Ridersrest

For a virgin to European roads finding this gem was a God-send. Took any anxiety out of my trip knowing that Tony & Wendy would be there to recommend routes (if not ride them with you), explain any local laws/nuances and generally just offer the warmest welcome I've ever had in any establishment.

The rooms are simple, clean and comfortable with plenty of space for kit. Bikes are garaged overnight. Beers is in fridge right outside the room. Seriously - what more could you ask for? ;-)

I cant really say anything that has not been said before, wendy and tony are two of the best hosts i have ever met, very welcoming, do anything for you, and what they dont know about france and the roads/trips out aint worth knowing, food is fantastic,accommodation is second to none, i will certainly be going back so get yourself booked in there, you wont regret it. hope to see you next year. THANKS Russ.

After reading these reviews above, there's actually nothing to add!
In conversation with Tony and Wendy it was clear that there had been a huge amount of effort planning, researching and executing what they wanted to achieve with a bikers B&B.
I visited in 2009 and sadly only stayed 3 nights but in that time it was easy to see the vision and stamp the Lang's had placed on this biking oasis in SW France.


Highly recommended!

Having spent holidays at Riders Rest on a number of occasions I can truly say this is the best place for motorcyclists that I've ever stayed.

Always a friendly welcome, with an excellent choice of accommodation and facilities for singletons, couples or groups alike. Not only do you get a perfectly cooked breakfast, but, care of Wendy, lovely home cooked evening meals and wine can had for a very reasonable rate.

The roads in the area are great with good surfaces and little if any traffic. Fast sweeping twisties, often with forested and/or long extinct volcanic hilly scenery keep me happy, whilst some of the more mountainous areas, easily reached from Riders Rest are superb.

Tony is a mine of information on the region which he's always ready to share (especially over a beer!)and is a very competent rider/guide. If you get the chance to take a tour or three with Tony I would certainly recommend it - best rideouts ever due to his local knowledge of the roads, things to see, cameras to miss, places to stop for pics, and interesting towns and villages for refreshment.

So much more than a B&B, a term which simply doesn't do Riders Rest justice.

Two trips to RR so far, 2008 (in a group), and 2012 (on my own) and hope to go again. Tony and Wendy's place offers superb value and the best road riding I've ever enjoyed! The only bad part is having to come home.

Riders Rest is that rarest of B&Bs: one that makes you feel as comfortable as being at home; but as relaxed as being on holiday. Proper home-cooked food and a well-stocked beer fridge help, of course, but the atmosphere is all down to the people - Tony and Wendy are superb hosts.

But Riders Rest is more than just a very good B&B. It's better. It's a proper, genuine, bike-focused B&B. And that's very rare indeed. From secure parking to route advice to even guided rides, everything you need for a riding holiday is there - but the difference, again, is down to the people. This isn't just a B&B that's happy to have motorcyclists visit; this is a B&B run by motorcyclists - and somehow, that makes a difference. You're more than just a guest: you're a fellow biker, practically part of the family.

On top of which, the riding around Riders Rest is superb, it's easy to get to from the UK, it's good value and, whether you're staying for a few days or stopping in on your way to the Pyrenees or the Mediterranean coast, Tony can advise on the best routes to make sure you have the best ride possible on your holiday.

We've used Riders Rest as a base for a magazine test in the past and wouldn't hesitate to do so again. It's a great place - one we'd recommend to everyone.

Tony and Wendy Lang have obviously spent a great deal of time thinking about what they might wish to find in a bike friendly venue. Tucked away in beautiful scenery among the finest riding roads in France you'll find a clean, well appointed and slickly run haven for riders where the welcome is simply the warmest you'll discover anywhere. Tony's knowledge of the area is encyclopaedic, Wendy's cooking is enough to tighten the leathers of the most stoic weight watcher and it's completely impossible to ride away from the place without feeling as if you could quite happily stay just one more night. If you are travelling by bike in France and don't stop by then you are missing a real experience in how bike friendly hospitality should be done. But please, try to leave some dates free for me. Throughly recommended.

I have stayed at Tony and Wendy's Biker B&B on 5 separate occasions over the last 5 years. The shortest stay was 5 nights, and the longest a week and a half.

Riders' Rest is just that - a place where people who ride bikes can come to stay either for a night or for a full holiday. There are many places of interest to ride to, both near and far, some jaw-dropping countryside to simply enjoy being a part of, and roads that are a delight to ride.

The house and garden are kept immaculately clean, with plenty of showers and hot water and a choice of room types (bunk room, twin room, double rooms etc). Secure parking for the bikes is a given, but it is also great to have hard standing available for bike cleaning and early-evening fettling, and tools for when things go wrong.

Wendy's meals are always delicious, always well thought out and always plentiful! The atmosphere is peaceful, and there are spaces where you can congregate with other bike-tourers and travellers if you are feeling sociable, but also plenty of space if you just want some time chilling out with a beer and some stars on your own.

Tony has developed a good number of rides for bikers, and usually either provides these for downloading onto Satnavs or in written form. But he and Wendy have both been known to be enticed out onto the road on two wheels, too, to guide folk on some of the spectacular routes there are around the area.

Never mind track days and spending money on Advanced Riding training: the time I have spent riding around the area where Riders' rest is based has done more for my road riding skills and bike handling than any number of days on track or with a coach. The roads in the area are frequently paved with rich, fresh black tarmac that in the heat of a French midday seem to suck your tyres to the very surface of the road and allows, er, feats of daring-do that you wouldn't necessarily wish to try on most busy, poorly maintained British roads! The twists and bends go on for as many miles as you have hours to enjoy them.

When you get there, have a blat on the D940 for me, and enjoy a glass of citron pressé (that's a squeezed lemon rather than a squashed car) to clear your head for the journey back. And whatever you do, don't forget to try out the D16 to Egletons - and back. Just because you can :-)

I am loathed to write this review as it will without doubt mean more people will go to RidersRest (RR)so decreasing the opportunities to go myself.
I have been twice 2011 9 of us. 2012 5 of us.
I cannot speak highly enough of the place and our hosts.I have been organizing bike holidays for ten years and this is without doubt the best.
1.Friendliest Hosts.
2.Best Food.
3.Best accommodation.
4.Best roads.
5.Best advice with personal knowledge from Tony.
6.Best value for money.
Cannot give it enough plus points. Nine in 2011 and 5 in 2012 and NOT a complaint from any of them.Enough said.

Peter Osborn

Tony & Wendy have made the perfect Bikers Oasis in the Limousin. Warm welcome, good food and spotless, comfortable accommodation. Probably some of the best biking roads in France to boot!,