Bike and Barge Tours & Trips in Europe

This was our first bike and barge tour, so we have no others to compare with. Nevertheless we had a great overall experience. Some thoughts and tips for others... We departed from Paris and decided to arrive at Orly Airport, which was a smaller and more convenient airport to the barge's departure location. We arranged for a driver to meet us through the tour operator. It was a little tricky finding our driver at the terminal, but he was familiar with the location and drove us all the way to the barge; making it very easy to deal with our luggage. We were able to drop our luggage on the deck of the ship and get a bite to eat while the boat was being prepared for the new guests. The overarching theme is flexibility. Sailing though canals requires much coordination of loch/bridge passage, docking locations, water and fuel refilling, etc. As a result we did not always follow the original plan. However our guide was always able to devise a new touring and cycling plan for the day. About half of the docking locations were not in the immediate vicinity of a town. Cycling averaged 50km per day, and there were certain days where guests could opt to do a separate non-cycling tour on their own. Guests are always able to stay on the barge for the day if they feel unable to cycle for some reason; we did so on the very last full day which proved helpful for our packing and recovery. The ship has seven guest rooms; we had 12 guests and five crew members. The small size gives a more intimate sort of feeling as guests and crew interact frequently and eat all meals together. Each cabin is configured differently; ours was toward the bow. The quarters were snug but each has its own toilet, sink and shower. The beds were also snug, but comfortable and warm. A pair of towels for each guest were changed twice per week (no washcloths provided). Daily basic room cleaning and a more thorough cleaning was provided mid-tour. There was a single 220V outlet in the room, as well as radiator heater and A/C unit. Due to the time of year (late May/early June), we didn't need to use the heater at all; and used the A/C only a couple times. The ship provides a shared hair dryer for community use. In addition to the cabins, guests can relax in a shared dining areas downstairs, or on the deck upstairs if weather permits. Daily laundry service is provided in the form of small mesh bags in which you place your things to be washed each morning. They are returned to you the same way at the end of the day, and a drying rack is available on deck to hang them when you return from cycling. Once you figure out the system, it is very helpful. We also washed and hung some small items in the cabin. There are hanging racks in the shower but our things did not dry well in there. Our cycling guide Sietse was wonderful. He meticulously plotted our route each evening and sometimes even adjusted it in the morning depending on the circumstances. He factored in tourist, coffee and lunch stops; we typically departed at about 9 each morning and returned to the barge by 5 pm. Sietse is a walking encyclopedia and provided a lot of historical context around the sights and cities we visited. The bikes needed better servicing; we used electric bikes, which were great when they worked. Half of the eBikes gave trouble at one point or another, including mine which would intermittently decide to stop assisting me. There was ample food. Meals, especially dinners, were a highlight. Our Captain, Marius, journeyed out most mornings to pick up local fresh bread to start the day. Breakfast (8 am daily) typically included fresh fruit, fruit juices, milk, yogurt, granola, muesli, corn flakes, bread, peanut butter, jam, cheeses and meats. Sometimes we would have eggs also. Coffee and tea were always available. We would make sandwiches to take with us and eat for lunch along with some other snack foods that were provided. Our Chef Meta was a very passionate cook and dinners were beautifully presented and varied. Dessert was always provided. Prepared dinners were provided every night except one night per week when the guests would eat out in town. Sometimes snacks were made available on the ship upon our return, but not always. The ship does have a selection of alcohol and soft drinks for purchase, but I felt the prices were a bit high considering the tour description stated they were provided at "very reasonable prices." There is also a 10 euro corkage fee for any bottles brought on board.

The bikes were excellent and the guides were even better. We appreciated the attention to safety and catering to the group needs. The daily rides were tremendous.