DO NOT GO! My sister and I left two days early and lost $400 dollars.
We should have known something was up when only two other people showed up at Le Vieux Moulin for the week’s tour at the end of July (during the Tour de France). The facilities can hold 20+. And the owner only accepts cash or checks, so there is no recourse with a credit card company.
We left two days early because Frank, the owner and tour guide, was belligerent, abusive, and didn’t try to hide his distain for Americans (and he is an American!) He was not a “tour guide” because he showed us no sights, history, or points of interests along the route. In fact, most days he rode ahead of us, arriving at our destination before us, and complained that we took too long. My sister and I are quite active, having run two marathons and biked in Tuscany. (The brochure states you can ride at your own pace.)
Le Vieux Moulin is beautiful. The food is terrific, but Frank is not up to the standards that surround him.
When we arrived in a particular town he pointed out several restaurants and told us to meet him in two hours. When we asked a question, he gave us a clipped one word response. On the days he joined us for lunch, he refused to help the guests translate the menus into English. Fortunately, my sister speaks the language and helped the other guests. When she asked Frank for help with a particular word, he told her he wasn’t her French teacher. He actually laughed as he watched us struggle with the language. Other times he’d shake his head and mutter “American tourists.” When we asked him about certain customs, he told us to “buy a guide book.” It was sadistic.
One day, he ripped into us outside of a gift shop. Apparently, we had handled some gifts and asked the shop owner to tell us the price. He yelled that we “never touch a package unless we plan to purchase it.” He became extremely belligerent, actually rage-filled – cursing at the four of us. He then hopped on his bike and LEFT US.
In just got worse from there. After another night at Le Vieux Moulin, we decided to cut our losses and leave. Since we hadn’t gotten what we had been promised on the trip, we asked for a refund for the two days remaining on the trip. He refused, but left anyway.
Trust me, I’ve done Backroads in the past. And, while it’s more expensive, it is well worth it. I would also look into Vermont Biking Tours. They seem reasonable and professional, too.
Keep in mind that I emailed guests who previously stayed at Le Vieux Moulin. They spoke highly of their experiences. However, that was a few years ago; clearly something has changed. Frank admitted to me one night that he was tired of doing this day in and out for 13 years. And it showed.
Whatever you do, don’t give this man your business. Trust me. And email me if you have any questions.
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Hello,
We are Steve Mitchener %26amp; Michelle Ballou. We are the new owners of Le Vieux Moulin in the beautiful Loire Valley of France. We are an energetic couple with years of cycling and customer service experience. We are passionate about France, the food, wine, culture, the people and we are avid cyclists. Though we can not appologize for the former owners behavior during this trip; We can assure you that world class customer service is our top priority and this will not be repeated. The former owner was in his last year of service and was looking forward to retirement, he is no longer involved in any way with Le Vieux Moulin. Please contact us if you have any questions.
Kind Regards,
Steve Mitchener %26amp; Michelle Ballou
Le Vieux Moulin
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Mo, how horrible.
The company is going to work very hard to convince anyone to try them after this report. Quite frankly I would change the company name , as I would never recommend a company with such a poor review.
I also believe the OP, as even the new owners have not tried to deny the story of the ladies treatment.
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