Kimkim Trip Reviews for France

France Trip Review:
In addition to comments from Mark & Rhonda, I've added a couple of my comments below:
What we liked the most:
- Bordeaux and wine tours: our guide Bogdan Ghita was very knowledgeable and fun. He did a great job with the itinerary and we just really enjoyed his company.
- Bordeaux itinerary with Bogdan was excellent and well thought out! We enjoyed the variety of Chateau's, from small to big, and the great restaurants for lunch each day.
- Our guide for the D-Day tours was also outstanding. We were not prepared for the cold weather in Normandy but we enjoyed our time there and learned a lot about WWII.
- Transportation: All transportation was on-time and very comfortable (cars and trains). We had a little hiccup in Paris because our drivers that picked us up at the train stations did not speak English but we got through it.
- Itinerary variety: I thought the plan to begin our trip in Bayeux, move to Bordeaux, and end in Paris was ideally suited to experience a variety of tours and visit the best sites in each area.
- Hotels in Bordeaux and Paris: We enjoyed the accommodations in both cities. Each hotel was comfortable, in a good location, and served a really nice breakfast each morning.

What could have been better:
- Accommodations in Bayeaux: Great location but uncomfortable beds and a couple of inconveniences like we had to go buy toilet paper and soap as well as we had to return the keys to the owner’s mailbox a few blocks away on the way to the train station. It was also hard to find a place for breakfast given our very early start every day (nothing was open). I would have liked to see more options before we decided to stay there.
- Foodie tour: We did not enjoy this tour as it was too much walking/standing. We were unable to sit to enjoy any of our tastings. Given that it was late afternoon we could not find good pasteries and the formagerie was too crowded to host us. I wouldn’t recommend this tour in the future.
- Paris: We started most days very early, which was ok. However the Louvre tour was at 10:00 and the lines to get in were terrible. I would recommend an earlier start at the Louvre to avoid some of the crowds.

Thank you again for everything!
Mark and Rhonda Elming

We had a wonderful trip to France! Mathilde worked diligently to fit everything we wanted into our ambitious schedule. There was not one glitch, it was effortless and totally enjoyable which is what we wanted. Mathilde handled all the minute details and all we had to do was follow her directions. Every guide, tour, hotel, driver was vetted by Mathilde and they all get 5 stars. We traveled in France to Bayeaux, Amboise and Paris and had a trip of a lifetime!

Hotel Review

Villa Lara Hôtel

Bayeux

Right in the center of Bayeux and around the corner from the cathedral and famous tapestry. The bed was luxurious and the room very comfortable. The breakfast was delicious as well.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Private Guided tour of Mont-Saint-Michel and entrance tickets to the Abbey

France

Mont Saint Michel was amazing to experience. Our guide Samuel had extensive knowledge of the area, the history and the tides to explain about what makes Mont Saint Michel so special.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Trip was wonderful!! It was nice to have transfers to and from hotels. To and from places on our own for travelers who aren’t used to the metro can be a little intimidating, but it worked out great. Lori, Valley Castle tour I wish we would’ve had more time at each castle. We did pay for audio tour guide, but did not receive. Turned out, we didn’t have enough time to use them if we would’ve had them. One of our favorite tours that we did was our cooking class with Rosa. It was absolutely amazing!
Loved Paris, Nice, our tour to Eze, Monaco, and Montecarlo. We took a train one day to Antibes and it was fantastic . Very beautiful there. Thank you!!

Activity Review

Market tour, cooking class & lunch

Nice

This was an amazing excursion! Rosa was a fantastic!

Quality of Experience

We only had 16 days to spend in France and the package that Amandine put together was totally amazing. We got a great taste of France - not just Paris.

The bicycle tour of Dijon with Leah was enjoyable as was our tour of the "Gand Cru" road with Joachim.

Amandine also organised a fantastic dinner cruise for us back in a stopover in Paris.

Bayeaux was amazing, although Mont St. Michel was disappointing because of the crowds, our Guide Julie did an incredible job. A tour of Normandie countryside with Stephen was also great.

Amboise was great - We enjoyed our tour of the Loire Valley with Camille taking in two Chareau and two wineries.

Our e-bike tour was certainly very enjoyable - even in cool drizzly weather - Alexane was great.

Back in Paris - the market visit and French cooking class was good. Our tour of Giverny and Versailles was certainly spectacular to say the least.

We would not hesitate to use Amandine as a local specialist again.

The trip exceeded our expectations. Our planner Lise was absolutely terrific. All of our excursion guides were informative, helpful and very nice. We would highly recommend KimKim again to friends and hopefully for another European vacation in the future.

Hotel Reviews

Hôtel Tardif Noble Guesthouse

Bayeux

The Noble Guesthouse in Bayeux was beautiful and exceeded our expectations. Our stay was comfortable and enjoyable.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Lovely

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel de Cambis

Avignon

Our stay at Hotel de Cambis in Avignon was very nice. The accommodations were lovely, and we had a great experience.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel West End

Nice

The 4* Hotel West End in Nice was amazing. The location and accommodations were perfect, making for an incredible experience.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Eiffel Tower Summit Ticket

Paris

The Eiffel Tower summit tour was busy, but it was definitely worth doing. We had to wait early in line, but it was a great experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Medieval Paris - St Chapelle, Notre Dame & Conciergerie

Paris

The private tour of Ile de la Cité was informative and lovely. Our guide was knowledgeable and showed us around San Chappelle and Notre Dame.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Latin Quarter Gourmet Tour

Paris

The food tour with Carol in Paris was great. It was a unique experience to go on a food tour with a food critic.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half day guided tour of Versailles with private transfers

Paris

The Palace of Versailles tour was fantastic. Our guide was very informative and engaging throughout the visit.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Mont-Saint-Michel Full day Tour

France

The Mont-Saint-Michel tour was incredible. The transport was impressive, and the experience was exceptional.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

D-Day U.S beaches tour

France

The D-Day beaches tour in Normandy was terrific. Our tour guide was very accommodating and made sure we got everything we wanted from the experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Afternoon Food and Wine Tour!

Nice

The food and wine tour in Nice was enjoyable, but it was a bit crowded due to a last-minute change in the group size. Nonetheless, the tour guide was excellent.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I'm so glad that we found KimKim to help us with our trip to France. We wanted a customized experience and KimKim and our travel agent Amandine really stepped up to provide a once in a lifetime trip. After I explained to Amandine what we were looking for and gave her our budget she provided suggestions for tours and accommodations. We went back and forth for a while until we nailed down all the specifics. She organized amazing tours that we would have probably missed if we had tried to plan this trip on our own. All the tour guides were punctual, extremely friendly and provided a ton of information about the places we visited. We had so many wonderful tours and experiences - here are a few highlights.

Paris -
We enjoyed a dinner cruise on the Seine River on our first night. It was an amazing meal with live entertainment and very friendly and informative servers and we loved seeing Paris lit up a night from the Seine River.
For our Louvre visit Amandine arranged for a personal tour guide David. He is fantastic with so knowledge and passion of the art and the museum. He made our visit to the Louvre fun and informative. I would definitely book him again on our next visit to the Louvre.
For our visit to Versailles we had a "skip-the-line"and self guided half-day tour from Paris. Versailles is a must see although very crowded. We would have liked a little more time to visit the gardens but overall we enjoyed the museum and learned a lot about French history.
While in Paris we took a small group tour to Normandy to visit the D-Day Invasion beaches and the American Cemetery. Our tour guide was informative and provided a thorough tour of the beaches and museums and cemetery. He also took us to a nice restaurant for lunch and was a pleasant guide throughout the day.

Avignon
We took the high-speed train from Paris to Avignon which was a real treat. The train is clean and a relaxing way to travel though France. Amandine pre-booked the train tickets so we had no issues navigating the journey.
We arrived in Avignon around noon and joined a small group tour to the Chateauneuf-du-Pape wine region. Our tour guide was amazing - she was informative about the wine growing process in this area and its history. We visited two wineries for some great tastings.
After a relaxing day to ourselves in Avignon we went on a "All of Provence in One Day" tour. This was a great day - we visited Roussillon, a photo stop of Gordes, Fontaine-de-Vaucluse, Port du Gard, Les Baux and Saint Remy.

Aix-en-Provence
After an amazing time in Avignon and the surrounding region we took a train to Aix-en-Provence. That afternoon we did a Gourmet Historical Walking tour of Aix with our tour guide Lucy. She helped us navigate the streets of Aix and we visited some amazing gourmet shops for some local sweets and wine and cheese. We learned a lot about the history of Aix and its wonderful charm.
The following day we had another small group tour to visit Arles, Saint Remy and Les Baux villages. While this tour somewhat overlapped with the All of Provence in One Day tour we took from Avignon we enjoyed having more time to explore Saint Remy and Les Baux villages. There was a market going on in Saint Remy when we arrived so we enjoyed exploring all the stands and experiencing the French market day. We had a tasty relaxing lunch in Les Baux at a restaurant that our tour guide Thomas suggested. Thomas was a lot of fun and very knowledgeable of the villages we visited.
Next was our Gourmet Stopover in Marseille. We took to train from Aix to Marseille and our tour guide Sebastien met us at the train station - he went out of his way to collect us from the train station because initially we were supposed to meet him at the start of the tour. Sebastien guided us through the historical part of Marseille and we visited several gourmet shops that provided some tasty treats. We first visited a wonderful chocolate shop that makes chocolate with olive oil. The host was friendly and informative and she provided us with variety of products to taste. Then we visited a biscuit shop to taste their excellent cookies shaped like sardines. We visited a great wine/cheese shop and had a good time visiting with the owner and learning more about the cheese and wines in the region. We also visited an ice cream shop and tasted some awesome ice cream and visited with the owner who herself is a real treat. We visited the beautiful cathedral in Marseille and ended our tour at a shop that provided a Pastis tasting as well as local artisanal tapenades. Sebastien was a delight and we really enjoyed our time with him and the owners of the shops we visited.

Nice
We took to a train from Aix-en-Provence to Nice for our final few days on the French Rivera. We spent our first afternoon on a small group tour to Monaco, Monte Carlo, and the village Eze. Our tour guide was great - she took us through some beautiful areas and stopped to let us take in the amazing views. We had some free time in Eze, Monaco and Monte Carlo. Monaco was preparing for the Grand Prix race which was exciting to see.
The next day we met Rosa Jackson for a market tour, cooking class and lunch. This was one of our highlights of the trip. Rosa is passionate about the food available at the market in Nice and she guided us through the market as she purchased food for our cooking class and lunch. Then we went to her kitchen and our group prepared a wonderful lunch using the ingredients she purchase at the market. It was a relaxed and fun time. Once our meal was prepared we enjoyed the fruits of our labor and a little wine. If you're into food this is a "must do" while in Nice.
We also did a small group tour to Port-Grimaud and Saint-Tropez. Our tour guide gave us the option of getting from Port-Grimaud to Saint-Tropez via her van or the local ferry. Most of our group took the ferry which was a unique treat. We had enough time in Saint-Tropez to do a little shopping and had a great lunch at at Le Bagatelle Restaurant.

Overall this trip to France was beyond our expectations. Amandine arranged our transportation from Charles de Gaulle airport to our hotel in Paris and our transportation from our hotel in Nice to the Nice airport for our trip home. Both drivers kept in touch with us and were punctual, friendly and had comfortable/clean cars. Amandine also arranged all the train transportation tickets which really helped eased our anxiety around navigating strange train stations. Our hotel accommodations were great - we told Amandine our requirements and she delivered. All the hotels were comfortable, clean, quiet, and the included breakfasts were great.

We will definitely use KimKim for our international trips again.

Mathilde was very helpful with planning for the France portion of our 3 week France and Italy adventure. She made excellent choices with the hotels and tours she booked for us. And it was a real boon to have hotel and airport transfer during key points on our journey. It was a luxury to have this kind of assistance with travel planning as we typically do it all ourselves. Glad we made the investment for this first big post-retirement adventure.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Escaletto

Aix-en-Provence

Well situated and beautifully appointed hotel with fabulous breakfast and a super-attentive and caring staff. Rooms are small but bed very comfortable and everything has been updated. The location in Aix is great and right in the older part of the city.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Elise was amazing and provided superlative service. But all the staff were good and truly friendly and kind.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Beds great.

Palm Hotel

Nice

We were lucky enough to get the family suite which was really like a great small apartment. Sweet outdoor probate rooftop deck and tons of room very comfortable bed and well appointed. Perfect for our 3-night stay.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to everything!

Staff

Karine was super and really helped out. Enjoyed speaking with her and she made good suggestions. Also the owner was helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

A Day Trip from Aix en Provence to Cassis Village, Calanques Boat Ride & Provence Wines

Aix-en-Provence

Gorgeous views and lovely boat ride. Cassis is a sweet small town and it’s truly amazing to see the beautiful blue water and breathtaking vistas from the hilltop park above the city.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Comfortable van with plenty of room for our small group. Good driver.

Latin Quarter Gourmet Tour

Paris

This tour with Akiko from Meeting the French was a memorable highlight of our trip. She was an outstanding guide who truly knows all the shops and many of the shop owners in the Latin Quarter. She introduced us to her favorite artisan vendors then selected fabulous cheeses, pates and bread for the picnic lunch we had at our wine tasting location. She also knew so much history and of the area and we really felt like we got to dive in depth into not just the food and market culture but architecture and history.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Stayed above.

Cannes, Antibes, & Saint-Paul de Vence

France

This driving tour was a lot of in-car time and while the guide was knowledgeable and we learned - great deal, I’m not sure that seeing Cannes was so worthwhile if you aren’t into the glitz of the film fest. Best part was the time in Saint-Paul de Vence. This is a gorgeous medieval village with stunning views.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Driver seemed a bit stressed out. She talked nonstop and could have been a bit more interactive rather than lecturing.

Transport

We loved working with Mathilde! I would highly recommend her to all of my friends. She was so personable and put together the perfect itinerary for us. I loved ending our trip in Nice and really enjoyed the cooking class. I want to go back and visit more of the French Riviera and part of Italy next time. I loved the experience traveling first class on the high speed train! Better than flying! Thank you Mathilde for planning such a great experience!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Escaletto

Aix-en-Provence

Great location, easy to walk to the central areas in Aix. Room basic but perfectly fine. My only suggestion would be to have a few snack options available at the bar for us late night munchers! Staff was terrific!

Authenticity & Character

More readily available items like snacks and water in the evening.

Location

Staff

So nice! I enjoyed chatting with one of the staff in the evening while having a night cap.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Room clean and comfortable

Hôtel de l’Horloge

Avignon

Nice clean room with good location. I loved our view of the center square.

Authenticity & Character

Felt very French!

Location

Right in the center of the square

Staff

Helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Daily service was nice

Suisse Hotel

Nice

Loved our view of the water and loved sitting on our balcony to soak up late afternoon sun. Walking distance to the market, restaurants. Great place!

Authenticity & Character

Elevator sort of small. Bar:lounging area not very good.

Location

Walking distance to water, restaurants, shops

Staff

Staff fine just not as warm as the staff at the other hotels we stayed, but fine.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean and comfortable

Activity Reviews

A Private Half Day Trip from Aix en Provence to Luberon Villages

Aix-en-Provence

Lucille was an excellent guide and gave us a terrific experience

Quality of Experience

We loved our tour guide’s presentation and communication style.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Local knowledge and personal passion for area.

Transport

We loved the comfortable vehicle and the microphone so we could hear guide

Roman Sites & Historical Places

Avignon

Very educational overview. Thought our guide Bastion was terrific!

Quality of Experience

Less time at coliseum, first stop, one hour too much

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Loved Bastions friendly style and he was very knowledgeable about the various sites and encouraged questions.

Transport

Loved the nice vehicle and use of the microphone

Market tour, cooking class & lunch

Nice

Rosa our chef was wonderful! I learned so much about Nice cooking and culture. Loved the market tour and the cooking class was so enjoyable! Was so nice to have our meal together with such a nice group. I highly recommend this!

Quality of Experience

Rosa gave us a great tour in the market and I loved her overview of nice style cooking as we prepared our meal.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Rosa great

Transport

Walked!

A day in Monaco via Eze and la Turbie

France

This was my least favorite experience. Too much time in the car which made me nauseous. Seemed a bit rushed and I don’t think our guide was very good.

Quality of Experience

Felt rushed

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Driver did not use microphone so we missed a lot of what she was saying

Transport

A bit crowded

Great trip. Thanks to Amandine for adjusting our plans at the last minute. Debt of gratitude for your help. Thanks.

On Christmas Day 2019, I told my then-82-year-old father that I was going to take him to France in 2020 to visit the places our ancestors lived in the 17th century before immigrating to La Nouvelle France (present-day Quebec and Nova Scotia). Dad is the family historian and an accomplished genealogist, so this was my effort to make a dream come true for him, though it turned out to be a tremendous gift for myself. The pandemic delayed our plans, but our trip to France in April 2023 ended up being both worth the wait and worth every penny/euro spent. The return on our investment was remarkable, with quality accommodations, expert guides, wonderful assistance from our private driver, and some delicious meals included. Truly, this trip was among the very best experiences of my life, and I will be forever grateful for it.

We started to plan by highlighting the locales we most wished to visit, and then Josee, our local specialist, recommended excursions, secured expert guides, and made arrangements for accommodations. At every step she was professional, helpful, and encouraging. My father is in good health, but he has some stamina/mobility issues, so I wanted to establish some safeguards to ensure his comfort and access to all we wished to see. Josee could not have been more helpful! Not only did she help me prioritize places to visit, she also made sure that we had private guides, a driver with a wheelchair in his van for my dad to use as needed, and an emergency number to call in case of any glitches. We only had to use the emergency number once when plans for one night's accommodations fell through; in a matter of minutes, Josee helped us secure an alternate place to stay, at no extra charge to us.

It's hard to express how meaningful this trip was for my father and me. Our time in Paris was nothing short of magical, with a lovely stay at Les Villas des Artistes, in walking distance to wonderful restaurants, bookshops, Les Jardins de Luxembourg, and more. A luncheon river cruise on the Seine was the perfect way for Dad to see the sights of the city, and we enjoyed a marvelous tour of Sainte Chapelle with an expert guide, who also walked us over to see Notre Dame from the outside, and the Parisian Flower Market. An excursion to Monet's gardens in Giverny with another guide, Paul, was absolutely wonderful. He was a font of knowledge about Monet's life and art, and he also was able to tell us a lot about the surrounding areas and their history as we drove between Paris and Giverny.

Our driver, Christophe, who would stay with us for 6 of our 9 days in France once we left Paris, picked us up and brought us to Chartres for the next leg of our journey. He was courteous, attentive, professional, and helpful. Chartres is a lovely, walkable town, with the Chemin de Memoire offering great opportunities for exploration and reflection. Our guide for a tour of the Chartres Cathedral and the surrounding medieval town, Claire, was incredibly kind and knowledgeable, and the sights we saw were breathtaking.

We ended up staying in a small town in Perche, L'Aigle, for the next stop, in a community near to the village where the first ancestor of our family name came from, Tourouvre. We enjoyed exploring L'Aigle (look for the beautiful "Remarkable Trees of France," and the small Eglise Saint Martin), but the highlight was when our driver took us to Tourourve, where we went to the church where our ancestor was baptized and saw his name on a plaque. The church is called L'Eglise Saint-Aubin, and it includes stained glass windows commemorating the immigration of many people from Perche to Quebec in the 17th century. It is a must-see for Franco-American and Quebecois visitors with roots in the area. A nearby museum, Les Museales de Tourouvre, has a permanent exhibition devoted to these immigrants, and we stumbled upon it in a stroke of good luck. The person at the admissions desk even gave us a printout of the materials they had in their digital archive about our ancestor. I should add that our driver wasn't expecting this side trip, and he was very understanding and patient during what turned out to be the most personally meaningful day of our trip.

We next spent two nights in Bayeux in order to tour sites associated with D-Day: Omaha Beach and the American Cemetery, Pointe de Hoc, and a drive by the British Cemetery. Our guide, Stephane, was brilliant, and I only wish we'd had more time to spend with him! He even followed up with additional photos and resources for us to peruse at our leisure. On our own, we also managed to squeeze a visit to the Bayeux Tapestry museum to see the famed 11th-century tapestries commissioned by William the Conqueror to document and celebrate his conquest of England. This was an unexpected addition to our itinerary, and we felt so fortunate to be able to see it. Our stay in Bayeux at L'Hotel Lion D'Or was spectacular, and the Bayeux Cathedral was another special stop.

Finally, we went to Liseux to celebrate the centenary of the beatification of St. Therese de Liseux, an important figure in our Franco American family's Catholic faith tradition. It was sheer luck that our visit coincided with this celebration, though when I said so to our wonderful guide, Ria, she said that it was, "providence." In any case, it was an event never to be forgotten, and the tours of the visitor's center and the basilica were moving and informative. The Mass itself, led by the Cardinal, and attended by over 1,000 people, including many members of the clergy, was beautiful.

I will recommend KimKim to anyone planning a trip abraod, and especially to those travelling with or as elderly people who next a little extra tlc. I know that I will turn to KimKim again in the future, and I am so very grateful for this trip.

Megan St. Marie
President, Modern Memoirs, Inc.
www.modernmemoirs.com

Hotel Reviews

Hôtel A la Villa des Artistes

Paris

A lovely boutique hotel, with excellent continental breakfast. The surrounding neighborhood includes terrific restaurants (La Closerie des Lilas, Le Dome Montparnasse, creperies near la rue Montparnasse) and not-to-be-missed bookstores, Tschann Librarie and Tschann Jeunesse, and the Jardin des Grands-Explorateurs and Les Jardins du Luxembourg are less than a 1/2 mile away on foot.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hôtel Mercure Chartres Centre Cathédrale

Chartres

We were very happy with this hotel. It was comfortable, and there were restaurants within walking distance. We also had time to explore the surrounding area and visit the Chemin de Memoire.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Au Petit Paradis

Sainte-Gauburge-Sainte-Colombe

We had a mix-up with our reservation, but the innkeeper was understanding and recommended another hotel nearby. This place would be great for people with their own car who want to stay in the countryside.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Le Cosy Bayeux

Bayeux

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

Bayeux

A fancy and special hotel with beautiful rooms but no elevator. Such a great way to cap our trip.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Kyriad Lisieux

Lisieux

This was our least favorite among all the hotels due to its location and lack of things to do in the area.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Back to Medieval Paris with Notre Dame, St Chapelle & Conciergerie

Paris

Our guide was knowledgeable, and we enjoyed the tour of St Chapelle. Unfortunately, the Conciergerie was closed early, but the company said they would credit our account. We also visited Notre Dame but couldn't tour it.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Lunch cruise on the Seine (Premier Service included)

Paris

The lunch cruise was fabulous, with delicious food and great views of the city. It was an excellent way for my dad to see parts of the city without having to walk too much.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half-day tour to Giverny from Paris

Paris

Our guide, Paul, was knowledgeable and friendly. Monet's gardens were spectacular, and we had a fantastic time.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private tour of Chartres (2-hours)

Chartres

Our guide, Claire, was wonderful and knowledgeable. The tour of the medieval part of the town and the Chartres Cathedral was breathtaking and moving.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

D-Day U.S beaches tour

France

We had a guide named Stefan, who had spent 40 years studying the history of the battles of Normandy. The tour started with a visit to the British cemetery, followed by a trip to Omaha Beach, the American Cemetery, and the visitor center. We also visited Pointe du Hoc.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Private tour of Lisieux (2-hours)

France

The private tour of Lisieux was a serendipitous experience. The tour guide, Maria, was a devout Catholic with extensive knowledge of the saint's life and the memorial site

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had an excellent trip, exploring some of the most beautiful parts of France. Highlights included Park Asterix, walking on the Emerald coast of Brittany, the incredible troglodyte villages of the Dordogne, cycling in the Loire and our incredible private tour of the Louvre. Highly recommend.

Hotel Reviews

Citadines Apart'hotel Saint-Germain-des-Prés Paris

Paris

Great location, easy to get everywhere.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Les Quais de Lutèce 4*

Plailly

Super fun hotel, great bedding!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Le Bayeux 3*

Bayeux

Good location, friendly staff, tired hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hôtel & Appart'hôtel L'Adresse

Saint-Malo

Great location just outside the old city, nice and tidy hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Manoir de la Maison Blanche

Amboise

Very friendly host, lots of character. A way from central amboise.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Bon Encontre

Sarlat

Lovely hotel, a bit of a walk from the city.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Logis Hotel La Chartreuse

Cahors

A very tired hotel, smelled like chlorine. Not a great location, but a good view of the river.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Les Terrasses du Midi 3*

Carcassonne

A lovely apartment, great hosts and everything you could want in terms of facilities. Not near the medieval city.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Boutique Hôtel Entraigues

Uzes

Beautiful hotel in a great location. Felt luxurious.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Saint Germain des Près Food Tour

Paris

Great experience, loved everything about it, including our fabulous guide.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Biking Day Trip Through Historic Versailles

France

A fantastic way to spend the day, loved it. It’s great to explore Versailles on bike.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Family tour at the Louvre

Paris

I think this was the best tour of our trip. Our guide was incredibly knowledgeable and fantastic with our kids.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Back to Medieval Paris with Notre Dame, St Chapelle & Conciergerie

Paris

This was a very interesting tour, but not as engaging for young children. Recommended for teenagers/adults.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Omaha Beach Half Day Tour

Bayeux

Very knowledgeable guide, interesting area.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private visit of Chambord Castle and Gardens

France

Very beautiful area, knowledgeable guide who was excellent with our kids.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Chambord Horse & Bird of Prey Show

France

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Day excursion in the Dordogne Valley

France

Absolutely fantastic guide and incredible countryside. We want to spend a month in the dordogne!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day-tour to Mirepoix, Camon & Montségur Castle

Carcassonne

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Roman sites and historical places

France

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The SPECTACULAR LOIRE VALLEY!! 5 days and 4 nights in this wonderful section of France. Walking through castles where recorded history occurred sometimes 800 years ago! The people, the gardens, the chateaux, the history and art, the food, the wine, and the cheese made our vacation the perfect escape from the normal stressors of life.

I am an experienced traveler, but this was my first time using a travel agent/tour company. I am so happy that my first experience with a travel agent arranging all the details of a trip was so positive! I gave Lise (our specialist) a budget, a list of places that were a "must see" for us, and some preferences for our trip and she put together an itinerary that we could adjust and tweak. After some back and forth, we landed on an itinerary and price; a trip that we were so looking forward to!! And it did NOT disappoint! All I had to keep track of was a folder of printed vouchers because EVERYTHING was taken care of. Every detail from the TGV, transfer taxi to hotel, hotel, small group guided days (which included the "skip the line" chateaux tours, lunches (or free time to lunch), driver, and winery tours), transfer back to rail station, and TGV back to Paris, was arranged for us--all we had to do was show up and enjoy!

Lise and the Kimkim team remained in contact with us prior to the trip offering guides and suggestions. During the trip, they remained in contact over email and even gave us phone numbers in Europe to call in the event of emergency or inconvenience that might need assistance. We did not need to contact them, but it was reassuring to have just in case.

Our guides Marion, Camilla, and Aurelia each provided wonderful days touring amazing Chateaux, gardens, wineries, and offered little extras (history details, suggestions for how to get the most out of the day, restaurant recommendations, and little known places to check out) that made the trip extra special.

The highlight of the trip was the lunch we were so fortunate to have at Chateau Villesavin. A privately owned chateau where the Madame greeted us and, after a home cooked meal we all enjoyed in an 18th century room, allowed us to roam the grounds and certain rooms of this lesser known, but beautiful, chateau tucked into the gorgeous Loire valley countryside.

If you want to walk the narrow cobblestone streets of medieval towns, tread the paths formerly walked by the Kings and Queens of very old France and Leonardo DaVinci, and encounter the most incredible gardens and flowers we have EVER seen...then the Loire Valley in Spring is for you. To make it all easy, accessible, and affordable---I highly recommend Lise and the kimkim team.

Hotel Review

Au Charme Rabelaisien

Amboise

This is a small boutique hotel with the service and amenities of a large hotel, and the charm and personal touch of a bed and breakfast. The breakfast each morning was excellent. The room, amazing view, and large modern bathroom made it the perfect central place to enjoy the Eastern Loire Valley and all of its charms. The staff was so nice and eager to accommodate to ensure comfort and enjoyment.

Authenticity & Character

A modernized and converted 18th century space that is cozy and unique.

Location

Amboise is a perfect little town to be central to so many of the Loire Valley attractions.

Staff

Everyone was quick to greet with a smile and assist any way they could.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Self-guided visit of Le Chateau Clos Lucé

France

Experience the genius of DaVinci in the place where he spent the last years of his life. Marvel at his inventions and artwork that might be previously unknown to you.

Quality of Experience

Chambord, Chenonceau & Lunch at the Château - Full Day

France

Marion did a wonderful job taking to these sites providing background and history to bring these Chateaux to life. The lunch at Villesavin was so special.

Quality of Experience

Food

The Madame at Villesavin provided an incredible lunch that was really a highlight of the entire trip.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Marion did a great job guiding us and making everyone feel welcome and included.

Transport

Villandry, Azay-Le-Rideau & Vouvray wine tour - Full Day

France

These Chateaux are incredible. The gardens at Villandry are once-in-a-lifetime amazing. The winery tours were interesting and fun to learn and experience the Vouvray wines of the Loire Valley.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Cami is new to guiding and her enthusiasm and pride for her new profession shone through.

Transport

Small minivan, very comfortable and spacious for 6 people.

Private guided tour to Chaumont-sur-Loire & Blois

Amboise

We experienced the Chateau Royal de Blois and Chaumont sur Loire during this privately guided trip and it was a truly unique day!

Quality of Experience

We were lucky to get to see the garden festival at Chaumont sur Loire.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Aurelia did an amazing job taking us through these wonderful castles and helped us get a wonderful lunch at Chaumont sur Loire. She provided lots of background and visual aids to help the figures who make up the centuries of history of these spaces come to life.

Transport

Picked up right at our hotel in a beautiful, clean, comfortable sedan and driven through the french countryside without worry for parking or navigation.

My friend and I used Lise at Kim Kim to plan a 5 day trip through the Loire River Valley. We gave Lise the overview of what we wanted to see during our trip. From there, she filled in the details that included everything from our train ride from Paris to LRV and back, hotel, guided chateau tours, and drivers. She also did a great job of touching base periodically prior to our arrival and during the trip.
We stayed in Amboise at a lovely boutique hotel that was in a great location. The accommodations at the hotel were perfect.
The guided tours were either private (just my friend and I) or small groups (max of 8). The tour guides were knowledgeable and friendly. Because we had tour guides, we were able to skip the lines which proved invaluable. During the tours, we also had time to explore on our own.
My friend and I are from the U.S. and had not been to the LRV before. Lise did a wonderful job of taking the time and stress out of planning a trip in a different country. It was truly a delightful and memorable trip!

Hotel Review

Au Charme Rabelaisien

Amboise

Lovely boutique hotel in a wonderful location. It's within walking distance to shops, restaurants, markets, and to most attractions around Amboise. It's also centrally located within the Loire River Valley. The staff at the hotel was super friendly and helpful. The continental breakfast was very good with fresh fruit, cereals, breads, and other light fare. Our room was a good size and very clean. Overall, we were very happy with our experience and would stay at the hotel again.

Authenticity & Character

Vintage boutique hotel with modern conveniences.

Location

Within walking distance to shops, restaurants, and to most attractions around Amboise.

Staff

Very accommodating and friendly staff.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The bed was comfortable and the room and property were very clean.

Activity Review

Chambord, Chenonceau & Lunch at the Château - Full Day

France

Visited several chateaus on our trip and Chenonceau was my favorite. The history of Chenonceau is fascinating and the grounds are beautiful. Chambord was interesting to see because of its grandeur and the double helix staircase but other chateaus have a much richer story. I'm still glad I saw it, however. The most special part of the tour was our delicious and authentically French lunch at the privately-owned Chateau. This really made for a unique and memorable experience.

Quality of Experience

If you're visiting the Loire Valley to see the chateaus, this tour shouldn't be missed.

Food

The private lunch at the Chateau was very special and delicious!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Camilla was a friendly and knowledgeable guide. She did an excellent job of explaining the history of the chateaus and region. She was also a safe driver.

Transport

Using KimKim was a leap of faith. I shared with Valentine a bit about my own experience in France/with French, as well as that of my 15 year old son, and our particular interests and hopes for this short spring break trip together. I mentioned my preference for clean local food and my environmental ethic. Everything was SPOT on, from the “Maison Mere” she sweetly selected for this Mother-son trip that began in Paris, with its peek-a-boo view of the Eiffel Tower, beyond organic and unique restaurant and bar, and an Easter egg hunt in the room for our Easter Eve arrival, to the perfectly curated WWII walking tours, the croissant-making class and the classic Eiffel Tower ascent. The tour guide in Provence was wonderful and made sure we visited one of the open air markets. I would never have known the unique history of Nice, seen the Ville Franche coastline or understood the independent principality that is Monaco if Valentine hadn’t so expertly curated this 8 night whirlwind first-time visit for my son to France. Bravo! I can’t wait to use KimKim again to explore some place I don’t know as well as I do France, because I now trust KimKim implicitly to make the most of my time, money and unique interests and objectives!

I have used KimKim several times and it keeps getting better and better. Clément planned us unique activities that accommodated my friend on her first trip to Paris while also keeping me engaged ,although I had seen many of the places before. The day trip to Reims for the Champagne tour is a must do. We learned so much and had a great time seeing the area with our fantastic guide Xavier. Our food tour in Montmartre with Carol was perfect for anyone looking to learn the culture and history of food in Paris. Carol taught us about eating what is in season, understanding the regions food comes from, and was so passionate about food it was contagious. I would have loved to shop with her and then cook as well. The private shopping was also a highlight. We learned about what shops are up and coming, where to stop for a great coffee or tea, and what to avoid. I could go on and on but the last thing I will mention is the bike tour of Versailles. It was a full day of activity and laughs. Our guide Martin was incredible and helped us shop the Sunday market for picnic supplies as well as educate us on the history of the place and grounds. We did so many things I could write forever but these are the highlights that really stood out. KimKim makes a fully packed trip so easy with all the transfers and tickets pre-booked. Each night we reviewed our itinerary for the next day and we could just enjoy knowing it was all in hand.

Hotel Review

Hôtel Bonsoir Madame

Paris

Perfect location to relax after busy days. The staff couldn’t be better.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

E-bike tour in Champagne region

France

We couldn’t do the bike tour so to rain but go to join the van tour. It was incredible fun. Xavier was a fantastic guide. We wish we could have stayed longer.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Xavier was fun, knowledgeable and a pleasure.

Transport

Montmartre Local Gastronomy Tour

Paris

Carol was so passionate and amazing. We learned so much about the history and culture of food in France. This was so much more than a food tour. I wish we could have spent the whole day with Carol, first shopping and then cooking. I highly recommend this with Carol.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The Key to Parisian Chic: Saint-Honoré

Paris

This was great fun and our guide gave us so many ideas for other things to do in Paris. We shopped with her all morning then went back at the end of our trip to purchase items.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Murders and Mysteries of the Louvre

Paris

This tour is a bit long and heavy with information but the Louvre is massive. It was crowded which is not our guides fault. We learned so many interesting facts about the art. Our guide was like an encyclopedia of art history and is was mesmerizing to listen.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The Art of Pairing Cheese & Wine

Paris

Our teacher Agath was hilarious and so fun. We learned so much about cheese and wine and how to taste it. It really built on our knowledge from our other food tour.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Great Bike tour of Versailles

France

Martin is the best! So much fun and laughter.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Vintage Paris & the St. Ouen Flea Market

Paris

This was on our last day. It was probably just bad timing but we did not find this to be super fun. We were cold and tired so sorting through the cluttered shops was not as appealing. Our guide was so kind and shared a lot of history about the market. I think this was the only poor choice of activity we had on the trip but to no fault of our guide.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

N/A

Mathilde did a phenomenal job of customizing our trip exactly how we envisioned it, especially by getting us hard to get tickets, including the Vermeer exhibit which was nearly a miracle. The pacing of the trip and quality of the stops was perfect no complaints

We wanted to thank KimKim and Amandine for planning such an amazing 11-day itinerary for our first ever family trip to France. We were able to experience the best of both North and South France, from the cooking classes to the biking tours, Bakery tours to dinner cruise, the private guided tours at Versailles and Louvre ( our tour guide- Alexandra, she was the best!!!) and night tour bus. It was all so much fun.
We also wanted to extend our gratitude for the fantastic service provided by your French cooking class chefs, tour guides, pick-up drivers, and hotel choices.They were all knowledgeable, personable, and made the whole experience all the more enjoyable, especially for our kids. And we got to learn so much about France and the French history them. It was a very unique experience for us.

This was our first time planning a trip with kimkim, and we were a little nervous about how everything would turn out. However everything from planning to booking the trip turned out to be so seamless and hassle free.
Both our itineraries in Paris and Nice ( French Riviera side) has been well planned.
We just can't thank Amandine enough for all that she did to make this trip such a memorable experience. We will definitely be planning more trips with kimkim in the future, and we highly recommend their services.
Merci for everything Amandine and Kimkim.

Best regards,
Sachi and Pradeep

Hotel Reviews

Palm Hotel

Nice

We loved staying in the suite of Palm hotel Nice. We arrived late and we forgot to call them and update them, thinking they would have a 24 hour reception like we had in Paris. But when we arrived at 9pm, everything was locked. We called the hotel and the Nicola led us in via code and the receptionist was kind enough to leave keys for us , even without a proper check-in. Seeing we had kids traveling with us. The hotel was really in the prime location with everything walkable- cafes, restaurants, the beach. We absolutely loved our stay and we definitely will be coming back!!

Authenticity & Character

Very close to cafes, restaurants, beach

Location

Staff

Friendly staff and guiding us through Nice.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Yes everything was super clean and comfy

Le Rocroy Hôotel & Spa Paris

Paris

We stayed here for 5 days herein Paris. It was conveniently located and was easily accessible to metro and the bus stops. Walkable to Montmarte area. Had so many good cafes and restaurants near. The suite was perfect for our family of four. They had an amazing breakfast included too and a 24 hour coffee and hot chocolate machine. We loved our stay in this cute little parisian hotel.

Authenticity & Character

A sweet little parisian hotel

Location

Everything was just in walking distance

Staff

Very good.

Cleanliness & Comfort

They had their cleaning services everyday.

Activity Reviews

French Cooking Class with Market Visit

Paris

Chef Miriyam was such a joy to be around. The excitement she shared while talking about the farmed produces in France to the cheese to introducing to us the French culinary ( parisian style of cooking) was such an amazing experience. Our kids enjoyed how she explained everything. We loved her class and the hosting services she did. We loved Miriyam and miss her " AllieAllie" .

Quality of Experience

Miriyam had so much to talk about the French culinary, the spices that she used and how flavourful her food was.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Skip the line Eiffel Tower Tickets - 2nd floor with audioguide

Paris

We missed going inside due to the strike that happened. But Eiffel tower from outside was beautiful:)

French Bakery Visit

Paris

We visited a traditional French Bakery - Le grenier a pain. Meeting their owner, going into the bakery behind scenes- meeting the baker, patisserie chef and watching them making these baguette , bread and croissants. Cheese pudding etc. It was such a great experience knowing how much time and effort and the details they need to watch for. We got to try freshly baked bread and baguettes too. Our guide was really awesome too.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Family Bike Tour : A Special Family Experience

Paris

This was the highlight of pur Paris trip. We LOVED biking around Paris , just like the Parisiens do it. Our guide Tibou from Bluefox travel was the best we could ask for. He talked so much about the cities history and made it exciting for kids with asking them to spot things around while we stopped, talked about french history and made a photo stop on the iconoc points in Paris. He always watched for kids safety while we biked around. Can't thank enough. Thank you Tibou for making our biking ride so special for us.

Quality of Experience

Everything was wonderful.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Versailles palace and gardens tour for kids and teenagers

Paris

Our tour guide Alexandra ( Family focus tour company) she was the best. She made this four hour tour so much enjoyable for kids. I mean if it was without a private tour we would have just got lost or kids would have got bored for sure. But Alexandra made sure from the garden tour to inside the palace she kept telling these stories in such a simplified way , that we all got so information about king Louis 14th to the French revolution, the interiors of the palace. I mean hands down Alexandra , she made sure the kids had a good time knowing about the palace.

Quality of Experience

Alexandra's knowledge and her love for telling these stories to the kids. She just made our trip such an amazing experience.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Tour guide Alexxandra - Big shout for her!!

Transport

Toni took care of everything so good!!

Private visit of Notre-Dame and Sainte-Chapelle

Paris

It was a wonderful experience. Elle our tour guide walked us through outside of Notre Dame ( Notre Dame isn't yet open after the fire that happened in 2019 it is still under construction) but there's a virtual reality of how it will be just in front of it. Saint Chapelle was amazing . The interiors and the art work of the chappele. Just mind blown with the feel of it. Our tour guide took us around the Latin quarter and to floral markets around. It was a beautiful walk for two hours.

Quality of Experience

Elle was really amazing. She walked around depending on kids energy level. She told us lots about how the church and the Chappells worked in those days. She was very informative.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Orsay Museum: entrance tickets & audioguide

Paris

This was an audio guided tour. We were bown away by the art that we witnessed through our eyes. We enjoyed every bit of it.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Treasure Hunt at the Louvre

Paris

Louvre experience was Outstanding and it was just because of our private guide Alexandra!! She just made our trip so fun, especially keeping the kids entertained as well as informative. It's a huge museum and it can be tiring for kids and adults. To be honest there's a lot of brain power that takes off in consuming all these majestic artworks. Alexandra picked out just the major and important attractions for us and had rhe kids solve a puzzle along the tour. We were blown away by the amount of knowledge she has and her passion to talk endlessly about the history and art of Louvre.

Quality of Experience

WE LOVED IT.. BIG SHOUT TO ALEXANDRA OUR PRIVATE GUIDE. THANK YOU KIMKIM FOR GETTING HER FOR US.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Paris Night Tour

Paris

Just magical to see the city of love lit in the dark hours. Eiffle tower was so majestic . This is a must go ..to see Paris in the night felt so beautiful. J'adore Pareee.....

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Boat Tour on the Coast

Nice

It was a beautiful one hour tour. Just make sure to be there like 15 - 30 minutes before the trip. They are very much strict on time. We missed it by two minutes on our first day because of lack of sleep. They didn't wait for us. But thanks to Amandine and kimkim they got it rescheduled for us :)

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

A Day Trip from Nice to Cannes, Grasse, Gourdon & Saint Paul de Vence

Nice

We loved this whole day trip. It was such a beautiful drive along the French Riviera. Our driver and guide Xavier was really really awesome. He told us so many things about Nice and how was it to live around there. We loved the perfume factory tour and The Antibes medieval village. The drive was amazing. We absolutely loved it!!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Xavier was amazing!! We had the best experience. Big shout to Xavier

Transport

Monaco | Monte-Carlo | Eze | La Turbie

France

What a trip this was. To see the richness and granduer of Monte Carlo( Monaco) the monarchy, the churches. Just loved it. Thanks to Alex our driver and guide for walking us through the history and life around Monte Carlo. Fraganord perfumery tour at Eze was awesome too. Kids had a blast there knowing how the perfumes around the world are made from here. Loved this beautiful trip :)

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Alex was an amazing guide.

Transport

Market tour, cooking class & lunch

Nice

This was an amazing culinary experience. The Nissean style of cooking. Which includes a lot of olive oil and veggies and meat with less cheese and butter unlike the Parisian culinary experience we had. We had a market visit and Rosa walked us through how she chooses her produces. She told us how the Italiian Mediterranean influence of Nice has made their culinary a different from.the Northern style of France. The menu was delicious. We had so much of fun experience with Rosa. Thanks to Kimkim for planning this for us .

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

My husband and I were looking to travel to France for our delayed honeymoon/anniversary trip, and found KimKim while looking online for travel/tour companies. The travel itinerary created by our tour specialist, Nathalie, was fantastic, and we enjoyed all of the different excursions booked (our favorite was the wine tasting tour in Aix-en-Provence!, though they were all amazing, including the excursion to seeing the Pont du Gard, and our own personal guide for our trip to Versailles, La Conciergerie, Saint-Chapelle, Notre Dame). There were a few bumps along the road (booked to see the Louvre with a private small group tour, however unbeknownst to us the start time of this tour was changed to earlier in the day, and we did unfortunately miss the tour; and had difficulty with a couple of the private drivers hired to take us to/from the hotel to/from the TGV) however we will be getting refunded for these reservations. The hotels reserved for us were very nice (chose 4 star hotels for the most part, one 3 star hotel in Lyon but was also very nice), and we had surprise gifts for us waiting in our hotel rooms as a part of our anniversary trip, which I thought was a very nice touch and added welcome surprises to our trip along the way. Overall, had a really nice time, and glad we used KimKim to help curate our trip.

After putting over 100 hours of research into our family trip to Paris, I'm very happy with the tours and guide choices. Amandine had good ideas and stitched everything together very well.

We have a 5 year old and a 2 year old, I'm pregnant and we also traveled with our nanny. There were a lot of moving parts and we hadn't done a trip like this before. We obviously had things that worked well and things we wouldn't do again at our current stage. I can't speak highly enough of the Blue Fox tour group, especially the bike tour we did was so much fun for everyone. While the museum tours were really well done, I think they're meant more for children 7+ (not 5+) and I wish we'd gone without the kids.
We stayed at Marriot hotels in Paris and Dijon (we have status) and those worked great for our large group and we're in a centralized location. Figuring out the Paris Pass was more complicated than I thought (you have to attach a photo to it or get a ticket!) But it made traveling around Paris very easy.
Amandine did a great job of taking my research and finding the specific tour guides, booking, and coordinating everything. I just printed everything off and drivers would text me the night before to confirm pick up.
The two issues that came up that I would recommend other people be aware of when booking:
First the protests-- I'm not talking about trash in Paris, but the national protests, dates published in advance, most of the city shuts down. It wasn't Amandine who told us it was happening, that we would need to reschedule our tours for that day, or areas to avoid since we had small children, but the Blue Fox tour guide the day before and some local friends living outside of Paris. I had to reach out to Amandine to confirm and arrange for our trip to Versailles to be refunded. At that point it was the day before, so we couldn't reschedule to another day without major disruption. This was a pretty big deal and something I absolutely think should have been communicated since the days are published in advance.
Secondly, I'd asked Amandine if she'd be able to help book restaurants while we were there and she had told me she could. I had selected the restaurants but had wanted assistance with making the reservations to inform the restaurant of my pregnant dietary restrictions. She informed me 3 days before we left that she couldn't complete the reservations without my credit card and sent me website links. Obviously several of my choices had already booked up at that point and I was left scrambling to try and find alternatives. I would rather her have been upfront that it's a service she doesn't offer and I would've taken care of it myself.

Fortunately communication with Amandine was always easy and she was readily reachable when I had the protest concerns while we were in Paris. This is our second time using KimKim and I'm very pleased with Amandine's putting the trip together, and really selected great tour guides! I do think those two negatives were pretty big for us though and I recommend either her group be aware and make changes for future clients or clients understand the limitations of her group.

Activity Review

Private Family Bike Tour : A Special Family Experience

Paris

Cecilia is amazing and this bike tour was everyone's favorite thing on our whole trip. Can't recommend this highly enough.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The KimKim interface and Clément's flexibility and attentiveness were amazing.

First, before the trip we truly partnered with Clément to design a vacation everyone was very happy with. I did take a few iterations but Clément was understanding and had many wonderful ideas. Before we left everything needed was booked and provided. This significantly decreased the stress of vacation planning especially when you are dealing with a family vacation with children.

I don't feel like we are demanding customers but during the trip we did have hiccups a few times along the way and Clément and the rest of his partner staff were wonderful, patient, understanding, and I always felt they would take care of us if something went wrong.

The two bicycle tours we did were a lot of fun. David in Nantes was patient, friendly, knowledgeable, and went with the flow on a few instances of poor weather. CiCi in Paris kept the kids entertained, was very knowledgeable, and I felt safe with her leading our group in some very busy parts of the city.

Hotel Reviews

7 Urban Suites

Nantes

Nice clean hotel. Breakfast was very good. Staff was polite and kind. There is a market next door which was convenient. It's not super close to restaurants or shops but that did make it quiet. Walkable to the main areas but is a bit of a hike.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hôtel Lorette—Astotel

Paris

Location was good close to shops and restaurants. Breakfast was alright but not fantastic. They did lose our train passes that were supposed to be waiting at the front desk for us which was frustrating. If you are on the lower floors the subway/metro train can be loud. Rooms were clean and nice.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Discover the "Machines de l'île"

Nantes

Everything was very interesting to see. All communication was in French so had to install application to get English explanations but felt this missed out on some of the experience.

Nantes discovery tour by bike with a private guide

Nantes

David is from Nantes but has had life adventures he is happy to talk about. Is very knowledgeable about the area and seems passionate about being an advocate for Nantes. Really enjoyed the tour.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Arc de Triomphe timed entry tickets

Paris

A quick tour but has beautiful views. Worth the hour or two to do.

Eiffel Tower Tickets

Paris

Really enjoyed this experience and was on our life bucket list. Our tour guide was extremely nice, patient and made everything move quicker.

Cruise on the Seine

Paris

Was relaxing and interesting to see the city from the river. Was nice to be able to see some sights in a more relaxing adventure after a lot of walking.

Timed tickets to Le Louvre

Paris

Le Louvre is well known and not a secret. Just be prepared for lots of waiting and crowds. There is more to see here than can be experienced in a day.

Parisian bike tour in the "Latin quarter" and "Le Marais"

Paris

I had some doubts if the 'Amazing Race' theme would be fun but it really was. The parents and 3 children were very entertained and still got to see some behind the scenes parts of the city. Our tour guide CiCi was amazing. Energetic, fun, patient, and very knowledgeable.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff