Bernadette Shaner of rural Neponset, with her daughters Kathleen Hyzy and Kristine Dreesen, recently returned from a self-guided cycling tour in Provence, southern France.
The trip was a gift from Bernadette’s husband, Dennis.
Cycling is nothing new for the three vacationers, as all ride regularly. In fact, Mrs. Shaner said she and her husband have taken five bike tours of Europe.
Kathleen lives in Traverse City, Mich. and Kristine is from Rockford.
The three spent their first night in Nimes, in southern France. Nimes is known as the “French Rome” for its exceptional well-preserved Roman ruins.
At the next hotel in Collias, the three got their E-bikes, road books and tourist information.
“We were given instructions on our 45-pound bikes and a GPS for assistance,” Mrs. Shaner said.
The hotels the three stayed at were located outside of the towns, and Mrs. Shaner said they featured “beautiful gardens, fountains, pools and delicious French cuisine.”
On their first day, the group bicycled from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., seeing olive groves and vineyards and towns she described as “stunning.”
“One of our favorite places was visiting the Van Gogh museum,” Mrs. Shaner said. “Seeing the historic hospital and walking into his room, to see his bed and see where he painted from was awesome.”
The bicycle tour ended in Saint Remy de Provence, “a busy charming old winemaking town.” The group then took a train from Avignon to Paris, where they saw the Notre Dame cathedral.
“The line was long but worth the wait,” Mrs. Shaner said. “It was majestic.”
They also visited the Musee D’Orsay, a museum that has the world’s largest collection of impressionist masterpieces by Money, Van Gogh, Degas, Renoir and Cezanne.
“This trip with my daughters was an awesome experience,” Mrs. Shaner said. “It is hard to put into words. We feel blessed and grateful.”
