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Find your tourLevel 2: quite easy tours, mostly flat terrain
The duration of the tour
Guided cycling: A tour leader will guide you during the cycling days
This 8 day bike & barge tour starts in Paris, where the barge Fleur is docked in the center of the city, not far from the Notre Dame Cathedral. Unlike other river cruise ships, you will follow the Seine upstream, in southern direction. This region has a rich, royal history and the castle of Fontainebleau is a magnificent example of this past. The castle was much in favor among the French kings, because of the extensive possibilities to hunt in the surrounding forests. Just as impressive are the royal gardens, which the French kings had their royal architects lay out for them. You will cycle through the wonderful forests to the painters village of Barbizon, where since the first half of the 19th century many painters (Barbizon School) …
Monday to Friday
Amsterdam: 08:30 to 22:00
New York: 6:00AM to 7:00PM
This 8 day bike & barge tour starts in Paris, where the barge Fleur is docked in the center of the city, not far from the Notre Dame Cathedral. Unlike other river cruise ships, you will follow the Seine upstream, in southern direction.
This region has a rich, royal history and the castle of Fontainebleau is a magnificent example of this past. The castle was much in favor among the French kings, because of the extensive possibilities to hunt in the surrounding forests. Just as impressive are the royal gardens, which the French kings had their royal architects lay out for them.
You will cycle through the wonderful forests to the painters village of Barbizon, where since the first half of the 19th century many painters (Barbizon School) have lived and worked. Next stop is Moret-sur-Loing, a charming medieval fortified town, strategically situated on the banks of the Loing river, where painter Sisley found inspiration for his beautiful impressionist paintings.
From there you will follow the Canal du Centre to the beautiful medieval towns of Ferrières with its splendid monastery and Château-Landon with the Abbey of St. Severin. Your final destination is Montargis, a picturesque town with beautiful little canals. The canals are decorated with many flowers and give the town a lot of charm. The bicycle tours go mainly over quiet country roads, off the beaten track.
The ship – Your sailing hotel
In between cycling excursions, you cruise along with the ship, which travels to a new destination every day. You dine, sleep and eat breakfast on board. You’ll receive a packed lunch every day, and you can usually choose between a longer or shorter bike ride. It’s also possible to spend a day on board if you like. Rental E-bikes are available, this tour will be offered as an E-bike only tour.
Fully Guided
Accompanied by a competent, professional and multilingual tour leader, you and the group will visit interesting sights and places on the daily cycling tours. During the bike tour, they will explain the local history and culture behind the things you encounter along the way. You can also choose to ride individually with the help of the Ride with GPS app and our BBT cycling map (available on board).
Embarkation and check-in at 2 p.m. in Montargis. After a welcome by the captain, crew and tour leader there is time for bicycle fitting and a short test ride.
After dinner your tour leader will take you for a walk through Montargis, the second-largest town of the Loiret region, after Orléans. Unfortunately this former royal residence was destroyed by a big fire in the 16th century. But the canals are still there. They are decorated with many flowers and give the town a lot of charm.
After breakfast you will cycle from Montargis to Château-Renard, where you can visit the ruins of a castle from the 10th century. You will also visit an Apiculture’s Living Museum. There you can see beekeepers and their bees at work, and you’ll be able to sample their delicious honey. Along the river Ouanne you will return to Montargis.
Breakfast while sailing to the lock of Cepoy. Your bicycle tour goes along the river Loing. First stop is the medieval town of Ferrières with its old town center, which has been preserved beautifully. And in the middle of the narrow streets you find a splendid monastery. After this you cycle to Egréville. This village has been an important commercial crossroads for hundreds of years. Its markets and fairs enjoyed great renown. You will also visit the sculpture garden “Jardin Bourdelle”. In this garden you can admire some 57 bronze monumental sculptures by the artist Antoine Bourdelle. Final destination of today is rural Néronville.
Our route today is through an area that was already cultivated in the Gallo-Roman era. First stop is the old Gallic stronghold Château-Landon, a beautifully situated fortified town on a rock. Its Abbey of St.-Séverin dates from the 13th century. Later on you find the rocks of Nemours on your way and you meet the Fleur again in Nemours. Nemours is supposed to derive its name from the woods (“nemora”) in the midst of which it formerly stood and discoveries of Gallo-Roman remains indicate its early origin. The castle, erected around 1120, now is a prehistoric museum of the Ile-de-France region.
Today you stay in the valley of the Loing river. First you will visit Grez-sur-Loing where many artist used to live in the early years of the 20th century. Then you will continue to Bourron-Marlotte. In the town hall you can admire a few magnificent impressionist paintings. You will stay overnight in Moret-sur-Loing. This is a charming medieval fortified town, strategically situated on the banks of the Loing, where painter Sisley found inspiration for his beautiful impressionist paintings.
Today you will cycle through the wonderful forests of Fontainebleau. First destination is the city of Fontainebleau, with its magnificent palace, much in favor among the French kings, because of the extensive possibilities to hunt in the surrounding forests. The castle houses a museum dedicated to Napoleon. Fontainebleau is also a pleasant town to walk around or to shop. After this, you will continue to the artistic village of Barbizon, where since the first half of the 19th century many painters have found inspiration. A group of landscape painters founded the “Barbizon School”. You can visit the local museum. Final destination of your bicycle tour is Melun, a town which is known as “le domaine des reines blanches”, because in former years it used to be the domain of the widows of the French kings. Today there is no dinner on board. You can select one of the local restaurants in town.
You are getting near to Paris, which means you have to deal with a bit more traffic. In the morning you can enjoy short bicycle ride, following the river banks of the Seine river to the lock of Evry, from where you will join the Fleur, to sail into Paris. Lunch on board. The mooring place of the Fleur is in the center of Paris, not far from the Notre Dame. After dinner you can join the tour leader for a city walk.
End of your tour: Disembarkation after breakfast until 9.30 a.m.
Embarkation and check-in at 1 p.m. at the mooring in the center of Paris. After a welcome by the captain, crew and tour leader the ship will leave the harbor in Paris and sail along the river Seine to Evry, where you will spend the night.
We advise you to come to Paris one or more days earlier, so that you will have plenty of time to discover the city.
After breakfast, the bicycle tour starts from the lock of Evry. You will stay along the banks of the Seine river for a while. The first stop is the typical French market of Corbeil-Essonnes. Destination of your first bicycle tour is Melun, a town which is known as “le domaine des reines blanches”, because in former years it used to be the domain of the widows of the French kings.
Today you will cycle through the wonderful forests of Fontainebleau. First destination is the artistic village of Barbizon, where since the first half of the 19th century many painters have found inspiration. At the time, a group of landscape painters formed the “Barbizon School”. You can visit the local museum. After this, you continue your tour to the palace of Fontainebleau, much in favor among the French kings, because of the extensive possibilities to hunt in the surrounding forests. The castle itself houses a museum of Napoleon, among other things. Fontainebleau is also a pleasant town to walk around or to shop. You will find the Fleur again in Moret-sur-Loing, a charming medieval fortified town, strategically situated on the banks of the Loing river, where painter Sisley found inspiration for his beautiful impressionist paintings.
You will stay in the valley of the Loing and visit Grez-sur-Loing, where many artist used to live in the early years of the 20th century. In the charming town hall of Bourron-Marlotte you can admire a few magnificent impressionist paintings. You will meet the Fleur again in Nemours. Nemours is supposed to derive its name from the woods (nemora) in the midst of which it formerly stood and relicts of Gallo-Roman remains indicate its early origin. The castle, erected around 1120, now is a prehistoric museum of the Ile-de-France region.
Breakfast during sailing. Today you will cycle through a wooded area with rugged rocks. Before lunch you will visit the sculpture garden “Jardin Bourdelle”. In this garden you can admire some 57 bronze monumental sculptures by the artist Antoine Bourdelle. Around lunchtime you will reach Egréville. This village has been an important commercial crossroads for hundreds of years. Its markets and fairs enjoyed great renown. Final destination of today is rural Néronville.
Today you will first cycle to Chateau-Landon, a beautifully situated town, with the Abbey of St. Séverin from the 13th century. Your bicycle tour goes to the medieval town of Ferrières with its old town center, which has been preserved beautifully. And in the middle of the narrow streets you find a splendid monastery. Today’s destination is Montargis, even with 15000 inhabitants the biggest town of the Loiret, after Orléans. Unfortunately this former royal residence was destroyed by a fire in the 16th century. But the canals are still there. They are decorated with many flowers and give the town a lot of charm. Today there is no dinner on board. You can select one of the local restaurants of Montargis.
From Montargis you will cycle to Château-Renard, where you can visit the ruins of a castle from the 10th century. You will also visit an Apiculture’s Living Museum. There you can see beekeepers and their bees at work, and you’ll be able to sample their delicious honey. Along the river Ouanne you will return to Montargis.
End of your tour: Disembarkation after breakfast until 9.30 a.m.
The rental bikes on our ships are unisex bicycles with a low bar and a comfortable upright sitting position. These are stable and dependable bikes, good for miles in the saddle. Decide which kind of bike you want to rent and simply fill in your preference with your reservation. We’ll make sure you get the right bike for you. On most of our tours, the bike rental cost is not included in the tour’s price.
Every Boat Bike Tour rental bike is well equipped. The bikes consist of a lightweight aluminum frame and have highly-responsive handbrakes, at least seven speeds, an adjustable gel seat, normal flat pedals (no clips), an easy-to-use lock attached to the frame, and special puncture-resistant tires. All told, this is a light, stable and reliable bike, very suitable for touring long distances pleasantly.
Our e-bikes also have at least seven speeds and handbrakes. The motor runs on a 400Wh battery and offers three levels of power-assistance. The e-bikes include comfortable gel seats that can be adjusted for height, have a lock attached to the frame, and sport anti-puncture tires. Note that some of the ships have their own bikes on board. They may look a bit different, but qualitatively they are equal to Boat Bike Tours’s e-bikes.
Bicycle helmets
The use of bicycle helmets is not required in the Netherlands, but for safety’s sake they are suggested. If you wish to rent one, you can do so during the booking process. If you book a premium tour and rent a bike or e-bike, then the helmet and a “limit of liability for damage or loss” for your bike or e-bike is included in the rental price.
Other rental items
Other items such as children’s bikes, tandems, family tandems (child & adult), tag-along, trailers to carry toddlers and child seats are available on request.
Taking your own bike or e-bike?
The fee for parking your own bicycle is €10 per week. For an e-bike the fee is €25 to cover parking and charging the battery. For safety reasons it is not always possible to charge your e-bike batteries in your cabin. The crew will tell you where you can charge the battery on board the ship. Neither the crew nor Boat Bike tours is responsible in any way for any damage, loss or theft of a guest’s own bike or e-bike or its accessories. Note: not all the ships are suitable or have enough room for extra bikes, so make sure you check with us well ahead of travel.
E-Bike of the brand Gudereit EC-4 with 8-gear, handbrakes. Lock and pannier bag. Bike helmets are available for all guests.
Bringing your own bike/e-bike is not possible, due to lack of space on deck. Exceptions will be made for special bikes, but only after they have been notified and confirmed in advance.
Transfer between Paris and Montargis: There is a continuous train service between Paris (Gare de Lyon) and Montargis. Trains depart regularly and the trip takes approx. 1 hour If you wish we can reserve a taxi for you to take you from the barge to the station in Montargis, please inform the tour leader of the Fleur. From the Gare de Lyon in Paris, a bus service is available every 30 minutes, Le Bus Direct nr. 4 (shuttle) to the airport Charles de Gaulle, which will bring you there in approx. 50 minutes.
Explore our Loyalty Discount!
After your tour, you’ll receive an exclusive discount code:
Check your post-tour email for details. You can combine this discount with other promotions for additional savings. Join us again for another adventure by boat and bike!
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| 5 star | 27 (73%) | |
| 4 star | 7 (19%) | |
| 3 star | 3 (8%) | |
| 2 star | 0 (0%) | |
| 1 star | 0 (0%) |
The Paris/Montargis route was great. Lots of rural country roads and great scenery. Our trip had 2 excellent tour guides that accompanied us daily and took the group to numerous very interesting places. The guides also hosted voluntary nightly tours of the villages in which we spent the night.
Thank you for your feedback. It’s nice to hear you enjoyed the route and that the guides added value both during the day and in the evenings. We hope to welcome you on board again in the future. Kind regards, Boat Bike Tours
Based on the company s website, I expected the Fleur to be small, and it was both the boat and the cabins were compact but cozy. The common lounge areas were small with limited seating. One major downside was the strong odor of mildew throughout the cabins. When I first entered my cabin, the smell was so overwhelming and I genuinely doubted whether I could spend a full week in that environment. That said, the staff were truly lovely. Our housekeeper went above and beyond she made the experience especially memorable for my niece by creating towel sculptures and even posing her stuffed goose each day. Her warmth and attention to detail were a highlight of the trip. The bikes were comfortable and well-maintained. Unfortunately, the guiding left much to be desired. The guides often seemed unfamiliar with the routes, and we had to stop multiple times to figure out where to go. This became frustrating and tiring. Additionally, one guide appeared uncomfortable on a bike, which did not inspire confidence. While the daily ride distances were relatively short, the frequent random stops made them feel unnecessarily long and disjointed. The group was split into two, but the organization could have been better keeping slower riders together would have helped with flow. Some stops, such as at Fontainebleau, felt overly long, while other potentially more interesting locations, like Barbizon, were rushed. At times, it felt like certain stops were included just to fill time, rather than enhance the experience. We thought this was due to the tour’s master plan and was not the guides’ fault- and our guide, Maryann, was an absolute delight. The scenery was undeniably beautiful, and I really enjoyed the roads we cycled on. However, I would not recommend this trip to someone seeking a more efficient or active cycling experience the pace was simply too slow. As for the food, the birthday cake the chef made our friend was incredible! The best part of the trip was undoubtedly the people both fellow guests and the staff. Although I wouldn t choose to do this particular trip again or recommend it to others, we had a great time. Thanks to the company for the memorable moments we shared on and off the boat.
A wonderful trip on the Fleur. Great guiding from the BoatBike team, Francine and Eric. Amazing food from Steffie, who catered for food allegeries with clever alternatives. Captain Jean Marie and sailor Ivo were a joy to watch with their highly coordinated management of the ship through very narrow locks. The Fleur is delightfully comfortable, with en-suite cabins. Each day was a different experience through the French countryside. Think medieval towns, little villages, farmlands and beautiful paths beside the canal and the Seine, finishing with a cold beer on the foredeck of the Fleur.
Thank you for your beautiful and heartfelt review! We re so happy to hear that your trip aboard the Fleur was such a wonderful experience. It s fantastic that Francine and Eric provided great guidance, and that Steffie s meals made each day special. Exploring towns, charming villages, and the scenic paths along the canal and Seine all ending with a cold beer on the foredeck sounds like the perfect way to experience the French countryside. We d be absolutely delighted to welcome you back for another unforgettable Bike and Boat adventure! Kind regards, Boat Bike Tours
This was my first boat-bike tour, although I’ve been on several hiking tours in different parts of the world. I had an exceptional experience: the cycling guides were attentive and accommodating, the Fleur was a well-appointed, clean and comfortable barge, and the food–well! Suffice to say that the chef was first class; as I told him, despite all the biking I not only didn’t lose weight, but probably gained some. I would unreservedly recommend this trip to anyone who is looking for a moderate cycling experience in a scenic corner of Europe.
Thank you for your kind review! We are delighted that you enjoyed our tour. Hopefully, we can welcome you on board again soon. Best wishes, Boat Bike Tours.
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