Bicycle tour to Versailles

Fat Tire does this tour. http://paris.fattirebiketours.com/tours/versailles-bike-tour
Looks like the meeting point is in Paris at their office near the Champs de Mars and includes transportation from Paris on the RER. Advance booking would be recommended. They start at 9 am.

Friends of ours did the Fat Tire Versailles tour and absolutely loved it. They highly recommend it! (Interesting to note that I don't know what was so great but they loved every minute.)

We did an even better one, which also included Marie Atoinettes hamlet with Bike About Tours, by far our favorite day in France! We enjoyed the hamlet more than Versailles! It also included a stop at the farmers market to hand pick our picnic lunch that we ate on the grounds overlooking the castle. Heaven!

Hmm, don't know how one can tell which tour is better.. unless one has done both companies tours to compare?

I have done the Fat Tire Bike Tour to Versailles( actually I have done all the FT Paris bike tours and one of theirs in London too,, not all on one trip but over several trips spanning about 5 years).

I was talked into my first FT bike tour by a friend I had taken to Paris for her first time... ( I had been many times before) .. she begged me to try the Fat Tire Paris by Night Tour. I was not sporty , I was well into middleage, and I hadn't been on a bike for decades... she finally wore me done and even offered to pay for it, so I agreed. Had a blast.. really , just grinning from ear to ear fun... so that very night, once we returned to the Fat Tire office I agreed to doing the FT Versailles Tour the next day! I had been to Versailles before quite a few times , so this visit was for my friend anyways ..

It was fun! We stopped in a market and bought food for a picnic lunch.. which we ate at the end of the canal on the Versailles grounds.. looking up at the Palace.. We then cycled around the grounds a bit and parked bikes up front. We then toured the palace and had about an hour after to wander around.. then cycled back to train station.

I have no idea which tour company is best , I have only done the FT tours .. but I will say its a fun and easy way to enjoy Paris.

I will also say my favorite daytrip with FT was actually the one to Monets Gardens.. its out in the country more.. most of the ride is along an old decommissioned railway line that is now a bike/pedestrian path that follows the river..

PS The Night bike tour includes a cruise on the Seine , which is a nice package!

There was mention on another thread in which I asked the same question, that the bicycle tour was "a good 9 hours". How much of that time is actual riding? I know the tour through the actual museum will take a good amount of time. I'm in great shape physically - but I am 64 - husband 67. But of course you know 60 is the "new 40". ;o) I do cardio and strength training and am at a good weight. From the video, it looks like these are comfortable touring bikes, good seat, upright position. Anyone have experience with older people joining in?

vherrig.. you do not have to worry.. the actual biking for us on the Fat Tire Tour was never more then 20-30 minutes.. and there was only one very light incline and that was barely noticeable ( it was in Versailles grounds).. central Paris is flat. .as was most of Versailles town.

The tour is 9 hours.. but break it down..

15-20 minutes at tour office before you even start,, finding a bike that fits etc..
40 minutes( times two , back and forth ) on train.
10 minutes riding to market..
30 minutes in market
ride to Versailles from market ,, maybe 10 minutes
10-15 minutes riding to picnic spot.
30 -40 minutes eating lunch
15-20 minutes riding through grounds to palace
an hour and a half in palace

These times are all aprox and based on perhaps faulty memory.. but really as long at you are healthy and can walk or bike normally , you will be fine.. remember there are all sorts on these bike tours.

The bikes were comfy , and yes the kind you sort are sitting upright on.

On our tour there was only one lady that found it a bit much.. and to be blunt.. she was very fat..

I am not a biker.. but walk 4-5 miles every other day to stay fit , I am early fifties.. and I smoked for 20 years.. and yet.. I managed..

you sound fit enough.. lol

Pat - thank you so much for breaking it down - it sounds like a lot of fun. Now I just have to hope for good weather!. Would it be best to wait until we get there, or just a few days ahead, so that we know the chances of rain will be low? We will be doing this June 8th.

vherring.. I agree weather can be a factor.. mind you June is likely to be fine. They do go rain or shine however.. and on our way back we did get caught in rain,, and that was in august !

At the time we went they did not go to Versailles every single day.. so most folks did book a few days in advance if not more .. I would look at your exact dates of staying in Paris.. and then their schedule to Versailles.. if there are 2 or more dates that would work for your stay then I would consider waiting till closer to date ( a few days or a week ahead) so if they are full one date you have an alternate choice, .. but if there is only one date that would work, then I would book it farther in advance.