Inge and Henri from Calgary, Alberta, Canada completed Diverse Directions'
Provence of the Caesars Tour in May 2008. Inge writes:
Just returned from Europe and would like to complement you on this very well organized trip.
We were very pleased with all arrangements and felt well taken care of. Since we did not have a telephone, we did not
use any of the contacts - but also, never needed help. Thank you for the brand new bikes! We also enjoyed the
large print of the route description enabling us to read [oh dear!] while riding without the use of reading glasses. The tour itself was very well laid
out with the option to cycle the Ardeche gorge. This is spectacular country with such interesting historical sights. Thank you again.
Trudy and her boyfriend from Calgary, Alberta, Canada completed Diverse Directions'
Provence of the Tour de France Tour in September 2007. Of their tour experience, Trudy writes:
My boyfriend and I have arrived back to Canada from our trip to Europe. I can not say enough about how great the bike tour was. We had one hiccup in the beginning
getting out of Avignon, but from there it was smooth sailing and we had no more difficulties.
The accommodations were fantastic. You’ve managed to pick places with great service and charming character. Typically, our luggage was even sitting in our rooms
upon arrival...Bonus after a day of cycling!!
The cycling in itself was amazing. Every day was different and presented new challenges. Provence is so beautiful (not to mention the wine flowed like water)!!
The highlight would have to be the ride to Mont Ventoux. Man, was it windy...I didn’t even notice the grade because I was so focused on trying to pedal into that
wind. Both of us managed to get to the summit in good time without walking and still smiling. What a feeling, we were very proud of ourselves!
All in all, on behalf of myself and my boyfriend I just want to thank-you for all you’re information and excellent service. Being avid cyclists, it was truly
the trip of a lifetime for us. I will be recommending Diverse Directions to others no doubt. Hopefully, you’ll hear from us again in the future.
Deb and Rocky of Sebastopol, CA
completed Diverse Directions'
Provence of the Caesars Tour in May 2007. They were kind enough to
provide us with the following feedback:
Just a quick note to say how much Deb and I enjoyed our Provence of the
Caesars tour. Your recommendation (with endorsements by Bill and Nancy)
were spot on. The hotels were great choices (including, of course, your
Paris recommendation) and I must say the tour route was excellent. The
instructions were easy to follow. We saw quite a few bicycling tourists in
the area but I was impressed that they always disappeared whenever your
route sent us down some of the best country roads of the day. On those
sections, we'd see the occasional local cyclist out on a training ride and
the occasional car; it gave us a sense that we were on roads less
traveled.
There's really not much to say about the Provence
region other than that we loved it. The food, the weather, the people,
even the traffic, were great. We'd highly recommend the tour to anyone who
cared to listen.
Deb and I hit it off with Stephane and we had the
pleasure of meeting and visiting with Beatrix, his girlfriend. She's a
real sweetheart and he's quite a character. We're hoping one or both of
them drop by our place when her business brings her out to California. And
both of them insisted that we still had some of the best of Provence yet
to sample (Luberon, I believe). We'll definitely give it some serious
consideration for next year or soon thereafter.
So it was, quite obviously, we had a very
successful tour and thank you for service. It was excellent.
Peggy and Ed of Laramie, Wyoming
completed Diverse Directions'
Mediterranean Canals & Beaches Tour in May 2007. Upon return from
their tour, they wrote:
We returned from France last week and want to share thoughts about our trip. Everything was perfect. The
information from your web site helped us pick the right trip. Your
guidance in adding days allowed us to enjoy each of the communities. The
materials you sent helped us plan, train and bring the right items for the
trip. Phil Donnison was delightful as he explained our bicycles and
adjusted them to size. They were new and perfect in performance. When we
had a flat tire at the end of the trip, the tools for repair were in the
bags and the interruption was minimal. We bumped into Mick Oxley in
Olonzac and appreciated his role in transporting our bags and willingness
to allow us to keep the bikes an extra day. The daily directions were
complete and informative and the larger map gave us a perspective for the
entire trip. The canal was beautiful and the path proved to be described
correctly in the daily directions. We had good weather with a bit of rain
one day to remind us of our good luck. The three star accommodations were
just what we desired. The people in the inns were cordial and helpful. We especially enjoyed Lynn and Glyn. We had some confusion going from Agde to Sete, but two gendarmes pointed us in the right direction. We
confess we like the peacefulness of the tree lined canal and the quiet
pleasure boats far better than the excitement of traveling on roads with
automobile traffic. As you can tell this was an excellent trip and we
have recommended Diverse Directions to all who inquire about our travels.
Again, thank you for your patience in guiding us on this exceptional trip. We hope to travel again with Diverse
Directions.
Deb and Hobie of New Hampshire completed Diverse Directions'
Vineyards and Van Gogh Tour in September 2004; and Diverse Directions' Castles
in the Cradle of Mankind Tour in September 2006. Deb writes:
Hi David. First, we have traveled throughout the world, to Australia,
where my husband has family, to Belize and Costa Rica, Hawaii, Guadeloupe
and extensively in the U.S. Our cycling trip to France we have declared our
greatest adventure ever. Thank you for your flawless guidance.
I am the Page 1 Editor of our newspaper here, the Daily Hampshire
Gazette. I am writing a cover story for the magazine section about our trip
and Diverse Directions will figure prominently.
Here are excerpts from Deb's article, "The Grand Tour", in the
November 19, 2004 edition of the Daily Hampshire Gazette:
Diverse Directions is one of only a handful of companies that prepare
trips for cyclists who want to ride independently, rather than with a guided
group. My husband and I did want to ride independently, both because of the
freedom it afforded and because doing it this way saved us around $1000 per
person.
Diverse Directions offers several trips in France, as well as two
approaches to some trips. We chose an eight-day "hub and spoke" tour - five
rides from Avignon and three from Arles. A "circuit" tour would have taken
us to a different location most nights.
The information packet we received from Diverse Directions well before
the trip date left no stone unturned. Following is a guide to what Diverse
Directions provides:
-
Detailed map of the region with routes
highlighted, along with meticulously prepared cue sheets and a pamphlet
highlighting special sights along the routes.
-
Hotel arrangements: several choices are offered,
with the average cost between $80 and $100 per night. The hotels are
wonderful, well-situated, and employees are accustomed to dealing with
cyclists.
-
A bike of your choice (hybrid/touring, mountain,
or racing bike) with helmet, pump and water bottle.
-
Support: An important and reassuring element. If
you need help on the road, someone comes and gets you. (NOTE: SAG support
is not included in the tour price, but can be purchased if needed during
your tour.)
-
Luggage transfer.
-
Train travel information.
-
Miscellaneous: Information about etiquette in France, a French
primer of most-used phrases, how to prepare physically and mentally,
what to pack.
Bill and Nancy of San Clemente, CA
completed Diverse Directions' Provence of the Caesars Tour in July
2004. Bill writes:
Nancy and I just returned from our Provence of the Caesars Tour, and we
couldn't be happier. The routes were beautiful, the hotels were great, and
of course the food and wine were incomparable. This was out third tour with
Diverse Directions, and they keep getting better and better.
We used to do our own route planning, take our own bikes to Europe, and
pick our own hotels at the ends of each day. Ten years ago we did a three
week tour of Provence that way, so that gives us a very specific basis of
comparison with the service that Diverse Directions provides. It's no
contest.
The routes selected by Diverse Directions are much better than we could
have come up with by simply looking at a map, the hotels were far better,
and of course it doesn't hurt to have luggage transfer either. The rental
bikes were excellent, and of course we didn't have to carry them through the
airports to France.
The extra service provided by Stephen and David was terrific. On a couple
of occasions while transferring our luggage, they drove ahead of us over the
route and discovered that the French had installed a traffic circle, changed
a sign, or done something else that might be confusing to us, so they drove
back to find us and inform us of the change. Nancy and I have a hard time
imagining another bike tour without the help of Diverse Directions.
Elizabeth from Juneau, AK
completed Diverse Directions' Mediterranean Canals & Beaches Tour in July
2003. Elizabeth writes:
Thank you so much for everything. I have to admit, I was kind of nervous
about traveling alone. But now that I’ve done it, I’m so proud of myself. I
realize however, I couldn’t have done it without you. Your tour
documentation was so great. Your pre-trip Preparation Guide was really
helpful. From the packing checklist to the pictures of the road signs I’d be
seeing in France, the information made a big difference in my
self-confidence. I must have read the tour materials at least three times
before my trip and each time I did, I got more and more excited. And your
route instructions were clear and easy to follow (I only made one wrong
turn!). Thanks again for a really memorable experience.
Ray and his son from Denver,
CO completed Diverse Directions' Mediterranean Canals & Beaches Tour in July
2003. Ray writes:
As seasoned cyclists, my son and I felt pretty confident that we could
handle just about any situation that we might encounter while on the road.
When my rear derailleur broke however, I knew we had no option but to call
for assistance. As much faith as we already had in you guys, we were amazed
when the Diverse Directions support vehicle appeared with a replacement bike
only 45 minutes after I called. We had a great trip. We hope to join you
again in the future.
Audrey and David of Seattle, Washington completed Diverse Directions'
Provence of the Caesars Tour in June
2003. Audrey writes:
I just wanted to say hi and happy holidays to both of you!!! We had a
fabulous time on our Provence Diverse Directions tour last summer, and can hardly wait to plan our trip for summer of '04. We have recommended your
tour company to many fellow cyclists, and hope some of them book a tour with you. Again, thanks for helping us organize one of the best vacations
ever!!!!!!
And while on their tour,
Audrey and David wrote:
Just wanted to let you know that we are having a fabulous time! Your
directions are meticulous, and the rides have been awesome. On our "free"
day at the Ardèche Gorge, we did part of the Gorge ride (St. Martin to
Madeleine grotto.) We spent some time at one of the caves due to the cooler
temperatures. The camelback motto of "hydrate or die" has taken on new
meaning.
Jennifer and Thomas of Chicago completed Diverse Directions'
Provence of the Caesars Tour in October 2002. Jennifer writes:
I've been meaning to write to you since we got back from our Provence bike trip to tell you what a
great time we had! Although we were in France for 10 days, those 5 days of biking are the only ones we ever talk about. You all did such a great job of
finding roads that weren't trafficky, of guiding us through foreign towns, and of showing us the best that region had to offer. I can't even say we had
a favorite day or a favorite town -- we loved different things about each place and each ride.
Thomas actually asked me to marry him overlooking the Pont du Gard, so that was definitely our most
memorable moment, yet we loved the whole tour! In fact, next time we plan a trip to Europe, we'll bike the whole time. There's no better way of seeing
the country.
Please keep us on your list of email updates. I would love to work with you again. Thank you for all
your help.
Steve
Warkentin of Chicago completed Diverse Direction's Provence of the Caesars Tour in May
2002 and the Wine, Castles, & Cave Paintings Tour in May 2001. Steve writes:
I've now ridden two tours
from Diverse Directions in France and plan to do a third. On these
tours I've realized a combination of experiences that make it hard to
conceive of not traveling again with Diverse Directions. Pedaling a bicycle
allowed me to slow the pace and get closer to the ground so I could really
notice the colors, the light, and the details of the scenery as I passed
through. I've gone on routes that let me escape, where I hardly had to share
the road with autos, and was not visually assaulted by billboards and
commercial clutter. Instead, I got full doses of the landscape, with its
beautiful natural growth, and of farms and vineyards lovingly tended.
I can confide that there is
some element of challenge in making a trip like this. But the effort of riding,
of pedaling, of climbing hills, of going the distance is invigorating. I am
able to put this body to the test and succeed, and the accomplishment feels
great each day. Doing a working trip also justifies the pampering that
comes later in the day. To indulge in a fine dinner of rich French food and
wine as a daily diet would seem extravagant, but paired with the day's
earlier effort, it completely makes sense. And to rest thoroughly in hotel
settings of such picturesque charm and history make the cycle complete (pun
intended.)
I've traveled fairly
extensively and can't say anymore that going to new places gives me the kick it once could. Instead, I now find that if I can manage to step into
the rhythm and tempo of a different culture and see and feel some of the
distinguishing textures of the lives of other folks, I can have a vacation
that satisfies. For now, touring on a bicycle seems to be the best way to
accomplish this.
Barbara Krause, Carole Martin, their husbands, and four
children (from the south Bay area of California) completed Diverse Directions'
Wine, Castles, & Cave Paintings Tour at the end of June 2001. Barbara writes:
We're back from our trip
and we had a wonderful time! You were very much with us, guiding us every
(pedal) of the way. The directions were completely accurate and we didn't
get lost once on the main trip. (The only time we did was when Tom and I
asked the hotel personnel for the easiest way to Domme and ended up on
some road that was really a rutted path leading to nowhere. We retraced
our route, took out your directions and got there easily.)
We loved Hotel La Roseraie
in Montignac. It was really a paradise after a hot day of riding from
Limeuil. The pool was beautiful, set among lavender and roses, with
gracious old buildings in the background. The rose garden and grass (which
was sprinkled with wild mint that became fragrant as we walked on it) was
the ideal spot for peaceful reading after a cool dip. The food was good in
the restaurant, served on the patio with attentive waiters. The rooms were
nicely decorated and comfortable -- and the kid's room was a showpiece.
It's shown in their brochure, with stylish curtains and antiques and a
huge bathroom. That was our favorite hotel of the whole trip and we would
have been happy staying another few days there.
The bikes and panniers were in tip top shape -- all seemed new. We
had no flat tires or mechanical problems (with the usual exception of
chains coming off the derailleur from time to time, to be expected) but
they were trust-worthy and steady on the road. They were delivered as
planned to us in St Emilion, and picked up in Vitrac.
We ran into an escorted
bike tour group at St. Genies and it reinforced the wisdom of our decision
of choosing a self guided tour. Who needs a sag wagon? Wimps!!!!
Also, just having so many riders converge on the little town at once felt
intrusive to us.
Just writing about this makes me long to be there again! It sounds like a
cliché, but it was a vacation I know all of us will never forget.
Carole, on the same tour, adds:
We had a wonderful time,
thanks to your great arrangements and preparation. My one big fear before
leaving was that we would have trouble on the road -- either with the
bikes or the directions. Your directions were so accurate that we did not
get lost even once. This is truly amazing....The bikes also performed very
well.
We loved being able to
travel independently. I know we had a much richer experience than if we
had gone with a group. Your support allowed us to have the freedom to
experience the Dordogne directly. Thank you so much for all
of your help and support. If you ever need a testimonial, we would be
happy to provide a rave review.
