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January 25, 2011

Bordeaux…more than just a Wine Tour

Filed under: Bike, Bordeaux, France, Wine Tasting — Tags: , , , , , , , , — Bike tour guru @ 6:01 pm

Bordeaux is, arguably, the wine capital of the world. Almost everybody who travels here is into wine. However, the good news about traveling with DuVine is that you don’t need to be a complete wine geek to come to Bordeaux. The food is great and the riding is accessible to all abilities.

The famous vines...

While our Bordeaux bicycle trip, like the region, is obsessed with the nectar of the vines, we make sure to balance our trip with some enjoyable moments that do not involve wine.

This tour is known for delicious meals that, very often, include duck and foie gras. Foodies rejoice over the home cooking by Jackie at Château Carbonneau; everyone is impressed by the delicate preparations by the chefs at Château de Sanse and Château Grand Barrail. The DuVine guides, equally in love with biking and eating, love to prepare exquisite picnics in phenomenal locations. With local specialties, healthy salads and ripe cheese, it is a feast for the eyes as well as the stomach!

Chances to enjoy pastries abound. We regularly visit a little known bakery during the Bordeaux tour. Every morsel is hand-made before being baked in an antique wood fire oven. With a chance to learn about bread making first hand by the baker, it is the perfect place to stop for a snack. Once in Saint Emilion, you’ll rapidly discover the regional specialties of macaroons and canelés. While most people have already enjoyed macaroons in their travels, canelés are still elusive. They are made with egg yolks and the egg whites, traditionally, were used to clarify the wines. You won’t go hungry on your DuVine bike trip to Bordeaux.

The breads of the little known bakery...

DuVine guests often choose to spend their free night in Saint Emilion. Here they can explore a variety of wine shops and historic monuments. Most notable is the Monolithic Church that was carved by Benedictine monks into the limestone cliff in the 11th century. The cloisters of L’Eglise collégiale de Saint Emilion are also worth exploring.

More than just wine...great cycling routes in Bordeaux

The Bordeaux cycling routes are great for less experienced riders. There are some hills, but the majority of the riding is mellow and enjoyable. The mileage is low, but for those interested, optional rides provide extensions for more avid riders. Each day includes extremely scenic rides, many along the edges of the Dordogne river.

This coming season, 2011, we’ve added an all new ride and hotel to further improve this tour. On the fifth day, guests will depart from Saint Emilion, riding through Pomerol and along the Gironde Estuary to Paulliac. On the way, there are many wonderful picnic spots and scenic vistas as well as a relaxing ferry ride. That afternoon, in the famed Haut-Médoc, opportunities for tasting wine abound. Once arriving at Cordeillan Bages, our hotel for the evening, guests will enjoy relaxing in luxury over a Michelin starred meal.

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The Conde’ Nast Travel Specialists Summit

Filed under: Conferences — Tags: , , , , — Bike tour guru @ 11:22 am

Earlier this month I attended the Conde’ Nast Travel Specialist Summit in Las Vegas (mentioned also in my How to Fly Home in a Blizzard post).  This unique travel summit is organized annually by Condé Nast Traveler and brings together elite travel specialists from around the world as well as luxury travel operators like DuVine Adventures. 

Meeting with Jennifer Wilson-Buttigieg from Valerie Wilson Travel

 

The purpose of the summit is two-fold.  One, it is an opportunity for the travel agents and the travel providers to meet one on one to talk about what the providers have to offer and two, for both groups to listen to extremely knowledgeable speakers and panelists talk about what is going on in the industry and the changes that are constantly underway.  For those that know me well you are well aware that I love to talk about bicycle tours and adventure travel and of course I love to spread the news about DuVine Adventures and how we have developed our own unique take on what it means to travel in luxury while having an active travel experience, so this event was really a lot of fun for me to attend and participate. 

As mentioned there was the opportunity to listen to presentations and talk with other specialists, and I learned a number of new things and was happy to confirm that DuVine is right in the thick of things when it comes to carving out our niche within the travel industry.  As one would imagine things like customer service, guest experience and social media where big topics.  It was good to see that our own investment in things like tour coordinators that assist in pre and post travel assistance, staff travels that ensure that everyone at DuVine can speak knowledgeably about our destinations and our expansion of social media using blogs, Facebook and Twitter are leading the way as the travel industry grows. 

Lunch with Klara Glowczewska (editor in chief of Condé Nast Traveler), Phoebe Weinberg and Kimberly Wilson Wetty

 

Some of the key items that I took away from this event were as follows: 

  • Guests want companies that are real, simple to say but sometimes hard to achieve.  Simply put you need to provide your guests with a comfort level about their trips, which means you need to know what you are talking about, you need to have been to those locations and you need to listen, always listen to what people are telling you about what they want to achieve and experience with the trip that you are planning.
  • Talk pros and cons, it’s easy to talk about how great certain trips are but don’t be afraid to talk about the cons of a trip as well.  Not every trip is right for every person.  In our case, with adventure travel we rate each trip on its difficulty in terms of the bike riding or the amount of hiking.  This makes sure that people know what to expect and really enjoy their trip.
  • Advice, advice, advice.  Many of the speakers talked about how important it was to go beyond the basics in helping your guests.  At DuVine this has really been a hallmark of how we built the business, in particular our tour coordinator positions, which are designed to help people plan how they are going to get to the start of their trip as well as the things they can do after that trip. Often times a trip is defined just as much by what happens before and after as well as during.  The more information that you can provide on things like flights, how to check in (and, in our case… rail travel to and from a destination in Europe) - the better the experience.
  • Following in a similar vein about  the benefits of being helpful, I was quite impressed with Wendy Perrin’s “shock and awe’”campaign on social media (and saw many a specialist shaking their heads in realization of what lay in store for them if they wanted to keep in the game). She focused on the importance of having your social media plan already started and utilizing all of the benefits of this medium. If you aren’t already in the game, you will be lost. I can personally attest to the value of social media, and am so happy that we at DuVine have been on it for over two years now. It’s not all about sales, content and being relevant…you need to provide helpful information to your audience. It needn’t be all about money – the most useful currency is now information.

    Talking with Terry Mccabe from Altour

     

Each of these things is really all about connecting with guests and building a long-term relationship.  Travel isn’t about a one-time experience it’s about a lifetime of traveling and being a company that people can trust and believe in. 

So, in summary, I really enjoyed this year’s summit and I came away with additional respect for the team from Conde’ Nast.  The event was very well done and the caliber of people was right up with what we expect from an exclusive event such as this. Oh, and we stayed at the new Cosmopolitan Hotel…which is definitely a place you should check out! 

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January 21, 2011

The Best of Provence in 2011

Filed under: Bike, Ecuador, European bike tours, France, Galapagos Islands, Provence, Sardinia — Tags: , , , , , , — Bike tour guru @ 3:08 pm

DuVine has done it again! In 2011, we’ve altered and improved our Bicycle Tour Provence Itinerary to make it the best trip we’ve ever offered in the region. “How is it possible?” you might ask. We’ve taken the highlights from our Provence Classic and combined it with the Guide’s favorite moments from our Provence Lavender tour. Not sure what this means? Here is a rundown of what to expect in 2011.

Pont du Gard aqueduct

 

The trip starts at the stunning Vieux Castillon hotel in Le Gard Provençal. From here our trip cruises down hill and across the historic Pont-du-Gard, a Roman aqueduct built in 19 BC. In the summer months, it is a wonderful place to stop for a quick swim in le gard, the river below. From here we enjoy a beautiful ride around the garrigue, a typical Provençal landscape. Upon our return to the hotel, there is an opportunity for a dip in the pool before we enjoy a refreshing glass of rosé and carefully crafted dinner.

Our next day continues the exploration of the region, this time by heading over towards Uzès. The riding is more difficult than the previous day but every pedal stroke is worth the effort. Enjoying a pastis in the town square, you’ll learn to embrace to local lifestyle. As you leave Uzès, you’ll cycle along tree-lined streets – the ultimate image of the French countryside. Past vineyards and sunflowers, you’ll arrive at your hotel to be entertained by Mario at his gem of a restaurant. The local dishes will blow you away.

As we cross the Rhône, one of the longest rivers in Europe, you’ll leave behind Le Vieux Castillon in the direction of Saint Remy. Along the way, you’ll enjoy an expertly crafted picnic by your DuVine guide. We’ve selected an exclusive spot near the Abbey de St. Michel-de-Frigolet for you to relax midday. After a brief rest, you’ll enjoy a wonderful descent as you work your way to our next hotel, the Château de Roussan in Saint Rémy de Provence.

Market day in St. Remy

 

In this fabulous town, known for olive oil, Nostradomus and delicious Joël Durand chocolate, you’ll enjoy a relaxing night. Take a recommendation from your guide as you select your own restaurant for a private meal with someone special.

In the morning you’ll awake to the streets full of excitement. It’s market day in Saint Rémy! (check out our Market Day in Provence blog post) Wander around the square and you’ll find exceptional local produce, pungent cheeses, lavender, handmade soap, local olive oil and more. This is a great place to find a souvenir from your bicycle trip to Provence. Departing Saint Rémy, you’ll head along the Alpilles towards Gordes. The Alpilles, know as the little Alps, are breathtaking.  Ominous as they look, they’re only miniature versions of mountains – you’ll be able to bike along them without too much trouble. Crossing the Durance, you’ll see the beautiful landscape of Le Vaucluse. This is lavender country!

The famous olive oil

 

From our final hotel, La Bastide de Gordes, you’ll cycle past beautiful villages that sit perched upon hills. In this region, your senses will rejoice with the wonderful colors and scents of Provence. With a truffle and wine tasting scheduled for afternoon, as well as a visit to an olive mill, every discerning gourmand will be pleased. Round out your experience with a morning ride prior to your departure.

Cycling through the Provence countryside

 

There is no doubt that we’re offering the best that Provence has to give. Experience it all: the local culture, the wine, truffles, olive oil, chocolate, pastis, lavender and more. I couldn’t imagine a better location for your next DuVine Adventure.

Join me, Tommy Pace…your DuVine guide in France,  in 2011 on this newly refined itinerary. It’s an experience that you’ll never forget!

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The Lure of the Loire Valley

Filed under: Bike, France, Wine Tasting, loire valley — Tags: , , , , , , , — Bike tour guru @ 2:18 pm

Why a bicycle tour in Loire?

Let Tommy Pace, one of our guides in France, explain the magical experience that lies await in this charming FrenchValley…

Meticulously manicured Loire garden

Thanks to fertile soils and a mild climate that allow for a diversity of agriculture and wildlife to thrive, the Loire valley is known as the Jardin de la France, the Garden of France. It was for this reason that the kings and nobility of France decided to reside here. The hillsides above the river floor are littered with Châteaux that display architecture from France’s Renaissance.

This is the place for History buffs; the region boasts more than 1000 châteaux and it is associated with such famous persons as Joan of Arc, François I, Diane de Poitiers, Catherine de Medicis & Leonardo DaVinci. Our tour visits the finest Châteaux and gardens in the region, a wonderful treat for fans of art and architecture.

One of the many of Chateaux in the Loire

The Loire valley is also the place for families. For our specific family bicycle tour in the Loire Valley, we’ve taken the best visits of the region and expanded them to include more dynamic family fun. The famed cartoonist Hergé was inspired by the Château de Cheverny. He created Marlinspike Hall, an oft-used backdrop in his Tintin collection. This location, with its wonderful decoration, hunting dogs and Tintin exhibition is where you will start your family tour. The family tour also highlights Clos Lucé, Leonardo DaVinci’s home in France. Here everyone will be able to appreciate the hands-on exhibit of war machines, helicopters and other innovative creations on display in the manor and gardens where DaVinci spent the final years of his life. My personal favorite - fencing lessons – they will prepare everyone for their next duel!

Cycling in the Loire Valley

If the BIKE in DuVine motto is more your thing, then don’t overlook the Loire. The scenery makes this one of the top cycling destinations in the world and one of our top bike tours in France. In a mere 30 kilometers, you’ll be able to cruise through enchanting forests, pedal past the historic Romorantin grapes, coast alongside the Loire, and cycle by beautiful gardens. The roads are mellow and abound with relaxing vistas.

Fresh ingredients from lush farm fields need not travel far before they are turned into stunning creations on some of the finest tables in France. Fine dining will not be overlooked as you explore the region. With reservations already made for Michelin rated restaurants, we can assure that expert chefs will please even the most discerning palates on the tour.

If wine is your vice, then DuVine delivers! The Loire region is home to a diverse collection of appellations and cépages. The whites can be made from Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc and the ancient Romorantin grapes. Styles vary – dry, sweet, semi-sweet and even sparkling wines can feature flavors of honey, apple, slate, flint, violets and more. The reds, while at times overlooked, highlight the Gamay, Côt and Cabernet varietals. All choices match perfectly with the myriad of goat cheeses found throughout the valley.

In true DuVine style, the accommodations are second to none. From the top rated Domaine des Hauts de Loire to the cozy Manoir Saint-Thomas, rest and relaxation are easy to find. Whether you prefer to stroll the private gardens or sip sparkling wine poolside, you’ll be thrilled with the accommodations that we’ve selected.

Relax at Manoir St. Thomas

DuVine guides love this trip – and so will you! You won’t be disappointed by this magical destination.

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January 14, 2011

How to fly home in a Blizzard!

Filed under: Active Travel, Adventure Travel, Bike, Travel Tips — Tags: , , , — Bike tour guru @ 1:43 pm

Stuck in Vegas, got to get home to Boston during a Blizzard? No Problem!

Earlier this week I was in Vegas attending the Conde Nast Travel Exchange – Travel Specialist Summit, where I was able to meet with some of the best travel specialists in the world, more on that in a later post.

This Vegas trip was just the first trip in a very busy January, which includes me going to the Dolomites to scout out a new tour and then over to visit one of our Costa Rica adventure tours. So, when I heard that there was a Blizzard coming to Boston on Wednesday and I knew I needed to get back to Boston to visit the office and get my gear for the Dolomites, to fly out Thursday, I knew had to get a plan together to get back despite the 18 inches of snow on the way.

While making my way back to Boston, successfully and on time I might add, I thought I would put together this list to help out our guests and readers.  So here are the steps to Successfully Fly Home in a Blizzard.

Step 1 – head in the direction of home, looking for the closest city that is not being hit by the storm.  In my case I was in Vegas and I could see that Detroit, which is a big hub for flights was not going to be hit by a storm, so that was a good target.  Quick note, don’t be afraid to go either north or south of your target, the goal is to get close whether that is in a straight shot or sneaking around the sides of your destination, the key is to get to an airport that will definitely be open.

Step 2 – play meteorologist, weather is all about what is happening on the radar and less about what the weatherman is saying at any (sometimes weather reports are just re-runs and can be several hours old).  You can checkout the Governments Doppler Radar online and get a sense of where the storm is moving.  This is key, because you can only land after the storm ends and you want to be on the first flights that will head in that direction.  In my case I could see that the storm would be moving off the coast and that it was looking like somewhere around mid-afternoon that would take place, meaning that I might be lucky and get an early evening flight.

Step 3 – fly an airline that has lots of planes and does lots of business through your target city.  Remember just like you the airline’s have got to do business, so they will work to get people and planes back in the air in their heavily trafficked cities.  Also, get on the phone with the airline, most will be happy to help you find a way home quickly.  Finally, don’t be afraid to buy two tickets.  I did this and one of the flights I had was canceled so I didn’t have to pay for the other ticket. Even if both flights takeoff, as a regular flier you can use the credit some other time and any fees are small in comparison to not being able to get back to business quickly.

So, net result, I was in Vegas, I easily got to Detroit, was booked on Delta Airlines and my 5:30pm flight to Boston took off on time and landed on time, allowing me to arrive home, get a good night sleep, despite the fact that on this same day Boston was besieged by 18 inches of snow and blizzard like wind conditions.

Now as a last ditch effort, if you can’t quite get all the way to your home base, you can always strap on some cross-country skis and start gliding, after all there’s a blizzard outside.  Just kidding, as an experienced traveler I think you will find that these tips will serve you well in getting home safe and sound.

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January 7, 2011

Video Blog – Welcome to DuVine Adventures 2011!

Filed under: 2011, Active Travel, Adventure Travel, Bike, DuVine TV, European bike tours — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , — Bike tour guru @ 4:43 pm

Welcome to DuVine Adventures 2011! It’s going to be a big year and DuVine founder Andy Levine is going to fill you in on all the details including: our new DuVine Travel Planner, new bicycle tours and adventure travel trips and of course new DuVine gear!

Now, while there are lots of new things happening at DuVine these are all based on our commitment to great customer experiences. Our business started with European bicycle tours and has grown to include bicycle tours in the U.S. and Canada and adventure travel in South America.  Each year we take what we have learned. put that knowledge into new trips and we try to make it better based on the feedback from our customers, staff and vendors.  The opportunity to serve you better and continue to improve has us all very excited as we head into 2011.

So, checkout the video and join us in 2011 – Bike, Eat, Drink, Sleep in DuVine Style!

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January 4, 2011

Top 10 DuVine Adventures Blog Posts 2010

Filed under: Active Travel, Adventure Travel, Argentina, Bike, Canada, Italy, Jordan, Newfoundland, Provence, Top 10 lists, Tuscany, bicycle racing — Tags: , , , , , , , — Bike tour guru @ 3:43 pm

As we continue our tradition of DuVine Adventures Top 10 Lists, which have included: Top 10 Bike Rides, Top 10 Wines and Top 10 Hotels for 2010 we are rounding things out with our Top 10 Blog posts of 2010, as voted by our guests and followers with your viewing (courtesy of our Google Stats).

This year was a big year for blogging at DuVine, which included just about everyone in the company contributing posts on many of our bicycle trips and adventure travel destinations, as well as documenting the interesting things that we and our guests get up to throughout the busy season.  So let’s get straight into it, the Top 10 Blog Posts of 2010 in order:

1 – Harpoon Brewery to Brewery Ride – A chronicle of the single day marathon ride undertaken annually by DuVine Founder Andy Levine.  Checkout the day-before-food and the day-of-food for your next epic ride.

2 – A Brief History of Bicycle Racing in Europe – as the title states, a brief history of bicycle racing, highlighting the strange ways in which racing has evolved in Europe, touching on two races where we have our own bicycle tours: the Giro d’Italia bike tour in Italy, The Pyrenees Bike Tour – Tour de France and The Alps to Paris Bike Tour – Tour de France.

3 – Tuscany Bike Tour – A Day in the DuVine Life – one of a series of posts where we break down in detail all the interesting things that take place on a specific tour day, in this case, a day from our Tuscany bicycle tour.

4 – A Novice Cyclist in Tuscany – written from the perspective DuVine staffer Holly, this post chronicles her experience in riding the Tuscan hills for the first time.

5 – Adventure Travel in Jordan – this post covers a scouting trip by Andy to create one of our newest trips, an adventure travel experience in Jordan.

6 – Mendoza, Argentina by Bicycle – if you’ve ever wanted to know what it was like to bike through the valleys and vineyards in Mendoza, Argentina than this is the post for you.

7 – Market Day in Provence – one of a series of posts that we did featuring the popularity of market days across Europe and in particular what might be experienced during a market day on our bicycle trip in Provence, France.

8 – Where in the World is Andy – European Tour – as one would expect, Andy is our most prolific traveler and the “Where in the World is Andy” blog posts and videos where always filled with unique experiences and this European tour post covered some of our most popular: bike tours in France and bike tours in Italy.

9 – Next Stop Norway – written by DuVine Marketing Manager, Dede, this blog covers her exciting and sometimes harrowing experiences while scouting out a possible destination and adventure travel trip to Norway.

10 – Lost and Found in Newfoundland – Founder Andy Levine leaves no stone unturned in investigating the world over and Newfoundland was no exception in this blog post.

So, check out these posts we are sure that you will find them great reading!

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January 1, 2011

Some DuVine New Year’s Resolutions

Filed under: New Year's Resolutions — Bike tour guru @ 12:45 pm

Well it is that time of year, resolution time!

Who knows where the tradition started but it has certainly become a popular one.  Some resolutions only last a few days, and we all know those types of resolutions.  Other resolutions are wholly achievable and help drive us throughout the year adding richness to our lives and the lives of others.

Here at DuVine Adventures we went around the office to see what resolutions we could find; some lists were long and some were short but here are a few we wanted to share with you:

Andy – to stretch more before and after my rides.

Alisa – to share the delight of a Piemonte Chardonnay with friends and to take my dream DuVine Trip to Switzerland.

Holly – to try to cook more and go green and make less waste.

Ed – to ride my bike every morning that the temp is above 25 degrees … and it’s not too icy, nor too windy, starting in March, the end of March.

Gwen – to work on buying a place of my own with my very own garden and of course add in the usual resolution of working out 5 times a week and getting back into shape BUT… to top all other yearly resolutions that never seem to last more than two weeks I make a final resolution to keep these resolutions.  Ask me next year how I did”

Michelle – to reset my sleep cycle so that I can pull myself out of bed with enough time to hit the gym before work, Make it to every class in my Spanish course, Join a tennis league.

Neshelle – to make my first trip to Europe, preferably Italy!

If you have some resolutions to share post them in the comments section below.

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