WHAT GUESTS SAY ABOUT FRANCE OFF THE BEATEN PATH TOURS!
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An Independent Online Review Community!
We love to talk about our exclusive, small group tours to Provence, Loire Valley, Bordeaux, Normandy, and Champagne, France, and now Egypt! But we also know it’s important for travelers to read what other tour guests have to say about their own experiences with us and our tours.
In order to improve the satisfaction of our tour guests, we partnered with the online review communities Trustpilot in June 2016 to collect independent reviews about our tours.
All tour reviews on both our Trustpilot profile page and our Google profile page are posted exactly as written by tour guests. We have no control over the content of guest reviews, no way to edit or change what guests write or the rating value guests give our tours. All reviews good, bad or otherwise are visible on our Trustpilot and Google profile pages. Below we’ve showcased our most recent reviews, and travelers can click the links below to read more reviews on each third party review collection website.
Our entire team here at France Off the Beaten Path Tours is constantly striving to exceed guest expectations! We appreciate the feedback guests share to help us continually improve our quality customer service and exclusive itineraries, as well as preserve the exceptional value in our tour prices!
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France Tour Reviews – Tour Guest Testimonials! + Press Accolades!
- Featured in FROMMER’S France Guide
- Off the Beaten Path, LLC named WINNER of 2018 LUX Tourism Awards – Best Boutique French Tour Operator – 2nd Consecutive Year Award Winner! Read the feature here >>> (Adobe pdf opens in a new window)
- Off the Beaten Path, LLC Named WINNER of LUX 2017 Tourism Awards for France Off the Beaten Path Tours – Best French Touring Company! Read the feature here >>> (Adobe pdf opens in a new window)
- France Off the Beaten Path Tours are featured in Best Selling Author PJ Adams France Travel Guide Series
- Off the Beaten Path, LLC Company Founder & President, Christy Destremau, is the contributor and photographer in collaboration with best selling author PJ Adams to her France Travel series guide Intoxicating Greater Paris; Loire, Valley of the Kings!
Would you recommend France Off the Beaten Path’s Best Adventures in Provence tour to friends and family?
“Yes, I would happily recommend the tour and company as nothing was too much trouble for our guides. Our guides were the warmest of hosts. The five days were filled with magical moments. I loved cooking class and our chef, all of the restaurants and the villages especially Cassis. Again thanks to our wonderful hosts. I had high expectations and they were were all surpassed! This was truly the experience of a lifetime! Thank you so much.” – Gill Hall, Victoria, Australia – France Tour Reviews
“Yes, we would definitely recommend the trip and would take another ourselves! Guides made the trip! They complemented each other beautifully, were knowledgeable and entertaining! Loved the program in Cassis and the wonderful restaurant overlooking the sea. Kudos to our guides for making a special trip to the train station to pick us up when our train arrived late, and for helping us find lavender oil.” – Hap and Gerry Snyder, New York City, New York – France Tour Reviews
“YES This was a once in a lifetime vacation for us. We enjoyed the small group atmosphere and unpretentious welcoming nature of our guides and everyone we met during the tour. Very good guides – they work very well together and offer lots of information with a bit of humor. The walks just got better and better each day with more spectacular views. The guides, the food and service was extraordinary, and will not be replicated in our travels for a long time to come!” – Alan and Laura Lecours, Gansevoort, New York – France Tour Reviews
“YES we would for all of the following reasons and more – Loved, loved, loved our cooking day, the activities, the cooking class and our guides were amazing! Thank you for a great trip!” – Tony and Christine Beck, Adelaide, Australia – France Tour Reviews
“YES we will! First and foremost we like the planning Christy put into making this an extraordinary trip. But then of course, she chose wonderful guides to carry out her vision. The guides were perfect, they complement each other so well. They have made everything so fun! The tour was wonderful. Our favorite things were Gordes and Roussillon villages–and the walk through the poppies, vineyards and orchards with the picnic food from the market. The bistrot lunch, the cooking class, the Cassis boat ride and the lunch in Cassis were all outstanding. How fun it was to see what was for dinner each day too, and trying so many different foods we don’t normally have at home. We loved making new acquaintances and enjoying all of the wines, it was all up at the top of our list. We are sad to leave! Merci Love you guys!” – Joe and Kathy Roah, Long Beach, California – France Tour Reviews
“YES Definitely will recommend to friends. This trip was well organized. Love the walks through the various villages. The poppy fields were a delight. The hotel was excellent and meals very good quality. The service was wonderful–we enjoyed our guides and their sense of fun and humor, they were extraordinary as guides–punctual, courteous, cheerful and knowledgeable. Thank you for making my trip memorable!” – Ms. Mary Ong, Singapore – France Tour Reviews
“Absolutely! This was a very good trip! Hotel was good, food was outstanding! We never anticipated that it would be Michelin-star quality–you could say more in advance about that. Our guides were very good and entertaining. The focus was on rural/small towns and villages of Provence which is what we wanted. Good itinerary, good guides, the food and wine made this trip really exceptional, much better than anticipated. Plus we had a nice group that got along well. Thank you!” – Gary and Lynn Mecklenburg, Madison, Wisconsin – France Tour Reviews
“YES, I believe that my friends and family would enjoy the variety of things to do. And they would enjoy all of the information our guides provided us. I especially think they would like the seaside restaurant experience which was at the top of my list! Everyone I came in contact with was very nice and polite and efficient. I enjoyed each outing especially the seaside day and the truly enjoyable day at cooking class. I loved the markets. We had a great group, everyone was really nice. All of the food was fabulous and our guides were GREAT!” – Renee St. Louis, Fishers, Indiana – France Tour Reviews
“Yes – overall the trip has been wonderful! The guests and the tour operator made us feel as if we were with family all week long! The food was exceptional, our guides were helpful and informative and kept us fascinated and were clearly concerned for our welfare throughtout the trip. The driver Philippe was skillful and courteous, the accommodations were very comfortable and beautiful! We loved the daily walks, choices were wonderful!” — Harvey and Sandy Schuster, San Carlos, California – France Tour Reviews
“YES – The trip was a wonderful combination of a beautiful location, superlative food, fine wine, an excellent mix of activities and sightseeing. We particularly loved the towns of Roussillon, Gordes, and Cassis, and we thought the walking tour from Roussillon to Gordes was particularly lovely (excluding, of course, Bob’s fall). The cooking class was another highlight. Truly, the lunches and their locations as well as the dinners were beyond! We thought all your selections of the food and places and activities were terrific. With regard to tour knowledge, Bob particularly liked David’s not overloading us with too many facts. Sometimes on other tours there is such an abundance of information that it all becomes somewhat muddled. David managed to provide a nice mix of facts and jokes. Of course the unknown factor with small group tours is the mix of people and compatibility of the individuals. We have to say that all the folks on the tour were wonderful. Each one was interesting, kind, thoughtful and fun. We would absolutely recommend the trip to family and friends. This is a prefect tour for people who love scenic beauty, fabulous gourmet meals, fine and more than ample wines, walking through beautiful fields with great guides in a small group for a more intimate and rewarding experience. We will definitely look into doing one of your other French tours. Thanks again for a great tour!” — Bob and Roz Alperstein, East Windsor, New Jersey – France Tour Reviews
“Yes – without reservation I would recommend this trip to a friend! We will do just that! We loved everything about this trip! Especially loved the walks and lunches. The hotel was outstanding and dinner every night was always amazing. Loved the final day because of the quiet villages and gorgeous walk. The congenial group enhanced the whole experience and the beloved leaders – Christy, David, Philippe(guide) and (different) Philippe(our driver) – made it exceptional! Thank you for a beautiful holiday!” — Adam & Gretel Crum, San Clemente, CA – France Tour Reviews
WOULD YOU RECOMMEND THIS TRIP TO A FRIEND?
“Yes, the reason why we really liked this tour was because it was a small group (who all got along so very well and very seamlessly), and most of all liked the fact that we weren’t hopping around from hotel to hotel – staying in one hotel for the entire tour was definitely a perk we appreciated!! Initially we thought we would be able to maneuver around the region on our own but are so glad we didn’t attempt it. Off the Beaten Path took us to wonderful areas and treated us to some fabulous meals!! We loved every day we were here!! Our favorites were the walks-getting to walk through different scenery on each, cooking class and market day. Au revoir Provence! We’ll miss our guides too!” — Rob and Jane Disch, Watchung, New Jersey – France Tour Reviews
“We would definitely recommend the trip to friends who like to sit back and relax, who enjoy food and wine, beautiful scenery and colorful markets and villages and making friends. We liked the hotel in its tranquil setting and a short walk into the town. The garden and swimming pools are beautiful, and the room is very comfortable with all the necessary facilities and amenities. We had two very professional guides. They made sure everything went as organized. We enjoyed the stories and history told about Provence during the tour. The guides were also great at taking pictures for the group and accommodated all of our special requests. All of the meals are fine dining and up to Michelin standard. We were provided with more than what we could drink, and enjoyed that our food was matched with different local wines. We also enjoyed all of the walks through different countryside each day, and the cooking class!! We enjoyed making lots of new friends from different countries -these are very memorable moments together. In one word, this trip is the “essence” of Provence!” — Francis and Lilian Lee, Hong Kong, China
“Absolutely, would recommend without reservation. We had a fabulous time!! Our guides were knowledgeable and very personable, the hotel location was good and convenient to town and activities were very fun.” — Donald and Kaye Kelley, Austin, Texas
“Yes! Loved the walks, each covered different ground! Loved the variety of villages and the well organized, efficient excursions. LOVED cooking class!! Beautiful room at the hotel. Many great meals and wines! We liked that the guides took very good care of us.” — Seth and Kristy Cain, Ottawa, Ontario, CANADA
“Yes, I would recommend this trip to a friend. Our guides made everyone feel comfortable, they accommodated a lot of needs and were a lot of fun. The cooking class was a definite highlight, LOVED the trip to Cassis. Lunch locations were all great, BUT Cassis was SPECTACULAR!! The food and wines were great! The tour stops were great! I especially loved Saturday’s walk in the Luberon. Overall, everything was great – certainly met my expectations and would recommend highly to others! Thank you!!” – Joan McCourt, Wilton, Connecticut – (Best Adventures in Provence Tour)
“YES of course I would recommend this trip!! The food was fantastic, cooking class was great, the guides were informative and fun, the locations were great, what’s not to like? The Mas des Carassins was very good! I liked everything! Just to emphasize: Our guides were wonderful!! I have been to this area of France before, but they put a new light on it!!” – Nancy Johnson, Denver, Colorado
“Absolutely! Especially for women single or traveling together. We had excellent guides, a great group – a good mix of singles and couples, fabulous meals, great variety. Maybe the hotel could heat on of the pools just slightly.” – Susan Hubbard, Prairie Village, Kansas
“Yes – The tour allowed us to see more and eat in much better restaurants than we could ever have done on our own. This was a well organized tour, our guides were friendly and very helpful, meals were outstanding with a nice selection of different local wines each day. Thank you for a great week!” – Greg Corning and Madelyn Ruiz, Sunnyvale, California
“The hotel accommodations were lovely! We thoroughly enjoyed our group; they were fun, intelligent and accommodating! Loved all of the cooking classes, each one was so different from the other. Our guide was very knowledgeable, efficient and facilitated our trips to the castles in a friendly and cordial manner.I always wanted to visit the Loire Valley and love cooking immensely and wanted to share a unique experience with my daughter. Thank you Christy for a fabulous week!!” – Marianne Gold and adult daughter Alexandra, Jupiter, Florida (Loire Valley Tour)
“Yes, I enjoyed every aspect of the tour. Of course Provence is fantastic, that makes it all easy. But the food was exceptional, hotel was great and excursions were interesting and beautiful. I would recommend this trip because – there was a variety of activities, the walks were not too long or too difficult, everything was well organized, guides were delightful, great internet access and food was great!” – Sharon Bauer, Wichita, Kansas
“Loved lunch at the winery! The hotel was perfect and the meals were very nice. We especially enjoyed Antoine’s cooking class and having dinner at his home. Thank you again!” — Mark and Monica Lang, Omaha, NE (Bordeaux Wine Tasting and Gourmet Harvest Walking Tour)
“We enjoyed the intimacy of the small group, and the personal care, warmth and friendliness of all the people we ecountered at the hotel and restaurants. The castles were fascinating, the food wonderful, the pace of the trip good and our guide’s knowledge excellent!” — Dr. Bruce and Debby Farkas, Chicago, IL (Loire Valley Tour)
“We loved your consideration to stop for so many photo ops throughout the beautiful countryside. The St. Remy market, the cooking classes, hotel and all of the restaurants were fabulous. It was wonderful meeting you! Thank you for a wonderful time in Provence! See you on your Bordeaux tour next time.” — Larry and Lyn Christenson, Palo Alto, CA (Best Adventures in Provence Tour) – France Tour Reviews
“This entire Provence Tour was well organized but not too structured. We had plenty of time to do everything we wanted. Loved the cooking classes especially the team class-that was really different from any cooking experience I’ve had before. What a wonderful way to teach cooking and new techniques. The calanques walk was even more spectacular than I had imagined. And, St. Remy de Provence is such beautiful town, I loved shopping there for all the traditional Provence things we hear about in the US. I loved the small group – everyone was so nice and lots of fun to be with. Excellent trip. If ever you need just 1 more person to fill a last minute trip, please let me know, I’d love to come back on another trip!” — Patricia Jacubec, Washington, D.C. (Best Adventures in Provence Tour)
“The small group setting was amazing – it allowed for greater fellowship among the group- making for a more personable experience! The trip gave me new perspective and insight through the “authentic” or local’s experience of France. I’m taking more away from this trip than merely pictures and purchases! This was a truly unique experience (not your typical cookie cutter trip)! Friendliness: emails with OTBP were answered quickly, comprehensively and friendly. I didn’t feel like a number or just another guest. And, this trip was very relaxing, I was never exhausted or stressed, every detail was extremely well and professionally managed! This trip was leisurely, refreshing and fun! Thank you!!” — Angelica Pivarunas, Chicago, IL (Loire Valley Tour) – France Tour Reviews
“Just arrived home yesterday from our lovely tour in Provence. I would give every aspect of the tour a 10/10. Our hotel was lovely, the staff very accommodating and the meals were outstanding…I loved our stop at le Bistrot du Paradou, the meal and the decor and the servers. Also thought the mas de cornud your crowning moment. Such a lovely couple in such a lovely setting. Cassis was a pleasant day trip too. Our driver Jack was excellent. Very attentive to our needs and told us (through David) some interesting aspects of French life. David was entertaining and informative and very much wanted to please. He bent over backwards for us taking us to special sites, and driving early departers to the train station in his own car. His way of explaining history made it interesting, not dry. All in all a great trip – well planned and executed. As you know, you can’t please everyone, but you and David certainly pleased me. All the best.” — Rosemary Chisholm, Toronto, Canada (Best Adventures in Provence Tour)
“We loved the calanques walk, St. Remy, cooking class and of course all of the eating and drinking!! Our group was so much fun and this experience was everything I wanted from Provence! We’re going to tell all of our friends about you. Thanks soo much, we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.” — Mike and Beth Dizon, Manila, Philippines (Best Adventures in Provence Tour)
“Loved the optional bike ride, the dinners, especially the first night’s dinner playing petanque and having dinner at the Chef’s home. We thoroughly enjoyed all of the hiking/walking activities and staying in one hotel for the entire trip. Thanks for a great week!!” — Russ and Mary Gentile, Jacksonville, FL (Best Adventures in Provence Tour)
“Loved it ALL!! The new friends we made, staying in one place as a base and the group size was perfect. Every day was full of fun and lots of laughs! Our guide was wonderful, knowledgeable and lots of fun too! She was always thinking about our needs and available when we needed assistance. Thanks for a great time in Provence! ” — Ben Francavilla and Jan Hodges, Harrisburg, PA (Best Adventures in Provence Tour)
“We loved Remi!! He was so fun!! Our favorite wineries were the ones in Saint Emilion and Graves. Antoine’s cooking class was fun and the food amazing! Our lead guide was so fabulous, charming and knowledgeable. This was such a pleasant experience and wonderful way to discover Bordeaux wine country and all of these excellent wines! Loved having Chateau Haut Brion with our picnic lunch!! You guys do a great job and it shows in the way you treat your guests and how well everything is organized. Hope to be back sooner than later on another of your tours.” — Paul and Karen Galindo, Austin, TX (Bordeaux Harvest Tour)
“We had very high expectations for this trip and you far exceeded them every day of the trip!!! This was a wonderful experience, everything was excellent! Our guide was great, really enjoyed the small group and other guests. What a great way to celebrate my 60th birthday! We learned a lot, everyday was a new adventure. You do what you do very well!!! Thanks again for a fun and memorable time! Added Note received from the Krownes – back in NY…I just wanted to share with you once again that “the trip was my dream come true for my 60th birthday”…I keep looking at all the pictures we took and smiling and put the ones you took on my facebook account…and already people are posting such nice comments.” — Ron and Liliane Krowne and adult children Andrew & Missy, Great Neck, New York (Best Adventures in Provence Tour)
We Ask Tour Guests “WOULD YOU RECOMMEND OUR LOIRE VALLEY TOUR TO A FRIEND?” We strive to exceed guest expectations every tour!
“Yes, I will recommend this trip because I feel it is a wonderful opportunity to see a large part of the region and includes the best castles. The whole experience was top notch from the choice of activities and castles to the wine and cuisine! The dynamics of being in a small group touring is an overall wonderful experience. I loved that every detail was taken care of, my week was stress free, transportation was very comfortable, and I really appreciated the knowledge of the guides and their willingness to share so much information. Enjoyed the chateau lodging and owners also. I feel this is an opportunity I will never experience again. Thank you Christy for a fun week with lots of laughs and wonderful memories! I can’t wait to see the photos!” —Karen Abrahams, Arlington, Virginia – Loire Valley Tour – Loire Valley Tour Guest Testimonials
“YES we will recommend the trip!! As we discussed, we most enjoyed the “insider’s” feel of this trip which I feel is thanks to the relationships you have with people in the Loire. Additionally, your knowledge of the region made the trip even more fabulous! Thank you Christy Destremau and thank you again for an amazing time….we knew we were going to have an amazing time in the Loire but had no idea that we would meet someone like you that we can hopefully call a friend for a long time to come…we look forward to keeping in touch…come visit us in Chicago…We truly had a wonderful time and look forward to our next trip with you!” —Aaron and Lisa Brooks, Chicago, Illinois – Loire Valley Tour – Loire Valley Tour Guest Testimonials
“Hi Christy and everyone. We had a fabulous time in the Loire and had so much fun with our group! We missed you all in Paris! Thanks for your wonderful “tour guidance” in France. It was quite a memorable trip.” Added message sent to us by Steve and Michelle – “We enjoyed 5 wonderful days with Christy’s tour of the Loire Valley Sept. 12 – 17, 2012. It was absolutely one of the best tours we’ve taken, and our 2nd tour with France Off the Beaten Path (first one was in Provence in 2006). Christy and her staff saw to the group’s every need, they were warm, accommodating and had every excursion well planned out. We visited remarkable Chateaux, ate at wonderful Michelin Star restaurants in the Loire and had a thrilling Hot Air Balloon ride at the end (which I think was one of the highlights for us). In addition, we were lucky to have an absolutely perfect group of fellow travellers and made many friendships we hope to foster back at home. We enjoyed very personalized and truly “off the beaten path” experiences with cooking classes/demonstrations, cheese and wine tasting and more. We hope to join another tour in the future with France Off the Beaten Path! Thank you, Christy, for a wonderful time in the Loire Valley!” –Steve Keller and Michelle Tidwell, San Francisco, California (Traveled on 2 OTBP Tours — 2012 Loire Valley Tour and 2006 Best Adventures in Provence Tour) – Loire Valley Tour Guest Testimonials
“Where did you learn to exceed expectations? It just keeps getting better and better everyday! We have had such a fun time!! We’ve learned so much on both tours. Thanks for a FABULOUS 2 weeks in France We hope to see you again soon!” —Dennis and Dr. Patricia Gelner, St. Louis, Missouri (Traveled on both our Loire Valley Tour and Bordeaux Wine Harvest Walking Tour)
“This trip was so much more than we expected, and YES we would definitely recommend it! We had a great time, and saw and experienced some amazing things. Christy and Philippe were very knowledgeable of the history, surroundings, castles, etc and were helpful and made us feel comfortable. Thank you for a wonderful trip!” ––Friends: Michelle Winter, Mary Harper, Beth Fields and Stefanie Giffin, Kansas City, Kansas – Loire Valley Tour
“Yes – Thank you so much for a wonderful taste of France! This card (received by guide) reminded me of your “Jumpy” and all the laughs we had in it during both tours with you. The two tours were very comprehensive and well planned. We really appreciated your expertise. Hopefully we will be able to travel with you again! Thanks so much for everything!” ––Don and Pat Gianone, Chicago, Illinois (Have been on 2 OTBP Tours – Champagne Tour and Loire Valley Tour) – Loire Valley Tour Guest Testimonials
“Yes! Loved EVERYTHING! Liked having down time between all of the activities on both tours. These were fabulous trips! In the Loire Valley, cooking and dining with Christophe and Angelique was great, we liked all of the castles, the meals and the hot air ballooning. In Champagne, all of the tours and tastings were very special and each offered something different. We loved that there was someting new to discover each day!” ––Art and Nancyjo Peters, Chicago, Illinois (Have been on 2 OTBP Tours – Champagne Tour and Loire Valley Tour)
“Yes, I will highly recommend this trip to friends and family. I loved the small group- it made it fun! We had EXCELLENT tour guides who encouraged a relaxed atmosphere. Loved the unique opportunities and access to chefs and restaurants. It was a beautiful region to explore. The accommodations were comfortable and I loved staying put in one hotel. Thank you Christy for a fun week in the Loire and a truly memorable experience!” —Genera Guiterrez, Arlington, Virginia – Loire Valley Tour – Loire Valley Tour Guest Testimonials
“Yes, we would recommend this trip to friends. We truly enjoyed the trip. We appreciated how well organized the trip was — we departed on time, arrived on time, and kept to the schedule. I also enjoyed the recommendations for shops, restaurants, etc. The Chateau hotel was lovely. The quality of this tour was very good! All of the castle tours were interesting and varied. Thanks for a great week!” —Brad and Leslie Long, Shepherds Town, West Virginia – Loire Valley Tour
“You were our express ticket to an effortless tour of a beautiful area of France!! Our guide was extremely helpful and knowledgeable at all times. We are very happy to tell our friends and family about Off the Beaten Path tours! Walking the path of kings was most informative and thought provoking. Our guide’s knowledge of the language, history and customs made all the difference and ensured a memorable experience! We will be back for your Provence Tour!! Thank you!” —Jim and Linda Rybak, Fairview Park, Ohio – Loire Valley Tour – Loire Valley Tour Guest Testimonials
“The relaxed pace of the tour and the peaceful atmosphere of the Chateau des Tertres are two of the most important factors which helped create such an amazing trip – combined with stunning locations, wonderful and generous people, fabulous activities and a Tour Guide who truly understands the unique experiences travellers are searching for. I will definitely be recommending this trip to my clients, friends and family! Whether a first visit to France or a seasoned traveller, anyone interested in visiting France needs to experience this trip to appreciate and understand the point of difference that Off the Beaten Path provides! Well done Christy!! Merci beaucoup!!” — Pamela Mann, Travel Agent, Home Hil, Queensland, Australia – Loire Valley Tour
“Loved the small group! It was easy, as a solo traveler, to fit in a mix, plus all the details were taken care of. The meals were gastronomic yet intimate and fun, and the local cuisine and Chefs who love what they do made us feel like we were at dinner with a party of friends. Yes, I will definitely recommend this trip to my friends and family. All the details were taken care of – both small and large, such as transport, parking, navigating, tours at chateaus, entrance fees, meals, feeling safe, sampling local food and wines, meeting locals, seeing a commercial kitchen, visiting someone’s home and sharing a meal as their guests, feeling welcome everywhere we went, staying in a chateau that is comfortable, tasteful, authentic, peaceful, but not intimidating or kitsch, we had a cheerful breakfast lady, the tour was not too tiring or overwhelming, it was well-paced allowing us plenty of time for shopping, lunching, strolling, we had adequate down-time between day trips and evening meals – and last of all – we had a lovely, chatty, knowledgeable and informative host. Thanks Christy!!” — Anna Lord, North Croydon, Victoria, Australia – Loire Valley Tour
“Loved that we had a nice, small group! We really enjoyed getting to know our fellow travellers and their backgrounds. We thought the variety of experiences (chateaux, gardens, towns, markets, dining out, dinner at home, picnic) was outstanding. We would have easily traded some of the pre-dinner downtime for extra sightseeing time. We will without any hesitation, yes, recommend this tour for all of the reasons above! Plus we had the most knowledgeable and fun tour guide!! Where else can you get a cooking class from a Michelin-star Chef in his home?! LOVED this trip!!” —Mac and Jen McNeer, Chicago, Illinois – Loire Valley Tour
“Loved the small group tour and friendliness of everyone in our group. The history and stories, hotel breakfast, the dinners, cooking classes, small villages and towns and the balloon ride were all wonderful! This is a great trip to recommend for foodies who are also interested in learning some French history in a fun way! We agree that the hot-air balloon ride along the Valley was a great finale to our trip. Thank you again for sharing your experiences of the Loire with us. We are happy to recommend your trip to others!!” — Graeme and Betty-Anne Ashworth, Childers, Queensland, Australia – Loire Valley Tour
“The tour was well put together and managed! The food was all excellent and yes, we will recommend this tour to our friends!! Christy, you have a fabulous and outgoing personality and excellent knowledge and management skills! Thank you for a wonderful time!” —Dan and Rose Raimondo, Tinton Falls, New Jersey – Loire Valley Tour
“Fabulous pictures you sent on to us from the tour!! They are wonderful!! Just wanna say how spectacular the meals were during the Loire Valley tour. The breadth of the trip was great. Our guide was extremely knowledgeable and a true expert on French history! We are going to absolutely recommend your trip to everyone. If one wants to experience the Loire Valley, this is the BEST way! Thank you for a fun filled week!!” —Jeff and Jane Goodell, Carrollton, Texas – Loire Valley Tour
“Yes, we have and will continue to recommend this tour! Our family of 4 with two adult sons have just returned from the Loire Vally trip with Christy and Off the Beaten Path. It was one of our favorite trips. Our sons loved it too!!! The combination of gorgeous chateaus with excellent and knowledgeable guides, and the cooking classes and meals with top Michelin chefs was fabulous!!! The hotel was comfortable, perfectly located and we had the best rooms in the Chateau. Our two guides stayed in the hotel with us. Sometimes the best trips aren’t necessarily the most well known. This company deserves to be! It’s wonderful!!! After about 15 worldwide trips including most continents, my sons ranked this one up near the top. Plus, 14 people in the group. We like small groups and good food and fabulous sights. This took the cake!! Would return in a flash!!” —Connie and Ken Yonan, Chicago, Illinois – Loire Valley Tour
“5 out of 5 all the way!! Loved Rich’s birthday surprise, so thoughtful of you! We loved our guide’s personal touch and her knowledge of French history. She was SUPER!! The hot air ballooning was one of many memorable highlights of this trip. Loved the chateau accommodations – Christine and Bernard and staff were the best! We had a great time!! Every experience was so different and felt so authentically French.” — Rich and Nancy Strickler, Jacksonville, FL – Loire Valley Tour
“Thank you for a great time this week. It was wonderful meeting everyone in the group. Loved our guide, the cooking classes, Chenonceau castle, the day in Blois and of course the hot air ballooning! I had never been on an organized tour before this one, and didn’t know what to expect. I had such a fun time, thank you!! Looking forward to the next adventure with you!” — Maria (Tessa) Meiser, Chicago, IL – Loire Valley Tour
“Yes – Thank you for orchestrating a fun, memorable and unique experience for all of us. You are providing terrific services and I appreciate the attention you put into designing and implementing the Loire Valley trip. I liked everything about this trip. I always enjoyed visiting historical sites, walking around towns, villages and markets. Having someone else plan and deliver the itinerary made this trip so much more relaxing than a totally independent vacation. And, the cooking classes made the trip a truly superlative and special experience. Thanks for all of your work!” —Wendy Breinig, Jacksonville, FL – Loire Valley Tour
“Yes – It was a great trip! I really enjoyed the cooking classes, meeting Christine and Bernard, shopping and eating lunch in the small villages, and learning so much about all of these beautiful castles. As always, you’ve done an outstanding job, and the memories of this trip will stay with us for years to come! See you on another trip soon!” –Katherine Gee, Hendersonville, NC (Katherine, Mamie and family have been on 3 OTBP Tours: Loire Valley Tour, Best Adventures in Provence Tour and Private Tuscany Tour)
“I loved ALL aspects of the tour; hot air ballooning, wine and cheese tasting, the hotel, our guide, the different castles, the dinners! The cooking classes were especially fantastic. Don’t change a thing! You really made this experience wonderful!” — Wendy Barnett, Melbourne, Australia – Loire Valley Tour
“Wine & cheese! Feel like I got a real understanding of the Loire Valley, its people, culture and places. Loved the variety of activities, cooking lessons, castle tours and the intimacy of the hotel and not having to move around, and the flexibility of the program was wonderful. Thank you also to our friendly guides!” —Karin Heller, Washington D.C. – Loire Valley Tour
“Thanks for everything you did on the tour, we really enjoyed ourselves again. We feel very fortunate to have “discovered” your tours, they are definitely the best group tours we have ever been on. We had a great time, it was especially neat to spend so much time with Christophe & Angelique.” —Bill & Laurie Crimando, Grosse Pointe Woods, Michigan (Have been on 3 OTBP Tours – Burgundy Tour, Bordeaux Tour, Loire Valley Tour)
“Really enjoyed our guide, Chefs, Angelique and Christophe (and his apple tart), the castles, excellent choice of restaurants, the 13th century chateau being a fabulous setting for dinner, and finally, our beautiful and quiet chateau accommodations. (following is 2nd comment sent to us) Its been a while since I returned from the Loire Valley trip. I just wanted you to know what a wonderful time my sister and I had with on the tour. I am putting my pictures and momentos in a scrap book. As I am looking at all the beautiful Chateaux we visited I am just overwhelmed by the beauty of them all. Its was positively one of the best trips I’ve ever taken. I absorbed so much. The food was exquisite and the people of France were so warm and wonderful. I loved our evenings with Angelique and Christophe. I bought a copper pan in which to make my tarte. I purchased it from Williams Sonoma exclusively to make the famous Tarte Tatin for which Christophe won his award. You were just wonderful. It was a very warm experience!” —Diana Pleva, Los Angeles, CA
Photos of Tour Guests From Past Tours
FEEL Welcome AND AT HOME WITH OUR Friends ON EVERY TOUR!
More than just a tour, France Off the Beaten Path Tours transforms the entire guest experience into a personalized and exclusive “unparalleled” active, cultural affair that far exceeds guest expectations every time! We connect guests with our lifelong, local French friends who rank among France’s top-rated chefs, specialty artisans, artists, wine producers, hotel & castle owners, and entertainers!
RATED 5 STARS BY HUNDREDS OF HAPPY TOUR GUESTS
