From the colors and fragrances of the South-East of France, to the beautiful monuments, restaurants and concerts in Paris, this trip will awaken all your senses.
My husband was born in France and moved to Australia in 1970 when he was just 5. He went back for the last time in 1980 and had not returned since. In January 2017 I started to …
My husband was born in France and moved to Australia in 1970 when he was just 5. He went back for the last time in 1980 and had not returned since. In January 2017 I started to formulate an idea to surprise him with a trip back home. Being Australian, we love road trips but without his French language skills I felt a bit scared to start booking hotels etc. Thankfully, a google search came up with Emilie. She helped me surprise my husband and my 16 year old daughter with a trip that will be hard to beat. Ever.
What can I say? The kindness that she showed as she helped me shape a trip of a lifetime is beyond words. She helped me to go back to my ancestral roots (even finding a hotel just 50 metres from where my great-grandfather was born!), and a drive through the village where my husband spent his first 5 years.
Add to this a list of amazing accommodations, unique parking spots, the most incredible guide books you'll ever seen, and more! As so many others here have mentioned, you get so much more than just a simple travel package with vouchers. The maps, the books, the history, the suggestions - things we will continue to read and delight in for years to come.
You know it's been an exceptional holiday when during the loooong journey home (all 30 hours of it!) you can't come up with a single 'best' moment. It was all the best.
#1 - A quiet house nestled in a garden in the heart of Niceyour BandB home in Nice
#1 - A quiet house nestled in a garden in the heart of Nicerefresh at night in a very quiet garden
#1 - A quiet house nestled in a garden in the heart of Niceenjoy a relaxing room, decorated with a lot of care...
#1 - A quiet house nestled in a garden in the heart of Nice...and a warm welcome
#2 - A welcoming mas house in the heart of ProvenceStay in a former convent
#2 - A welcoming mas house in the heart of ProvenceAt the gates of Luberon and near Avignon
#2 - A welcoming mas house in the heart of ProvenceIn a very large room
#2 - A welcoming mas house in the heart of ProvenceMeet with fellow travelers around dinner or at the pool
#3 - A 3* Boutique-Hotel in Quartier Latin districtA family owned Boutique-Hotel in the Latin Quarter
#3 - A 3* Boutique-Hotel in Quartier Latin districtStay in a comfortable room...
#3 - A 3* Boutique-Hotel in Quartier Latin district...with a balcony and nice view over one of Paris most famous landmarks
#3 - A 3* Boutique-Hotel in Quartier Latin districtSavor breakfast in the historical vaulted cellars
Step by step
The French Riviera
We recommend to our travelers to fly into Nice International airport (which is not necessarily more expensive than Paris and will save time and energy). You will pick up your rental car at the airport.
For you to enjoy the seaside, we plan for you to stay for 4 nights in a lovely Bed & Breakfast located right in the beating heart of Nice, in a impressive home which was restored very recently with a lot of taste and art by your lovely hosts. Your room opens onto the garden and you will walk everywhere in Nice. The famous Promenade des Anglais and the beach are less than a 10 min walk away and you are very central to drive along the French Riviera from Menton, to Monaco and Cannes.
Enjoy a peaceful atmosphere while playing Petanque or having a drink of pastis at a table at an outdoor cafe, typical southern French activities.
In one of the most famous perfume houses, be introduced to perfume making technics and make your own fragrance - which you will keep as a great souvenir!
In the Riviera hinterland, you will have the opportunity to discover some of the most beautiful handicrafts in France, particularly ceramics, sculptures and paintings. For art lovers, the many art museums of Nice and its surroundings will amaze you with masterpieces by Chagall, Matisse and Picasso.
But the Riviera is even more than all of the above. The “Cote d’Azur” is a marvel of fabulous 19th century villas and sapphire water coves. Wander about the narrow alleyways of the old city of Nice and visit the many famous art museums. Go shopping or enjoy views of the Mediterranean in seaside restaurants from Monte Carlo to Antibes.
Provence
On the 5th day, settle in your central base camp to explore Provence. Stay for 5 nights in a welcoming Provencal stone house, a former convent, perfectly located between Avignon and the Luberon. You will stay in a large room and at night, relax in the garden, by the pool or meeting with fellow travelers around the barbecue, with a glass of wine.
So many things to see in less than an hour's drive from your B&B: beautiful Avignon, also referred to as “the City of Popes”, where you will visit the Palace of the Popes, the well-preserved ramparts and the old city with a private guide.
You will enjoy hilltop villages on market day, walking in the footsteps of famous painters such as Cézanne or Picasso. We will also tell you about some hidden jewels, off the beaten track, where you will stroll around charming streets or have a drink at a provencal café with locals. We can also recommend a farmer’s market and wine cellar for each day of the week!
If you are interested in history, don’t miss the Roman ruins at Arles, Orange and the Pont du Gard. We will also take you to smaller sites – less famous and much quieter.
Explore a family-owned olive oil mill, with one of the daughters. She will explain olive oil farming from the tree to the bottle. Then you will enjoy a crash course on cooking some olive oil dishes. A very Provençal experience !
Ah Paris !
On the 10th day, return the car at Avignon's train station and take a TGV high speed train to downtown Paris.
End your trip living the Parisian life for 3 nights. Comfortably accommodated in a charming boutique-hotel in the heart of the Latin Quarter, you will discover the French capital city’s must sees and hidden beauties.
Being based 10 minute walk to Notre Dame Cathedral, you can explore Paris by foot, by boat or using public transportation with different and unique itineraries we have prepared for you. We also recommend our favorite restaurants and boulangeries in different districts of the city so you’ll know where to take a break. One night, you will enjoy a high quality and quite private classical music concert in a very little church - away from the crowds. A unique night in Paris that only the locals know about, which we hope will create a great memory.
On your last day, a private driver will take you to the airport.
You will enjoy the diversity of France!
Activities included
Riviera Perfume Workshop
In one of the most famous perfume houses, be introduced to the perfume making technics and make your own fragrance - which you will keep as a great souvenir!
Private Guided Tour to Avignon
Enjoy a half-day with a local guide to discover Avignon town and stroll the Palace of the Popes. A perfect way to be introduced to Provence history & culture.
Olive Oil Experience in the Alpilles
Explore a family owned olive oil mill, with one of the daughters. She will explain the olive oil farming from the tree to the bottle. Then you will enjoy a crash course on cooking some olive oil dishes. A very Provençal experience !
Classical Music Concert in Paris
Enjoy listening to a classical music concert in one of the oldest Churches in Paris. It will be a great evening!
I communicated directly with Emilie who is very serious about their business of providing self guided tours. She prepared a proposal that matched what I had requested. Payment arrangements were easy. We really got to visit with local people. We rarely saw a tour bus. France - Just For You arranged visits with guides (wine tasting day in St. Emilion …
I communicated directly with Emilie who is very serious about their business of providing self guided tours. She prepared a proposal that matched what I had requested. Payment arrangements were easy. We really got to visit with local people. We rarely saw a tour bus. France - Just For You arranged visits with guides (wine tasting day in St. Emilion area and visit to Les Combarelles & Font de Gaume---small historic caves) to places we would never have found on our own. The guides were passionate and knowledgable. The personalized guidebook was essential as most commercially available guidebooks tell you want the author thinks is important which may not be what the reader is interested in. More than once I said ”What does Emilie's book say?” The book is laid out with more suggestions than you can do in one day. This is good because for example it was easy to adjust our plans on the day the weather turned bad. The whole package started at the airport with a car ready as promised and ended with easy car rental return. The B&Bs were exactly as described with enthusiastic hosts who were conversational in English.
Janet
We have traveled in Europe a dozen times. Our trip to France, the Loire Valley and Normandy was one of the very best. Their custom self-guided tours are based on places and activities that interest you. Emelie listened to what we wanted and created an itinerary that was just what we wanted as well as some suggestions for other things we might try …
We have traveled in Europe a dozen times. Our trip to France, the Loire Valley and Normandy was one of the very best. Their custom self-guided tours are based on places and activities that interest you. Emelie listened to what we wanted and created an itinerary that was just what we wanted as well as some suggestions for other things we might try. Emelie created a spiral bound book with information about traveling in France as well as detailed information about the B & Bs, maps, directions and all the places we planned to visit. The B & Bs were lovely old stone buildings with modern comforts. A private cooking class, a private tour of an ancient church in the mountains, and a guided tour of Normandy were features we really enjoyed. The chateaus and gardens [my personal favorites] were magnificent. Normandy was so moving. I am glad that we had a guide who spent the entire day with just us. We learned and saw so many things we would have missed on our own. We would urge you to consider France Just for You. We loved our trip and would use them again. GPS was a life saver.
Nicole
My husband and I used Emilie from France Just For You to plan a special trip for our anniversary. We loved the fact that our trip had structure, but at the same time, we had freedom to explore as we wished. We also loved the fact that the trip included guided tours, but we were not tied to a tour group as such. Emilie planned our trip according to …
My husband and I used Emilie from France Just For You to plan a special trip for our anniversary. We loved the fact that our trip had structure, but at the same time, we had freedom to explore as we wished. We also loved the fact that the trip included guided tours, but we were not tied to a tour group as such. Emilie planned our trip according to our budget as well as our interests. She helped us custom-design a trip to suit our needs and wants. We received a beautiful travel guide, especially tailor-made for us. The travel guide included our coupons/vouchers for the planned tours/activities and everything had been paid in advance, which meant no admin or fuss from our side- we just arrived at the activities and were set to go. We loved the accommodation that Emilie arranged for us. All our hosts were very welcoming and friendly. We spent some time with each different host who gave us ideas of places to visit, from a true French local's point of view. We absolutely loved this trip and would highly recommend Emilie's services for anyone wanting to make their French dreams come true!
