We have some frequently asked questions below that will answer some generic questions about our bicycle tours. If you have any specific questions not listed below about any of our tours please get in touch with us by phone or by one of the contact forms on this site.
What is included in the tour price?
Please see the “What’s Included” tab located on each individual tour page. In general, our tours include:
- All accommodations
- All meals except on some tours we allocate one “open dinner” for you to discover your preferred dinning experience and 1-2 lunches.
- Expertise of your tour leaders and guides. All trips are lead by one of GCT owners – a top chef and wine connoisseur and a former professional cyclist and top cycling coach
- Ride support – GPX maps for Garmin, Wahoo and other GPS devices, on-the-bike guides, following vans with food, drink, and mechanical support
- Non cycling activities, for example: private tours, wine tastings, chocloate tastings, event passes, and more
- Cooking classes and our Gourmet picnics on certain tours
- Transportation throughout the tour
- Luggage transfers and handling
- Gourmet Cycling Travel cycling jersey and t-shirt
What if I want to bring my spouse or friend who does not ride?
On our Grand tour trips (Tour de France, Giro d’Italia. Vuelta a Espana) we cater to non cyclists with a separate guide and fun activities. On Gourmet tours (Provence, Loire, Bordeaux San Sebastian, Catalonia, Tuscany) each tour is designed for active traveler with short distances to cover by bicycle on hybrid style bicycles (road bicycles also an option). You don’t have to be a regular cyclist to partake in the easy bicycle touring on our Gourmet tours.
How big are the groups?
Gourmet Cycling prides ourselves on small, intimate groups and a high level of individual support. We cap the Tour de France at 24 guests and all other tours at 16 guests.
What kind of support do you offer?
Gourmet Cycling truly cares about making your tour with us a wonderful experience! Each tour is owner operated which means you have the owners of the company as your personal tour leaders! We have a guide to guest ratio of 1 guide : 4-5 guests. This ensures a high level of hands-on support.
How do I reserve my place?
Complete our Contact Us form and we’ll get back to you asap. You can also call us in the USA at 888-327-2283 or international +1 813-453-1719. You can also email us at info@gourmetcyclingtravel.com.
How far in advance do I need to make my reservation?
We recommend booking your trip at least 90 days prior to the tour start date. last-minute bookings can sometimes be accommodated up to one week prior to departure.
Cancellation Policy
Please refer to our Terms and Conditions for specifics regarding our cancellation policy.
Do I need travel insurance?
Gourmet Cycling strongly recommends travel insurance in the event of a medical emergency, lost baggage, or if you need to cancel your trip. We do not offer travel insurance.
What kind of travel documentation do I need?
All international and continental travel, for both Canadians and Americans, requires a valid passport. Other nationalities may need to obtain a visa for certain countries.
Will someone meet me at the airport when I arrive?
Each tour has a centrally located meeting point at a specific time on day 1 of your tour (e.g. TGV train station in city center). Details of your meeting point are provided in your trip itinerary. The cost to travel to the meeting point is your responsibility. Airport transfers are not included. Gourmet Cycling is available to help you arrange transportation to the meeting point in the form of ordering taxis, train tickets, or other transportation. Meeting point instructions are provided with your final tour documents.
Is a trip guaranteed to happen?
We require a minimum of six people for regular tours (4 for custom tours) to run most of our trips. If a trip must be canceled due to low enrollment, we will cancel it at least 60 days prior to the trip start and a full refund will be issued. Trips will not be cancelled due to low enrollment within 45 days of the trip start.
Gourmet Cycling Travel reserves the right to cancel any trip at any time for any reason, including if there are too few participants, or if the quality of the trip or the safety of travellers is judged by Gourmet Cycling to be compromised. In such cases, a refund of payments received by Gourmet Cycling shall constitute full and final settlement. Gourmet Cycling Travel is not responsible for any loss incurred on account of non-refundable or non-transferable air tickets.
What does “double occupancy” mean?
Our prices are per person based on two people sharing a room. If you don’t want to share a room, a single room supplement fee is required.
What is a single supplement?
Because our prices are based on double occupancy, we offer a single supplement to those guests traveling alone who would like to guarantee their own private room. This supplement is in addition to the standard trip price. If you would like a roommate, we can sometimes pair you with another solo traveler (of the same gender).
How much cycling do I have to do?
Our Grand Tours are more for regular cyclists where distances range for 30-75 miles/day and sometimes include big mountains. On our Gourmet Tours the distances are much shorter and the terrain much less challenging. On Gourmet Tours distances vary from 15-40 miles/day and bicycle rides are designed for all active travelers (not just cyclists).
You always have the option to join our non cyclists and their activities on our Grand Tours or jump in the van or take an easy day at the hotel on our Gourmet Tours.
What kind of riding fitness do I need to be in?
Our trips that focus primarily on the Gourmet and Luxury aspect (Provence, Tuscany, Loire Valley, Bordeaux San Sebastian, Tuscany) are typically for all active travelers who have a good level of general fitness. Our Gourmet tours can accommodate guests who would like to partake in more challenging cycling with a detour up Mont Ventoux for example.
Our Tour de France, Giro d’Italia and Vuelta tours are focused primarily on incredible and challenging cycling and accommodate road cycling enthusiasts who would like to partake in challenging rides with big climbs. Cyclists should be able to ride 70 miles with 7,000+ feet of elevation gain.
Should I bring my own bike?
You are welcome to bring your own bicycle. Most guests choose to rent a bicycle from us. A hybrid bicycle is included on our Gourmet Tours. You may upgrade to a carbon fiber road bicycle (typically Specialized Roubaix) for a $350/tour fee ($400/grand tour).
If you bring your own bicycle you are responsible to bring spare tires, tubes, chain etc and to build and dismantle your bicycle. Our guides will assist you in this process but you are the one responsible for the safe and correct assembly of your personal bicycle.
I plan on using one of the rental bikes, what bicycle equipment do I need to bring?
For drop bar road racing bicycles you must bring your personal clip-less pedals, cycling shoes and helmet. It is a good idea to bring your seat height measurements from your personal bike. Tubes and a pump are included with each rental bike.
Do you do custom tours and dates?
We offer our regular tours listed on our site as custom tours with a minimum of 4 or more people. Please see the Dates and Pricing tab on each individual tour. We can also create a fully custom tour for you and your group from scratch. Just Contact Us and let’s discuss your dream destination!
What kind of tour information does Gourmet Cycling Travel provide?
Once you sign up for a Gourmet Cycling Travel tour we’ll be in regular communication with you. About 4 weeks before your trip start we’ll send out some final information like pick-up times, guide phone numbers, addresses, and confirm your arrival information. About 1 week before the trip we’ll send out the bicycle routes for upload (GPX files) and the day-to-day schedule. Throughout the process we are just a phone call or email away to answer any questions you may have and also to help you plan your pre and post tour travels.