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Some of the guests enjoy a glass of champagne before
dinner.
Allan,
Your description of the Bordeaux Cycling vacation
package was an understatement! My wife and I had
one of the most enjoyable vacation experiences
ever!
Living out of the Pitray Chateau for six evenings
was most relaxing, especially owing to our gracious
hosts (Pierre-Edouard and Alix de Boigne); combined
with the great accommodations (ours was the "Bamboo
Room"). Not having to pack/unpack multiple times
made for a very pleasurable experience as well.
The cycling routes you selected contained great
variety, historical significance, and natural
beauty. The casualness of the group rides allowed
people of various skill levels, experience, and
objectives to participate together yet "split-off"
and do their own thing as desired, another advantage
of having the Chateau as an "operational base" for
several days. We especially enjoyed having a
dunk in the oversized pool upon our return from
riding!
Thanks also for your helpful tips regarding riding
technique and bicycle maintenance; upon our return
I improved my work commute time by 1 mph, (now
averaging 19 mph covering 30 miles one-way on hilly
terrain). As a relatively new "road bike rider," I have noticed significant improvements in
both overall speed and technique from this
experience.
The arranged group activities were entertaining and
informative: the Bataille de Castillion reenactment;
our visit to Chateau Malle and Sauterne/Graves wine
country; and of course the Criterium event, heralded
by the pre-race luncheon at the Chateau!.
And of course, we must mention the Chateau meals and
vin! The provided breakfasts, lunches, and suppers
were comprehensive in variety and a gourmets'
delight, especially when accompanied with Pitray's
outstanding vintage selections! Although the
suppers at the various village restaurants were
enjoyable, we increasingly came to anticipate with
desire the Chateau suppers more and more throughout
the stay.
Thanks again for a totally wonderful experience, one
that we can heartily recommend to both experienced
as well as novice riders - or perhaps "less
passionate" spouses/significant others.
Best Regards,
Rick and Lora Beth Carpenter
Reading, Pennsylvania, USA
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A "P.S." from the "Less Cycling Passionate" Spouse:
Speaking for the novice ("less passionate") rider, I
explored the countryside at my own pace but was
never more than a phone call away from a rescue
vehicle at the Chateau if I needed one. I had the
freedom to travel to the local villages and visit
the local churches and chateau in the area. The
immediate surroundings are filled with wonderful
people and beautiful 11th and 12th Century churches
not to mention breathtaking vistas. I was
unfailingly greeted with a jovial "Bonjour" by
everyone I encountered.
Alix was wonderful in
trying to help me learn a little French and knew
some of the churches in more secluded areas.
Pierre-Edouard is wonderful at explaining winemaking
and tasting and has a good knowledge of the local
fauna. Did I mention the food and vin? THE
BEST!
Lora Beth Carpenter
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My son and I just
returned from an incredible six day biking vacation
in the Bordeaux region of France. We saw the trip
offered in RBR newsletter in March, and it was one
of the great finds of all time. After reviewing the
website (www.lostendetours.com) we answered Allan
Reeves' ad, and booked the trip. The result was a
feast of riding, dining and relaxing in a
magnificent chateau winery; enjoying some incredible
scenery and history, and making new friends who are
also fellow bikers. Oh yeah, we also watched
Christophe Moreau win the Criteria de Castillon, the
first pro race in France after the Tour. Allan, a
Californian and Frenchmen, lives and rides in the Bordeaux area
for at least a month every year (visiting family). He personally took
us out each day to a new part of the region, and
acted as tour guide and ride support. He also
included side trips to local points of interest.
Thank you Allan and RBR News for a terrific
vacation!
Jerry O'neill, North Tonawanda, New
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This part of France is just gorgeous. Some days we rode hard
and long, other days we dropped into smaller
groups. It is easy to find your way back to the
Chateau. The terrain is a great mix of flats,
rollers, and short climbs. There is always
something great to look at.
Staying at the Chateau de Pitray is an unforgettable
experience. The rooms are enormous and tastefully
furnished – somehow very cheery, unlike a museum.
And, yes, the food. At dinner, Allan’s aunt would ring the
little bell and another amazing course would arrive
– pheasant, homemade desserts, pates and mousses,
generous offerings of cheese from all over France.
Fresh fruit and of course, wine. Allan’s uncle is a
wine
expert and loves to share his knowledge as a grower,
producer, and marketer of fine Bordeaux reds.
Allan was always affable and open to suggestions. We had no
issues whatsoever with the cycling, accommodations,
or transfers. So we got the absolute most out of
every hour of our perfect holiday.
Peter Harris, San Rafael, California
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My
wife and I recently had the great pleasure of
spending a few days at Chateau Pitray in the
Bordeaux region of France, to cycle some of the
local roads with Allan Reeves, our friend and
guide. I had visited the year before but I wanted
to return with my wife so that she too could enjoy
this beautiful property and region. Being at the
chateau was a magical experience. It is a very
large finely built castle structure furnished with
fine antiques, and set on more than two hundred
acres of land that have been owned by the same
family for more than four hundred years. For those
of us from the “new world,” that is unfathomable.
The Count and Countess de Boigne, the current owners
in residence, were charming and gracious hosts.
The
area surrounding the Chateau provided great
opportunity for cycling, sightseeing, and wine
tasting. The roads for cycling were uncrowded and
all well paved, and Allan led us on journeys through
the beautiful vineyard covered countryside, along
the Dordogne River, and charming old French
villages. We dined on wonderful fresh food in and
out of the Chateau and visited the not-to-be
missed nearby medieval town of St. Emillion. We
will certainly go back.
Lew
and Peggy Katcher, Mill Valley, California
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The visit to Pitray and
the Pyrenees counts as one of the best experiences
of my life. The friendship, hospitality and general
camaraderie distinguishes this very personal
adventure from the strictly commercial
varietals. Alan and his family are generous with
their time and expertise and insure that this will
be a vacation that you will always remember.
Bill Veen, Mill Valley,
California
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My bike trip to the
Bordeaux region of France with Allan of Lostende
Tours and the stay at Chateau de Pitray exceeded
all of my expectations by a long shot. The riding
each day brought us on different rural routes
through the most fabulous landscape dotted with
magnificent châteaux, vineyards, and quaint
villages. The best part of all was that Allan led
the group on roads with very little traffic. One of
the highlights was eating dinner and lunch with the
owners of Chateau de Pitray. They prepared incredible
meals and served us wines from their vineyard. They
made us feel very welcome. I would like to do
another trip with Allan some day. He is a great
guide with a wealth of information about the regions
and biking.
Nancy Paley, Aspen,
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