tour providers in France

[Laura]

I have been researching some tour companies in France. Does anyone
have experience with the following tour providers?

Wide Open Roads
Cycle Events
Bike Pyrenees
Cyclomundo

Thanks for feedback

[Mike Jacoubowsky/Chain Reaction Bicycles]

> I have been researching some tour companies in France. Does anyone
> have experience with the following tour providers?
>
> Wide Open Roads
> Cycle Events
> Bike Pyrenees
> Cyclomundo

Laura: I look forward to any feeback that comes your way; I'm maintaining a
list of tour companies that are running tours during the '04 Tour de France,
and you've got a couple that I don't know about. If interested in seeing
what I've got so far, you can check out the gateway page for info on France
on our website-

www.ChainReaction.com/france.htm

--Mike--
Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReaction.comk

[sewnsurg]

No experience with those providers; try Le Vieux Moulin. A different and
delightful experience at very reasonable cost. I have done many trips both
self contained and with groups; this was different and one of the best.

andrew
"Laura" > wrote in message
m...
> I have been researching some tour companies in France. Does anyone
> have experience with the following tour providers?
>
> Wide Open Roads
> Cycle Events
> Bike Pyrenees
> Cyclomundo
>
> Thanks for feedback

[Fred Roses]

(Laura) wrote in message >...
> I have been researching some tour companies in France. Does anyone
> have experience with the following tour providers?
>
> Wide Open Roads
> Cycle Events
> Bike Pyrenees
> Cyclomundo
>
> Thanks for feedback

You've found some pretty obscure companies. I googled all 4 and
couldn't even find websites for them...

[Jellow Jersey]

I used Butterfield and Robbins........they are out of Canada and very high
quality.
I toured France through them. They are VERY, very GOOD

[Laura]

They come up for me pretty easily on GOogle. The only glitch is that
Wide Open Road doesn't have an 's' on the end. I looked at many many
companies & have come up with these for routing(Pyrenees, Provence or
Alps, not chasing the TDF, but possibly viewing a stage), longer
mileage (it seems like many companies average 30-40 miles per day & we
like to do about double that), and cost. We also enjoy camping along
the way but are not glued to that idea. I'd be happy to hear of other
companies besides the ones below that might fit the bill? I am
currently checking the ones that Mike at Chain Reaction has posted on
his website.

Wide Open Road does 2 week camping tours Bordeaux to Alps

Cycle Events does an Alps, a Pyrenees, and a 'Best of France' all
about 10-12 days camping with hotel options

Bike Pyrenees does basehouse style as well as a Pyrenees Atlantic to
Mediterranean

Cyclomundo does self guided Ventoux to Alps

While they all have good to great websites, and most have responded to
emails quickly and professionally, I'd really like to hear from anyone
who may have ridden with any of them just to get a feel for tone of
the trip, routing, food & accommodations quality as advertised etc. -
I'm representing a small group of cyclists and don't want to be
responsible for a disaster.

(Fred Roses) wrote in message >...
> (Laura) wrote in message >...
> > I have been researching some tour companies in France. Does anyone
> > have experience with the following tour providers?
> >
> > Wide Open Roads
> > Cycle Events
> > Bike Pyrenees
> > Cyclomundo
> >
> > Thanks for feedback
>
> You've found some pretty obscure companies. I googled all 4 and
> couldn't even find websites for them...

[Fred Roses]

"sewnsurg" > wrote in message >...
> No experience with those providers; try Le Vieux Moulin. A different and
> delightful experience at very reasonable cost. I have done many trips both
> self contained and with groups; this was different and one of the best.

I highly enjoyed my week with Frank at Le Vieux Moulin but it doesn't
sound like the kind of experience the op is looking for....

[BG]

http://www.53douze.com/

Very reasonably priced. Great camp in Rosas area (near Girona), Spain.
You should speak French.


Laura wrote:

> I have been researching some tour companies in France. Does anyone
> have experience with the following tour providers?
>
> Wide Open Roads
> Cycle Events
> Bike Pyrenees
> Cyclomundo
>
> Thanks for feedback

[J. Zwiebel]

I'm afraid I can't comment on the companies you've listed. My brother and I
did the last week of the 2002 TdF with Velosport. They put us up in a first
rate hotel for several days in the Alps and provided us with superb viewing
in Paris (the Hotel Crillon) and access to the team area (hobnobbing with
the Posties et al.). All this for a reasonable price as these tour outfits
go. You sound like a serious cyclist so you'd like their cycling itineraries
(40-60+ miles a day, including HC and cat 1 climbs).
JAZ

"Laura" > wrote in message
om...
> They come up for me pretty easily on GOogle. The only glitch is that
> Wide Open Road doesn't have an 's' on the end. I looked at many many
> companies & have come up with these for routing(Pyrenees, Provence or
> Alps, not chasing the TDF, but possibly viewing a stage), longer
> mileage (it seems like many companies average 30-40 miles per day & we
> like to do about double that), and cost. We also enjoy camping along
> the way but are not glued to that idea. I'd be happy to hear of other
> companies besides the ones below that might fit the bill? I am
> currently checking the ones that Mike at Chain Reaction has posted on
> his website.
>
> Wide Open Road does 2 week camping tours Bordeaux to Alps
>
> Cycle Events does an Alps, a Pyrenees, and a 'Best of France' all
> about 10-12 days camping with hotel options
>
> Bike Pyrenees does basehouse style as well as a Pyrenees Atlantic to
> Mediterranean
>
> Cyclomundo does self guided Ventoux to Alps
>
> While they all have good to great websites, and most have responded to
> emails quickly and professionally, I'd really like to hear from anyone
> who may have ridden with any of them just to get a feel for tone of
> the trip, routing, food & accommodations quality as advertised etc. -
> I'm representing a small group of cyclists and don't want to be
> responsible for a disaster.
>
> (Fred Roses) wrote in message
>...
> > (Laura) wrote in message
>...
> > > I have been researching some tour companies in France. Does anyone
> > > have experience with the following tour providers?
> > >
> > > Wide Open Roads
> > > Cycle Events
> > > Bike Pyrenees
> > > Cyclomundo
> > >
> > > Thanks for feedback
> >
> > You've found some pretty obscure companies. I googled all 4 and
> > couldn't even find websites for them...

[Pat Brannon]

"Laura" > wrote in message
om...
> They come up for me pretty easily on GOogle. The only glitch is that
> Wide Open Road doesn't have an 's' on the end. I looked at many many
> companies & have come up with these for routing(Pyrenees, Provence or
> Alps, not chasing the TDF, but possibly viewing a stage), longer
> mileage (it seems like many companies average 30-40 miles per day & we
> like to do about double that), and cost. We also enjoy camping along
> the way but are not glued to that idea. I'd be happy to hear of other
> companies besides the ones below that might fit the bill? I am
> currently checking the ones that Mike at Chain Reaction has posted on
> his website.
>
> Wide Open Road does 2 week camping tours Bordeaux to Alps
>
> Cycle Events does an Alps, a Pyrenees, and a 'Best of France' all
> about 10-12 days camping with hotel options
>
> Bike Pyrenees does basehouse style as well as a Pyrenees Atlantic to
> Mediterranean
>
> Cyclomundo does self guided Ventoux to Alps
>
> While they all have good to great websites, and most have responded to
> emails quickly and professionally, I'd really like to hear from anyone
> who may have ridden with any of them just to get a feel for tone of
> the trip, routing, food & accommodations quality as advertised etc. -
> I'm representing a small group of cyclists and don't want to be
> responsible for a disaster.
>
> (Fred Roses) wrote in message
>...
> > (Laura) wrote in message
>...
> > > I have been researching some tour companies in France. Does anyone
> > > have experience with the following tour providers?
> > >
> > > Wide Open Roads
> > > Cycle Events
> > > Bike Pyrenees
> > > Cyclomundo
> > >
> > > Thanks for feedback
> >
> > You've found some pretty obscure companies. I googled all 4 and
> > couldn't even find websites for them...

Take a look at La Corsa Tours
http://www.lacorsa.com/ I've taken two Italy trips with them and I wouldn't
hesitate to take a third. They are focused on cyclists who like to do
serious miles and moderate to difficult days and climbs. Great food,
wonderful little hotels, not inexpensive but I think a fair value. "tour de
dordogne" looks like a winner to me.
http://www.lacorsa.com/2003/tours/dordogne.html
No affiliation, just a happy customer.

Bill Brannon