France Off The Beaten Path

Great trip! Very well organized and personal! The events and people involved were trerrific! Very nice amenities and very helpful hotel staff. The sites were well planned out and sufficient time to take in the best parts. Loved the locations chosen!

We did The Provence and Bordeaux you鈥檙e back to back. Every day of our trip, we felt like we had had the best day we could imagine and it couldn鈥檛 get any better. Each day was even more awesome than the last! Small group, fabulous Philippe and R茅my, and truly 鈥渙ff the beaten path鈥?experiences that give a local鈥檚 view of life here. We鈥檙e already making plans for the Loire tour!!

We enjoyed the trip so much, our guides Philippe and David were very professional, humorous and knowledgeable. On our last day, Philippe took us to buy cheese and olive paste which we brought back to Singapore. Whenever we enjoy our cheese with champagne, all the beautiful memories from off the beaten path will surface in our mind. Thank you for the wonderful memories!

Our Provence tour was outstanding. There were so many activities, like chocolate-making and the wine-tasting lesson, that we would've never found on our own. Philippe and David were so prepared, experienced, fun to be with, and helpful. I would highly recommend this tour!

Thanks to Christie Philippe & David for making our 50th wedding anniversary vacation so special. We thoroughly enjoyed the tours with such knowledgeable guides and the variety of options was great. The varied group of travellers on our tour also made it a special trip for us. Au revoir and MERCI beaucoup.

The experience was more like visiting friends and getting an authentic view of Provence as opposed to a mass produced touristy itinerary. The surprise of having booked in the week that included Bastille Day was a nice bonus since the running of the bulls began right next to our charming, boutique hotel that was perfectly located on the town square. Afterward David took me and several others to the train station in Avignon and I took a TGV to Nice to spend a few additional days on the Riviera.

It was wonderful.

What a trip – the food, the scenery, the lavender fields, the heat !!
My trip to Provence with Philippe and David exceeded all of my expectations. I love the small group concept, it enables you to make friends of your fellow travelers so much faster. Philippe and David made me feel so special, I had trouble keeping up with the group because of the unusual heat wave and they never made me feel like a burden (which I am pretty sure I was).
The itinerary that was planned gave us a memorable taste of all the beauties and diversity that is Provence. I have a hard time picking a favorite – the chocolate class, the wine tasting and FABULOUS lunch, the day at Cassis with the harbor boat ride (I had bouillabaisse on the Mediterranean at a restaurant Philippe recommended, what a experience), the cooking class with Catherine. Maybe for me one of the highlights was the lavender fields and French picnic Philippe prepared.
Being able to go to the Van Gogh presentation at Carrieres De Lumieres was a breathtaking experience- it was spine tingling.
I loved it all, thank you so much for giving me this opportunity and experience to discover Provence.

Very friendly and accommodating staff. Beautiful settings arranged for the group.
A nice blend of group time and private time.

As a foodie, this trip exceeded my expectations in every way. The meals and choices were fabulous, and the venues selected were first-rate.

Such a wonderful planning for the 5days we spent in Amboise, lovely group , nice hostess
I had a great time, thanks.

This trip was amazing. Christy was such a wonderful guide who was so attentive and accommodating especially considering our trip was during a massive heat wave! If you really want to experience true French culture this is the way to do it from private dinners of the local cuisine, cooking classes at the home of a famous French chef to taste testings at the home of a local vineyard owner and wine maker. The hotel was intimate and charming with an extremely attentive staff and tours were full of information. I can't recommend it enough, it was a trip I will never forget!

I loved having a variety of plans and activities that ranged from castles to cooking. Our extremely knowledgeable leader kept the group on track without ever seeming over-bearing. Great boutique hotel. It was just an incredibly fun experience. I highly recommend participating in the optional hot air balloon ride. Small group with two small vans rather than a big coach. Lots of walking.

What an amazing tour! Christy is professional, knowledgeable and personal. She exposed us to French history, cuisine and culture in ways you will not see on your own. We cooked and dined with local chefs both in their restaurants and their homes. The vineyard tour from seed to table with paired cuisine in the home of the wine makers! Wow, just wow. Every minute was thoughtfully planned yet Christy was quick to make adjustments due to the unprecedented heat wave we experienced while on her tour. Thank you Christy and Remy, it felt like leaving family by the end of our trip. We will be back to experience more of the real France with you very soon.

Philippe and David were great guides and a lot of fun! The welcome dinner, wine tasting lunch, chocolate making and cooking class were the highlights. The hotel location was great but the rooms were not the most comfortable. Would have preferred more walking and less bus time.

My trip to Provence with France Off the Beaten Path was extraordinary! Let me first share that Christy, Phillip, and David are the consummate professionals. They take great pride in their jobs and it shows. Every situation, nuance, or small hiccup was handled in an exemplary manner and with such finesse and caring. Every one of them went out of their way to see that I was happy and catered to during the trip. My five days were spent with an absolute feeling of wonder, excitement, and marvel. From dining with Michelin starred chefs, drinking wine at Chateauneuf-du-Pape, hiking lavender fields, to chocolate making, each adventure was superb! I would highly recommend this lovely journey to anyone seeking a true diversion from the day-to-day grind. A lifetime's worth of fabulous memories is the greatest gift of all. Thank you for my time in Provence and here's to France Off the Beaten Path!
Linda Young
Portland, Oregon

The highest rating for our first group trip! Philippe and David, our guides, are well-informed, have a sense of humor, have a sincere love of their work, and make sure that clients are happy and safe. We especially loved the walks (having perfect
weather didn't hurt!). While we enjoyed the restaurant meals, we especially loved the picnic lunch orchestrated by Philippe.
St. Remy is a wonderful base in Provence and the Gounod Hotel is in a very convenient location. While centrally located, we weren't bothered by traffic or any other noise, as the rooms face the courtyard.
We did enjoy the trip to Cassis, a beautiful seaside town, but also would have enjoyed walking another day as part of the itinerary.
My food allergy was well-noted and I never had to worry.
Christy and France Off the Beaten Path deserved their fine reputation.

I had a great experience on the Provence tour with Phillipe and David. I loved the walks David arranged for us and he made the walks fun. I loved Phillip's commentary on the villages and culture of the area. Phillipe arranged such a delicious and beautiful picnic for us. The winery visit and luncheon was a highlight.
The restaurant recommendations for St. Remy we're very helpful. The trip to Cassis was great; loved the boat ride and the Pastis tasting, and having time for a great waterfront lunch. The hotel was well-located but our room had an unpleasant musty smell that was bothersome . Sophie, the breakfast service manager was so nice, however, the quality of the breakfast was substandard, with very poor quality croissants. The hotel staff was very nice, except for the heavy-set man at night who never smiled. I was surprised and disappointed that no choice of main course was offered at the group dinners, I ate lamb at the Michelin star restaurant dinner and I never eat lamb and beef at the first night dinner and I rarely order beef in restaurants. The food quality for the included meals was always very good. I was pleased that our tour was a small group of only 6. I enjoyed the cooking lesson very much, however, the presence of Catherine's two dogs was unpleasant for me as I don't like the smell of wet dogs when I am cooking and eating; the dogs were sent outdoors for part of the time we were there.
The tour of the chocolate factory was our least favorite tour activity. It was very nice to have David taking all those photos. Thank you very much for a wonderful Provence tour experience. Overall, we had a great time and I would definitely recommend the tour to others.

Thanks again,
Caryn Harding

We enjoyed our tour tremendously & highly recommend it!

We had a wonderful 5 days in Provence which included cultural, historical, geographical and political insights into the region. Everyone we came into contact with were warm and welcoming. The food and wine options only enhanced our experience and made us feel lucky to be there! Dinner under the stars every night – how can you improve on that?

Hats off to you for making the right combination of options for active hikers, simple wanderers and those interested in a leisurely afternoon.

Thanks to Philippe and David for making it a joy to travel and explore. Their love of the region shone through at every location they shared with us.
Merci, Susan

Would recommend to anyone! Will most definitely be back for all available tours in the future.

This tour is excellent. Our guides Phillipe and David are very knowledgeable and fun. Each day is well thought out with various and interesting activities. They are very accommodating. The dinners and wines were very good with great locations. They build in enough free time for everyone to explore and shop a bit. I would highly recommend this tour, we are looking at joining FranceOBP other tours in the future.

We had such an amazing trip. Philippe and David were excellent guides, the food was not only delicious but very high quality, and the activities were well organized and informative. HIGHLY recommend this tour. Well worth the price! Lots of praise for Off the Beaten Path!
-Kelly & David Orr

Very knowledgeable and friendly staff. We had a great time!

France Off the Beaten Path has given us a wonderful and unique insight into Provence and the wonders the region has to offer – all without us having to do any of the hard work! Philippe and David, our amazingly talented and deeply knowledgeable guides were absolute treasures and it is without a doubt that our enjoyment and appreciation of the area was exponentially enhanced by their stories, explanations and David's sense of fun! This is a carefully curated set of unique experiences made even more exceptional by the generosity of spirit by which it is driven. The hotel is a Provincial gem, the culinary experiences – unforgettable, and the sights – simply breathtaking. Thank you FOTBP and especially Philippe and David for a truly happy holiday!