La Ligne Verte


Home                 Testimonials                Walking in France               Cycling in France



About us Booking a trip Contact

See recommendations of La Ligne Verte at TRIPADVISOR: Find us at Tripadvisor with La Ligne Verte at www.tripadvisor.nl/trips (Company based in Amsterdam but our tours are only in South of France)



2023

Hi Frans We are back in Australia now and just wanted to say we had a very enjoyable time on the Roya Valley walk.. All went smoothly. Accommodation and included meals, and luggage transfers all went according to plan.
Regards Janet Veilands

2023
Bike tour Gorges du Tarn, 9 to 15 October 2023
Hi Frans, We keep a very good memory of our days of cycling along the Tarn. We enjoyed your nice and easy itinerary. We felt welcome at the hotels with good bed and plenty of good food. We appreciated that our luggage was already delivered each time we checked into a new hotel. The bicycles were comfortable and reliable. Thanks for booking all the services that allowed us to relax and discover that amazing region. We hope to be back! Odile and John


2023 at 08:02, Robyn Pollock (Australian) wrote :


Hi, 
Got back to Millau yesterday - rode up to look a Viaduct before returning bike. Trip was all I had imagined and dreamed and even more.
The hotels were a little unfamiliar with the needs of e-bikers but all were happy to find a solution.
I will be recommended your trips to my friends.
Thanks Robyn













2019-1

Dear Franz,

I'm sorry not to have written sooner to say how grateful Nick and I were for all of your help while we were in Corsica. We certainly hadn't anticipated being so feeble in the heat and it was enormously helpful to have you at the end of the phone. Sorry for the trouble, we'll stick to cooler months from now on. Nonetheless we had a wonderful time, great memories and much of that is down to you. I assume we don't owe you anything, but please let me know if I'm wrong.Best wishes,Jessica

Jessica Harris walked the H13b Scandola walk on Corsica

If you want to check with our clients, we'll send you their email address and phone-number.

2017-2

Dear Frans

Want to thank you again for a great tripGreatly appreciate all you help and hard workSherri and I planning a trip to Italy in May. Do you handle any tours to Italy? Interested in SardiniaThanks again for a Great trip

Scott Mansfield

2017-1

Dear Frans!

From all our group we would like to say big THANK YOU!!! For such a wonderfully organised trip! We had couple of problems with our luggage, buton the whole happy scale it was unnoticeable !!
We were so happy with the hotels, especially ''Poete''!! And the tours were really special to see!!!
Yet again big thank you!!!
We will pass the name of your company to our friends and people who are also interested in this kind of holiday!!

Kind Regards,

Janna Asrieva


2016-2

Hi Frans- This is our grateful Thanks to you:

A most spectacular cycle tour on Tandem in 12 stages – covering 900k – Starting in Bedoin (foot of Mont Ventoux) and tour in g in Alpes Maritimes.Cimbing to the highest points the scenery was awesome – the down through the Gorges,the plantations forests and fruit just beautiful.Our visits to Nyons –Oz –Gap – Venterol – Barcellonette- Colmars les Alpes –Castellane were exceptional-.Then to Moustiers Saint Marie and the magnificent Lakes – through Draguinan, Trigance (where we dined in a 9th century fortress) – to villages Grasse –St Paul de Vence – and finally finishing with a ride along coast and ending in Villefranche-sur-Mer(Nice)- where our tour ended.The Tandem was perfect and all stopovers remarkable – thank you Frans of La Ligne Verte – so grateful to you for this stunning cycle tour you planned for us.
Bert and Carol Bard – Johannesburg – South Africa

2016-2 (see this recommendation at TRIPADVISOR: at www.tripadvisor.nl/trips )

Tours are difficult to find and position within Tripadvisor. So we regret you will only find our tours (in South of France) when searching world wide on Tripadvisor with La Ligne Verte. We are based in Amsterdam, but we are not proposing any tours there.

Wonderful Self-Guided Cycling & Hiking Tours in Southern France*****

We have done three self-guided cycling tours in Southern France with La Ligne Verte in 2011, 2014, and just recently in 2016. Every time we've decided to do another tour we've thought "It will never be as good as the first one when we rode through the Gorges du Tarn." Yet the last two have been just as good as the first. The second was in the Provence-Mt. Ventoux area and the most recent was in the Dordogne River valley area, and we enjoyed these as much as we did the first.

After looking at various self-guided tour operators we chose La Ligne Verte primarily because they offered the most flexibility. You can start and end your tour whenever you want. You can go for a few days or several. You can specify easy routes, moderate routes or challenging routes. You can select economy lodging or luxury lodging with choices in between. And there are five or six different areas of southern France you can choose from. And finally, their prices were reasonable.

All of your hotel and the majority of your dinner reservations are taken care of (in some locations where there are a multitude of dining options they leave those open for your choice.) When you arrive at your first hotel a packet is waiting for you with a annotated route map and detailed, written route instructions, plus brochures and tourist information on interesting sites to visit on your route.

Sometimes we question the route that owner-operator Frans has set for us, such as side-trips or out-and-backs, but after we've done them we understand that there was something special that he wanted us to see. And when we've wanted to do something special like make arrangements to be ferried to the top of Mt. Ventoux he has taken care of that for us and made it totally hassle free. Plus, although Frans lives in southern France he is Dutch and speaks perfect English and is always available on Skype or phone if you need to talk to him.

If you're the independent type and like to set your own schedules, ride at your own pace, stop and go when you want, then I know you will be very satisfied with La Ligne Verte.

2016-1

Hi Frans,We are on the train to Paris having just left Souillac.It was another great tour.Both my hybrid and Kay's electric bike worked great.The electric bike really saved the tour for Kay after her injury in England.No problems with any of the hotels, some better than others of course.The people at the Vielle Auberge were incredibly helpful with everything including the bikes, and helping out when Don Hanset fell, hurt his ribs and could not continue riding after the third day.The Plaisance in Vitrac was the best, fantastic piscine and air conditioning!As I usually do, after I get home, I will send you some suggested corrections/additions to your route directions.I think we did almost all the longer options, which were worth it for the things we saw.Thanks for another great tour,Steve Van Slyke(Steve and his friends biked the B19 **plus tour in Dordogne and Lot-Quercy in August 2023
)
Sent from Samsung tablet-------- Original message --------
From: Frans Bevort - La Ligne Verte - valac & lt;info@valac.nl>
Date: 08/17/2023
12:51 (GMT-07:00)


 

2015-3Cathar walk

Hi Frans.

Just a quick note to say that we had a fantastic time walking the Sentier Cathare. Everything worked very smoothly and the whole experience was just wonderful - we will definitely be returning.

With the route now the GR367 the marking was very good - which made navigation simple with only a couple of points where we used the notes - more for reassurance.

So glad we did Pic Bugarach. Spectacular views, even if a bit windy on the day.

Thanks for your help in organising everything at such short notice.

Best wishes.

Robert

Sent from my Windows Phone


Robert Longley-Cook

2015-2 Luberon walk

Dear Frans,

Thanks for all your arrangements for our trip.From our pick-up to drop-off at Avignon TGV we had a terrific weekin the Luberon. Although October is a bit late in the year - some things were shutting down from the tourist season – we had the roads and restaurants largely to ourselves, and had a peaceful week of walking from village to village.We especially enjoyed the quietness of the inns and restaurants where we stayed and had our meals, and of course the so many things that could be accessed only by foot!We enjoyed walking the old roads with the terraced fields on either side, and seeing the progression of vegetation from the dry south facing slopes with olive groves and cherry orchards from Gordes to Rustrel, crossing the valley to Saignon with apple and cherry orchards, and then along the north facing slopes of the Grand Luberon with its lavender fields and ferns along the Aiguebrun stream. (And of course, vineyards along the entire route.)

Pictures attached.

Please feel free to use any of this in your adverts or blogs.

Best regards,

Thure CerlingandMahala Kephart

2015-1

Cycle tour Alpes Maritime – just spectacular- thank you again-for your excellent planning and really amazing directions. A 12 stage cycle tour on tandem, which took us to beautiful quaint villages- through magnificent gorges,Lakes and waterfalls with really, majestic forests- awesome mountain views.(The beauty of this area would be better viewed on google)-The wonderful places you found for us to stay were remarkable- Villefranche – away from crowds of Nice and perectly situated to start and end our tour- Vence – wonderful stay- Thorenc- through Gorges du loop- breathtaking rock formations – again so tucked away – loved it!!-Cabris – stunning ride- La Garde – La Mas – Les Ferres – Vence- St Martin-Vesubie – Utelle- Sospel- All the accommodation was incredible – the rooms were excellent – the hosts were friendly – and homely!!-We so enjoyed each and every overnight stay in these homes .The dinners we had in these homes were so very memorable – thank you for finding these special places for us.We watched the sun setting behind the mountains and down the valleys!!!
The rides were challenging but every day was a new adventure surrounded by magnificent views- Just the 2 of jes together with the thrills of Maritime Alpes!! This part of France was so worth the visit-you just manage to include such beauty to cycle into – thank you!!
I just know you always plan a wonderful tour for us - and are always available if there are problems.
Thank you,- so pleased we found you all those years ago – !!!
Fond regards
Bert and Carol Bard- Johannesburg, South Africa

2014-3

Hi Frans – what an amazing cycle tour we had – Started at the foot of the Mont Ventoux – first day we were there we went to summit – great experience!! We then went to Le Poet Leval – beautiful ride through the countryside- onto Barnave – again just so beautiful to ride through this area on to Chorges and on to Barnave – just loved our stay with Barbara- She served us a beautiful dinner in her intimate little garden- We had a really amazing stay in Oze- this was a 12th Century priory in a breathtaking setting – again host and hostess served an amazing meal in this majestic dining area we just loved this too -from there to Eygliers – this is just absolutely charming on to Barcellonette – just love this lovely village- - on to Colmars – a special place to stay- charming host and hostess – beautiful views – then Castellane also lovely stay – on to Moustiers Ste Marie – again just loved this place in the village of ceramics – on to Forqualquier – such welcoming people – finished I Bedoin where we just love to stay.
We went up the Col de Vars (tough but exhillerating) also Col de Columbiere and the Col de Allos- the Scenery was breathtaking – the Gorges du Verdon were Spectacular!!
Every day was just so special – thank you for your excellent directions taking us through these beautiful stunning areas – We loved every minute of every day!!!
We just had a problem with the brakes (disc brakes) of the tandem – we had to get help along the way in quite a few places - - I did mention this to the bike shop – when we collected the bike we told them that we were unfamiliar with disc brakes but they assured us they were good for the distance we were going to do- but we had to stop and have adjustments done at quite a few places – fortunately we found people able to help us – next time we will be happy to just go withbike brakes we are familiar with.
The places that you booked us into were exceptional – we had stayed at some of them before and we were so pleased to see the people again – so enjoyed every single day- thanks to you and your perfect planning.
Always feel a little sad to leave this magnificent area in France –The taxi lady that you use – Evalina was so pleased to see us again – such a special lady and she runs an excellent taxi service
Thanks again Frans – so pleased we found you all those years ago – you understand exactly what we love to do and you choose such perfect places to stayFondest Regards
Bert and Carol Bard (Johannesburg – South Africa)

2014-2

Hello, Frans and Isabel Today we returned to St Martin, Souillac, and are busy remembering all the interesting and truly lovely sights along the way of the cycling and walking tours which you arranged. Your attention to detail is appreciated. Once we learned how to look critically at the map, and correlate the route notes, we were confident of getting where we should be at the end of the day. You were certainly correct that the first day of walking was the most confusing. Once again, thanks for a wonderful itinerary. I personally loved Relais St Anne - the gardens were just what was required after a long day. And, of course, the terrace under chestnut trees at l'Ouysse. There were also three evenings of terrific rainstorms to refresh the spirits. Paddling did not work out as no one answered the phone - perhaps the season is over for them. All in all, well done! Carole and John Petrich (Sammamish USA)

2014-1

Hi Frans!!!! we are back in Sao Paulo! Thank You very much for the organization!!!Every thing was perfect !I think the route was perfect and we could see lots of nice places! The maps worked very well! The dinners were very nice, specialy the last night on The Clos the la Glycine! I hope soon we can organize another trip with Valac regards,Ana Elisa /Lamberto from Brasil.


			

Ana and Lamberto cycled our luxury bike tour Vaucluse in Provence.