Meet Christy Destremau:

Founder & President of France Off The Beaten Path

Experience France with Destination Expert Christy Destremau & Her UNESCO Award-Winning Team!

I’m Christy Destremau.

As the entrepreneur who founded France Off the Beaten Path Tours, I actively participate in my company’s daily operations and guiding responsibilities. I am American by origin, and my academic specialty is French history, specifically 14th-19th century France. I arrived in Provence, France, 30 years ago to marry a French man, and later relocated to northwestern France, where I raised my two children and three dogs in a small village in the French countryside. I officially became a French citizen in 2003, and for the past five years since my divorce, my Shetland Sheepdog Koa and I call Bordeaux, France, home.

My life in France began three decades ago when I first stepped foot on French soil with my freshly acquired degrees from San Diego State University. Having sold my belongings following graduation, except what I could fit into a single suitcase, I hopped on a plane to Provence, France. “My dream? To live a dream.” Equipped with an extensive education in Political Science, French history, language, and international relations, and my heart full of passion for and knowledge of this historically and culturally rich country, I dove into French life head first and never looked back. Soon after my arrival, I discovered that working as a non-European citizen in France presented many challenges, but I persevered and transformed my experience into something positive and fruitful. As an immigrant, it’s a great source of pride to contribute to my adopted country of France by bringing hundreds of groups to visit this magnificent country I call home.

I launched Off the Beaten Path, LLC with an idea, a guide license, and programming skills. I published my first website showcasing multi-day tours with all the trimmings of appeal to share my favorite regions of France with travelers. I dedicated every waking minute between my kids’ school schedules and family obligations to building my company and establishing my internet presence, which, at the time, was a new frontier. I rode the waves of uncertainty every start-up company faces, and as an entrepreneur, I rode those waves alone, filled with hope. I was determined to succeed as a woman breaking into a male-dominated industry. While building my business, I learned the true essence of French life, being married into a traditional French family and raising two children and three dogs in a village of less than four thousand people. My son Oliver, a graduate of Penn State University, is an electrical engineer in the US, and my daughter Chloe, also a graduate of Penn State, earned her Masters degree in June 2024 at the University of Marseille and is now a marine biologist. I never missed a summer vacation with my kids, birthday celebrations, or family holidays. Steadfast on my new path in life, I forged ahead with my ideas, turning my dream into reality on my terms. Three months after going live with my first website, I sold my first tours, and today, my passion continues to flourish as a successful company with the privilege of welcoming hundreds of travelers each year to my beautiful France.

My team and I bring French culture and history to life thanks to my network of French friends and actively living in the country. We design and deliver once-in-a-lifetime adventures for English-speaking travelers from around the world. As our tour guest, you spend time with the people who make this magical country unique and are welcomed into my French friends’ homes, workshops, and kitchens to discover the true essence of their culture. You learn the history and thrilling anecdotes that transform each tour day into a fun journey into the past. You spend your time on tour with us in a true small group welcomed as friends. With a commitment to authenticity and a penchant for the extraordinary, my tours invite you to discover the captivating narratives and unexplored wonders that await you. Are you ready to embark on an unforgettable adventure with us?

Join us on one of our cultural, walking, and gourmet tours to Provence, Loire Valley, Bordeaux, Champagne, and Normandy! We also offer a limited edition tour of my winter home, Egypt!

Recommended by Frommer’s !

Prominent travel magazines and fellow guides recognize Christy Destremau as a leading France travel expert. Her tours are featured in major travel magazines, Frommer’s France Guide, Best of France Guide, and many more. She has been featured in FORBES as an up-and-coming female entrepreneur. Best-selling travel author PJ Adams and Christy also co-authored a Loire Valley, France guidebook, Intoxicating Greater Paris – Loire, Valley of the Kings.

**Please note – Our toll free number listed in Frommers France guide is no longer in service. Our service provider ceased operations at the onset of the pandemic.

Our contact number is +1.717.683.2827.