Reviews

Steven S. 2023 Vuelta a España Spectator Trip

This was our first visit to Spain and can’t imagine how the trip could have been any better. Our fellow travelers were wonderful people and great companions to share the experience with. We were with Custom Getaways for the final week of the Tour de France a couple years ago and La Vuelta this year was every bit as exciting. Custom Getaways is truly dedicated to ensuring guests get the best race and cultural experience possible – twice they took advantage of opportunities to get us additional views of the racing outside of the scheduled VIP venues. Thomas, our guide, made the trip both fun and informative with his extensive knowledge about the history and culture of Spain. These are memories that will last a lifetime.

Angela G. 2023 Vuelta a España Cycling Trip

My sister and I had always wanted to see a Grand Tour in person. Our week exceeded all expectations. The venues were perfect. We met our favorite riders. Chatted with the staff. Cheered at the finish line. The group rides were fabulous. Beautiful, challenging, and fun. The Custom Getaway staff were extremely knowledgeable and kind. We had the trip of a lifetime.

Jana I. 2023 TDF Grand Depart

What a fantastic way to experience the Tour! Our guide, Thomas, was professional, friendly, informative and experienced navigating crowds and road closures. The VIP viewing areas were great and we even had access to the paddock to see the teams. What a thrill to be that close to these amazing athletes! All of our hotels were very nice, comfortable and in good locations. Custom Getaways was easy to work with and organized from start to finish. Thank you Angie & Vince, this is the trip we were hoping for!

Paula S. 2023 TDF Spectator Final Week

This was an amazing experience. We had a great time, wonderful guides, awesome bus driver and a terrific group of fellow Tour de France fans. Would consider doing it again. Custom Getaways is organized and thorough, we appreciated the personal service we received from them on this long-postponed trip. Five stars!

Susan N. 2023 Lyon & Paris Short Trip

We thoroughly enjoyed our Custom Getaways trip. We signed up for the short trip, the last 4 days of the Tour. We joined an eclectic tour group from the US, Australia, and Europe. All were Tour fans for various reasons. Our tour guide, John, was a first rate leader. He spoke fluent French and English as he has lived in France for 30 years and is an American native. He knew the country well and shepherded us through the journey with great knowledge of geography, local culture, and is a bicycling enthusiast as well. Everything went very smoothly and any glitches were promptly addressed. For anyone who has dreamed of experiencing the Tour de France I highly recommend what Custom Getaways offers. Thanks to all staff who made our dream trip come true.

Edward N. 2023 Polka Dot Trip

Just completed the Polka Dot Alps tour for 2023 and want to give the highest marks to Custom Getaways for delivering a dream trip! The guides – Rudi, Kevin, Austin and Stefano became more than just informative and patient guides but really became true friends to myself and the 11 other guests. The rides were not easy for me but the absolutely stunning routes and close tie-ins to the tour activities made it truly special. Getting close to the tour riders in the bus paddock was a special treat and the VIP stage viewing just brought it all together. I really felt that we were part of the tour and so want to thank the team and look forward to doing this again someday!

Rachael S. 2022 Spectator Final Week

Incredible! I can’t say enough! The first 3 days of our trip exceeded any expectations that we could have had! We met the nicest people, saw and experienced things we had no idea were a part of the Tour de France. The festivities and excitement are contagious! It was so fun to be with other Tour enthusiasts. And what’s better than being treated like royalty, all the while getting to be super casual wearing t-shirts, shorts, and tennis shoes??!! We ended up having a health scare on day 4. The folks with Custom Getaways helped us through this terrible situation. They went above and beyond! I don’t know what we would have done without them. We are forever grateful for their assistance! I desperately hope to take this trip again! I 100% know we are in the best hands with Custom Getaways!

Pam L. 2022 Spectator Alps

Everything was perfect with this trip – and I would HIGHLY recommend using Custom Getaways for any trips! The attention to detail far exceed my expectations.

Eric L. 2022 Etape du Tour

My entry into L’Etape du Tour de France 2022 went perfectly through Custom Getaways. So thankful they had extra spots when the entire event was sold out. 100% recommended!

Mayely E. 4* Paris Weekend

Thank you for the amazing experience, great people, and awesome food. There is room for improvement in some areas; such as, enough supplies, fans for hot days, time conscious, and advise on best route to getting back to hotel with all road closures. Next time we would rather do the 1 day VIP pass.

James E. 2022 Etape du Tour

This was a very well done trip by Custom Getaways on all levels. The planning and organization was at a very high level. My sons and I thoroughly enjoyed the trip and the guides Peter, Rudi, Kevin, Nico and Stefano. We would highly recommend this trip to others!

Debbie C. 2022 Spectator Short Alps & Alpe d’Huez

To Thomas, Austin, Custom Getaways crew and everyone, thank you for an incredible experience!!!!! So knowledgeable and helpful. The hotel accommodations were exceptional. New friends being made. Memories to last a lifetime. Until we met again…

Jennifer S. 2022 Spectator Alps & Alpe d’Huez

A really wonderful trip in the Alps for 5 days of great Tour de France fun! Nicely chosen hotels. The only suggestion I would make is on the middle day when we were in Megeve, I’d have preferred we weren’t totally on our own to have to choose a spot to view the race from, we could’ve had a base at least in a cafe where we could refresh ourselves, use a bathroom, and cool off in shade. Perhaps rather than being “mere mortals” on a VIP tour, where that was the only think planned for that day, we should’ve had something to give ourselves a homebase and folks could have walked up the road a bit to get a feel for the mountainside viewing. The guide, Thomas, was great! Loved our day at the UCI world HQ in Aigle. Would love that experience closer to the end of the tour rather than the beginning, as it set my expectations a bit for what was to come. 🙂 Really good all in all! Thank you Vince and Angie for all the planning!

Joseph M. 2022 Luxury Final Week

I had a great time. Guides were fabulous. Rides were challenging and exciting especially riding the start and finish lines. Hotels and food were great. Spectator venues were superb. The other guests were great as well.

Jennifer P. 2022 Spectator Final Week

First, Angie and Vince were so helpful regarding this trip. We had originally scheduled it for 2020 and the trip was cancelled for COVID. We were finally able to go in 2022. It was worth the wait – this trip was incredible! Our tour guide Thomas was fantastic – so knowledgeable, friendly, and just a great personality. The VIP access was unbelievable. We were blown away by all the cool things we got to do. I would definitely recommend this trip to any Tour de France fans!

Polly J. 2022 Spectator Final Week

Every day of our trip was amazing! Custom Getaways was so organized and made everything run smoothly. The VIP viewing areas were fantastic and we couldn’t have asked for better! The meals provided were really good and the hotels were comfortable and in great locations. We were able to meet Vince and Angie and they were so friendly and accommodating. Our guide, Thomas was wonderful at getting us around and had a wealth of knowledge of each of the areas we visited. This trip was really a dream come true for us. Thank you so much for a wonderful experience!

Kory H. 2022 VIP Day on Course in Official Vehicle

The day started out in the VIP stage start area. Great merchandise, good food and lots of excitement. Our driver, Guillaume, meet us promptly and have us the details for the day. He was very experienced and has served on over seventeen tours. He drove swiftly down the course while we listened to race radio. He stopped midway for us to take lunch. The catered meal was good and Guillaume was very attentive to our needs. Afterward, we got back into the car to finish the stage. Once we arrived to the end of the stage course, we made out war to the VIP area to watch the stage finish. Refreshments were on hand and Guillaume was on the spot, once again, to grab beers and champagne as we secured our spots at the railing to watch the riders as they made their way to the finish line. It was an amazing experience.

Sarah P. 2022 Custom Trip

We had such a wonderful time on our private tour with Custom Getaways! The accommodations were comfortable and nice, many meals were included, and the guides were the best! Coming from the U.S., we never would have been able to have the access and experience with the Tour de France that we were offered with Custom Getaways. We were up close and personal with so many different aspects of the race. Having guides that spoke the language, knew the race, had exclusive access, and drove us from stage to stage made the experience one to remember. I highly recommend, definitely worth the every penny! We cannot wait to go back in the years to come!

Anthony F. 2022 Spectator Final Week

Every day exceeded our expectations! We felt special and privileged every single day. The venues were awesome, special lunches and dinners were great. Our bus driver, Abdel and our tour guide Thomas were the best! Angie and Vince were awesome owners and were very present on our special events I would recommend this experience to everyone!

Justin S. 2022 Polka Dot Alps & ADH

I had a fantastic experience with Custom Getaways at the 2022 Tour de France. There was great communication on the front end before I even left for Europe and certainly great communication during the trip. The weather was perfect, and the Tour provided a level of excitement beyond expectations. At the VIP viewing area on Stage 11, Vingegaard attacked Pogacar and Thomas right in front of me on the way to the Galibier! As it turned out, of course, that was the opening volley of a battle that upended the Tour on the Granon. I also loved each hotel and I thought they provided top-notch service and food. Finally, the people. I have not done a tour anything like this so I only have this one experience to draw from, but I will say, without question, I will be hard-pressed to find a better group of guides and clients. From the very first night and each day onwards the entire group was talking and riding and laughing and eating together like we were old friends. We shopped together, grabbed lunch, took photos, had late night drinks, shared sunscreen, just whatever – it was easy. Groups were constantly mingling and changing. I don’t think I rode in any van or ate breakfast/lunch/dinner with the same people through the entire trip. We truly enjoyed each other and certainly enjoyed what the Tour was offering. The guides. I cannot imagine organizing, transporting, educating, wrangling, and caring for a group of cyclist better than Rudi, Stefano, Pieter, Gilles, Kevin, and Nico. I know it had to be stressful at times but they never showed it and I would say they probably even had fun. They were professional, approachable, great planners and communicators, and I will dare say even goofy which made each day a blast. Seriously – a blast. When I returned to America I was really missing the Tour and wishing I was back. It was transformative. Thank you for everything and vive le Tour!

Peter D. 2022 VIP Day on Course in Official Vehicle

Traveling along the course was FANTASTIC ! Many thanks to Guillaume for his great attitude and his wonderful driving skills. However we were disappointed that we could not be near the riders at the start (through no fault of Custom Getaways or Guillaume- it was clearly because of the recent Covid outbreak which had effected competitors). Also we wish we were told in advance that there was not enough room at the top of the stage finish since we were SO looking forward to being at the finish.Other than that it was great and we may do it again in the future provided we can actually get to the finish. Thanks.

Julie L. 2022 Grand Palais Grandstands Paris Finish

We had a great time, the location was fantastic. However, there was no food available and only non-alcoholic beverages and beer, which they ran out of for quite a while. I was thinking that since we were in France that there would be champagne available. There were 2 small “bar” areas set-up which was not enough for the number of people that were there to be served. There was always a line to get beverages and then really long lines to use the port-a-potty. By adding a couple more port-a-pottys, 1 more bar area, champagne to the bar and food, this trip would have been amazing. Not having those few items, made the entire experience okay but not recommended.

Juli S. 2022 Yellow Jersey Final Week

This was the trip of a lifetime for my husband, who got to live his dream to ride stages in the Tour de France. The tour provided unparalleled access behind the scenes to special events and vantage points we would not have been able to see on our own. The guides were excellent as well. I would rate this trip 5 stars for my husband’s experience, but my own is 3 stars. One of the reasons I selected Custom Getaways for this trip was because I read reviews that non-riders have opportunities to tour the local sights in addition to watching the tour stages. This was not the case with minor exception. While there was dedicated staff and transportation for non-riders, there was little opportunity to see local sights except from the van. Non-riders typically arrived at locations with a lot of time to kill (to meet TDF standards for timing and road closures), but that meant a lot of time hanging around. Non-riders are the same cost as riders and feel a bit like an afterthought. We certainly enjoyed the experience, but it was not what we expected based on our communication with Custom Getaways.

Jack and Mary Beth Banbury — 2021 Tour de France

Vince and Angie,

We made it home safe and sound. I didn’t want to jinx us, but this trip went perfect without a glitch. Our last trip,to Norway in 2019, precovid, resulted in extra stays in Newark due to cancelled flights, both going and coming and lost baggage for five days, so this was a relief!

We both want to say thank you for organizing such a great trip. It was fantastic and greatly exceeded expectations.

To keep the email manageable, here are the top 10 reasons, though I could write 20….

1. The bus ride over the Tormulet and Luz Ardiden. Simply amazing and will never be repeated or topped. How could a 52 seat bus drive the course, mere hours before the riders? Thomas sweet talked each gendarme and off we went. At one point, the gendarme asked if we needed a police escort!!!
2. Bike Riding the course and over this finish line with fans cheering along the way
3. VIP venues which provided unprecedented access. You know when the French president is there, that you are really someone! 50 meters from the final finish line!
4. Meeting you and your guides. All of you really went above and beyond to make us feel so loved.
5. How you all treated Mary Beth. Even though she was a non rider, she was treated like a queen. We both feel so grateful for this.
6. How organized and smoothly everything ran. I have run group trips before and I can see how great you two are at taking care of all the many details. Like Sunday morning trying to get 20 people covid tested and the first two sites are closed!
7. Arranging to get three teams to say at our hotel! Unbelievable!
8. Giving us great gifts!
9. Being so flexible. When 3/4 of the riders ask for a wine tour instead of riding the day before and Peter pulls out the visit to Chateau de Duphane with ease. It was great.
10. The guides (again). Each one of them was so competent, so kind and genuinely concerned. Absolutely the best.

Thanks so much. I hope we can arrange the trip to the Vuelta in 2022!

Katie Strzalka – 2021 Tour de France

My dad and I had the time of our lives on the 2021 Tour de France trip. It exceeded our expectations! I am a recreational rider and my dad is 76 years old, and you were able to accommodate both of us without any problems at all. There were too many great moments to list all of them, but the following stood out to me:

• Climbing the Col du Tourmalet!  This was honestly one of the best days of my life…to make it all the way up with cheering crowds and with people of all ages, nationalities and abilities alongside me…there are no words.  And then to watch the pros climb up mere hours later with the beautiful Pyrenees in the background….it is something I will never forget. 

• Watching the final stage on the Champs with delicious food, amazing location 50 meters from the finish line and a festive atmosphere – so fun!! 

• The guides were amazing.  Sandra was so wonderful to stay back with my dad and help him up the hills, and I learned so much from all of them.  They were knowledgeable, encouraging, inspirational, funny and resourceful. 

I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Custom Getaways to anyone, and the Tour de France tour is something every cycling fan should put on their bucket list.

Thank you-
Katie Strzalka

Heather Melton — 2021 Tour de France

July 20, 2021

Vince and Angie,
Thank you soooo much for all you did to accommodate us this year. We had another amazing time and even with the health protocol changes we still were able to safely enjoy a much needed vacation.

We can’t say enough about Thomas as well. His attitude, spirit, and flexibility were perfect. We enjoyed getting to know him and really felt the hospitality he was giving each guest. He also never failed to make sure we felt special as returning guests.

We look forward to Chad jumping back into a riding trip in the future and possibly venturing to Spain in the coming years with you all.

Thanks again!
Chad and Heather

Bill Landers — 2019 Tour de France

July 13, 2019

My wife and I booked a private Tour de France trip thru Custom Getaways. I wanted to see the Tour de France live and ride part of the route to celebrate my 70th birthday. My wife did not want to ride, but was gracious enough to accede to my trip choice. From the start of the process, Vince and Angie worked with us on creating a trip to meet both of our needs and to be sure that the hotels, restaurants, and Tour venues knew of my pescatarian diet. 

From the time when we met our guides, Olivier DuLaurent and Austin Sellers, we knew we were in good hands. Olivier planned out rides to meet my goals, along the Tour route and thru the gorgeous country. The specials provided by Custom Getaways included a VIP dinner on the route one day – Relais Etape; a VIP trip to the finish of the first mountain stage and the chance to ride a portion of it, with a finishing picture on the podium; and a visit to the VIP area at the start of one stage. Olivier and my wife quickly begin working on improving her French and his English (which was already accomplished). The hotels selected were all wonderful, and the premier dinners at each city were among my favorites ever. So, if you are considering a bike vacation or a non-riding trip to see a Grand Tour bike event, I highly recommend Custom Getaways.

Stephanie Harris—2018 Tour de France

August 25, 2018

Angie, Vince and their son, Austin run a top-notch program. I had no idea we would have such an incredible experience. The VIP access to the tour, plus the wine tasting and the lovely dinners in Nimes, Avignon and Chambery were beautiful. I highly recommend their company! Our guides Nathalie and Giles were awesome.

Job well done!!

Bertha Ramon—2019 Giro d’Italia

June 14, 2019

Best experience ever!! We will definitely be back with these fine folks.

Zaki Anwar—2017 Giro d’Italia

Done TDF twice and was really happy with Custom Getaways.

Suzanne Schoen—2016 and 2018 Tour de France

August 8, 2018

Spent a few tours with the company and always a memorable experience.

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