Kimkim Trip Reviews for France

The wine tasting at Chateau de Miniere was a bit underwhelming. It was just me and the vineyard host, which made the experience feel somewhat isolated. The host poured a series of wines for me to taste, but there wasn't much conversation or interaction. It felt quite solitary, and at the end, she asked if I wanted to buy some wine, which I couldn't do because I was flying. I think it would have been much better with more people to share the experience with.

The Cité du Vin in Bordeaux was a bit of a letdown for me. The building is modern and quite lovely, but I found the experience very basic. It felt more like an introductory course on wine—like "Did you know wine is made from grapes?"—which wasn't very engaging for me. The audio-visual presentations were well-done, but the pacing was off. I often found myself catching segments halfway and not knowing if I should wait for it to restart. Overall, I felt it wasn't the best use of my time.

overall good location, helpful staff

This place was ultimately a great home base for us, with a couch, tv laundry and lots of dinner options nearby. There was some trouble at check in because they had booked the room under the travel agents name instead of my name.

Definitely a trip highlight!

This bike trip was so much more magical than I could have ever expected.

Our guide kept us moving and was an excellent storyteller, we sampled chocolates and along the way learned the whole human history of chocolate preparation leading right into the french tradition

Very nice hotel and staff in a great location.

Nice hotel in an excellent location. Make sure you request a room with a view. Do not get a “courtyard view” room.

A fun trip we took with one other couple.

Wonderful tour.

This cute boutique hotel in Geneva was perfect for our pre-Tour du Mont Blanc hiking trip! They are conscientious about eco-lodging and offered us each a complimentary drink if we declined daily housekeeping which we gladly accepted! The breakfast was one of the best we experienced during this trip! The bartenders even offered specialty coffees and lattes as opposed to just pots of coffee. Everyone we encountered from check in to check out was pleasant and eager to accommodate. We highly recommend the Ruby Claire hotel!

The hotel was very accommodating & very nice. The night man at the desk one of the nights was abrupt with answering questions which we didn’t appreciate but overall Very good. The rooms were clean & comfortable. Breakfast was lovely with croissant, meats, cheeses, yogurts & fresh Orange juice.

Made such a difference having a tour guide & being it was a 2.5 hour ride we had a vehicle pick us up (9 people) & the ride was great & so glad we did noth

The location was great, right across from the beach. I wouldn't consider the hotel a 4-star though. Maybe 3-star. Breakfast buffet was decent but the staff was slow to replenish and clean. The front desk was very accommodating and helpful. We had two rooms and the suite for our 3 kids was amazing with really nice views and a balcony. The queen room was small and had no balcony or views.

Location is amazing. Hotel is a boutique hotel. We had the entire 6th floor for our two rooms which was really nice. The buffet was good but small. The elevator was very small and it was challenging to get our entire family in it at the same time.

Hotel is amazing! Service was outstanding. The views were spectacular. We could see all the way to the Eiffel Tower! The only critique is how far we were from city center, so it took us 30 minutes to and from each day which wasn't convenient. The one issue we had was the location of our two rooms. We booked two rooms for our family of 5 and were separated by a floor. We prefer to be on the same floor as our children but this wasn't a possibility. In the future, it should be requested of the hotel that families are on the same floor at least.

The hotel was beautiful. The decor was chic and fun. The rooms were slightly rustic and there were no views, but the AC worked great, which is all that mattered to us. The hotel is 30 minutes from the town which was very inconvenient for us. We asked our travel agent to book something closer but she didn't. It was very frustrating and ultimately expensive to have to shuttle back and forth from the hotel to the city. Also, the buffet breakfast was delicious!

Our tour guide was very nice and it was great to have the headsets to hear her in all the different locations we want to. But she was very disconnected to our group. She had us stand in the sun to talk to us about different facts. She would talk on and on and didn't do a good job of "reading the room". We had 5 kids on the tour and she didn't do a good job of engaging them even though there were several opportunities to do so.

The tour guide was very likeable but we found the tour underwhelming.

The tour was a great way to experience the city and get a feel for the different neighborhoods. Our tour guide, Simon, was great and very relaxed. He did a great job adapting to our needs and accommodating us.

This private cruise was hands down our favorite part of the trip. Seeing the French Rivera from the water was the best way to see the area. I only wish we had more time! Our captain was incredible. We enjoyed his stories and the interesting facts he shared. The area we snorkeled in was beautiful and clear. The boat was stunning and definitely nicer than we expected. This day will be remembered forever.

This tour was a disaster. We showed up 30 minutes prior as instructed by the tour company. We stood near the front of the line because we were there early, only to be pulled out by the tour company so we could be moved into a tour group. Then we had to get back in the line and wait with our tour guide to go through security. The tour guide didn't have tickets so then we had to wait in another line to get tickets. Once we finally got up to the first level, the tour guide told us boring, mundane stories that were very disappointing. We would have been better off doing it on our own.

This food tour was incredible. It was not in St. Germain though, it was in the Latin Quarter. Our guide told us he has a separate tour for St. Germain and this wasn't it.

I'm disappointed with how late we got our tickets. We weren't able to make reservations at for restaurants ahead of time.

This was such a fun tour! We didn't know Monaco was so close to Nice so I'm glad our travel agent recommended it. It was very convenient. Our driver/guide was very knowledgeable about the area and filled in a lot of interesting facts about the area as we drove. We got to see Monaco from every vantage point - from the port, the casino/city center, and from the rock at the top of the city. I would have liked more time to shop and walk around in the city center if I knew more of what the day looked like. The trip to Eze was unique but we didn't spend much time. If we had more time I would have loved to stop and have a drink in one of their little restaurants. The stop at the fragrance factory in Eze was very random. We bought some things but I would have rather spent that 45 minutes in Monaco.

The setting was wonderful and our photographer was very personable. She was open to locations and configurations for the pictures and pointed out spots that would shoot well. I was very surprised and disappointed that she didn't edit the photos. She gave us the card right after our hour was up and then emailed us afterwards with a copy. I've never had professional photos where the photographer didn't touch them up even a little. I would have liked to know this up front because there were a lot of pictures where people were walking right next to us and it looks sloppy. I would not have purchased this if I had known.

The museums are massive so it's hard to do it all in one day but our guide did a great job of navigating us through and helping us to hit the highlights. She was extremely knowledgeable of a lot of the history and key items in each museum. She had great tips to help us see the Mona Lisa up close. She also shared lots of interesting facts. My only negative was that the tour was supposed to be 5 hours but we finished 3 hours so I felt like we rushed a bit. I would have liked to see more of the Louvre.

The Seine river cruise was a great way to see the city and it was a nice way for us to end our trip. We went at night so the city was lit up and looked beautiful. The lights were all around and we could definitely see why it's called the city of lights. The speaker was very hard to understand. He spoke in three languages so he would explain each site in English, French and Spanish. It seemed like he was rushing through because it was hard to understand and process what he was saying. Also, I thought we were on a champagne river cruise but there were no refreshments provided.

The location was absolutely perfect for exploring Nice. We had a car so their parking lot was invaluable. The staff was lovely and the room was actually quite big by European standards. The downside to the location was that it was incredibly loud at night and then once the restaurants in the area closed, it got loud again when the trash was picked up before dawn. Overall, I would stay here again if in Nice.

This was a very unique hotel and we enjoyed our time there! While it was nice to be able to check in with the machine, there were a few times we had questions and it would have been nice to have an actual person there to ask. The Aircon stopped working the last two nights and since there was no one to ask, we just dealt with the higher temperature which was not preferable. We loved the location - just outside of Aix and we could easily drive all over Provence from here - yet in a small town where we felt like we got to experience living in France vs staying in hotel chain. We loved walking down to the restaurants and the bakery was only a couple blocks away - it was fabulous. I would recommend this place to anyone visiting the area who was looking for a more authentic and unique stay.

This was another fun day with Remy! Arles was a cute city and we enjoyed learning about the history and seeing the Van Gogh painting, and scenes where he painted. While this wasn't our favorite day of our entire trip, it was still a really lovely day. It was just tough to compete with Cassis, Luberon, vineyards, etc.

Justine offered this option to us and I am so glad that we agreed to do it! We would never have signed up for this on our own. Cyril was fantastic. He gave us some history of the area while visiting the market and we were able to try a lot of different foods that I don't think we would have picked out ourselves to try. Then cooking it was so fun! We were in a real apartment and it just felt like we were cooking with friends for a dinner party in Nice rather than being part of a tourist experience. Cyril told us about cooking with his grandma and everything about the whole experience made us feel so welcome. This was such a great way to start our trip - plus I knew that we wanted to order the squash blossoms on every menu afterwards!

We had such a fun time visiting the vineyards with Remy! The first vineyard was big and a bit corporate so that wasn't our favorite, although we did enjoy doing the chocolate pairing. The second vineyard was lovely and we enjoyed talking with them and tasting their wines. However, we LOVED the last vineyard, Jas Monges! We really enjoyed speaking with the owner and learning about their vision. We also loved his wines and ended up shipping 2 cases home to the states. We could have hung out there even longer, enjoying wine out on their patio. Remy also took us to explore some local food in Aix during the day (we chose that over sitting down for a long lunch) and that was another true highlight. He was a wonderful guide. What a great day!

Enjoyed with whirlwind tour of the Louvre.

Although this guided tour was good I believe that my sister and I would have done just as well with a personal guided tour on our own with our driver just giving us a set time for us to visit Chartres before we traveled to our next destination.

The private lunch at the Chateau was fantastic! I loved the marriage museum at this small Chateau.

Although our guide was very nice her command of the English language was limited. Since I speak some French it was not as much of a problem for me as it was for my sister. We would have been better off to take the English audio guide and tour on our own with the guide just dropping us off for the allotted time.

Clean, comfortable and well-located. Helpful staff and excellent breakfast offering.

Well-located. Good breakfast. Clean and comfortable room.

Beautiful hotel, exceptional service!

The hotel smells like an old bus, the food at the buffet was not great. Everything felt grimy and dirty. Would not stay again. The one positive was that there were many activities for children to play in the lobby to keep busy giving you our way from the city center.

This activity was a family highlight of the trip. Our tour guides catered to our children's interests and it was still highly informative and interesting for the parents. 10 out of 10 would recommend.

The most incredible service and food! We loved our accommodations and the dinner in the library . This is a very special place, especially for those who appreciate the little details. We hope to return!

Nice boutique hotel located near many Paris attractions. Room was good-sized and comfortable. Hotel offers a nice continental breakfast.

This is one of the best hotels we have stayed at ever. Rooms are generously sized. Location is excellent across from the British Museum and walking distance to great local areas such as Charing Cross and Covent Gardens. All the staff here work hard to make you feel valued and provide good service. This is our second stay at Montague on the Gardens and they did not disappoint.

Great outdoor spaces. Bright interior and beautiful views of the sea. Nice to have an elevator with private access to the apartment.

We were 4 people in a lofted room, with the king bed up a narrow set of stairs and the bathroom and sofa-bed on the lower level. The sofa bed was not very comfortable so we ended up putting the mattress on the floor. The air conditioning was not working properly, despite several phone calls to the front desk and a hotel clerk coming to try to adjust it. We slept with windows open and it was still warm in the room for most of the night. Finally, the carpet was wet outside the bathroom door when we first arrived, which the clerk said was due to the shower overflowing (from the previous occupants?).

Spacious and a great location. Comfortable beds. Wonderful covered terrace for dining al fresco. The only thing to note is the 5 flights of spiral stairs that are required to access the apartment. It was not a problem for us (we definitely got our exercise in each day) but is something to note for those with mobility issues.

Fannie was a knowledgeable and friendly guide. We enjoyed all the stops, especially the chocolates, jams and cheeses. Getting to pick our own dessert was also a treat.

End of June is the ideal time to visit the gardens. So many flowers blooming!

It was a long day with a lot packed in, but very fun to see all 3 castles. Each one was special and unique in its own right. The architecture and the gardens, along with the history of the region and each castle was interesting and enjoyable.

Huge place. The inside is impressive but the gardens need equal time to explore.

Amazing scenery and fun adventure! Romain was an excellent guide that showed us all around the region - from lavender fields and other agricultural areas to villages and beautiful architectural structures. He tailored the day to our interests, which was a fantastic way to explore. From coffee and pastries in one village to exploring the countryside to eating lunch while overlooking the beautiful valley, we loved every minute of it! This was our group's favorite thing we did in our 2 weeks in France.

We enjoyed walking around the village, eating and shopping.

The kayaking experience was definitely only for the super-adventurous. It was more of a kayaking lesson, complete with how to load/unload the kayaks from the trailer, carry the kayaks down a flight of stairs to the water, how to skirt yourself into the kayak and also proper paddling techniques. Our guide tried very hard to instruct us and encourage us to be calm in the choppy water. We did get to spend an hour or so on a beach area eating lunch and that was fun and relaxing, but by the time we were headed our onto the water again, it was even windier and so our guide agreed we should head back. Overall, it was a bit more work than what we 4 women had anticipated.

Interesting to learn the history of the catacombs

Fun to see where the ingredients come from. The group was a fun mix of people and we all learned a bit about cooking this special dish that originated in Marseille

Unfortunately it was a windy and cloudy day so the water was very rough getting out and especially coming back into the marina. We loved our guide, however, and we were confident in Marie’s abilities to safely get us around. She was great at telling us the history of the area and talking about the structures we were seeing. We got to snorkel while out in one of the calmer areas so that was a highlight.

This was a great place, with plenty of room for our group of 4 adults and 3 children - ages 10, 8 and 4. It was very clean and had all we needed in a galley style kitchen. Also it was quite beautiful with the many stone walls. We felt very secure and it is in a great location with restaurants, grocery, pharmacy and markets all very close. Would definitley stay there again.

Jonathan was a wonderful tour guide for our family trip. He was great with the adults as well as the children, making our trip to Normandy and Mont St Michel both interesting and fun for everyone. He selected great places for us to eat and was very knowlegeable about the history of both places He presented the information in a way to was wat interesting to young and old.

Thank you Aline and Bastion for lining up Alexandra of Family Focus while we were visiting Paris! Our tour of the Louvre and Versailles with Alexandra of Family Focus Tours was one of the highlights of our recent trip to France. My grandchildren (10, 8 and 4) immediately felt right at home with her. She expertly manuevered us through the crowds to the front of display and presented the most interesting historical information. We all learned so much. Also she added so many extra touches to entertain the children ( work and coloring books, treasure hunt, etc) - they were completely engaged throughout both tours. And there were extras for the adults also, as we all peformed a dance in the ballroom at Versailles, despite the crowds! I highly recommend her!

This is a lovely 5 star hotel. The staff was terrific. The breakfast was lovely and delicious. The room was comfortable and very well appointed. I highly recommend this hotel and wish I could have stayed longer.

Our room was large, gorgeous, and comfortable. I never wanted to leave! It is such a treat for the eye as well as comfortable and luxurious. I had the best meal of metric in their dining room. Exquisite! We would return to this hotel in a heartbeat.

We liked everything about this experience -- our guide was informative and friendly. We learned about the farm, about growing olives, we walked the fields. It was so neat. Then we had a tasting of olive oils and olive products. The owner came to meet us and gave us an extra gift. We were treated so well. What a delightful experience!

This was so much fun! We got a walking tour of Albi along with three food stops. The first was a fabulous patisserie where the baker puts mystery ingredients inside of pastries and you get to guess what they are. We got three different delicious pastries there, plus a drink, all while sitting with a lovely view of the river and the old town. After walking by the cathedral and visiting the cloister, we stopped at a confectioner's shop and got to have delicious macarons. Our final stop was so cool - a rooftop restaurant (the highest in Albi) with a view of the city to enjoy while having a glass of wine or cocktail and sharing an enormous charcuterie board with three cheeses, pate, many meats, peppers, pickles, and lovely crusty bread. It was a lovely capstone to a terrace experience.