France with Friends; Tours that feel more like traveling with friends! Celebrating 32 years as a boutique tour operator, France Off the Beaten Path Tours offers a unique, immersive, and personalized travel experience for those looking to explore the hidden gems of France beyond the typical tourist experience. The company focuses on designing and delivering authentic cultural encounters and excursions, and every tour offers travelers a deeper understanding of French culture, history, people, and way of life. From time spent with local French friends, some of France's most celebrated professionals, to quaint and artist villages, spectacular countryside landscapes, private tours of historical sites, and uniquely personalized dining, France Off the Beaten Path Tours offers a truly unforgettable journey off the well-trodden tourist trail.
Written by the business, not verified by us.France Off the Beaten Path (traveloffthebeatenpath.com) has a 4.9 out of 5 rating on OK.one, based on 100 user reviews collected here. It is listed under Events & Entertainment and its reputation is excellent. Praise is nearly unanimous, with 98% rating it 4 stars or higher; The business has replied to 50% of negative reviews; 31 of them were added in the last 12 months. Last updated 2026-08-28.
Reviewers overwhelmingly had a great experience with this company. Consumers consistently share that the staff and guides are exceptionally knowledgeable, kind, and always go above and beyond to ensure everyone feels safe, welcome, and special. Visitors frequently feel that exploring destinations with them is just like traveling alongside trusted companions who deeply understand the local culture and hidden gems. Guests truly love the wonderfully planned itineraries, charming accommodations, and spectacular dining experiences filled with delicious local food and regional wine. Many people eagerly mention that these carefully curated journeys create magical memories, genuine camaraderie, and lasting connections that stay with them forever.
Auto-generated from all reviews of this business. For reference only.This was my third tour with France Off the Beaten Path. It was a masterfully curated tour: Moet et Chandon, Ruinart, Pommery, Nicolas Feuillatte. The restaurants chosen by owner, Christy Destremau, were wonderful. She goes above and beyond to deliver an amazing experience. Equally enjoyable was reconnecting with a friend from the Bordeaux tour in 2022, Peggy Gorman. Peggy and I are already planning another tour!
Christie and her team did not disappoint - again! This was our second tour with France Off the Beaten Path and will not be our last. Christie and her team made our Loire Valley vacation memorable, fun and adventurous. The itinerary was filled with food, wine, castles, laughs, history - and so much more. Christie's passion for travel is contagious and we look forward to our next trip! - Dana and Kyle
Christy's team of Philippe and Summer were amazing! Our trip to Provence was all we had hoped for and more. The itineraries were filled with opportunities to explore the art, culture, history, and food/wine of the area. It was wonderful to arrive and just lean in to all that Provence has to offer. We felt so well cared for!
There is one word to sum up our experience and that’s « Quality »! The word applies to the care we received, the guides, hotel, restaurants and places of interest. We enjoyed it all!
Absolutely everything was great! The knowledge of the region was mind boggling thanks to our tour guide Christy. What a fount of knowledge she is! And all the support staff, especially Christine, the hotel, the van rides, and the castles were superb, to say the least. And the ever-present Loire river. How perfect a setting. I would not hesitate to recommend this tour to anyone!
Our trip to Provence with "Off the Beaten Path" was nothing short of magical! Guides Philippe and Summer took such care of our small group and every detail, allowing us to experience the food, wine, culture, as well as natural & manmade beauty of this region, all with an in-depth historical background, at an intimate level. I will never forget this beautiful experience and highly recommend OTBP for anyone wanting to explore France with an incomparable focus & quality.
Wonderful balance of planned activity, free time and informative stories and insights during the ride to-from different venues. Very knowledgeable and friendly guides (Philippe & Summer) that offered very personalized experience. The selected sites and restaurants were interesting and excellent.
Loire Valley – Trip of a Lifetime My Mother and I had a mother-daughter trip with Christy and Christine of Off the Beaten Path. We both left considering more trips with Off the Beaten Path. What I loved about this opportunity was the personal touches included in the trip’s design. I really felt like I was being invited into the Amboise and Blois community with the invitations to the homes and wineries of celebrated chefs and wine makers. It’s one thing to make a restaurant reservation - it’s whole other thing to be invited to their homes for an evening or afternoon of conversation with local friends and family. I just loved hearing everyone’s stories. This trip is perfect for anyone who loves history, culinary delights, and beautiful scenery of architecture and gardens. I enjoyed the stories of the previous royals who lived in the chateaus, which stirred an interest in continued study. I also loved not having to worry about ANYTHING! Once we got to Amboise, we did not have to think about tickets, travel needs, or dining recommendations. It was so great to just have the guidance for this or to just get in the van and go. I came home with a few helpful French cooking and beverage tips – chenin blanc and crème du cassis and the perfect tarte tatin. Loved our hotel – Le Pavillion Des Lys. I hope to return there again. As they say in Louisiana – GEAUX! (Cajun French for Go). I would recommend this trip for anyone geauxing to Loire Valley! Thoughts for next time: I only had 2 thoughts: 1. I loved the stories of the history of this time period associated with the chateaus. A forever learner, I would have enjoyed a family tree or snap shop of key people included in the itinerary. During the tour, I would come back to the hotel and google at night the names of the key figures mentioned during the tours. (This was a fun finish for the day for me.) Having this document in the itinerary with names and dates of their reign would have connected a few dots prior to the amazing stories shared before the chateau tours. (That said, these stories really sparked an interest for me, and I’m going to continue to read up on these powerful women of this time. The Friends of French Studies of LSU are going to have a new recommendation for French classes. (Bios of Catherine de Medici, Marguerite De Valois, and Diane De Poitiers. Thank you for introducing me to this time period and French leaders.) 2. I’ll preface this with I LOVE CHOCOLATE! I have a sweet tooth the size of Texas and dove into the all the sweets offered at Chef Damien’s Cooking Class. He was so generous with this time and tastings that I was full for our sit-down meal. (My fault, but I went all in on the tastings to experience it all). I would have felt the same value of experiencing 1 recipe and the cheese class. I am also curious if the cheese class could be held while being seated at a table in the restaurant. I got a little overheated in the kitchen and needed to step out during the cheese class. I was glad to learn about the regions, cheeses, numbering system. Overall, this experience was lovely, and I am so thankful for you. Christy, you and Christine made us feel like family or close friends, and I’m so thankful for that – truly!
We had a group of 8 individuals comprised of nieces, aunts, sisters and a sister in law. Christy, Phillipe and Summer guided our group every day with love and care. By the end we felt they were friends. The destinations were photogenic and filled with lavender, poppies, history and beautiful scenery. The food was exceptional and a true taste of France. We are definitely considering joining Christy in the Loire Valley next!
The overall trip was nicely done. We really enjoyed the added touch given to visits to special places like Chef Antoine’s place to learn how to cook, the meat and cheese stores, the oyster farm, Saint Emilion, etc… these all now hold a special place in my heart. Our very first dinner with the group was a really nice introduction to everyone and to France in general. We enjoyed our meal overlooking the Arcachon Basin and the Pilat Dune. It was a generally nice location for everyone to get to know each other better with a great meal along with the awesome views. Yours and Hela’s relationships with the people we encountered throughout all the trips was really nice to see. It made for drama-free situations in all the locations, especially when you are hosting a big group. This is probably a result of your repeated ongoing visits that help develop your special relationships with them. We also appreciate all the information you provided prior to the trip. As for feedback on improvements, it would have been better if the tips were already included. The price was a bit high for it not to include the tips. If by chance, your guests still want to give you the added tip post completion of the vacation, this then will be a great indication of how well you did. The information provided prior to our trip set expectations on whether to tip or not and the way it was written somehow lends for the unintended quiet pressure to do so. I personally don’t mind tipping, but I want to make sure it is deserving and not out of feeling pressured. Also, it wasn’t made clear that there will be two guides. That would have been helpful to know ahead of time. As for the boat trip, I would recommend to give your guests some safety information before departing. Whenever there are any possibilities of any compromising situations, safety is key. For hiking tours with steep stair cases, there should be an exit or alternative plans for people who have physical challenges. It would be good to provide options to address any of your guest’s concerns. As for the Farewell Dinner, I personally think this could have been done at a much better location. The location of choice was a bit loud and too casual. A more intimate setup to celebrate all of our accomplished group bonding would’ve been better and would have made for a great ending! Overall, we enjoyed our Bordeaux trip with you and Hela. You are both fun and made our trip very memorable. Thank you for a wonderful trip!
We were very happy with how we were accommodated with the hotel, the transportation and the meals. Christy has designed a perfect tour of beautiful surroundings, history and culture. Phillipe and Summer, our guides are incredibly friendly and took very good care of us the entire time. They provided information about each place which added to our connection and enjoyment of the places. Our driver Phillipe2 was excellent, always friendly and drove safely. We spent the month in France, but this week with our Off the Beaten Path guides and the group stood out and we will cherish our memories of our tour always. Carrie and Bill
Second trip with France Off the Beaten Path, and both were outstanding! The destinations, experience, conversation and laughter made for an experience that exceeded expectations. Looking forward to my next trip with Christy and team!
I just came back from a most amazing tour of Provence!! It was everything I could hope for. Wonderful sights and great food and two of the best tour guides I have ever had (and I have been on a lot of trips!) To start, Christy was always responsive and helped with suggestions for our pre-trip in Marseilles. She arranged our pick up to bring us to the charming boutique hotel in Saint Remy for our 5 nights. Room was beautiful overlooking a garden. Weather was a little chilly to sit out but all the better for touring!! (We went early May which is why it wasn’t a crowded time). Philippe and Summer met us the first evening for cocktails and to lay out the next several days. Our group ended up being just the two of us with the two of them and it was so appreciated that Christy didn’t cancel our tour but let us have the most private of experiences. We started off with a spectacular dinner with their private chef and friend and ended with an extra tour of Avignon since we had extra time. The days in between were full of surprises and beauty and Philippe and Summer did everything they could to make it perfect for us. They added in some special things that we would like since it was just the two of us and that was so thoughtful and fun!! The meals that were provided were top notch and great wines to go with every meal. I am ready to go on another one of their tours very soon!!! Thank you all for wonderful memories. AND Summer for taking all those videos and pictures during our tours and Christy for passing them on to us. That was the piece de resistance.
Off the Beaten Path is an exceptional company providing the traveler with a singular experience. This Loire Valley tour was the second we’ve taken with Christy’s company. All the tours are kept small to ensure a personalized experience. Accommodations are first rate, small boutique hotels. Breakfast buffets are typically French: yummy croissants, fresh fruits, yogurts, coffee/tea. Dietary restrictions can be accommodated. In the Loire Valley, Christy has a notable depth of knowledge regarding all the chateaux we visit, not only the general info but also some juicy little facts not found in the history books. She also invites her wonderful friends to enhance the tour with a vine and wine lunch at a local vineyard; lessons in cheese, chocolate and spring roll making in a local restaurant kitchen with dinner following; and finally a dinner in the private gardens and home of a distinguished Chef. These special excursions enhance the superb quality of this tour. Always along to assist with chauffeur duties, pictures and logistics during the entire tour are the ever smiling Remi and sunny Summer. We thoroughly enjoyed the camaraderie amongst the other guests, as well as with our hosts. One useful suggestion: pack light. This is a casual tour. Bring good walking shoes, a light rain jacket/sweater, an umbrella, a hat and your good humor.
The standard of accomodation, food, transport and the fun times exceeded expectations. We attended the Loire Valley Tour in September 2022 and were delighted. It was great to stay in one hotel and have outings each day to places I never would have been able to organise myself. I would do another tour with France OTBP.
Once in a lifetime trip! Wonderful experiences on guided tours AND enough time for yourself to explore. Felt safe at all times and no pressure to do or not do any of the planned activities. Our guides felt like family by the end of our time together. So many cherished memories... I highly recommend!
This tour provides a sensual and intimate Provençal experience. Of course there's iconic Provence, with walks through lavender and sunflower fields and rocky vineyards that yield some of the world's finest wines. But OTBP goes beyond the surface to show the many faces of Provence: from the azure seaside to vermillion cliffside villages; Roman ruins and Van Gogh's footpaths; gourmet meals served elegantly at favorite restaurants, countryside picnic and even the chef's own home. Through expert tour design and exquisite implementation, I never felt rushed. Christy and her team--in Provence it is the "two Philippes" and Summer--work seamlessly together to provide a comprehensive and memorable Provençal experience.
This was a trip of a lifetime! Everything was superb. Gourmet meals. Active, but not-rushed, schedule. And, of course, wonderful wine. Most important, though, our guides Philippe and Summer (as well as our driver, Philippe… yes, two Philippes!) were knowledgeable, fun, and accommodating. They even provided a special last night dinner birthday celebration upon request. Beyond!
Phillipe and Summer were absolutely fabulous. The issue we had is this was really a 4 1/2 tour. They picked you up at 4 pm on the first day and dropped you off by 9 am on the 6th day. So in essence, it is not a 6 day tour.
As a Business owner, I know that my employees are the face of my company. OTBP is blessed to have Phillipe and Summer on the team. They went above and beyond in making sure everyone was taken care of. They made for a most memorable experience. Heidi and Jack Burgoyne
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