When I registered the name "Paris Personal Tours" back in 2000, I only had in mind to offer Paris tours because that's where my market was. But then I inherited this beautiful flat on the Riviera... and I enjoyed being able to travel in the middle of the week through France during non-official-holiday-periods (NEVER travel out of Paris on a Saturday and/or towards Paris on a Sunday) and suddenly it made the whole difference! Were I to create my company now, I would call it “Paris & France Personal Tours”, but it’s too complicated and a bit late for that now (not that it really matters anyway). 

The thing is: I’ve been conducting tours all over France for travel agents (both with tour groups or individual couples/families) for years now. I’ve even organized customized tours for some of my own clients that I previously guided in Paris and who I lured into traveling together to other parts of France with me. And not only did they have a great time, but so did I! Because there’s nothing more pleasurable for you (and for me) than to follow an itinerary which has been well conceived with not too much mileage and with lots of ravishing places to see every day!

Paris is a great city but it does nowadays sadly suffer from overtourism and, during the high season, it can quite often be excruciating to visit the Louvre or Versailles, even when you know the ropes and have skip-the-line tickets, just because of the huge crowds, the long unavoidable line for the security, the noise, the heat and the fury… And there’s SO MUCH MORE to France than just Paris! Because Paris is not representative of France (the same way New York is not representative of the U.S.).

As I grow older (but I’m not there yet!), I long for richer and more satisfactory experiences. My oxygen nowadays is to go on tour. It could be for 2 or 3 days, or for a week or two. It could be from Paris, as a continuation of your visit to the capital, or directly in the concerned area. Just give me a start and a finish date, the region and/or towns that you’re interested in, the kind of visits you want (museums, castles, gardens, quaint villages, stunning sceneries, wine tastings, the ideal tour being a combination of all that, and I’ll make a customized itinerary just for you. An itinerary that I can adapt to your aspirations and which has enough flexibility that it can be partly revised on tour according to the weather, your physical condition or your mood. Also, I’ll give you beforehand options for places to spend the night at: you will choose between big fancy hotels, small romantic hotels and occasionally some unusual independent Airbnbs. Ideally, we will stay 2 or 3 nights at the same place so that we can venture the area properly without packing and unpacking every day. But if you want to cover a lot of grounds and you always like to be on the move, it can be arranged because it’s “A la carte” travel we’re talking about!

By clicking on the pictures below, you will have samples of not-to-be-missed places in each region. Just to give you an idea of what’s potentially in stock and create your desire to visit them. Once I’ve got you interested, everything will in due time be adapted to your wishes and tailored to match your number of days and the opening days and hours of the coveted tourist sites. Just you wait and see!

Concerning the cost for those customized tours, it all depends on the number of days, the number of people (up to 3 people, we can use my car but if you are 5 or 6 I’ll need to rent a van) and the chosen accommodation. Meals won’t be included so that you can choose among my daily recommendations depending on your appetite and cravings. I can arrange gastronomic restaurants (not necessarily THAT expensive) in the evenings but I recommend quick (but good) lunches so that we make the most of our days. 

In all cases, that kind of “A la carte” private tour, starting 3 or 4 people, will cost you less than a vacation package bus tour where you and 20 to 40 other participants have to follow a fixed itinerary no matter what!