On Bike & Barge Touring

(photos at the bottom)

Until now, I had never been on a bike tour before, nor a boat tour, nor any kind of tour, in fact. I have a number of impressions which may not hold up, since they’re based on a single experience. I think if all sixteen of the riders on this trip were to give their impressions, each would be different. So this is my perspective, and only mine:

1. A biking tour is about the ride. While this was not a heavy-duty biking trip (some tours cover a hundred kilometres a day, and some are about conquering mountains), my experience was not that we rode to get from place to place, but that we stopped in places to break and be ready for the next part of the ride. There’s nothing the matter with this. Along the way, there are sights and sounds and smells and encounters you can’t experience otherwise, unless you’re walking.

2. A tour feels rushed to me. I think we were given a relatively generous amount of freedom to explore our main stopping points, but where we took 2 hours, I might want a half day or more. I understand that people need to “get their money’s worth” and see a quantity of sites in a relatively short period of time. I’ve had the luxury of going much slower, with time for reflection in each place I visit.

3. The people that take a tour such as this one seem to be a cut above what I think of as the average tourist (or at least the repuation of the average tourist). This bunch was liberal thinking and environmentally conscious; they were always positive, good-humoured, and energetic. I don’t think I heard a single complaint. Maybe I was lucky, as I’ve heard stories of other bike tours that may have harboured a bad apple or two.

4. The people that take a tour like this tend to be regular cyclists. Not all of us were, but the serious enthusiasts outnumbered the casual/occasional bikers probably 4-1. This should definitely be a consideration in the planning. Anyone not used to hills, or wind, or rides up to 60 km in a day, probably should consider using an e-bike, in this case available for an extra €100. I was originally planning to use one, but I decided to be tough. And at times, obviously, I had to be. Next time, if there is a next time, I will use an e-bike unless the terrain is truly flat, such as in the Netherlands.

5. This is probably not the trip for someone who requires things to be “first class”. There are other classes of trips available if that’s what you want, but on this boat, the berths are big enough to turn around in, barely, and the showers are not. There is well-designed storage, in under-bed drawers and cupboards, but I don’t think two large suitcases of stuff would fit. Packing light is a must.

6. I would do a trip like this again, despite my preference to go slower. Being taken care of is really, really nice. Not having to plan the route, knowing we won’t get lost, having a leader who understands when to stop and what for, and especially coming “home” each night to a warm space and a welcoming crew, a meal prepared for us, and with all our stuff in place — all that is just fantastic.


If anyone reading this might consider taking such a trip as this, I can recommend booking as we did, through TripSite, as the process was easy and they were very responsive. The company actually running the tour is GiroLibero, based in Italy. There seems to be several companies brokering the tour. I imagine prices are the same or similar, no matter which company you book through.

Laughter and joy:

A bike of one's own

Sites from a different perspective (Aigues-Mortes)

Bridges are prettier from underneath

Waiting for the rider to be found, who went ahead, the wrong way

Waiting for traffic (Avignon)

Waiting for someone to catch up (not me this time)

You know they'll get out of the way eventually!

You can make your own way, if you dare

Encounters you wouldn't otherwise have

More encounters you wouldn't otherwise have

You always know where your peeps are

Someone's always happy to give a boost

...and enjoy an aperitif on deck

...and respect your need to bond with your device

There's no chance you'll miss dinner

...which is carefully described, along with wine recommendations

You are well briefed each evening, about the next day's ride

...and you truly enjoy the briefings

Before breakfast, all is calm

Freshly made juices

Breakfast counter, evening wine in wait

Equipped docks along the river

Sister ships dock together

Our masterful crew