Our Travel Experts: - France

Bonjour! Each time I travel to France, I return steeped in French culture, language, and atmosphere. Strolling through cobblestone streets, finding the new chic spots, watching rollerbladers speed through the streets at night with cellphones plastered against their ears, discovering cafes and brasseries that have such appeal - Paris never disappoints! It ranks high on my list of most romantic cities, filled with beauty, history, possibilities, and surprises. The French countryside has so much to explore. The region of Languedoc has been called the new "Provence", as its popularity is growing. Tucked away in the southwest corner close to the Spanish border, it is a region known for art, wine, and gastronomy. Come discover France for the first time, or again.

France is a never ending love affair. As soon as I arrive home, I am planning the next trip to return. Paris is the most intriguing city. No matter how much time you spend there, you will still find new places to explore and shops to discover. May I suggest a perfume making workshop where you can design your own fragrance or a gourmet walking tour of ancient bakeries, private chocolate ateliers and open markets? For the mechanically inclined, what about a behind-the-scenes tour of the Eiffel Tower? Every region of the country has its own character. You can travel through the Loire Valley and tour its fabulous chateaux. Visit the northern coast and the sites of Normandy. For the more active, visit Monet’s gardens at Giverny on a cycling tour. How about floating through the glorious Burgundy countryside on a canal barge while sipping wines and savoring the local cheese? Jump off and enjoy the local towns of Beaune and Dijon in the afternoon. Provence is always magnificent and deserves its popularity. Use a romantic chateau as your base, as you meander through the region at your leisure. I can arrange for cooking classes with a top chef in the heart of the area. Or get off the beaten track and head to Bordeaux and the Dordogne in the south west. Whatever strikes your fancy, I can design the perfect trip for you.

I always knew I’d love Paris. As a child growing up in L.A., it was my dream to be a fashion designer, so I studied the language and all things French. However, I could not have predicted, even from my first visit, how much I also would grow to love France. And that is what I would be pleased to share with you in helping orchestrate and create your dream trip to France. Would you like to try bicycling through Burgundy or Bordeaux? Or perhaps take a leisurely drive through the magnificent chateau country of the Loire Valley? How about a stirring visit to the historic World War II beaches of Normandy or the jet-set sands of Nice, Cannes or St. Tropez? Perhaps you’d like to see the real water lilies of Giverny that so inspired Claude Monet? Or wander through market day in Aix-en-Provence? There’s so much to see and do that, for most of us, France must be savored region-by-region over a lifetime. In Paris, I can arrange a private marketing and cooking lesson with a respected chef/instructor, or a personalized walking tour the left bank, the Marais or Montmartre, or a guided tour of the Louvre, or the best chocolatiers in Paris or even a hard-to-get seat at a couturier show. Farther afield, perhaps it you’d like me to organize a wine tasting in Baune or a historian-guided tour of the majestic Chartres Cathedral. Whatever your heart desires, France’s gifts are bountiful, and I would love to help you partake in as many as your time allows.

Where does one even begin to discuss the fabulousness of France? I’ve traveled through much of this fantastic country from Paris and far into it’s surroundings to the famed Riviera, Provence and Monaco, to the very Germanic Alsace Lorraine (and much in between). You could spend 2 weeks just in Paris discovering it’s rich history, it’s museums and, especially, it’s food. But outside of Paris, the country has a geography, culture and history that must be experienced. Between the “biggies” of Paris, Nice, and the diverse wine regions, there are secrets pockets with caves, rivers, mountains, castles and chateaux that are not to be missed. Please call me for your custom tailored trip the one of the most amazing countries in Europe. Regardless of your interests, France is a country that will never disappoint.

I was born in the Brittany region, but grew up in Provence. I studied art history at the School of the Louvre Museum, while working in the office of the National Opera of Paris. I then became a tourist guide in the South of France, sharing the love of my country with travelers like you. Currently a travel planner, I have a unique insider's experience, and would love the opportunity to share my passion and knowledge with you. Let's tailor your once in a lifetime visit to France!

French culture and language are deep in my bones! French is my first language (I grew up in Brussels), and was my major, along with German, for my Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees. I travel regularly to France with my husband and several times with our children...and now our grandchildren as well. We always spend some time in Paris, but have also rented houses with our family in Dordogne and Provence, toured the Loire, Burgundy, Bordeaux, the Riviera, and everything in between. I led a group on a river cruise down the Rhone and Saone, spent a week at a great Thalassatherapy Spa in Brittany, and watched my husband give a lecture at the Sorbonne. We eat very well and reasonably in France. I have a friend who runs a vineyard in Chateauneuf du Pape, where I took my river cruise group, and have stayed at inns, chateaux, and a great variety of hotels.

I have passed the examinations of The Travel Institute to become a France Destination Specialist, and am anxious to share my knowledge and love of all things French with you.