Lise Troulier

Our travel planner Lise was amazing. She was easy to work with, made great suggestions and accommodated our unique needs. We had private transfers to and from the airport and train station and that was really a life saver. Our drivers were in communication with us and easy to find even during busy rush hour traffic. Our first tour in the Loire Valley was with Nicholas. He took us to Chenonceau, Chambord and a small privately owned Chateau for lunch. Nicholas was very knowledgeable about the history of both castles as well as the "drama" behind the lives of the kings and queens who lived there. He made it very interesting for us and gave us plenty of time to explore the beautiful gardens on our own.
Our next tour was supposed to be of Castle Bois and The House of Magic. We were disappointed to learn that the House of Magic was closed the day we went and had been closed for several weeks. That was one of the things my son was most excited about seeing. However, our guide for the day, Cecilia was able to shift quickly. We instead went to a local family winery for a wine tasting and then she took us to the last home of Leonardo da Vinci where we were able to see his inventions displayed throughout his garden. We then headed to Paris and had a nighttime summit tour of the Eiffel Tour. Our guide was Lekshme and she was very enthusiastic and knowledgeable. The next day we did a private walking tour of Medieval Paris with Victor. He picked us up at our hotel, showed us how easy it was to ride the Metro (which we did consistently after that point and even saw Lekshme on the metro--she said hello and gave us directions) and gave us a great tour. Notre Dame, Sainte Chappelle and so much more including modern churches, a stroll through St. Germain showing us jazz clubs, bookstores, parks etc. Victor is very good at his job and very knowledgeable about history. From there we had a walking food tour through St. Germain des Pres with Philipe. It was amazing being able to taste the best cheese, wine, bread, chocolate, croissant, macarons and coffee that Paris has to offer. Philipe was a great guide, very smart and engaging with all of us. The next day was our bike tour of Versailles. We met at the train station and took the 12 minute train ride to Versaille where we were outfitted with bicycles. Clara guided us to the Palace of Versailles and gave us a wonderful tour including the Hall of Mirrors. After the tour we rode our bikes through Versailles to the market where we had lunch and time to explore on our own. We then met back up with our group and biked the Palace gardens and Marie Antoinette's hamlet. It rained in the afternoon, but it was SO beautiful. This was probably my favorite day in France. The next day we had a private tour at the Louvre. Marie Claire was our guide and while we had limited time, she really showed us a lot including the Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo and the beautiful Rubens paintings. She is SO knowledgeable and just a very pleasant person. The tour was a nice stroll after a busy day biking in Versailles. We also saw both Victor and Philipe at the Louvre and they both made it a point to say Bonjour! Our final day in Paris was a free day which I specifically asked Lise to schedule for us. And while it was lovely to have time to explore on our own, I missed having the knowledge of our guides showing us the hidden treasures of the city. Our final evening, Lise arranged a Sienne River dinner cruise. It was raining lightly, which made the lights of the city even more beautiful and we had a lovely meal. Unfortunately both myself and my son did experience food poisoning from that dinner which hit us on our 10 hour flight home the next day. The meal itself was very good and I'm sure it was just a fluke. Overall, we loved our trip to France, saw and learned so much, and met the most lovely guides the country has to offer. I will definitely be using Kim Kim to help plan our next international adventure.

Hotel Reviews

Au Charme Rabelaisien

Amboise

This is a very charming, small hotel in Amboise. It was clean and lovely. We were on the very top floor and the elevator didn't go all the way up, so there was a lot of climbing for us. But the views from our room made up for it.

Authenticity & Character

Very charming and lovely.

Location

Quick walk to Centre Ville, shops and restaurants.

Staff

Everyone was so friendly and helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean and the staff was helpful with all of our needs.

Hôtel du Rond-point des Champs-Élysées - Esprit de France

Paris

Great location close to the Champs Elysees. The staff was really great, helping us with urgency anything that we needed.

Authenticity & Character

I loved the decoration of the hotel, especially the cheetah print carpeting. Very French!

Location

Close to everything, but tucked away too.

Staff

Every staff member we encountered went above and beyond.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean and comfortable.

Activity Reviews

Chambord, Chenonceau & Lunch at the Château - Full Day

France

The tour of Chambord and Chenonceau was fantastic. The guides were not only interesting as individuals, but they were also extremely knowledgeable about the places we were touring. The communication was seamless, with reminders and confirmations being sent a day before the scheduled transfer. The convenience of the transportation was greatly appreciated, especially when traveling with my two children.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Combo visit of Blois Castle and the House of Magic

France

The tour was scheduled to include a visit to Blois Castle and the House of Magic. We were looking forward to the House of Magic tour, particularly for my 13-year-old son. However, upon arrival, we found out that it was closed and wouldn't be open for several more weeks. Our guide was able to pivot last minute and took us on a wine tasting and to Leonardo da Vinci's house, which were enjoyable, but the unexpected change was a bit disappointing.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Saint Germain des Près Food Tour

Paris

All the guides we had in Paris were fantastic. They were very knowledgeable and made the tours a learning experience for all of us. The food tour was particularly interesting as our guide was passionate about food and taught us about different cheese processes. It was fun and educational.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Nighttime Seine River Cruise with Dining Experience

Paris

The Seine River dinner cruise on our last night in Paris was a high-end experience with a fancy meal. However, both my son and I got severe food poisoning from the meal. We were violently ill for about five hours during our 10-hour flight back home, not sure if this was related to the dinnner or not.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I am so glad to have used this service. Lise was very flexible and adjusted tour to our preferences. She also made very good recommendations and worked with our budget. Lise’s recommendation resulted in us seeing the three cities of Provence and we lived it.

The tour guides (Remy, Emile, Thomas, and Sebastian) enriched our tours and provided us with information that brought the various places alive.

The hotels were well located and all were safe and clean. Made getting around very easy.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel de Cambis

Avignon

Located close to everywhere one might want to go and see in Avignon. Rooms are clean, hotel nice and secure/safe. Very helpful staff.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to palace du pape. Easy walk to the pont and many cafes and restaurants.

Staff

It was hot while there and accommodated us with lighter blankets.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean. Beds were super comfortable.

Hotel Le Pigonnet

Aix-en-Provence

this was my favorite place. About 13 min from Cours Mirabeau but an easy walk or you can take the bus

Authenticity & Character

Love the gardens and the various rooms to sit inside and in the garden.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

In the footsteps of Van Gogh in Provence

France

Our guide was great! gave context of the time

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Afternoon Wine Tour to Châteauneuf-du-Pape

France

It was a good tour and learned how to evaluate wine

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Aix-en-Provence Historical and Gourmet Walking Tour

France

This was the best!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Tomas was awesome. So enthusiastic.

Transport

be prepared for lots of walking

Hilltop Villages of the Luberon (from Aix-en-Provence)

Aix-en-Provence

I liked this tour but would have preferred doing it in the morning. Got back around 7 pm and it was dark

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Sebastian was excellent

Transport

Full bus. All seats taken so not as comfortable.

Lise did an awesome job making our trip special. I gave her a budget and she made it happen. Every detail went as planned and we could not be more satisfied with the services provided.

In Paris we toured the Eiffel Tower, private Louvre tour, took a private medieval Paris tour and a private food tour. We also had a Seine river dinner. Delicious!! Each guide was punctual and personable. It was like we had an old friend that knew the area! So nice.

We took the train from Paris to Nice which was very relaxing. It gave us a chance to see the countryside and enjoy not having to drive.

In Nice we toured Monaco, Antibes, Eze, Cannes and a perfumerie factory. All of these were worth the money and again our guides made it personable and exciting.

Overall we would visit France again and would book with Lise. She communicated well and was available to help when our plans had to cancel or change. Two thumbs up!!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Brighton

Paris

We really enjoyed our stay at Hotel Brighton. The location was outstanding being so close to the Louvre, Eiffel Tower and shopping. The staff of the hotel were so helpful and accommodating. Specifically, Mitcham was so polite and helpful. He really made us feel at home during our stay. We had a king size bed with a balcony on the 3rd floor overlooking the gardens with the Eiffel Tower in view. The bed was comfortable, the bathroom was clean with 2 sinks and the shower had hot water and good water pressure. They had soft bath and hand towels. The room was spacious enough to have breakfast, which we did every morning, in the room. The included breakfast was delicious. Order one of everything on the breakfast menu as it all so good!!! We would absolutely stay at Hotel Brighton again. Lise did us a wonderful favor booking this hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to the site and shopping in Paris.

Staff

Especially Mitcham!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Le Negresco

Nice

Wow wow wow!! From the first time we stepped up the steps into the hotel till the morning we left, our time at Hotel Le Negresco was unbelievable! They have done an amazing job decorating this hotel with many art pieces. The decor is matched by the amazing service. My wife and I have travelled the world and this hotel was the nicest place we have ever stayed. Luxury is an understatement . We would absolutely stay here again. We booked a dinner at Chantecler restaurant which is onsite of the hotel. They are a Michelin Star restaurant and this was our favorite meal of the entire trip to France. That is saying something as all the food in France is good. It was an expensive splurge but absolutely worth it. You will not be disappointed. Great job Lise booking us at I believe one of the finest hotels in France.

Authenticity & Character

Decor at this hotel is unmatched. It was cool to watch people on the boardwalk stand and stare and take pictures of the hotel.

Location

Centrally located in Nice and convenient to all the sites in and around the French Riviera.

Staff

Everyone was so polite and helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean and comfortable all around.

Activity Reviews

Eiffel Tower Summit Tickets

Paris

Nothing like champagne and caviar at the top of one of the most iconic landmarks in the world. Wasn’t too busy and the views are unrivaled.

Quality of Experience

Transport

Cool to ride in the original elevators to get to the top.

Medieval Paris - St Chapelle, Notre Dame & Conciergerie

Paris

We enjoyed the leisurely stroll around these iconic landmarks. Our guide was so knowledgeable and brought the history to life.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Louvre Late Opening Private tour

Paris

Phillip was an awesome guide. We were able to skip through the long line and go straight into the Louvre. He was very knowledgeable about the art and knew his way around the museum. It was like we had an old friend showing us around.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Saint Germain des Prés Food Tour

Paris

We absolutely enjoyed this tour. Maarten was an awesome guide. We shopped for our food and went to a park overlooking Notre Dame where sat, talked and ate. Such a pleasant experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Maarten was a wonderful guide. He knew the good spots to get great food and where best to enjoy it in Paris.

Nighttime Seine River Cruise with Dining Experience

Paris

This was one highlight of our trip to Paris. We would enjoy this experience again.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Monaco, Eze and La Turbie Tour small group tour

France

This was a fun tour. Driving on the Monaco Grand Prix track was pretty cool. We had time to shop at each of the locations. Walking the narrow streets of the old towns was definitely an experience. We were also able to visit a perfume factory which was a nice part of the tour.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Cannes, Antibes and St Paul de Vence Small Group Tour (Full day)

France

Seeing the sites along this tour was pretty cool. Our driver did a good job showing us historic locations and recommending shops and restaurants where we should eat.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Overall our Kimkim trip was very good.
We enjoyed Provence & Mas de L’Oulivie immensely.
We had some minor disappointments with our Paris guide - he did not provide the complete trip that he outlined at the start of the tour (poor time management)
The BestWestern hotel in Montmartre was definitely not a 4-star hotel - there was no onsite restaurant / no room service and the continental breakfast was poor quality (we had breakfast outside the hotel on the 2nd day). In addition, the rooms were much smaller than we expected.
The windowless room in Arromanches was completely unacceptable. No windows / no bathroom fan / no ventilation. The rest of that hotel was good.

My wife, 16 year old daughter and 12 year old son had a wonderful trip to Paris and southern France in early August. Since it was our kids' first time in France we wanted the trip to be fun as well as educational and were really happy with our experience!

Lise quickly understood what we were looking for and organized small group or private tours for us in Paris including the Eiffel Tower, Norte Dame/Sainte Chapelle, Versailles and the Louvre. All of the guides were knowledgeable, personable and passionate about the places we visited. They also helped navigate around the crowds and thanks to them we were able to see the sites more efficiently and learn much more than if we'd gone on our own. We stayed at a boutique hotel just off the Champs Elysees with easy access to lots of great restaurants as well easy subway access to many of the popular sites. Lise provided a set of wonderful looking restaurant recommendations, although quite a few of these were closed as many restaurants that cater to local French were on holidays for a few weeks. Lise was super-helpful in calling restaurants and we found some good restaurants in the more popular tourist areas, but if there is anything I'd change it'd be to make restaurant reservations in Paris a little earlier when traveling in August.

After Paris we stayed in Nice and took guided half-day tours of Monaco & Eze one day and Cannes, Antibes and St. Paul de Vence another. These were more sightseeing vs educational tours, but we'd never have seen so much of southern France in such a relaxing way on our own and got some great pictures and memories. We stayed in an apartment just off of old-town in Nice which is alive with activity in August and enjoyed lots of time at restaurants and the public markets.

Overall, we really had a wonderful trip and hope to book future trips through kimkim. The local guides made a big difference in getting to know France in the limited time we had and Lise made the whole experience including all transportation seamless.

Hotel Reviews

Hôtel du Rond-point des Champs-Élysées - Esprit de France

Paris

Cute boutique hotel, delicious French breakfasts, helpful English speaking front desk staff.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

L'abeille Boutique Appartements

Nice

Nice apartment in the heart of a bustling area of Nice, great for people looking to hit the restaurants and social scene of Nice.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Nothing bad, just didn't interact with staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Nighttime Seine River Cruise with Dining Experience

Paris

This just seemed "As Paris as you can get". Seeing Paris by night is just wonderful, the food and service was excellent and it really was the perfect way to cap off our trip in Paris.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Medieval Paris - St Chapelle, Notre Dame & Conciergerie

Paris

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Versailles Palace & Gardens Private Tour

Paris

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Montmartre & Sacré-Coeur walking tour

Paris

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We had a wonderful trip to France, traveling to Normandy, Paris and Loire Valley. Every segment of the trip was planned well and even though our plane was delayed en route for three hours, we found our driver waiting for us at the airport, and our itinerary wasn't affected at all. We had a zoom call with Lise at the start so she could understand our preferences and she made all the right calls in booking really charming hotels, scheduling excellent guides and pacing the trip. I didn't have to do any of the work and could just follow the itinerary. She was very thorough--we were provided all the information we needed in a very well organized manner. We enjoyed all of our interactions with the guides and it was really the best way to get to know the French culture. I look forward to another trip to France in the future and am very grateful to Lise for all of her hard work.

I won’t travel any other way. Lise spoiled us for future trips! Everything was perfect. Our guides were exceptional: Alex (food tour), Marten (Montemarte) and Raphaelle (Louvre and Versailles) were memorable and personable. I had been to Paris before and didn’t love it. THIS trip made all the difference. Now I see how people fall in love with this city! Take all my money! Book your trip with Lise. She is outstanding.

Our itinerary is well planned thanks to Lis!
We enjoyed history , landscape, food and weather of Provence in our one week stay at Saint Remy. Our driver/guide Sophie is very pleasant and accommodating, her company is a plus in our trip. We will definitely recommend our friends to try Kimkim service.

Our trip to France was better than possibly imaginable. We fell in love with the French culture and way of life, the way things are not rushed, and how everything is meant to be enjoyed. The food was amazing. The history was rich. The people were so nice. The times spent were priceless. Special thanks to Lise and her team, as they were always attentive, quick to respond, and planned everything perfectly.

Hotel Review

Boutique Hotel Cezanne

Aix-en-Provence

Absolutely beautiful with high quality accommodation and amenities.

Authenticity & Character

High quality local product amenities

Location

Central to Aux and easy to walk

Staff

24/7 staff available

Cleanliness & Comfort

The best place we stayed in France!

Activity Reviews

Nighttime Seine River Cruise with Dining Experience

Paris

This river cruise was amazing. The food was so good, the drinks did not stop coming, and the views were gorgeous. We had a live singer and she was brilliant.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Le Louvre Private Tour

Paris

Our guide was so knowledgeable and kind. She really took what we wanted to see into consideration and was amazing to have.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Paris Macaron Baking Class

Paris

Fred was amazing. So fun and easy to work with. I would recommend him to anyone! @fredandbreakfast

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Easy to reach by metro

Lise did a good job in putting together a memorable trip to France and we would use her services again. The reason for a 4 instead f a 5 was her lack of timely responsiveness. The tours, drivers, and guides she used were great. There were only 2 problem with these. One driver had the wrong time but was able to get someone else to fill in so it we were only delayed. As we needed to get to the airport the next day, We asked Lise to confirm the driver to the airport to make sure we wouldn't have any problems and then they didn't show up at all. s We were forced to call a taxi which Lise reimbursed. Other than that, all went splendidly.

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

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

4* 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 Tickets

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

Versailles Half-day Tour

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

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

Thanks to Lise with Trip My France, we thoroughly enjoyed our time in Alsace and Paris. Lise helped build an itinerary that met our expectations, with some structured tourism as well as time to discover sites on our own.
The hotels in Colmar (Hotel Le Colombier) and in Paris’ Latin Quarter (Hotel Jardin de Cluny) were excellent. Alsace Safari provided an informative tour of Alsatian cities all decked out for the holidays with just the right amount of driving and walking time in addition to allowing for shopping the Christmas Markets. Ground Transfer services were timely and professional. We especially appreciated John, from JFJ Services in Colmar, who spent extra time making sure we knew how to make the train transfer in Strasbourg.
All the documentation provided by Lise helped us stay on time each day and provided background and historical perspective on what we were experiencing, resulting in an unforgettable vacation!
Many thanks.

Hotel Reviews

Hôtel Le Colombier

Colmar

Their hospitality was excellent! The front desk staff were very welcoming and joyful and always had answers to our questions. The breakfast service team was very service-oriented and pleasant. The room was very nice, neat and tidy, and the bed was so comfortable.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hôtel Jardin de Cluny

Paris

It’s amazing that this hotel fits in the tiny building. Love the creative use of space. Everyone we encountered - front desk and breakfast service team - was very friendly. The accommodations and public areas were neat and clean, and the bed was very comfortable.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Plenty of nice places to eat in walking distance, and easy to access some of the best sites in Paris from here.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Magical Christmas & Wine Tasting Half-Day Tour

Colmar

Loved seeing the cities in the small group (only two other guests were on the tour) and our guide was excellent, providing historical perspective and explanations of local culture. His vehicle was in great shape and he’s a trustworthy driver. However, there was no wine tasting on this tour, as the title implied.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Absolute tour of Strasbourg

France

Gabriel was our tour guide and he clearly knows and loves Strasbourg. It was just long - three full hours of walking.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

It was full 3 hours of walking, just know that in advance.

Skip the line visit of the Louvre with audioguide (tickets only)

Paris

Eiffel Tower Summit Tickets

Paris

Nighttime Seine River Cruise with Dining Experience

Paris

This experience is all about the views - seeing Paris highlights at night from the river was beautiful. We appreciated the window seats and excellent drinks included (champagne and wines each course). The menus were fine dining, our meals just weren’t very hot which I understand is a challenge in this setting.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Christmas Gourmet Walking Tour

Paris

Very interesting time in St. Germaine! Our guide was well-informed and we moved at a comfortable pace. It was nice to be in a small group (just one other couple was on this tour with us) as the shops are very small and the sidewalks very narrow, but it was easy to stick together.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half day guided tour of the Palace of Versailles with priority access in a small group (1 to 15 people)

Paris

When we arrived at Versailles, we were ready to get the tour underway but were told our tickets were timed to enter about 45 minutes later. It felt like wasted time. Our tour guide filled some of that time with historical explanation which basically repeated what the hostess on the bus had shared on the way there. Once inside, the tour was excellent and our guide was very informative. I couldn’t imagine visiting Versailles without a guide like that - we learned so much.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The hostess on the bus ride was very informative.

Transport

Our trip was fabulous! We enjoyed all of it and felt special with the personalized plan that was paced perfectly for us. My most unforgettable evening was our dinner cruise on the Seine. Thank you for the perfect time in Paris.

Hotel Review

Hotel Le Six

Paris

The accommodations and service were outstanding and the breakfasts were delicious.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Nighttime Seine River Cruise with Dining Experience

Paris

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cheese and wine tasting in a Parisian cellar in the Marais

Paris

Great fun evening!

Monet House & Impressionism Museum - Half day Tour from Paris

Paris

Absolute beautiful surroundings. Our driver took a scenic way back to Paris…wonderful old villages

Lise did a wonderful job of creating a Paris adventure that has been totally fabulous! Our hotel, LeSix, was perfect in every way - friendly staff, wonderful breakfast, and comfortable room located close to everything we wanted in the 6tharr. Thomas, our pickup & delivery to the airport was polite, friendly and truly an expert driver!

We were more than pleased to discover we had personal tours on four occasions - the Sainte Chapel and Notre Dame (David), the Louvre (Ellen), the Gourmet Food Tour (Barbara) and our drive out to Monet’s home & gardens (Jean) were ALL BEYOND AMAZING. Each and every guide was personable and very knowledgeable.

We actually had a second tour with Ellen, Covered Passages, where there were only four in our group. What made all of these adventures EXTRA SPECIAL is the fact that each tour became totally unique to our expectations. WE LOVED EACH AND EVERY ONE!

Our trip out to Versailles was fun but, quite honestly, after so much individualized attention earlier in the week - we were spoiled and the large weekend crowds were a bit off-putting even though our particular group only had 15. The day was still memorable!

Our culminating adventure was a dinner cruise on the Seine. THIS was the perfect way to wrap up our first trip to Paris. The cruise included a window view, delicious food, a variety of champagne and wines, impeccable service all with lovely tunes provided by talented musicians and a singer. While we did not, dancing was enjoyed by many.

Would we use Kim-Kim services again? ABSOLUTELY, without a doubt. We had never used any such services on our previous travels and I was a bit reluctant to move in this direction of unknown waters (for us) BUT Lise with Kim-Kim did a fabulous job of tending to even the smallest of details, checking in at various points and insuring things were proceeding as planned.

Eight days of great fun - ALL without a hitch, no cancellations, no mix ups, no changes! We had a most memorable FIRST experience in Paris and look forward to making more travel adventures in the future with Kim-Kim assisting. Thank you!

Hotel Review

Hotel Le Six

Paris

Friendly staff, wonderful breakfast spread and comfy, clean room - with easy access to all our activities. THIS was a WIN-WIN on all counts!

Authenticity & Character

CLEAN, friendly & comfy!

Location

Easy access to attractions and a variety of cafes for dining.

Staff

ALWAYS polite, friendly and helpful on all counts!

Cleanliness & Comfort

PERFECTION!

Activity Reviews

Cheese and wine tasting in a Parisian cellar in the Marais

Paris

WOW! We thoroughly enjoyed this activity. Agate (Agatha) did a wonderful job of explaining the variety of cheeses, their regions and processes gif production. She also brought in a wonderful assortment of wines for pairing. Terrific! My hubby actually now enjoys wine a bit more than before.

Quality of Experience

Everything!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Staff was friendly, polite, personable and the drivers all showed a special expertise that helped us arrive SAFELY and on time!

Transport

EXPERT driving skills were quite evident and appreciated!

Latin Quarter Gourmet Tour

Paris

This experience was good and we’d do it again BUT, if done in the future, we’d put a couple days between the wine/cheese pairing with this tour because much of the food tour was focused on wine & cheeses so it pretty much repeated what we had done the night before. We still enjoyed all the knowledge shared by Barbara!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Nighttime Seine River Cruise with Dining Experience

Paris

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Notre Dame and Sainte Chapelle

Paris

David was a wealth of information. We loved every bit of our time together!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Eiffel Tower Summit Tickets

Paris

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Murders and Mysteries of the Louvre

Paris

WOW! Ellen certainly knew the history and made this experience more like a grand story telling session…bringing with it the depths of history. She was very well versed in all the historic details!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

19th Century Covered Passages

Paris

Unique experience with an interesting story behind it!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Half day guided tour of the Palace of Versailles with priority access in a small group (1 to 15 people)

Paris

For a bus trip, this was a good day…well organized and paced.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dinner show at the Moulin Rouge

Paris

Moulin Rouge is a unique experience but they pack you in like sardines do comfort was NOT a concern to the proprietor - it was tight, stuffy and NOT friendly for an easy exit. Dancers were talented…lighting was quite a glare & somewhat blinding for the audience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Wait staff was efficient considering their working conditions.