"Brian and I had a spectacular time in the Loire Valley with Laurent. His knowledge of Chartres cathedral was inexhaustible and didn’t we have a wonderful time at the Musée d'Orsay? He knew just how to circumvent the crowds to see the major works in the limited time we had. We loved everything about our trip including sharing our bottle of wine from Vouvray vineyard that we visited, our tour of Chambord, and sharing lunches occasionally at little cafes. We highly recommend him to travelers who really want to know Paris, the Loire Valley, and France as a whole.”  

Katie and Brian Hartwell - Grosse Ile, Michigan - May 2017.

Pat and George Stewart - Columbia, Missouri - June 2018.

April 2016? (I can't remember).

"Laurent, I just wanted to thank you for your wonderful Vincent Van Gogh tour to Auvers-sur-Oise. Kent and I really enjoyed it. Your knowledge and enthusiasm made it a special day. Seeing where he lived and painted his last days, helped me to imagine what the last part of his life was like.Thank you so much again for such a special day.”

Lainey and Kent Barber - Florida - October 2016.

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"I am an American teacher of French who has lived in the country and have now led more than 10 different student groups to Europe. I first met Laurent 15 years ago while traveling with 24 high school students through Germany, Switzerland, Italy and France. Laurent was the local guide provided by the company we were using at the time. Laurent took us to Versailles, and during that excursion, I overheard one of my students say to his friends in regards to our wonderful guide: “Man, if only this guy had been with us the whole trip!” A guide who can captivate tired teenagers at the end of an exhausting whirlwind tour of Europe? Invaluable! Since then, Laurent has worked with us every time we have come to Paris (every other spring).

I have been on countless guided tours of sites in Europe and it is easy for me to explain why Laurent is the best. First, his English is excellent – it takes no work on the part of the listener to follow, which is not the case with many French natives. Secondly, his tours are not simple recitations of facts, as one often encounters. He is a great storyteller, focusing on the most interesting aspects of a site and adapting the information to the group’s interests. His knowledge base is huge – he can answer any question you ask. Finally, he also recommends places to eat, to shop etc. that will make your visit more authentic. You will learn about how Parisians actually live. It all adds up to making you feel more like an insider in Paris and leaving with a lot more knowledge than if you visit the city without a guide.  

After trips, even years later, my students reminisce about Laurent and his tours and remember them as a highlight

of their trip to France. Knowing that Laurent is waiting for us, I always feel more relaxed and excited about bringing two dozen American teenagers to Paris!”  

J.Geisinger, French teacher - Fishers, Indiana - March 2019.

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A Knowledgeable Professional Who Quickly Became a Friend of the Family

Our family (Mom, Dad, Son, Daughter-in-law, Son, Girlfriend) arrived in Paris on a Saturday and started touring with Laurent that afternoon. We hit the streets running! Laurent quickly made us knowledgeable so we could navigate the Metro & RER (trains). And his knowledge of the areas we visited was informative, extensive and enjoyable! These were conversations, not lectures.The next day Laurent was our guide for an early morning tour at Versailles. We took the train from the station near our hotel and he shared so much history during the ride. On other days he also guided us at the Louvre, Orsay, Invalides, Montmartre. His knowledge of art history, techniques and museum highlights made each location a wonderful experience. We have a group photo with Laurent - it has become a favorite reminder of our entire trip!

We can’t say enough of Laurent’s professionalism, knowledge and ability to make us all feel at home even though we were so far away. When we return to France he will be our man. Thanks Laurent!!!

Ron & Joyce Paprocki, Jon, Kristina, Matt & Becca - Chicago, Illinois - March 2019.

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Missing Paris so much already! We all had the best time and cannot thank you enough for making our trip so incredible. It would not have been the same without you! I have attached the pictures we took with you here!

We hope to keep in touch and eventually plan a trip to the French Riviera!

Rebecca Prekwas

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It is with great delight that I have learned of LAURENT GUARIGLIA's new website offering the best service for those wishing to know the REAL France! I am writing this voluntarily, for it is my opinion that Laurent ("Larry from Paree") is the absolute BEST personal, hands-on travel guide for exploring one of the most fascinating countries on the planet. I speak from experience! I taught French for over forty years in the public schools of Vermont and New Jersey and in all that time I organized no fewer than ten student trips to France. During our 1993 trip, the sixth for me, Laurent was assigned to our group for several tours of Paris. Several things impressed me, not the least of which was his colloquial use of the English language. Although there are many English-speaking guides available in Paris, many of them accent the wrong syllables in English and speak with a non-English rhythm, which makes it hard to understand them. Not so with Laurent, whose use of English is almost native, marked with what I like to call a "Maurice-Chevalier" lilt to his speech patterns! (That reference is for you oldsters!)

Beyond his linguistic skills, I noted immediately the depth of Laurent's knowledge of art, literature, geography and history, among other attributes which go into making a superior travel guide. He impressed me especially with his knowledge of the history shared by the United States and France (yes, lest we forget, America's oldest ally!).

Aside from his superior knowledge of all things French, as well as his ability to blend other elements into his presentations, Laurent is hard-working, prompt and invariably polite. His talks are often laced with anecdotes and humorous asides. I have seen him go "beyond and above" the call of duty in his efforts to please his clients. He loves his work and takes his responsibilities seriously. I requested Laurent from his former agency during every one of my subsequent student trips to France before my retirement a few years ago. Since retirement, I have not failed to recommend him to many of my closest friends as well as to the French teacher who took my place. Every single person I advised to travel with Laurent came back praising his work; many felt they had gotten to know Paris and other areas of France extremely well.

It is in this vein that I have written this testimonial (again, I repeat, VOLUNTARILY). It has always been my belief that excellence should be recognized and Laurent's work is excellent "par excellence"!

Nicholas Andrian - Hampton, New Jersey

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“We had the best time with Laurent! It was like touring with a friend. Super knowledgeable. Entertaining. Funny. Fluid English. We have recommended him to friends and will tour with him again when we return. Highly recommended! You will not be disappointed! He’s the best!”

Brad and Chris Anthony - Chicago, Illinois - May 2018.

"I am sixty and my husband is eighty - we are in great health but my husband has some issues with eyesight that have rendered him less sure footed. We wanted to see the best of Paris, but at our own pace. After online discussions with Laurent prior to our arrival, he suggested we tour using his driver and black Mercedes SUV so we could get out and in at each stop at our own pace. Indeed on that day the driver pulled up to a historical site, we got out smack in front and after we had walked around with Laurent who would brilliantly weave together historic significance with the real story, he’d text our driver to swoop in and get us. It was the perfect way for us to see EVERYTHING in the whole of Paris without concern for parking or slowly exiting a bus full of people. We spent hours moving about the city and Laurent put it all into perspective for us. It was the perfect first time tour for anyone!

For our second day together, Laurent planned a trip to two Champagne wineries near Epernay, same way, using his driver and black Mercedes SUV. Best day ever…  sunshine, gorgeous vineyards, laughter, sipping fine champagne, a Michelin star bistro lunch… ahhhhmazzzzing.

For our third day, Laurent was a ray of light in showing us the best of the Louvre - we laughed, we learned, we discovered so much we would have missed had we not had the insider touch. I highly recommend Laurent, I could not imagine a better personal guide for this beautiful city. Laurent is your long lost cousin from France. You can email him with a short description of what you would like to do and he will put together a trip that suits your unique scenario - or tell him about yourself and he will suggest something wonderful. I now consider Laurent a good friend and I cannot stress strongly enough how much his personality and knowledge of history will add to your overall trip. Laurent Guariglia offers the ideal marriage of history and character. Bravo my friend: you leveled up our vacation to Trip of a Lifetime!”  

Susan and Ty Leach - Scottsdale, Arizona - November 2021.

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"My husband and I enjoy traveling and experiencing the culture, history and “vibe” of different destinations and have found that a private guide makes the experience so much better. Laurent is among the best we have encountered anywhere!  We had the good fortune to have Laurent as our guide for three days in France. He has an amazing ability to make history come to life as he did on our day trip to Chartres Cathedral. He offered in-depth insights on architectural design as well as the beautiful stained glass windows. In addition to his almost encyclopedic knowledge of French history, he is equally conversant in all things related to art and culture – the private tour of the Opera Garnier was one of the highlights of our time in Paris. He was incredibly gracious with his recommendations for the best places to go for dinner and cocktails . . . we got to experience French cuisine as if we were locals. We had such a wonderful time, we are planning our next trip to the South of France with Laurent!”  

Sherri and Richard Bowman - Ewing, New Jersey - December 2021.

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"I met Laurent via social media from a friend. I was headed to Paris to celebrate my sons 21st Birthday and only had five days to truly experience Paris. We wanted the best of both worlds tourist and local. Laurent made that happen and more! From the mini bus full day tour which allowed us to see all the tourist sights and get the instagram shots. 

Also on that day the Catacombs tour was so cool. His special cemetery tour was super fun too. At Versailles and The Louvre, he shared the history, the stories behind the art and made it fun. Not to mention all the great restaurant picks!

Thanks to Laurent we had a trip we will never forget. ”  

Susan and Jake Wyant - Los Angeles, California - February 2022.

“My wife Linda and I spent the better part of 5 days with Laurent in April of 2022, finally completing a visit to France that we had to cancel twice before Covid subsided enough to allow travel. It was worth the wait! Although we had both been to Paris before, we had never used a guide. This time we did and Laurent was wonderful in showing us the Louvre, Montmartre, and the Marais as well as educating us on Metro travel. A favorite was one of his specialties, the Pere Lachaise Cemetery which was a history of Paris in itself and fascinating. Laurent’s knowledge of the areas we toured including the Louvre is so extensive  that it just opened up Paris to us. We then toured the Cathedral in Chartres with Laurent on the way to see the Chateaus in the Loire Valley. The Chartres cathedral is another of Laurent’s favorites and for a good reason given its incredible history. We stayed in a beautiful rural B&B in the Loire owned by friends of Laurent which provided a great base to tour the Loire and a nice change after busy Paris. We spent two days in the Loire with Laurent seeing several Chateaus, a winery, and the charming back roads. After years of hearing about the area and passing through, we finally got an understanding of the area and its importance in French history. Much more to see than the helicopter shots from the Tour de France! Then we dropped Laurent at his train back to Paris and experienced several days of separation anxiety as we continued on to southern France without our excellent guide and convenient translator. It could be difficult to spend that much time with a guide but not with Laurent. He is a great traveling companion with a good sense of humor and never disappoints with the places you visit and things he teaches you.

We highly recommend him and hope to use him again”.

Richard & Linda Kennedy - Edmonton, Canada - April 2022.

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"It was a pleasure meeting you and the all-day-trip we spent with you was super incredible! You took us to Giverny (Monet’s House) and Auvers-sur-Oise (Van Gogh’s last address and resting place). Whenever I looked at their paintings at museums before, they were only very good art material to me, but now that you taught us so many facts and that we saw the houses, gardens and fields where they painted, we now have different perceptions of them. It was like a dream to visit those places, and without your wonderful guiding and assistance, we could not have done it. We cannot thank you enough for making our trip so memorable! Again, thank you Laurent and I will make sure to call you for another adventure with you next time we visit!"

Yoshi Kubo - Los Angeles, California - June 2022.

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"Dear Laurent. Our day tour with you to visit Vaux-le-Vicomte and Fontainebleau was an important highlight during our two-week visit to Paris. It was terrific from start to finish. You drove us around in comfort (and style!). You shared your incredible treasure trove of knowledge with us throughout the day, bringing the palaces to life. You also shared a lot of context and history that made the rest of our time in Paris more meaningful. Thank you for creating such a wonderful and memorable experience for us!"

Kim & Kevin Furlin - Belleair, Florida - September 2022.

"In researching our girls’ trip to France, I wanted us to visit the cathedral in Chartres. The problem was that the most available option was one of those large bus tours. None of us were for that option, so I persisted in looking for a private tour. One day, I came across a site: parispersonaltours. I was intrigued. The guide seemed intelligent but not pedantic, funny and even a bit irreverent at times. I shared the site with my friends, and they agreed he sounded like a winner.

I emailed Laurent and received a prompt reply. We were more than happy with our day with Laurent. We started early in Paris and he talked about the day we would have. We opted to visited the Château de Maintenon in the morning and Chartres in the afternoon and evening. We marveled that we would see a château this is seen by few - even the French. The visit to Chartres was breathtaking - having been recently renovated, the inside was so bright in comparison to my previous visits. We toured the crypt and attended vespers prior to our dinner. You might think our day was over, but we returned to the cathedral to visit the amazing illumination displays. It truly was a remarkable sight.

Throughout the day, Laurent kept us entertained with his vast knowledge of history and culture as well as numerous amusing anecdotes! If you are looking to avoid the huge tour groups and want a more personal touch, then look no further!"

Noel Lumpkin - Longview, Washington - Mary Lanza & Meredith Montgomery - Anchorage, Alaska - May 2023.

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"We had an incredible day with Laurent at Mont-St Michel and another full day in Versailles!

We could not imagine doing these special places in France without his guidance, we would be lost!

He was prepared and thorough, his service is personal, his knowledge is outstanding. He is so fun to be around!

He points out the historic significance, the inside scoop along with some of the fun "stories behind the stories!"  

We could not have imagined a better way to see these beautiful iconic places in France!!!"

Dave & Jenn McDowell - Cincinnati, Ohio - May 2023

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"Thank you for a fabulous day! Everything was wonderful and incredibly memorable!

We look forward to touring with you again."

Angela and Tom Lock - August 2023

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"Thank you for making our short time here in Paris so productive. So wonderful to understand (as much as my brain can hold) so much about a beautiful and historical city I’ve heard so much and read so much about.

Looking forward to next time (we’ll be looking for that south of France tour on your website). Thank you again!"

Sandy & David Avery - Mason, Ohio - September 2023

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"We just got back from a marvelous trip to France. Many months ago when we started to plan what we wanted to see and do on this trip, my wife and I both said, “it must include Laurent”. Our first tour with Laurent was 6 years ago and it was spectacular. The trip we just finished? More of the same. His knowledge is overwhelming of the cities, wineries, museums, etc that you want to see. But seeing those sights is only part of his tour. While en-route, he will explain

the sights and history of what you see along the way be it on foot, by train, or by car.

He is also very respectful of your time and any limitations you might have. Laurent also wants to know well in advance what your interests are so he can basically tailor the trip to his guest’s needs.

The best compliment I can give Laurent? We’re already planning our next trip with him. His passion, knowledge, and fabulous personality puts him at the top of the list of any tour guide we have ever used."

Doug & Vickie Levinson - Hawai - September 2023

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"I was lucky enough to spend a day and a half with Laurent touring Père Lachaise cemetery, Musée d'Orsay,

and the Musée Rodin. I'm an aspiring art historian, which means that Laurent was dealing with a lot of questions

and unbridled enthusiasm. He not only handled this beautifully, but he added so much to my understanding of 19th-century French art. If I had to guess, I think I learned a full semester (at least) in just two days! I am already planning my next trip to Paris, which will of course include more tours with my new friend Laurent. Thank you, sir! "

Sarah Bohl- Columbia, Missouri - March 2024

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