Kimkim Trip Reviews for France

I had a wonderful time on our trip. Alexia delivered the perfect combination of excursions and down time so that my daughter an I could explore on our own. Our Via Ferrata experience was beautiful and challenging and a definite highlight of our trip. The E bike tour of Marseille is a must and the guide was very knowledgeable and friendly, switching easily between French and English. Our only regret is that we could not stay longer! We look forward to visiting France and using Alexia again!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Florence Nice

Nice

This hotel was perfect for our stay in Nice. It was close to the old city and the waterfront and had a great petit dejunier.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Casa Ortega

Marseille

This little bed and breakfast is a gem. My room was sparkling clean and the bathroom was updated. The breakfast was good and had a typical selection. The owner of the hotel was as nice as she could be and was very helpful giving me directions and suggestions for my time in Marseille.

Authenticity & Character

Location

It is close to the train station which is perfect but is a slight hike through a few sketchy streets to the waterfront.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Riviera Discovery Cruise: Mala Cave to Villefranche

Nice

Aperitif Cruise with Champagne

Paris

This was a very crowded cruise and all drinks must be paid for. From the description it made it sound like there was a free drink but there was no. That said, it is always nice to take a trip along the Seine and this was a small thing.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Via Ferrata Experience

France

Jordi our guide was calm and steady. He was very knowledgeable and comfortable in his guiding and made our experience wonderful. He always knew we could do it! This is a beautiful view and trip in nature for the day.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Morning food and wine tour

France

Nadia, our guide, was lovely. She was so knowledgeable and made sure that we sampled every food that we were interested in. She was very tuned in to our personal needs ( need a coffee, or bathroom break) and we never felt rushed or that we were getting a "canned" experience. It felt fresh and new, just for us.

Quality of Experience

Food

Everywhere we went we had samples!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

City Excursion by E-Bike

Marseille

What a great family and cafe. The owner and his wife Helen were so friendly and helpful during my stay.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I cannot imagine a better series of memorable adventures than the ones planned for us by KimKim/France by Locals and our consultant Amandine ... nor can I imagine that I could have had the same results trying to plan on my own. I selected the town of St Jean PIed de Port just based on having seen a Rick Steves video about it, but their choice of Hotel des Pyrenees was ideally located, exceptionally appointed and comfortable, and featured a Michelin Guide restaurant where, on a rainy night, we enjoyed the best meal of our lives as the only guests. Yannick was our maitre'd, our waiter for dinner and breakfasts, and our guide to travel around the area. When we arrived on Saturday night, Sondrien helped us to find the parking garage and came out in the rain to assist with luggage. The hotel looks like a place Cervantes might have visited, but the rooms have all been redone and are modern, spacious and comfortable with wonderful baths.

I have a vivid imagination, but when I asked for a Bordeaux vineyard experience I could not have adequately envisioned the magical medieval town of St. Emilion, rising up in the middle of vineyards dotted with magnificent chateaux, nor that we would be staying in a former chateau turned comfortable and welcoming B&B LaGomerie, with host Jean-Francois and Jessica and the sweet beagle Paco to greet us and see to our every comfort. From there we walked through newly blooming vineyards to the town, enjoyed two fantastic dinners in restaurants there, but the real highlight was our 5-hour e-bike tour of the vineyards and wine tasting at two chateaux with Rustic Vines. Our guide, Pauline, a trained sommelier, became a friend as she led us on a sunny day I hope I'll never forget and tutored us in everything from vines to wines, answering our thousand questions with patience and charm. The picnic under the trees at Chateau Moncet was a pinnacle experience.

Then, Brittany! The whole point of returning to France was to see St. Malo and Mont St-Michele, and Amandine wisely lodged us in the magnificent Royal Emeraude Hotel in Dinard, just across the bay from St. Malo. We were steps to the sandy ocean beach, the fantastic shops, the market and restaurants, and a quick drive to St. Malo (or you can take a boat across). We loved St Malo, but agreed that Dinard was the better choice for exploring the region, and I would not have known that, but Amandine did.

I read the reviews from people who thought it was expensive to use local experts, but I disagree. I would have used up hours exploring the plethora of choices on the internet, and I would never have known to select the locations, or the properties, that made for a perfect experience. And once we landed we had support every step of the way, via text, whatsapp, and phone (and I used all 3). I had one chance to see the south and west of France, and I am so glad I found KimKim, and they found France by Locals. Merci beau coup, Amandine! A bientot!

Activity Review

Half-day wine and bike guided tour

Saint Emilion

Justine Edelin did a splendid job of arranging our visit to our compete satisfaction. She found destinations that we were unaware of that were perfect for us. She responded promptly to my concerns during the trip. Justine provided us with a trip that was much better than I could have arranged by myself. Splendid job !

Hotel Reviews

Best Western Plus Hotel Divona Cahors

Cahors

Modern hotel right on the River Lot. The balcony was perfect for drying the clothes we had washed in the sink. Free parking on site. A walking trail along then river is just below the hotel grounds. Very good breakfast buffet.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Mercure Figeac Viguier du Roy

46100

A very modern interior concealed within a very old building on a narrow street in the heart of Figeac. Free parking is several blocks up hill. Spacious comfortable room.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Montaigne

Sarlat-la-Caneda

Very noce hotel on tnę edge of the old quarter of Sarlat. Spacious comfortable room. Parking can be a problem. A free parking lot is 20 minutes walk up the hill.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hôtel Parc Saint Séverin

Paris

A sweet small hotel in the Latin Quarter. Close to the Isle de La Cité and to Shakespeare and Company.

Authenticity & Character

Location

in the Latin Quarter. Close to the Isle de La Cité and to Shakespeare and Company.

Staff

welcoming and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Guided tour of Figeac

Figeac

Our guide knows everything about local history. She pointed out the fascinating museum of J-F Champollion, who used the Rosetta Sone to learn to read Egyptian hieroglyphics for the first time.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Excursion to Rocamadour and Padirac chasm

France

Or driver / guide was very informative and a safe driver.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Paleolithic art in the Dordogne and truffle farm

Sarlat

Lascaux IV and the Museum in Les Eyzies are not to be missed. The guides were very good.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Informative and a safe driver.

Transport

Sarlat Market & Dordogne Culinary Tour : A Taste of Local Flavors

France

Our ,local guide was informative and helpful.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Lucie planned an incredible and unforgettable trip to France for my family: 2 adults and 2 children, 11 and 9. She listened to what we were looking for and took time to find the right accommodations to make us most comfortable abroad. The best part of this trip were the outstanding guides and tours that were private/small group allowing easy travel through the sights. What stands out most: Sidecar tour in Paris! Must do! Amazing way to see the sights. Normandy American Cemetery and tour and visiting and biking through Honfluer. Scavenger hunt in the Louvre was a great way to avoid lines and crowds and engage young children. Loved working with Lucie as she was local and able to communicate in real time while we were there.

Hotel Reviews

Renaissance Paris Nobel Tour Eiffel Hotel

Paris

Beautiful hotel in a great neighborhood! Very spacious rooms for Europe!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Le Castel & Au Loup

Bayeux

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Paris Marriott Opera Ambassador

75009

Fabulous hotel in beautiful neighborhood! Quick walk to Eiffel Tower. Many room options for families and great breakfat.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Self-Guided Visit of the Eiffel Tower with Access to the Summit (Entrance Tickets included)

Paris

Very easy to navigate into the tower and a great experience!

Quality of Experience

A day at the Mont Saint Michel with a small group

Bayeux

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day excursion to Honfleur and Deauville, from Bayeux

Bayeux

Beautifully and personally tailored excursion day!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Jeremy was an amazing guide!

Transport

Half-day visit of D-day beaches afternoon - U.S. sector (group tour)

Bayeux

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Lucie was an incredible guide!

Transport

Half-day trip to Giverny and Monet’s Garden

France

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

French Croissant Baking Class

Paris

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Louvre Treasure Hunt

Paris

Amazingly engaging for children. Great to be able to skip line to the museum and get right in!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Adventure aboard an authentic sidecar to uncover Paris

Paris

Best experience ever! Perfect tour for anyone!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Trips were good. The jeep tour was good but missed a lot of important stops to make, just was 3 hours. Missed alot

Hotel Reviews

Manoir de la Maison Blanche

Ambosie

Most beautiful place. Location good

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Le Petit Matin

Bayeux

Great location great host

Authenticity & Character

Location

Clean, helpful great location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Exclusive visit and tasting at the Pavillon Fines Bulles

Amboise

Quality of Experience

F

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Loire Valley Hot-Air Balloon Flight

Amboise

Quality of Experience

M

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Normandy Foodie Experience by E-Bike

Bayeux

Quality of Experience

F

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private WWII Jeep Experience

Bayeux

Missed to much. Guide was great Knowledge was great jeep was fun, but we missed museum, cemetery, cliffs

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our guide the first day was very good and responsive to our requests, however she said that we could not go to Sacre Coeur as it was too far out for that tour. She did help us buy our passes for public transportation that day which was helpful and took us to a very nice ice cream place near Notre Dame for scrumptious ice cream before heading out to our hotel. The luncheon cruise on the Seine was very nice. The later visit to the Eiffel Tour was set for 6:30 pm and probably could have been made for an earlier time as the luncheon cruise was over about 3:30 pm. We were not allowed to enter the tower until our time, and it was cold and windy that day with not many options for waiting inside in a warmer place. We did not spend much time at the tower once it was our turn to go up. Wednesday was a tour to Giverny and Versailles with lunch included. I do not know much about what might be available to book from where we were staying at the Marriott Village Disney, but it seems it would have made more sense to book us a tour that left from near our hotel rather than one leaving from Paris at 8:15 am requesting us to be there 15 minutes early. We decided we needed a driver to pick us up at 6 am from our hotel rather than using the public transportation to get there on time. He got us there in plenty of time. We even had time to go to a nearby cafe and have a drink and some food. The booking place was not too impressive. No one was there even after our cafe visit, and we had to stand around on the sidewalk until someone got there who unlocked the door. There were several people also waiting, and each group was given a different color card to designate what van they would take. Our driver was OK, but we encountered a detour that went quite a bit out of the way, so we were late to the restaurant for lunch, and the food (chicken) was very dry. Then the van did not start right away after lunch, but he got it going and we headed to Versailles. The tour of the palace was OK but lots of other tourists and crowded. He told us some things different from what our tour guide three years ago told us. The afternoon was rainy and cold, so we did not go into the gardens. There was not much of a place to get a warm drink and wait out the time until we were to meet at the van. Then we got back to the booking company (Paris Trip, I think was the name. It was located in a small store front.) and no driver to take us back to our hotel was waiting. We had thought we had booked a driver for to and from the hotel, but evidently that is not what Lucie had understood, so my niece got us an Uber which was 100 Euros. Thankfully he was close and got there quickly. Overall, it seemed that Lucie and her colleagues were not as responsive to our needs as the KimKim representative we had 3 years ago was when my sister and I visited Paris.

All the guides were absolutely perfect. The stand out guide was our guide to Normandy. He did such an excellent job. It was a little disappointing that the Eiffel Tower was closed up top, but you guys gave me a refund which was nice. Especially since it wasn’t your fault.

Activity Reviews

Moulin Rouge Evening Performance with Dinner

Paris

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit the Royal Versailles with a small group

Paris

He did a great job. Give us great conversation, but we did feel a little rushed. I think his intention was to try to get us to beat all the crowds, but it came across was very rushed. Also, I was a little disappointed that we only visited a few rooms.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore Mont Saint-Michel & Sip Normandy Cider

Paris

This was by far our favorite. And our guide did such a wonderful job. He gave us a great conversation.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

He did an absolute fabulous job

Transport

Guided visit of Montmartre

Paris

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided visit of the Louvre museum

Paris

Quality of Experience

lol

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Seine river dinner cruise

Paris

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Self-Guided Visit of the Eiffel Tower with Access to the Summit (Entrance Tickets included)

Paris

Unfortunately, it was closed up top.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Spent a fantastic week in Paris planned by Audrey. She was so helpful in listening to what we wanted to explore and helping to make it a reality. Blue Fox Travel was a great company for our one day trip to Normandy with Antoine and our other to taste champagne with Matthew. Both tours were educational and fun with great hosts. Hotel Lorette’s rooms were well sized, comfortable, and it was a nice perk to be able to visit their other locations when needing a break while walking around the city. Would absolutely recommend the Seine River cruise, going atop the Arc de Triomphe, and taking a food tour around Paris.

Hotel Review

Hôtel Lorette - Astotel

Paris

Hotel Lorette’s rooms were well sized, comfortable, and it was a nice perk to be able to visit their other locations when needing a break while walking around the city. Nicely located nearby the metro, grocery store, pharmacy and many wonderful restaurants.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to metro, grocery, and pharmacy.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Super clean and comfortable

Activity Reviews

Gourmet food tour in Saint-Germain-des-Prés

Paris

We had the most delicious food on this tour! Was so interesting to learn about not only the food but also the skilled artisans. Felt personalized and not rushed. We were full after!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Full-day excursion from Paris of D-day beaches - U.S. sector

Paris

So happy we went in the off season to learn about D Day and visit the historic sites and museum. There was so much to learn and our guide Antoine was a wealth of knowledge. Absolutely worth it.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Antoine (Anthony)

Transport

Small group was really nice

Unveiling Masterpieces at the Louvre Museum

Paris

You really could spend all day at the Louve. Iconic for a reason

Quality of Experience

Self-Guided Visit of Arc de Triomphe (Entrance Tickets)

Paris

Amazing views of the city. Very easy to do on your own. Look for the signs to go under the ground to the Arc as you cannot dodge traffic.

Quality of Experience

Reims Tour Champagne (small group tour)

Paris

Very interesting to learn about champagne, Dom P, and visit multiple champagne houses. Appreciated being able to see both large and small scale production. Nice there was no pressure to purchase, only enjoy the day. Lunch in Epernay was also nice. Our guide Matthieu was knowledgeable, easy to understand, and fun.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Matthieu

Transport

Seine River Cruise

Paris

Absolute must for anyone visiting the city for the first time. Easy way to see the big attraction sites. Bundle up as being on the water is always a bit chilly (have done this at night both in March and June).

Quality of Experience

Transport

Mathilde was wonderful and knowledgeable through out the planning process! She checked in regularly and made sure we had everything we needed before we left. The entire team was wonderful and attentive during our trip as well. Figuring out WhatsApp made day-to-day questions and concerns easy to deal with.
Our family loved all of the activities that were planned especially our Colosseum tour in Rome and paragliding in Switzerland!

Hotel Review

Sunstar Hotel & SPA Grindelwald

Grindelwald

Amazing views and hospitality, we loved our stay!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Amazing mountain views!

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

American D-Day Full Day Tour (Private tour)

Bayeux

This tour was amazing! Our guide was knowledgeable and we could tell he was passionate about the area and it's history. We learned so much extra history and it was an honor to stand on the beaches and visit the cemetery- our guide even made sure to time the tour so that we were able to experience the flag lowering cemetery at the Normandy American Cemetery. It was quite a special day.

Quality of Experience

Our guides knowledge and passion for the history and area

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Comfortable van, great pace- we never felt rushed

Transport

Paragliding Big Blue Winter

Switzerland

AMAZING!!! This was our family's favorite activity- everything from the beautiful drive up the mountain to the soft landing in the park was more than we ever could have imagined! Our pilots were great- they let some of us float and did tricks and spins with our more adventurous kids.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Beautiful drive!

First Entry Private Colosseum & Roman Forum Tour with Special Arena Access

Rome

This tour was amazing! Our tour guide was so knowledgeable- she was an archeologist so it felt like we were getting an extra history lesson with our tour!

Private Rome Golf Cart Tour

Rome

The best way to see Rome and save your feet! We saw so many sights and learned so much history, our tour guide was great- funny and knowledgeable.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Audrey was absolutely fantastic to work with and really listened to all of our ideas and wants for the perfect French vacation. We loved every second of the trip. It was nice that we didn't have to think about any of the details as Audrey took care of it all. We were able to just enjoy traveling and spending time as a family. We would definitely use KimKim again.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Le Clos d'Amboise

Amboise

This was a hidden gem tucked away in Amboise. It was very clean and well appointed. We had plenty of space for our family of four. The staff was incredibly friendly and the breakfast was amazing. The yard also looked beautiful. We all wished it had been a bit warmer to hand outside and use the pool.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Amboise is adorable and very easy to walk to everything

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Chateau de Bellefontaine

Bayeux

This was a great fit for our family of four. We had plenty of space to relax and spread out. The swing set was a big hit with my son. We enjoyed the bar and breakfast too. It was in a great location – very close to the town center but also remote and quiet.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Versailles Bike Tour

Paris

The bike tour of Versailles was an unexpected highlight of our trip! We did this on our last day of vacation, and I had reservations about spending so much time at Versailles. I am so glad we did it. The bike ride was a lot of fun and helped us feel active. Plus we got to see parts of the palace that we definitely would not have seen otherwise. Our guide was a lot of fun and gave us so much historic information. Marie Antionette's hamlet was spectacular. We got lost (in a good way) in her gardens and had so much fun. The farmers market in town was one of our favorite parts of the trip. We bought so much local food: cheese, fruit, meat and bread, and then enjoyed it in the palace gardens. I would highly recommend this activity.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide was fun and knowledgeable.

Caves Ambacia - Visit & wine tasting

Amboise

This was a perfect wine tasting for our family of four. My husband and I wanted to experience at least one wine tasting, but since we travelled with our children we knew it would be hard. This was a great stop and scratched the wine-tasting itch. The guide was fun and knowledgeable and he kept our kids engaged as well.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Tour of D-Day Sites

France

Our day of exploring the D-Day sites was spectacular. This was the highlight of the trip for my 10 year old son and husband. However, my daughter and I also thoroughly enjoyed it. Our guide, Manon, was very knowledgeable and made us have fun. She realized how much my son loved WWII and really talked to him about all the facts and history. The weather was spectacular, and because we visited in March the sites were not busy at all. We were able to explore bunkers, walk on the beach, and see some of the small towns. It was an emotional day but we all enjoyed it. I learned so much and have a greater respect for this part of history now.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Manon was incredible.

Transport

It was a long day but the drives were great. We were able to see a lot from the car as well.

Visit of Sainte-Chapelle

Paris

We weren't sure we wanted to see another chapel after the Notre Dame, but are so happy we did. Audrey encouraged us to stop by this breathtaking church. It did not dissapoint! Sainte-Chapelle is absolutely breathtaking. It was also a quick visit.

Quality of Experience

Louvre Museum Treasure Hunt

Paris

The Louvre Treasure Hunt was a highlight of our trip! Our guide was incredibly knowledgeable and kept our kids (ages 13 and 10) engaged the whole time. She realized how interested our kids were and spent extra time with them. The treasure hunt was a fun addition and helped keep the kids happy and focused. They even won a game at the end of the hunt. We were able to see all the BIG highlights of the museum in a good amount of time.

Quality of Experience

Our guide was amazing and fun.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Seine River Cruise

Paris

My whole family was a bit iffy about adding this on our first night, but it was perfect. It kept us awake after the long flight from America, but was also relaxing. We shared a glass of wine and juice and enjoyed the scenery. The sunset was incredible.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Self-Guided Visit of the Eiffel Tower with Access to the Summit (Entrance Tickets included)

Paris

This was a perfect first day activity for our family. We all loved it more than expected. The weather was PERFECT. Our kids were blown away with the architecture and visiting the top floor. We only wish we had a little more time.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

NA

Was a good trip overall, one of that tour guides was not super knowledgeable about where we going, or how to use the metro to get there. At one point he jumped on the metro with few seconds to spare we followed him on quickly assuming everyone had enough time to get in the train. However one of my son’s got left behind as the doors closed before he could get on.

All drivers were pleasant and on time.

We loved the bike ride in Aix. The guide and her intern on the guided hike in Antibes was amazing and knowledgeable. The - Mimosa Festival was great except it started seventy minutes late.
- Hotels - All three hotels had great service.
- The Winery Hotel and Tour didn't suit us. It seemed too early in their season for guests. If we had kids or grandkids it would have been spot on. We know it was a family-friendly venue. It seemed they were still in their "training phrase" with staff, and it showed.
- Nice Carnival - we wish we had been informed and were given information to purchase tickets for the amazing carnival that was centered six blocks from our hotel.
- The Citron Carnival was incredible!
- The guide for the Food Tour in Nice was the best. A visitor/guest could not ask for a better experience with a persoable and knowledable guide. She was just amazing!
- Rental Car - once we were in Nice, we did not need the rental car. It was much, much better and easier for us to Uber to locations or take the train, especially with the large events we attended.

Activity Reviews

Enjoy the Chateau Saint-Roux

France

The hotel was terrific. We loved the two rooms. I would suggest you have more guest-friendly way to get bags to the rooms. Dragging our bags over the cobblestone walk was not fun and not good for the luggage wheels. I mentioned earlier that this seemed very early season as it was obvious there were staff still in training.

Visit and Wine Tasting at Château Saint Roux

France

The intern guide gave us the tour and wine tasting. He was amazing and knowledgeable. Unfortunately, he was also taking care of the counter. Many people came in and he was the only staff available to answer questions, so the time with us (the tour) was interrupted often. Our guide felt bad and apologized, then continued on professionally and graciously.

E-Bike Tour Along Cezanne's Route

Aix-en-Provence

This was a lot for a beginner biker, but our guide spent time with each of the riders in the group to know their capabilities. He as a great guide. We're pretty sure he owned the business. A great experience overall!

Sunset Hike & Aperitif in the Esterel Massif

France

This wasn't the location were expecting to go to, however the guide was amazing. We were given incredible information about he region, as well as her personal climbing experience, knowledge about nature, and she shared snacks and told us about the seasonal traditions for food.

Food tour Nice - Apero time

Nice

She was a well-known local and was extremely knowledgeable. She took us to a small local business that gave us information about food and wines. She told us about local traditions for food and shared pastries that were available only a this time of year.

Liz, Diliana, and the whole team helped us plan the perfect trip. We felt heard, supported, and in safe care from the beginning planning stages all the way to our arrival back home. It was so incredibly nice to have our trip organized by day, tickets available in one place, and clear instructions/directions on where to meet for different experiences we had planned. The team really provided a stress-free experience! I cannot say enough how valuable that is to me! In the rare instance that I needed to reach out to them, they were responsive and helpful. This is my third trip planned with KimKim and I'll be planning more. A++ service and professionalism.

Hotel Review

Hotel Brighton

Paris

Beautiful hotel, delicious breakfast, enchanting, friendly staff. Wonderfully located!

Authenticity & Character

Location

In the first district - short walk to the Luvre - generally centrally located.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Self Guided NIGHT Experience of the Louvre Museum (Entrance Tickets Included)

Paris

Moulin Rouge Evening Performance with Dinner

Paris

So entertaining - iconic experience! We had a wonderful evening.

Food

Eiffel Tower Stair Climb with Optional Summit Access

Paris

Great guide - personable and informative. We learned so much! We are so glad we did this - it's a breathtaking experience to be at the top! Crazy views of Paris. Great excercise climbing up the steps the 2nd level! We earned our croissants. :)

Guides, Drivers and Staff

It was our first time in Paris, so having the guide with us talking about the history of France and specifically all the interesting facts about the Tower was wonderful.

Caves du Louvre Wine & Cheese Tasting Experience

Paris

Such a fun experience! Pierre was the best sommelier for us. He was kind, informative, and fun! We had great conversation and learned so much. We were with just one other couple so our experience was intimate - delightful!

Quality of Experience

Orsay Museum: Entrance Tickets & Audioguide

Paris

Palace of Versailles Day Trip with Priority Access – Half-Day Tour

Paris

We had such a wonderful trip! The details were perfect, and our tour guides from Paris & Beyond were excellent. Thank you for all of the recommendations and suggestions for our Mother/Daughter trip!

Hotel Review

Hotel Brighton

Paris

The hotel is in a wonderful location, and the staff is so accommodating! Our only complaint was the quality of the mattress and pillows which were not comfortable at all.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

As mentioned above, the mattress and pillows were uncomfortable

Activity Reviews

Moulin Rouge Evening Performance with Dinner

Paris

It was fun but not sure I would recommend or go again. It's very factory like and you're herded in like cattle. An interesting evening.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Private Louvre Museum Visit

Paris

Lilly was the best tour guide! We loved listening to her passionate stories!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Montmartre

Paris

Seine River Gourmet Dinner Cruise with Wine Pairing

Paris

A must-do for any visitors! We had a wonderful evening. The food and sights were fabulous. Quality of the boat and staff were first class.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The taxi couldn't get us close to the boat, so we got a little confused finding the location.

Private Notre-Dame & Sainte-Chapelle Visit with Priority Access

Paris

Agatha was a great tour guide who was very knowledgeable and full of interesting stories.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Macaron Cooking Class

Paris

We had a very good time, but were surprised it was in the apartment of the chef. We were with a father and his son, who were very nice, and we had a great time.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Arc de Triomphe - Self-guided Tour (tickets only)

Paris

Private Exploration of Fleat Market

Paris

Very interesting wandering through the streets and visiting hundreds of flea market booths. Fabulous opportunity to see antiques and beautiful jewelry.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The service provided by Sophie was fantastic. Every logistical detail of the trip was taken care of and every excursion was an absolute blast.

I really enjoyed all of the guides very much.
They were knowledgeable and friendly and made our tours very engaging and entertaining.
My favourite place and guide was Carcassonne (Natalie) as it felt like a lengthy conversation with great scenery 😊

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Florence Nice

Nice

Centrally located and a pillow menu!

Authenticity & Character

Focus on eco friendly solutions

Location

Not far from the sea, old town, dining

Staff

Front desk worked hard to ensure our comfort Breakfast area was very crowded, despite being there in the quiet season. Staff worked hard to keep the area clean and stocked

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel de Cambis

Avignon

Beautiful room in the centre of everything!

Authenticity & Character

Classy and comfortable

Location

On the main drag, so easy to find dining and attractions

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Aragon

Carcassonne

Off season requires more direction and help than what was provided by the front desk

Authenticity & Character

Location

Very close to the fortress

Staff

Offers to help find open places to eat during the day and for dinner. We were left to wander around

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Full-day excursion to Monaco, Monte-Carlo & Eze

France

So many different experiences on this tour!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

As a local resident he provided us with historical information as well as personal anecdotes. Very informative!

Transport

Nice Evening Food Tour

France

Every stop allowed us to sample (and purchase if we wished)

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Leo was quiet but very friendly and knowledgeable

Transport

N/A foot tour

Châteauneuf du Pape wine tour

Avignon

The two wineries were so different! They both provided an interesting perspective on wine making in the region

Quality of Experience

Seeing the oldest winery was very interesting

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Emile’s family experience in the wine industry made this tour very informative

Transport

Safe comfortable travel

Guided tour of Carassonne

France

The site is incredible. I definitely recommend having a guide as there is so much to see and learn about

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Natalie was very informative and allowed us to ask questions nonstop

Transport

It was a foot tour (an N/A would have worked best here)

All of our excursions and guides were amazing. The hotels were well situated for the sites we were seeing. Having all the train tickets booked in advance was fantastic and their timings were great. The only negative on our trip was the night hotel staff at the Aragon hotel in Carcassonne. During our tour of the walled city we noticed that only a couple of stores / cafes were actually open even though the internet listed large numbers of restaurants as open. For this reason we asked the lady at the hotel reception desk if she could assist in calling some nearby restaurants to see if any were actually open for dinner. The lady declined to assist and said you’ll just need to go by yourself to see if they are open. Without phone service or transportation we couldn’t easily get to these places to see if they were actually open. This level of customer service sucks. Hotels being booked though Kim Kim should be prepared to assist travelers staying with them and have a list of open restaurants or make calls to verify if a place is actually open for dinner.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Florence Nice

Nice

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel de Cambis

Avignon

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Aragon

Carcassonne

Hotel was clean but night desk person was not helpful. She would not assist us in calling some restaurants to see if they were actually open given it was the off season. Instead she said you’ll need to go to them to see if they are open. The internet showed all restaurants as open but in reality very few actually were. Without phone service or transportation it was not possible to just go by places to see if they were open. In all of my travels this is the only hotel that I’ve been to where they wouldn’t assist us in finding a place to eat. Poor customer service!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Full-day excursion to Monaco, Monte-Carlo & Eze

France

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Nice Evening Food Tour

France

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Foot tour no transport needed

Châteauneuf du Pape wine tour

Avignon

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided tour of Carassonne

France

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Was a walking tour so no transport needed

Manon in the Normandy region and Nadia in Nice were exceptional guides. The restaurant recommendations were great also.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Le Negresco

Nice

Spectacular

Authenticity & Character

The art and the bellmen’s uniforms, the elevator, every detail is beautiful.

Location

Right on the Promenade d’Anglais and near old Nice

Staff

Everyone was friendly and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hilton Garden Inn Paris Orly Airport

Rungis

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The pillows are awful and very small

Hotel Le Lion d'Or et restaurant la Table du Lion

Bayeux

Quaint hotel in medieval center of town. Great food and lovely fireplace gathering place.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Right in the center of the village

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Day excursion to Monaco, Monte-Carlo and Eze

France

Playing blackjack at the casino in Monte Carlo and lunch on the beach at the Note Bleu (as arranged by our guide) were highlights.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Morning food and wine tour

France

Nadia was delightful. We learned a lot and enjoyed ourselves immensely.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Day Trip to Mont-Saint-Michel

France

Incredible! And since we went off season there were no crowds.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tour of D-Day Sites

France

Manon was exceptional. We learned so much on this somber day.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day excursion to Honfleur and Etretat

Bayeux

Manon is a knowledgeable, friendly and overall excellent tour guide. We learned so much.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I cannot say enough good about my experience planning and executing a once in a lifetime trip to Paris and neighboring locations with Kimkim (France Local) and our local specialist, Sebastian. Sebastian helped us plan a very workable itinerary that covered all the important locals in Paris, Chartres, Bayeux, Mont Saint-Michel, Normandy (Point du Hoc and Omaha Beach, Rheims, and Versailles - in a week and a half. He prepared a wonderful guided trip in a cute little car through Paris, and, our guide was VERY informative. We picked up a wonderful car in Amboise, and could drive ourselves through the French country side. We had lovely tours of the Chateaux de Chambord and Chenonceau. We drove to Chartres for a view of town and Cathedral. We then moved to Mont Saint Michel, where Sebastian arranged for us to stay in the wonderful L'Auberge de la Mere Poulard. We were SO happy, because friends had told us not to miss eating at their restaurant. I have had a lifelong wish to visit the Abbey, so, it was an amazing treat to climb all the way up there! Sebastian provided us with a wonderful guide for Point du Hoc and Omaha Beach. That guide timed our tour so that we could see the lowering of the U.S. flag on Omaha Beach. Very moving. Back in Paris, we visited Versailles, then set off to see the Reims Cathedral, and, of course, to sample Champagne.

All of our tickets were available, easy to organize, easy to print, and easy to use at the cite. Given the complexity of our arrangements, we lost no time, trying to make arrangements, or walking across town to pick up tickets or loosing time "fixing" arrangements during our trip.

However, the absolute most extraordinary thing about Sebastian's service, was that he was available to us during the trip. We had a couple instances where we misunderstood directions and couldn't find our guide. Especially, when we tried to meet our guide for the Normandy beach trip, we found ourselves waiting at the meeting point, with no guide. We notified Sebastian and he was at his desk, and, within a minute, he was in touch with our guide, who was waiting for us around the corner. If Sebastian had not been available and responsive at that very minute, we would have totally missed a very important part of our trip.

So, in sum, visiting Paris and environs has been a long-time wish of mine, and Sebastian made a busy and complicated schedule easy, doable, enjoyable, worry free - and wondrous. For that, I will be eternally grateful!

My only regret was not adding a few more days. ...

We started working with Sebastian back in October, telling him the must see places for a 10 day January trip in Paris and the surrounding areas. We basically told him the places we wanted to see-Chateau country, Chartres, Mont Saint-Michel, Bayeux , and Reims and he put together the itinerary which included trains, car, and truly lovely hotels, all perfectly placed to be close to the historical sites we wanted to see. La Maison Rabelais in Amboise, Le Boeuf Couronee in Chartres, and the Grand Hotel Luxembourg in Bayeux . In Paris, where we explored Notre Dame de Paris, Ste Chapelle, the entire Left Bank from Shakespeare and Company out to St. Germain de Pre, (didn't have time for the Invalides, Musee de Cluny, or the Rodin) the Central sites and we stayed with hotels from the Astotel Group, my personal favorite was the Astoria near the Pigalle area of Paris.

Speaking of guides, Veronique (Vero), our full day guide in Chateau country for Chambord and Chenonceau, was a walking professor of history, she knew not just events and dates, but all the fun stories that go behind the dates, as did Stephanie for le Mont Saint-Michel. Nico for Paris and Gwen for Normandy rounded out our local guides.

France By Locals/Sebastian was immediately responsive each and every time we had a question on this trip, like when we couldn't find a guide or forgot where to return something. All resolved swiftly.

Hotel Reviews

L'Auberge de la Mère Poulard

Le Mont-Saint-Michel

I loved it. Mere Poulard is right at the beginning of the main street of Mont Saint Michel in the walls of the city. so bring your overnight clothes in a backpack because you don't want to be rolling any kind of suitcase on the cobbles. From where we were located, you could walk up another set of stairs and have amazing views of the Ramparts and the city, which I did just before dawn and it was stupendous. The only thing I would say is there was a strong odor of cat, not in the room at all, but in the staircase going up to the room. If they could remove that, this would be a 10.

Authenticity & Character

built into the rock that is the base of the Abbey.

Location

Hotel Astoria - Astotel

Paris

Has a great vibe which you can feel as soon as you walk through the front door, bright, cheerful, lots of French travelers, so the Petit Dejeuner breakfast room is always hopping. Comfortable rooms and main sitting room, close to Pigalle and Montmartre.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Chateaux de Chambord et Chenonceau (winter version)

France

Veronique the guide was truly fabulous. knew everything about what we were seeing and answers to the most obscure questions.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport