My husband and I have both been to Europe multiple times in our school/college days but not since we've been married- so over 19 years! We finally got it together to plan a return …
My husband and I have both been to Europe multiple times in our school/college days but not since we've been married- so over 19 years! We finally got it together to plan a return trip together. Since it had been so long we weren't confident in planning it on our own but didn't want to be hearded around like cattle. Anyway, we found Emilie and she made our trip more than amazing! Absolutely one on one attention, custom just for us and no detail overlooked. We felt everything was covered from tips on visiting France to suggestions on EVERYTHING!
We spent three weeks and drove a counter-clockwise route around the country with stops in: Loire Valley, Bordeaux, Dordogne, Carcasonne, Provence, Burgundy and Paris. From car and cell phone pick up at the airport to accomodations, drive times, suggestions on where to eat, activities, admission fees...Emilie covered it all.
In addition you get a beautiful travel size book (or two!) with pictures, tips, itinerary, contact info and anything else you might need for a successful trip.
We even contacted her because we were running late for a scheduled activity. She got in touch with the venue and gave us an alternate time to participate.
All accommodations were beautiful with friendly hosts. Car was great with full insurance. Full cell service with texting.
Can't say enough about France Just For You. An absolute gem for foreigners travelling to France.
#1 - A quiet town house in the heart of Beaune, Burgundy100 meters from the Hospices of Beaune
#1 - A quiet town house in the heart of Beaune, BurgundyA charming B&B with comfortable, fully equipped rooms...
#1 - A quiet town house in the heart of Beaune, Burgundy...lovely hosts and delicious breakfasts !
#1 - A quiet town house in the heart of Beaune, BurgundyRelax in a cool garden, right in town
#2 - A 4* Boutique-Hotel in the little venice in Colmar, AlsaceStay in the heart of Colmar historical district
#2 - A 4* Boutique-Hotel in the little venice in Colmar, AlsaceEnjoy the Little Venice ambiance
#2 - A 4* Boutique-Hotel in the little venice in Colmar, AlsaceEnjoy a very comfortable room
#2 - A 4* Boutique-Hotel in the little venice in Colmar, Alsaceand why not a drink at the bar or dinner in a nearby Winstub !
#3 - A working Champagne winery, run by the same family for 7 generationsYour B&B is nestled in a lovely Champagne village
#3 - A working Champagne winery, run by the same family for 7 generationsYour suite-room is very large, with a sitting area separate from the bedroom
#3 - A working Champagne winery, run by the same family for 7 generationswith a nice old tile style bathroom
#3 - A working Champagne winery, run by the same family for 7 generationsEnjoy a Champagne tasting with your friendly hostess
Step by step
Burgundy from Beaune
From Paris, drive about 3 hours to Beaune, Burgundy where you will spend the first 3 nights of your trip.
You will reside 2 minutes on foot from the famous Hospices, right next to Beaune's ramparts, in a old toll house dating from the Middle Ages when people had to pay to enter the city, which has been tastefully restored.
Enjoy being able to walk everywhere while staying in this quiet B&B nestled in a cool garden. We'll tell you where to go for the best wine tasting in Beaune. After that, you can savor a traditional Burgundy meal or buy a picnic at the market to enjoy in the nearby park.
Apart from the vineyards, we will show you how to exit the beaten track and discover the authentic and charming Burgundy. Winding roads leading to tiny timeless villages - some of them "Most Beautiful Villages of France" - will give you a real feel for this region. Taste some local cheeses, the "Epoisse" at the cheese factory or uncover the mysteries of the famous Ducs de Bourgogne in Dijon.
For the "Gourmets", you will meet with Olivier who was a chef in star-rated restaurants. He will teach you how to cook some typical Burgundy dishes revised to make them some very sophisticated courses. A great cooking class !
Alsace's lovely towns & vineyards
Your next step is in Alsace: spend 4 nights in the very heart of Colmar, little Venice district...get your camera ready !
Discover the gorgeous town of Colmar, its canal maybe on a barge tour and enjoy a meal in a typical Winstub with a nice beer.
Another day, drive along the Alsatian Wine Road, stop in some of the most beautiful villages of France with their typical colorful half-timbered houses and the stork nests . . . enjoy the Alsatian wines visiting a family-run winery and tasting 3 of their white wines paired with local products.
Alsace has also a very rich history : we include cut-the-line tickets to the Haut-Koenigsbourg castle which dates from the Middle Ages and was rebuilt entirely in the early 20th century. This is a fascinating visit.
Reims & the Champagne region
End your trip for 2 nights in a family-owned Champagne winery. From here, you are perfectly located to enjoy Champagne wines and tour the beautiful historic old town of Reims.
Enjoy a special visit to the Champagne winery where you are staying, followed of course by a nice Champagne tasting ! After this, champagne will never have the same taste when you have it at home.
We will also recommend Champagne wineries you can visit on your own, as well as some local attractions including fossils, belle epoque architecture, a lively food market and many restaurants from simple fare to 3 stars with the Michelin guide.
From Champagne, you can easily reach Paris CDG airport or Paris in 1hr30 drive.
You will visit on this tour the most famous regions for white wines !
Activities included
Burgundy Cooking Class
Meet with Olivier who was a Chef in star rated restaurants. He will teach you how to cook some typical Burgundy dishes revised to make them some very sophisticated courses.
Haut-Koenigsbourg Castle
Enjoy the visit of the Haut-Koenisbourg fortress with cut-the-line tickets to avoid waiting. This is a Middleages marvel rebuilt in the early 20th century.
Champagne Visit & Tasting
Enjoy a special visit of the Champagne house where you will stay and of course...a nice Champagne tasting !
Winery Visit & Tasting in Alsace
Visit a family-run wine estate on the Alsace Wine Trail, run by the 3rd generation.
Enjoy a commented tasting of the wines with some local-product snacks.
There are not enough superlatives, or kind words, to describe the level of service Emilie, with France Just for You, provided us from the moment we contacted her, throughout our trip, and even her thoughtful emails upon our return. We contacted Emilie with a list of all the places we wished to go, the things we hoped to do, and our budget. We …
There are not enough superlatives, or kind words, to describe the level of service Emilie, with France Just for You, provided us from the moment we contacted her, throughout our trip, and even her thoughtful emails upon our return. We contacted Emilie with a list of all the places we wished to go, the things we hoped to do, and our budget. We exchanged several emails (Emilie’s response time was always immediate) and, within a couple of days, Emilie created an amazing itinerary for our 2 week stay in France that allowed us to do everything we hoped for and several things we would not have thought about on our own. Emilie is an incredible listener which was very evident when we received our itinerary. She had arranged for everything including a French Smartphone with Google Maps, a rental car, skip-the-line tickets, a stay in a castle, wine tastings, etc. All of our accommodations were superb with hosts that spoke fluent English, were very knowledgeable about their area, and had great suggestions from restaurants to local “must do’s” and everything in-between. When Emilie says she has visited all of the accommodations in person, she means it. Each host talked very highly of Emilie and reminisced about her visits. From the moment we stepped off the plane in Paris, we knew we were in for a great experience. Emilie’s detailed notes (all in a spiral bound, 400+ page book with our itinerary, addresses, suggestions,etc.) on where to pick up our French Smart Phone (an absolute must and one of our best friends during our visit - loaded with our tailored book and several other great programs) and then our rental car, made the start to our journey very easy - relatively important to us since neither one of us spoke more than 10 words of French. We had the privilege of meeting up with Emilie in her hometown and she was just as delightful in person as we experienced with our email exchanges over the last few months. While the trains were sporadically on strike, depending on the day, Emilie was there to follow the schedule and be ready to make an alternative plan for us if needed. When we hit a small snag turning in our rental car, Emilie was right there to figure things out and get us on our way. We’ve traveled quite a bit, yet we both thought this to be our Best Trip Ever. Thank you Emilie and France Just for You!
Wendy & Ron
We could not be happier. When we first received the guide book and brochures, we thought we would not need them, but they were invaluable! Our first stay with Florence and Phil was especially memorable but really we cannot think of a highlight because it was all wonderful. We will certainly recommend your company to anyone we know travelling to …
We could not be happier. When we first received the guide book and brochures, we thought we would not need them, but they were invaluable!
Our first stay with Florence and Phil was especially memorable but really we cannot think of a highlight because it was all wonderful. We will certainly recommend your company to anyone we know travelling to France.
We will send you nice photos when we get back home.
Beth & Jim
We are a couple that contacted Emilie at France Just For You and her responsiveness and services were excellent. She and her husband listened very carefully to our stated interests and followed up with us in a very personal way. As independent travelers who work, we did not have time to fully plan a trip to the Dordogne region of France which was …
We are a couple that contacted Emilie at France Just For You and her responsiveness and services were excellent. She and her husband listened very carefully to our stated interests and followed up with us in a very personal way. As independent travelers who work, we did not have time to fully plan a trip to the Dordogne region of France which was not familiar to us and Emilie made the planning process very efficient! We would recommend the services of this company to anyone!
