So I also posted this question in my barging question.
We are planning a trip to France next year (barging) Our only experience was living there and never needed to hire bikes (and we didn't have our kid then either).
Are most bikes that are available to rent of a design that will allow us to haul a trailer? We are prepared to bring our Burley one but wonder if we can rent them also. Or is it better to bring one bike that we know will fit the trailer and rent the rest?
Thank you for any input.
I rented bikes in Burgundy two years ago from two excellent suppliers: Bourgogne Randonees in Beaune (this is the rental shop that Rick recommends in his book) and Escapade Gourmande, in Irancy (not far from Auxerre, where we actually got the bikes). I recommend both highly.
The bicycles in question were both VTTs--hybrid--of good quality. The machines from Escapade were probably the best, but both more than adequate for 30k rides.
Both shops offered to rent us any additional gear we needed, such as helmets and panniers. I did not ask about trailers, but I'd be surprised if something could not be arranged for a price. I ultimately brought my own gear to save money.
Logistically you might find that Escapade works better than Randonees for the Canal Nivernais or Bourgogne.
Both shops were extremely helpful on many fronts. You could also inquire at barge rental agencies. Have fun!
