Provence - Wilderness of Camargue Tour Reviews — 121 to 148 of 148

We really enjoyed our trip. It was nice to have our own group on the boat. Everyone had a great time, the crew was great, the food was awesome and you can't beat the places we visited. Thank you for a great trip!

The routes of this trip were fantastic, even though the Lavender was not in bloom the fragrances hung in the air as we rode by the harvested fields. We rode to some of France's National Monuments which was special in of itself. I thought the routes and itineraries were great. I always looked forward to what they had planned for us next. Our guide and all the staff on the barge were all wonderful and so happy to share this journey with us! The food was excellent - who knew there would be such fine dining on the barge! This is an adventure not to be missed!

Our bike guide was terrible. He was lost several times each day and didn't the happenings of each town so we all missed the running of the bulls and he shouted & criticized all riders.

Ah...The trip was memorable for so many reasons, the people, the sites. Bikes were amazing to ride. Loved the infinity gears. We loved the Soleo, however it sunk due to some submerged metal. The staff did their level best to help the passengers continue vacation, get to their embassy to get new passports, medications, and put us up in hotels. The Estello was brought up to continue our trip. There were some circulation/moisture issues on the Estello so we didn't enjoy that boat as much. One suggestion would be to do a short first day clinic to ensure riders understand basic group riding etiquette. Rounding the city round about would have been better/safer had we all gathered and taken the lane to go as a group rather than single file around in such an extended line. Then resume to single file along country/city roads. The sites were amazing but there were some areas that must have required more city riding. Loved the Carmarge horses, fields of poppies, flamingos, roman stadium and aquaduct. Loved the group of people and the crew. Peter and Sheena did a great job despite their loss of the boat. Marco was awesome, he was our single contact after the barge sunk he helped organize us and processed us thru what had to be done. Arie also was a huge help during this process.. (the owner of the boat was in and out, he didn't even recognize any of the passengers try to apologize for the situation or see how we were doing.. not a fan of the owner of the boat) Oh the folks at Tripsite who I contacted did try to see what they can do. We have separate insurance as suggested but I'm not sure if Tripsite will try to make any reparations for our interrupted trip.. we missed 2 days of cycling.. I wouldn't mind a discount on a future trip.

I really enjoyed the off-road trails and quiet back roads near Aigues Mortes.

My travel advisor (Carla) is already aware that, although we registered as two vegans and sent a reminder a week or so before we left for Europe, the information had not been transferred to the chef. So we ate as vegetarians (eggs and dairy) for the trip rather than eschewing all animal products as is our preference.

Our trip leader was not experienced on the route, having only travelled it once before in the opposite direction, and this meant a few wrong turns to be corrected... But Ronnie was as pleasant, friendly, encouraging, and multilingual as you could ask for! The only problem I encountered with the bikes was the lack of suspension -- which meant for a bruised tail bone after the first day when we travelled a very bumpy, broken pavement back road on the return from Chateauneuf de Pape ;-)

Nothing bad or ugly. Scenery got better as we moved north. Group on our trip (both crew and guests) were great. Enjoyed the Soleo.

The trip was great! Mostly all positive. Tom and I would like to have the pace a bit faster....that was the only negative.

I was greatly appreciated to allow us to drink and enjoy the wine we purchased without any extra charge.

Barge/cycling trips are a fantastic way to explore the countryside and towns - you see so much more when you are cycling. One vivid memory of a cycling trip through northern France was stopping to look at poppies growing along the side of the road. I love the fact that you do not have to pack up each day - it is a very relaxing experience. The diversity of people who do these trips also adds to the experience. The trips that I have done in the last three years had fantastic staff who were very friendly and knowledgeable. I have done two barge/bike trips and look forward to doing more in the future.

This is the second barge and bike trip we took with Tripsite and I would have to say we liked the scenery more on the Taste of Burgundy than we did with Provence. Riding the in the Camargue got a little boring. Other than that we enjoyed the overall trip.

My main concern about this particular trip is that we did not know ahead of time that staying on the barge and not biking was not an option unless one was sick. The winds were pretty bad (25-50 miles per hour) so that some of us did not feel up to the rides. On the particularly difficult day, it would have been nice to just remain with the boat.

The Soleo was a disappointment in all respects.

More time in certain areas would have been nice. There were instances where it felt like we were being pushed along, and I appreciate that we had 22 people of varying age, skill experience and physical ability, and that we have to get back to the boat. Our guide was very good, but you needed to try and understand his manner, which could be short at times. He was knowledgeable, insightful and caring, but his manner did not necessarily reflect that. Meals were good but thought it would reflect more French cuisine of the Provence area, not a complaint, just an observation.
Staff was excellent and I continue to recommend this bike trip and company to friends."

The trip exceeded my expectations. My wife and I especially enjoyed the company of the other travelers, and we all got along very well.

This was our 4th trip with Tripsite - very reliable and good value.

We have done several bike barge trips in france and europe and other places. This one was just too crowded with tourists. Of course it was August, so that explains a lot. Our least favorite that we have done.

I recommended it to Dave Ford who is joining you in September 2016 with his large gang. Do I get a free shirt?

Our guide was awesome!

The bike part was more challenging than in the discription. You have to be a strong biker used to hills. There are many hills and one very challenging hill. So I would not consider this an easy tour as in the description. However it was well worth the effort if you are well trained. Our guide Wiro was awesome and kept us together and on time which was very much appreciated. I would recommends this trip in spring or early summer. By the time we went end of August the vegetation was all dried up and there were no flowers because they had such a hot dry summer. I prefer a comfort plus boat as you have more space in your cabin. These cabins were very small. However all in all it was a beautiful, historic and worth while tr which I would recommend to avid cyclists.

Everything about the trip was as described, well planned and executed.

Not my favorite part of France. 6th bike tour there and the least scenic and inviting.

Food was substandard...cabins stink and are excessively damp and basically the trip plan was an underwhelming experience. WE stayed on the boat for the first night and then as I recall stayed again the second night. We could have stayed at 5 star hotel in town and enjoyed a great meal instead of a barge in need of many repairs.

We have just returned from this bike and barge, our 2nd trip arranged by Tripsite. We were on the E'Stello (sister ship of the Soleo), and went from Aigue Mort to Avignon. We had a wonderful time! The trip was as described in terms of mileage, terrain, and sights along the way. The barge crew were all excellent, as was our guide. We were a group of 20, including Americans, Canadians, and Brits. I highly recommend this tour.

At first we were hesitant to book another bike and barge trip-- how could it ever compare with the 2012 tour on the Ave Maria, with Hein as guide, which set the bar so high?

The Provence trip did look very interesting and, after fretting about the significant uphills, we did go ahead and book, adding the ebike option.

We were able to board the Soleo as, apparently there was a cancellation. We had asked you to request a transfer from the other boat-- thanks.

The trip was excellent! The crew was very capable and accommodating. Our guide, Martina, especially helped make the trip memorable. She maintained her sense of humor throughout. Any setbacks were met only with a "mama mia" and difficulties, either overcome or anticipated, were "a piece of cake".

The cycling was, as compared to the Venice trip, both more challenging and more interesting. The weather did not always cooperate but there was no complaining . We think we have come to realize that those who book into this type of travel are a little more adventurous and require less pampering than the typical big boat cruise passengers.

We are in our 70's and were probably the oldest couple on the barge but we had no more difficulties than anyone else. Our Tripsite shirts made us look to be very veteran riders. Everything, in the final analysis, was "a piece of cake".

Suggestions: The museum at Pont du Gard is very worthwhile. Giro Libero should consider making a little more time available for this and to stress its value. Likewise, we enjoyed the Lumieres at Les Baux. Many in the group did not have much awareness of this very interesting and innovative show. It would be helpful to promote this attraction.

We loved the trip. The food was better than advertised, and the barge was more comfortable than expected. Our suggestion for improvement would be a second guide OR better overall maps for a breakaway group.

Excellent trip. Great weather, great guide, nice boat. Great group of people, both other bikers and staff. Took some great pictures.

I cannot say enough about how much we enjoyed this tour. My husband and I and 2 friends sailed on the Soleo in September 2011. The weather was perfect. Although nothing fancy the boat had everything we needed. Our room had a private bath and never ran out of hot water for showers! Our tour guide was great, fun and really brought the group of Americans, Brits, Aussies, and Germans together. The country side, vineyards, beaches, small towns were like traveling in a postcard at every turn. Some of the biking was more challenging (more hilly) than I had expected, but the ebike was wonderful. This trip has my highest recommendation!