, as everything was so great, beautiful, and interesting. The staff and bike guide went above our expectations, we would recommend this trip to all.

Richard R.
7 years ago

Verified Reviewer

  Iris Metz to Cochem
France, Luxembourg, Germany

We thoroughly enjoyed the whole trip but the weather was a bit average - no rain but lots of cloud and a bit cool.
The food was great as were the crew, the bikes, the other passengers and the boat. We thought Wouter (the guide) needs to "loosen up" a bit and learn more of the history etc. of the region. We also found the first couple of days on the bikes a bit boring, too much forest and not enough villages etc.
All in all very good!!

Garnet T.
7 years ago

Verified Reviewer

  Iris Metz to Cochem
France, Luxembourg, Germany

The whole trip exceeded our expectations but the barge Iris and the crew were outstanding.

Garnet
7 years ago

Verified Reviewer

  Iris Metz to Cochem
France, Luxembourg, Germany

A group of 8 friends from Western Canada recently completed the Metz to Cochem tour on the Iris and all of us have nothing but good things to say about the experience. The barge Iris was everything we expected and more. Immaculately clean, well equipped, comfortable rooms and beds, small but efficient bathrooms, great lounge and dining areas, outside sitting area, etc., etc. The crew was outstanding in every way from Chef Bas to guide Wouter, to crewman AJ and so on. The crew added so much to the overall experience and always with humour, local knowledge and great attention to detail. The daily rides were a feature that we looked forward to each morning and the scenery was wonderful each day. And to top it all off, the weather for the most part cooperated for the whole trip. I can't recommend the barge, the crew and the trip highly enough and as a group, we are already talking about our next barge/bike tour

Barbara T.
7 years ago

Verified Reviewer

  La Belle Fleur Lorraine Tour
France, Germany, Luxembourg

This trip was most enjoyable and the cities and scenery were gorgeous.

Deborah C.
7 years ago

Verified Reviewer

  La Belle Fleur Lorraine Tour
France, Germany, Luxembourg

This was a very nice trip. Scenery, bike routes, side trips were all very good. We had a terrific guide who interacted well with the group. The barge was very nice and the owners/crew were exceptional. The dinners could not have been better - Els is an amazing cook.

Susan W.
8 years ago

Verified Reviewer

  La Belle Fleur Lorraine Tour
France, Germany, Luxembourg

The boat was well maintained. Beds were comfy for bunks. Our cabin [#9] had huge bathroom. With the hot Aug temps, a fan would have been appreciated. Bring a small personal 4" or 6" USB fan if you can find the space in your luggage. A small soaking pool on the deck was a welcome relief from the heat.

Meals were basic, but tasty and filling. Els did a nice job of accommodating my dietary restrictions. Ample cooler filtered water was available on the boat - remember your water bottle. Lunches were packed in zip lock baggies. Bring your own insulated lunch bag / Tupperware to keep your lunch fresher.

GIANT bike were like new and well maintained. I was disappointed we could not use the bikes during the city stops that were part of the day trips or after dinner when we returned to the barge. Even though the bikes have locks, Sander and Els don't allow this to minimize theft risk. Besides my husband and I, all participants were in there mid-60s to Read More

Mark G.
8 years ago

Verified Reviewer

Metz to Cochem
France, Luxembourg, Germany

Overall a great trip and experience. The Mosel exceeded my expectations.
Collaborative and friendly staff; very good chef, very good captain and crew. Host was efficient but not overly friendly. Bike tour guide was ok but not very organized.

C. Whytehead
8 years ago

Verified Reviewer

  La Belle Fleur Lorraine Tour
France, Germany, Luxembourg

A good combination of biking and seeing the sites along the way. Plenty of time in the cities (Nancy, Metz) to wander around. This trip was not about putting on the miles every day on the bike but a good balance of biking and site seeing. Easy biking along canal paths mostly. Our guide got turned around a couple of times getting out of the cities. Els and Sander were great hosts on the barge. Very friendly. Els cooked me a birthday dessert one day that we enjoyed with our group after a day of biking. It was very hot in July and the air movement in the rooms was limited. A small fan would have been very much appreciated. As it was we slept with our door open (as did the others) just to get more air circulation. The barge is in very good condition. The bikes were brand new this season. They are owned by Els and Sander and not leased through a secondary company so they were in good working order.

D. Fish
8 years ago

Verified Reviewer

  Iris Metz to Cochem
France, Luxembourg, Germany

The trip was enjoyable. Only drawback was that follow along Moselle River, some of the scenery of the vineyards became boring after a while. On previous trips we traveled more inland, seeing sights and then meeting up with barge at next destination.

C. Morrison
8 years ago

Verified Reviewer

  Iris Metz to Cochem
France, Luxembourg, Germany

Had a wonderful time. The staff was very accommodating in making modifications due to the previous heavy rains and high water. The last day bike tour of Metz was disappointing in that it is a very difficult city to navigate on bikes with a number of people.

Richard Oliver
8 years ago

Verified Reviewer

  Iris Metz to Cochem
France, Luxembourg, Germany

We sailed on the Iris, from Cochem to Metz, 18-25 June. It was a most delightful and joyful experience. Even with initial high water from unseasonal flooding and occasional detour from the bike paths, it was an incredibly memorable experience -- the crew, the tour guides, the food were all top notch, and the camaraderie among the other bikers was phenomenal. Special thanks to our two bike leaders and guides, Roelie and Wouter, who were fantastic in making the rides safe and mostly easy, and with an in-depth knowledge of historical sites. A special treat was having the ship's owner on board, Lenny was very engaging and most pleasant. Aline, the chef, served delicious meals, especially the final banquet was a true feast! Again, our thanks to Lenny and the entire Iris crew.

S. Midha
8 years ago

Verified Reviewer

  La Belle Fleur Lorraine Tour
France, Germany, Luxembourg

Beautiful way to travel from Luxembourg to France. Bike quality was very Good. Our Bike Guide Arie was very knowledgeable. Every evening we had Four course Gourmet Dinner. Sander and Els were the best Host and Owner of the Barge.

Sunita
8 years ago

Verified Reviewer

  La Belle Fleur Lorraine Tour
France, Germany, Luxembourg

I really enjoyed my first Barge and Bike Tour(June11th to June 17th)Sanders and Els were very Good. I would like to give them 10 out of 10 for their Hospitality. Our Bike Guide Arie was Great.

J. Probst
8 years ago

Verified Reviewer

  La Belle Fleur Lorraine Tour
France, Germany, Luxembourg

I fully enjoyed the Lorraine/Moselle bike trip (May 14-20, 2016) with the staff of La Belle Fleur. This was my first bike and barge trip and it certainly was a stress free and relaxing way to see the region. The owner/operators of the boat (Sander and Els) were not only very professional, but charming, enthusiastic, and helpful. Els was also a superb cook so our meals were always delicious. Pieter was the perfect guide (and quite the character!), fun to bike with, patient, knowledgeable of the route and the potential sights, and willing to change the agenda to meet the interests of his clients. The pace was leisurely and we had ample time to view both the valley scenery and the grand old cities along the route. The bikes were in good repair and suitable for the mostly level countryside we were traversing. Another delightful aspect of the trip was that the route was mostly off the busy roads and on dedicated bicycle paths (except, of course, in the cities). The weather, though Read More

Arthur Armstrong
8 years ago

Verified Reviewer

  Iris Metz to Cochem
France, Luxembourg, Germany

The trip was one of the best I have taken.

Sydney Cullis
8 years ago

Verified Reviewer

  Iris Metz to Cochem
France, Luxembourg, Germany

superb all round -organisation, food, scenery , amusing but booking proceedure not very efficient

Donald Stockwell
8 years ago

Verified Reviewer

  La Belle Fleur Lorraine Tour
France, Germany, Luxembourg

Our guide was not good, would ride off too fast, often the tail end riders were lost and confused as they could not keep up. Everything else was excellent!

Terry Benson
8 years ago

Verified Reviewer

  Iris Metz to Cochem
France, Luxembourg, Germany

Had a wonderful time. Only problem was the weather, very very cold.

Lois Requist
8 years ago

Verified Reviewer

  Iris Metz to Cochem
France, Luxembourg, Germany

The guides are young and very athletic. People who sign up for this level of bicycling aren't usually top bikers, unless they are doing it to be with friends or spouse. I think a bit more thought could be put into the introductory ride the first day, bridge crossings, sudden merging into traffic, sudden turns to go steeply uphill. I've done much longer bike rides, but at this age, I didn't want that much challenge.

Vic Lumby
8 years ago

Verified Reviewer

  Iris Metz to Cochem
France, Luxembourg, Germany

One of the best holidays we have ever experienced. Great cycling along the Moselle with excellent and knowledgeable guides and then returning tired but exhilarated to an most welcoming environment on the barge - the IRIS. Meals were excellent and entire crew and owner went out of their way to ensure we enjoyed the total experience. Would recommend this trip to anyone. We will be back for more.

Margaret Munro
8 years ago

Verified Reviewer

  Iris Metz to Cochem
France, Luxembourg, Germany

Even for a novice biker I was looked after and given the opportunity to cycle shorter legs and enjoy the sailing on the boat. Bikes - we had a couple of bikes that had gear problems, otherwise they were fine.

George F.
10 years ago

Verified Reviewer

  La Belle Fleur Lorraine Tour
France, Germany, Luxembourg

We had a wonderful time on the Lorraine tour last year starting from Toul. One of the fellow passengers arrived late and in a state because she had difficulty finding the barge -- taxis and the police did not know where to direct her. A great landmark to cite is the Grands Moulins Aubry. It is a prominent building readily seen from the highway, and the barge moors in the canal just adjacent to the one by the moulin. We ourselves walked around for a day before finding the spot. Your Google map is spot on -- we found it right away after consulting it -- but internet access was not readily available. All of this to say: Your clients would find the spot without difficulty if you were to direct them to "the canal right beside the one at Grands Moulins Aubry" in your travel instructions. I hope you find this note helpful. Looking forward to our next trip with you.

Steve Moorhouse
11 years ago

Verified Reviewer

  Iris Metz to Cochem
France, Luxembourg, Germany

Absolutely loved the trip on board the Merlijn. Wonderful staff and amenities on board, met a great like minded group of travelling companions. As a coeliac, the crew were very attentive and ensured all my dietary needs were met. Nothing was too much trouble.

As for the cycling and the scenery....what can I say? It was magic cycling along quiet bikeways through the vineyards and small villages, at all times in sight of the wonderful Moselle River.

Last but not least...the wine selection and quality on board the Merlijn was the best (and very well priced).

Already thinking about our next bike and barge tour...with the great help from Tripsite (of course).