//
FAQ - French Bike Tours
FIND your perfect trip!
Find your perfect
cycle trip!

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How do I book a holiday?

Booking your holiday is quick and easy thanks to our online booking page. Navigate to the holiday of your choice and click on “Book this holiday”. On the online booking page read the detailed cost overview carefully. Fill out the form. At the end of the booking form you can type your queries and additional requests. We will contact you if necessary.

2. Is it possible to book extra nights?

It is possible to book extra nights for all holidays with a daily starting date. It is not possible to book extra nights for holidays with fixed starting dates, due to difficulties with your luggage transfer. 

3. Is it possible to pass on my dietary needs to the hotels I will be staying at?

Yes, you can fill in your dietary needs in the online booking form under “Preferences”. The hotel chefs will take your requests into account as much as possible. It’s always good to remind the reception of your dietary needs when you check in at the hotel. 

4. Can French Bike Tours book my flight or train journey to France for me?

No, unfortunately we do not book flights or train journeys. You must make your own arrangements for your outward and homeward journeys.

5. How can I see whether the self-guided holiday of my choice is still available? 

You can’t. As soon as we receive your booking request we will contact the hotels to find out if they have room for you on the required dates. If they can accommodate you, we will send you a travel agreement per e-mail within three working days. If the hotels are unable to accommodate you on the required dates, we will contact you to confer on an alternative solution.  

6. Can I change the starting point of the holiday of my choice?

That depends. If you are renting bikes through us, you must pick them up at the hotel we have specified so you cannot choose to start your holiday in another town or hotel. If you are bringing your own bike you can start your round tour wherever you like, as long as the hotel has been booked through us. If you plan to leave your car at an alternative hotel of your choice for the duration of your holiday, you’d be well-advised to find out about parking costs beforehand.

7. When and how will I receive the travel confirmation and how can I pay?

As soon as we can confirm your holiday, we will send you the travel confirmation / invoice (contract) per e-mail. It will stipulate the sum of your down payment, to be paid immediately (20% of the total price of your holiday). The remaining sum is due no later than six weeks before the starting date of your holiday.

After the booking is confimed by us, you will receive the log in information for My FBT, your personal holiday page.

Our bank details:
Siret: 83246432500014
Sales Tax (VAT) ID number: FR 44 832464325


Crédit Agricole Charente-Périgord
IBAN: FR76 1240 6000 1180 0080 3502 832
BIC (Swift code): AGRIFRPP824
Assurance Responsabilité- Civile avec Hiscox (hauteur de 1.500.000,--)
Garantie Financière via adhésion APST
Immatriculation ATOUT France sous numéro IM024180002

8. Secure payment on a dedicated space  

You can pay your reservation directly online by credit card (Visa and Mastercard). The payment will be made via a secured space, thanks to the Up2Pay payment solution (Service of the Credit Agricole bank).

up2pay logo 
  
We will send you a link, which will direct you to a secured payment page Up2Pay. This is a secured payment module of our bank (Crédit Agricole).  You will then have to indicate your 16-digit card number, its expiration date, and the cryptogram on the back of the card (last 3 characters) or CVC. 

1. What kind of hotels will I be staying at?

On most of our tours, You will be staying in accommodation COMFORT (selected 2/3* hotels or B&B) or COMFORT PLUS Category (selected 3/4* hotels or B&B). If you would like to find out more about the star rating system in France, please check out this page.

2. Does French Bike Tours offer guided group tours? 

No, we only offer self-guided holidays. 

3. May I book my own hotels?

No, we can only provide luggage transfers and cycle routes if the hotels have been booked through us.

4. What type of bikes can I rent through French Bike Tours?

Our standard bikes are 21 or 24-gear hybrids. We also offer E-bikes, racing bikes and children’s bikes. For more information see www.french-biketours.com/rentalbikes 

5. What is included in the rental sum of a bicycle? 

Our hybrid bikes and e-bikes are equipped with water resistant pannier bags. Racing bikes and children’s bikes are not. Hybrid bikes also have a handlebar bag. E-bikes don’t have room for a handlebar bag because of the E-bike screen. All our rental bikes come with a pump, chain lock and puncture kit.

6. I have already booked hotels by myself. Can I hire bikes from you?

No, we only offer rental bikes if accommodation is booked through us. 

7. Is a bike helmet compulsory in France?

No. Helmets are not mandatory in France (if the cyclist is over 12 years old), but strongly recommended. The helmet is mandatory for children under 12 years. Please let us know on the booking form if you would like to hire a bike helmet. 

8. What kind of routes can I expect on French Bike Tours?

The routes we have designed can be navigated by following signposts. 95% of the time you will be cycling on an asphalt surface, mostly on bike tracks or quiet roads. 

1. What is "My FBT" space and how do I access it?  

Your personal space, is a dedicated area on our website which includes the details of your trip. You will only have access to this area once your booking has been confirmed. You will be able to consult all your documents concerning your stay, your itineraries and the list of your hotels... Do not forget to download and/or print the pdf's, on your smartphone or tablet, so that you have them with you when you cycle! 

2. When will I receive my APP access?   

Once your booking is confirmed, we will send you a link to access your personal space, along with the access codes. Among the documents you will find a description of the itinerary and additional information. If you wish to consult this information in advance in order to prepare your trip, you can download it from "MyFBT" on our website.   

3. When will I receive my travel documents?

Upon receipt of your booking confirmation, you will receive your login for "myFBT", your personal environment on our website, for all the details of your booking (overview of your booking / hotel list / status of payments).
After full payment you will have access to the manual of the travel app and receive login details of the travel app. You can then also download the trip documents as a pdf file.

4. When will I receive my rental bike?

Your rental bike begins on the morning of Day 2, and it will be delivered to your accommodation on the evening of your arrival or the next morning by 09.00 hrs.
Your bike will have been serviced, cleaned and fitted to your requirements.

5. What is the weather forecast for France?

The weather is unpredictable in France. On www.accuweather.com you can find historical averages.

6. What if it rains?

One of the few things that we can’t control is the weather. Do not let the rain spoil your holiday: if you are appropriately equipped, even walking or riding in the rain can be fun. A good rain-proof jacket, an umbrella, a poncho… there are several solutions to face a bad weather day; we suggest that you always bring a rain-proof jacket with you even on the sunniest day, especially in spring and autumn.

In case of thunderstorms or weather alerts, do not put yourself in danger and call us: we will help you find the best solution to reach your next accommodation. We can also suggest an alternative way to spend the day, to make the most out of the situation.

7. What time will my luggage be picked up / dropped off at the hotel?

Your luggage must be ready for pick-up at 09:00 hrs and will be delivered to your next hotel before 17:00 hrs.

8. How can I contact French Bike Tours during my cycling trip?

During office hours you can call us on +33 (0) 5 53 24 22 10. Outside office hours you can call us on our emergency telephone number which you will find in your Route Pack. We don’t read e-mails at the weekend so please don’t hesitate to phone us on our emergency number to reach us. We will be glad to help you!

9. How do I reach my first hotel?

Most of our hotels can be reached by public transport. Go to journey planner www.rome2rio.com to print out your travel plan for the journey from the airport to the hotel. On request, we can organize a transfer for you. If you don’t want to use public transport, you will have to take a taxi. 

10. How much is the penalty if I cancel my booking?

Costs for cancellation depend on when you cancel (how many days before the starting date of the holiday). To read our cancellation policy, click on the link.*

11. What comes with my bike rental? 

If you rent a bike with us, helmets are included. Please advise us, if you bring along your own. All our rental bikes come with at least a rear pannier and with a handlebar bag to put the roadbook/map. If you want more detail, you can check this page, you will find more information in the “Accessories” tab.

extraSmallDevice
smallDevice
mediumDevice
largeDevice