Luxembourg Tour Reviews — 121 to 150 of 154
JoAn R.
7 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Iris Metz to Cochem
France, Luxembourg, Germany
Most Memorable Parts: Biking, local information, meals.
Rita J.
7 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Iris Metz to Cochem
France, Luxembourg, Germany
Most Memorable Part: The knowledge of our guide, Wouter, and the beautiful vineyards along the river. I loved how we were riding on a flat, easy and beautiful path, but could see and appreciate the steep mountain vineyards! This is our third Tripsite adventure and we have enjoyed each one. In fact, as we were driving home from the airport my husband was booking our next trip - Northern Holland!
Art R.
7 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Iris Metz to Cochem
France, Luxembourg, Germany
When registering for the trip, we included our physical measurements so that the bikes were almost perfectly fitted to us when we arrived. I was pleased that my bike was large enough for me because I am tall. Dianne had reserved an e-bike since she hadn't had a lot of experience in doing long road rides over multiple days, and because she had just had knee replacement surgery at the end of January. Five of the 24 people in our group used e-bikes, and they were all very happy with their performance. The bike does between 20 and 60% of the work (three levels—20, 40 and 60%) and you do the rest. It's not like a moped-- you still must pedal. It also has a readout that gives your speed, distance, and battery power.
The bikes we used didn't employed derailleurs but instead had gears inside the rear hub that worked very smoothly with the two lever system on the handlebar. Most of the bikes were Gudereit hybrids, a German brand. All the bikes had front and rear lights, which turned on automatically, and were powered by a generator device inside the front hub that involved rotating magnets, so there was no friction. I was impressed with the smoothness and comfort of the bike I was given. The outfitters provided the bike, a pannier, and a helmet for each cyclist. Helmet use was not required but highly recommended.
The nice thing about the bike paths along the Moselle River is that they were quite level, with only occasional small climbs when we needed to go up a ramp to cross a lock and dam for a bridge, and once when we made a little more of a climb to get up onto one of the tiered roadways in the vineyards. The Moselle Valley is wine country, and there were vineyards every day in every direction. Every morning we made a coffee break in a small town, and later we stopped again for the lunch we had packed that morning before leaving the ship. Each day, we’d see the Iris passing us on the river on its way to that day’s destination city, with Jacques, the captain, waving from the pilot house. On two of the days, we could opt to stay on the ship longer and join the other bicyclists enroute, or leave the ride early and “sag” on the ship. Guests also had the option to just stay on the ship all day and not bicycle if felt they needed a day off. But most biked the entire way.
Our trip was in early September and the weather was pleasantly cool, usually in the low 60s to low 70s. We were prepared for rain, but never got any while we were bicycling. Most of the guests on the ship were American, but eight were Canadians and four were New Zealanders. Our bicycling speed was about 9 mph, with periodic stops to allow the group to stay together. Usually the stops were at places of historic or scenic interest, and we learned a lot from our guide about the influences of the Romans in Luxembourg and Germany, the ancient and modern winemaking arts, and even the formation of the Schengen Area (similar to, but not identical to the European Union) at Schengen. Schengen is the town at the juncture of France, Luxembourg, and Germany, like Dubuque’s placement at the intersection of Iowa, Wisconsin, and Illinois! We frequently crossed the Moselle from Germany to Luxembourg and back again. Dianne even got to bicycle through and explore the town of Wormeldange in Luxembourg, where her family came from several generations ago.
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.
8 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.
8 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
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 mid-70s and didn't seem to mind.
Our guide, Weiger, did an outstanding job of leading our daily tour as well as guiding us through the cities we were docked in at night. He managed the multiple languages within our group with ease. The participants on our trip were German [6], Spanish [3], Austrailian [2] and American [2-us]. By the end of the week, our group had bonded even though our shared vocabulary was easily less than 50 words!
The countryside between Thionville and Wasserbillig was very beautiful and what I had envisioned - river and hills covered with vinyards. The other days were nice paved bike trail with the river on one side and trees on the other. I could have taken a picture and convinced friends that I was still in the US Midwest. I guess that is why there are so many French and Germans in Wisconsin and Iowa! I think I would have preferred more time off of the trail and in the countryside, but perhaps if we did do that, the car traffic would cause me to have a different opinion. Certainly the cities we stopped in were old and had a quaint European feel.
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.
Jehiel • 8 years ago Tripsite Staff
Hi C. Morrison,
Im sorry that you were disappointed with the last day of riding. I can assure you that your safety is one of our top priorities and we try our best to ensure routes are safe and easy to navigate. In spite of the rain, I hope your overall experience was positive!
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
Arthur Armstrong
9 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Iris Metz to Cochem
France, Luxembourg, Germany
The trip was one of the best I have taken.
Sydney Cullis
9 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
9 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
9 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
9 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
9 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
9 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.
All Tour Reviews by Country
Boat/Barge Reviews
- Lena Maria
- Linda
- Liza Marleen
- Magellan
- Magnifique I
- Magnifique II
- Magnifique III
- Magnifique IV
- Mare fan Fryslân
- Merlijn
- Florentina
- Normandie
- Princess
- Olympia
- Panagiota
- Pape Prvi
- Primadonna
- Princesse Royal
- Prinzessin Katharina
- Romantica
- RV River Kwai
- Sailing Home
- San Snova
- Sarah
- Stella
- Sundial
- Swiss Crown
- Thalassa
- Flying Dutchman
- Vietnamese Junks
- Vita Pugna
- Vivienne
- Wending
- Zwaan
- Zwaantje
