They say it’s not what you know, it’s WHO you know.  After literally years of diligent research, it took a very short time to appreciate the difference it makes when an expert opens the doors. 

Travellers come in all varieties, just like people in any field.  VIP travel is like sport at the elite level.  Top athletes can read the manuals, train or practice on their own but they see the value in employing professional coaches and caddies. 

For the last five years, I’ve been on a continuous search for experts to cater to the VIP traveller in France.  Run of the mill guides were not an option, so assembling a team suitable for the most demanding VIP clients has been a challenge.  I’m very proud of the wonderful friends I have been able to involve in this unique project. 

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON TOUR CONTENT AND PRICES, CONTACT US DIRECT OR SEE YOUR TRAVEL AGENT

Odile

Historian

Odile is an eminent historian who has been awarded both the Chevalier de l’ordre des Palmes Académique and Chevalier des Arts et Lettres. She is a graduate of the Ecole du Louvre and is a member of the Academy of Versailles.  Odile has been responsible for an impressive list of major historical exhibitions and has an extensive list of publications.  She has had a long association with Versailles, both the château and the town, and she is now a university lecturer.  As a well respected member of the history fraternity in France, she is able to open doors and offer insights to the most interesting aspects of French History and Art History.

Vanessa  

Medieval Historian, Childrens’ program

Vanessa is a Sorbonne graduate with a degree in classics and history.  She is a specialist in medieval history and does a wonderful tour on the daily lives of the French Kings in the Middle Ages.  Thanks to her passion for both travel and books, she has set up a publishing business specializing in original tours combining History and fiction, often bringing the story alive with the use of actors.  She also does wonderful original guided tours especially for children.  Her story telling ability brings the French Heritage alive.

Danièle

Historian, Art History

Parisian born Danièle is a graduate of the École du Louvre, Institut supérieur des Arts (specializing in furniture, silverware and jewelry and the École du Tourisme.  Danièle lectures in both Paris and the US (subjects such as “The secrets of the Mona Lisa” or “From Academism to Impressionism”) and specializes in cultural tourism.  She takes private tours in the Louvre and other museums and various quartiers of Paris - she is also part of the Paris 1 to 8 team.  Danièle’s love of French history and vast experience make her a wonderful guide for discovering the hidden secrets of Paris.

Ute

French Decorative Arts

Ute is an MBA and Fulbright scholar, who switched careers from finance to Fine Arts.  She holds a post-graduate diploma from Christie’s Education, Paris and gives lectures on French Decorative Arts specializing in the18^th and 19^th centuries. She is an expert on ceramics, fashion, furniture and textiles during the Empire period and does private guided tours of the Sèvres and Christofle museums.  Other fascinating tours include elegant dining, furniture and objets arts of the 18^th century.

Annie

Culture, Architecture

Annie is Parisian born and has degrees from Sciences Po and the agrégation in English.  She was the foundation director of Creipac, the institution in Noumea which developed into the Université du Pacifique-Sud.  For the past 25 years, Annie has been a partner in a company which creates educational and school tours in France, as well as cultural and themed courses and tours, mainly for overseas universities.  She is an expert on French politics as well as French history and architecture and she is one of the experts working on Paris 1 to 8.

David

French Language

Born and educated in England, David was a Professor of French at universities in Australia and New Zealand whose academic achievements were honoured by the French government in 1980 as a Chevalier dans l’Ordre des Palmes Académiques.  Since 1984 he has been the Administrative head of the company he founded with Annie.  He travels extensively in France and is an expert on wine and gastronomy, as well as organ, opera and film.  A session with David learning to decipher French menus is a must for tourists wanting the experience the best of French gourmet cuisine.

Martine

Versailles, Opera House

Martine is a graduate in History and urban geography.  A former ballet journalist, she lectures in Ballet History and is an expert guide at the Opera Garnier in Paris.  Martine lives in Versailles and does superb private visits of the Château, gardens and Marie-Antoinette’s domain.  She also offers private tours of the King’s vegetable gardens at Versailles (with food tasting of the products) and the Academy of Equestrian Arts where horse lovers can learn all about their  unique history at Versailles.  For chocoholics, Martine also does private lectures about chocolate.

Brian

French Language

Brian is the former head of French at the University in Auckland and he has been teaching French and visiting France since gaining his doctorate from the Sorbonne in 1970.  He is French language coach for Opera NZ and has produced a DVD on Sounding French, as well as other visual and teaching materials.  He now spends a large proportion of his time in France where he has an apartment and was recently made a Chevalier des Palmes Academiques for his contribution to the teaching of French.  His unique methods produce a quantum leap in confidence and pronunciation and a short session  with him is the perfect start to brush up your French (whatever your level!) at the start of your Paris trip.

Michèle

Modern and contemporary art

Michèle is a fine arts specialist who buys on behalf of clients around the world.  She is also a Fulbright scholar, MFA Pratt Institute for Design in New York and has a post graduate Masters from l’Ecole Nationale Supérieure du Paysage at Versailles, which makes her an expert in garden design.  Michèle specializes in modern and contemporary art and knows the Paris scene intimately.  In addition, she is an accomplished artist in her own right who has an atelier at La Ruche.

Marie-Anne

Opera and Classical Music

Marie-Anne’s background is in tourism, but she now devotes a large part of her time to her passion for music, having completed studies at la Cité de la Musique in Paris and the University of Nantes.  Although she is a specialist in the music of the Baroque period, she subscribes to all the concerts of chamber music, l’ONPL (symphony orchestra), Opera Garnier, Châtelet, l’Opéra Comique, Théâtre des Champs-Elysées and l’Opéra de Nantes. She has also worked in an art gallery and, just for something different, Mare-Anne is also a great guide for a visit of the flea markets!

Emilie

Loire Valley

Emilie has a Masters degree in History from the University of Tours, originally specializing in Roman history.  She is now doing a second Masters degree at the Centre for Advanced Studies of the Renaissance.  Emilie lives in Tours and is an expert on the charming life in the Loire Valley.  She is a professional guide who specializes in the Châteaux of the Loire.  She is also an author who knows how to make history come alive as she takes you on a discovery tour of the Loire Valley as it was centuries ago when it was the capital of the French kingdom.

• The Louvre as a Royal Residence
• History of Paris

• Lutetia - Paris in Roman Times
• Medieval Paris - Left Bank
• Medieval Paris - Right Bank
• Napoleon’s Paris

• Historical Marais
• Marie Antoinette - after Versailles

• Domain of Marie-Antoinette at Versailles
• Malmaison - Napoleon and Josephine’s private residence
• Versailles - feeding the court
• Versailles - the gardens
• Château de Vincennes
• Marly-le-Roi - the park where Louis XIV had his “weekender”
• Château de Breteuil

  

Paris options include -

Louvre - themed art tours

Impressionism

• Musee d’Orsay 
• Orangerie  
• Marmottan Monet 
• Montmartre walking tour

Outside Paris -

Auvers-sur-Oise -  Impressionism spectacle
Van Gogh at Auvers and Tomb

Marly-le-Roi - the old village and the Impressionists

Île de Chatou

- Visit Artcurial
- Hot new galleries
- Private tour of La Ruche with resident artist
- Private visit to home and studio of Luigi Castiglioni

History of the Elegant Table

• Sevres Porcelain 
• Musée Christofle 
• Silversmith workshops 
• Château dining

Château kitchens

• Château de Stor 
• Vaux-le-Vicomte 
• Château de Breteuil

The history of ballet in Paris

Private tour of Opera Garnier

Info on coming events and tickets

FRENCH LANGUAGE

Basic practice session for any level

Special techniques for improving pronunciation and comprehension

Reading menus

Useful phrases

The Magical Places - the legendary places for lovers

Love story - Heloise and Abelard

The Ladies of Luxembourg

Tuileries and Origins of the Champs Elysées

Outside Paris -

• Versailles Gardens 
• Vaux-le-Vicomte 
• Bagatelle

• Marie-Antoinette 
• Paris 
• Petit Trianon, Versailles 
• Chateau de Breteuil - Perrault fairy tale characters

Themed tours based around stories -

Examples include:

Hunchback of Notre Dame - A fun tour of Notre Dame and the Latin Quarter

Malmaison- the private life of Napoleon and Josephine

Château de Monte-Cristo - with Dumas’ fabulous « mauresque » salon

Loire Valley

Our resident expert can take you on a private, tailor-made tour of the most beautiful and historically significant Loire châteaux and their gardens, including Chenonceau, Chambord, Blois, Amboise, Villandry.

Fit for a King

Combine a visit to Versailles with a visit to the site of Louis XIV’s favorite getaway at Marly-le-Roi where you can have lunch in the old village.  Stay overnight in the fabulous Trianon Palace Hotel overlooking the park of Versailles or where the Sun King was born at St-Germain-en-Laye.

Private Lives

Enjoy a private visit of the newly restored historic kitchens of a privately owned château and be the guest of a French historian in her private home (18^th century).  It’s a rare opportunity to understand the unique lifestyle combining the past and present.

Battlefields

Guided visits of the Somme, Normandy or Western Front and Maginot Line.

See the “Battlefields” section of this website for more ideas.

Champagne, Wine and Gastronomy Tours

Can be made to measure

Impressionism

Itineraries include Giverny, Rouen, Honfleur and Provence and are made to measure.  See the “Impressionists” section of this website for more ideas.