Self-guided tours
Discover what Europeans have long known:
In a self-guided tour you are both free and supported. And perhaps best of all, you don't do any work to put it together!
Self-guided cycling and walking tours are a complete and affordable vacation, tailored specifically for active, independent and curious travelers
- With a self-guided tour you can holiday in any size of group from individuals, couples or groups of friends.
- In self-guided tours you are the guide
- A self-guided tour is an independent tour where you are not in a group with others and you don't hanve any guide. You are your own guide within a program we have set up together, and with the help of a maps and fully detailed road books.
- All the tours have been meticulously planned by the locally based Companies experts of a region: the walking or cycling days, the hotels all along the route have been chosen for their location and quality, the transfers. You will be walking/pedaling...on trails and roads that they use year round.
- All tours can be customized if you have a special request, lengthening or shortening of a tour or even the activity level (where ever possible), add a night or more in the stages of your choice, shorten the walks whenever possible, choose the hotels, ask for additional transfers…)
-Children : You know what your kids are capable of doing and only you as a parent should choose what is suitable. Children over 12 years of age will be charged the full adult price. Discounts may be available if sharing a room with two adults. Please contact us.
What is included ?
- Accommodation in hotels and guest houses
- The dinners and breakfasts
- The luggage transfers (you only have to carry a small backpack for the things of the day)
- The documentation (maps and road books) to help you find your way.
- 24-hour emergency phone number or email with english-speaking local support.
Keep in mind that in France The Fédération Française de la Randonnée Pédestre (FFRP) maintains the network of walking paths. The blazes or signposts everywhere, a map and a road book, make the walks quite easy to find. Read more about the walking network in France
How to reserve your self-guided tour ?
- Choose your own dates of your travel within the recommended period (generally from March to November)
- Compose your own small group, typically 2 to 10 travelers (if you are alone, click on “solo travelers” )
- As this is your travel put together specifically for you, we ask you to pay a deposit once the tour is finalized, and then we check for the room availability which is generally done within 48h.
The only thing you have to find alone is your flight or train to come to France and your train to get to the departure point of the tour ! Any doubt on the route ? Send me an email.
It is that easy!
Ask Cécile for more information : cecile@icietlanature.com
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General questions :
- Accommodation : Our partner agencies use accommodation in locally graded hotels (from country inn to 3-star) and bed and breakfasts. All are chosen for their location along an itinerary and in many cases our agencies have worked for many years with the same hotel. Depending upon the tour the accommodation standard can vary but often you will have en suite rooms. If this is not the case, it will be noted in the tour's information. Please note that 1, 2, 3 and 4 star gradings differ from Spain, France and Italy.
- Insurance : Please purchase a travel insurance that covers cancellations, accidents and repatriation. You will need to provide details of the insurance you have purchased before your arrival. The insurance should cover your chosen activity.
- Transfers : Whenever possible, we have included transfers from the nearest train station to the start of a tour and from the end of a tour back to the nearest train station. Private transfers from local airports, train stations, ferry terminals are available at an extra cost on some tours. Please contact us if you would like a private transfer.
- Am I in good enough shape for the trip? Are you able to physically do the trip you are looking into…and enjoy yourself? Nature tours require a minimum level of fitness, so please look at the activity level of the tour before deciding. Still not sure? Send us an e-mail and we will help you to decide which tour is the best for you.
- I can't speak the local language! You don't have to speak French, Italian or Spanish to travel. That is part of the adventure of traveling. On a self-guided tour, get your phrasebook ready, and smile! On a guided tour, your guide is never far away...
- Luggage transfer : Luggage transfer is provided on all our holidays. You only carry a backpack with what you need for the day.
- Pre and Post Tour Plans : We are available if you need extra services before or after a tour.
- What about children? You know what your kids are capable of doing and only you as a parent should choose what is suitable. Children over 12 years of age will be charged the full adult price. Discounts may be available if sharing a room with two adults. Please contact us with questions on rooms or even to determine whether a trip is suitable for kids.
Guided tour
- All the guided tours we offer through our partners are all small groups - from 4/6 to 14/15 persons. All tours require a minimum number of participants to run.The guide is always an expert of the destination.
You can compose your own group : we decide together of the date and we can customize the program whenever possible.
If you are alone or only 2 to 4 persons : you can join a group and book on a date proposed on the "Dates and Prices" section of each guided tour. Some of the tours may be both French and English speaking tours but always with an English speaking tour leader.
