Simon Hardy
Every time I have the chance to travel, I try to fully experience the destination that I am discovering. The colors, scents, tastes, sounds - all these sensations are the essence of the trip and are magnified even more by unique encounters with locals.
I was born in France (country of fragrances and gastronomy!) and raised between countryside and mountains, which is why I love proposing outdoor travel experiences to my guests when they discover France. Provence and the French Riviera are perfect illustrations of my approach: the Art de Vivre combined with the beauty of great outdoors!
What places and activities do you specialize in?
"Based both in Provence hinterlands and Marseille's old harbor, our local travel agency is dedicated to ecotourism and active travel in Southern France. We are specialists of the Southern Alps, the French Riviera, Provence hinterlands and its legendary « Mont Ventoux ». We organize self-driven trips and guided tours with our local ambassadors and guides: off-the-beaten-path but without missing the essentials! All year long we propose outdoor activities and tours around local products: black truffles and Mediterranean olives in winter, lavender in summer, southern Côte-du-Rhône wine in autumn…every month you'll have a reason to discover Southern France!
Which of the following experiences would you choose in our wide scope of activities? Climbing the Mont Ventoux with or without a pedal assist system…Sleeping under the dome of an observatory in the Southern Alps (one of the best night skies of Europe!), or maybe Enjoying a 4* Ecolodge perched above the biggest European canyon? The choice is entirely yours, and I am here to assist you in creating a unique experience!"
How did you get involved in travel?
"In 2007, I was given the opportunity to rediscover the deep Laos while designing trekking paths along the Hô Chi Minh trails. Since then I have worked and lived in Ethiopia, Thailand, Mali. My work has focused on ecotourism and travel.
When I returned to France in 2013, I decided to make my dreams come true by creating my own local travel agency in a region I particularly loved. I then became a specialist in ecotourism and off-the-beaten-track tours in Southern France, and I love it! "
Please share a unique travel experience you will never forget.
"I experienced the Seychelles islands during a break when I was an international volunteer in Ethiopia. With our group, we hiked through the granite mountains of La Digue until spotting the beautiful coast. Once down on the rocky shore, we followed our local guide Dario and continued the trek with an aquatic walk in the turquoise Indian Ocean, backpacks on our heads, and finally reached a stunning deserted beach … I will never forget the feeling of being an ‘explorer’, even in a very popular and touristy place such as the Seychelles.
Hiking from the mountains to the sea is now definitely my preferred itinerary! Fortunately for me, I can continue this adventure, walking or bike-riding along great paths and roads from the Southern Alps to the Mediterranean Sea!"
Featured trips & expertise
Culinary Rhône Valley Tour: Lyon to Marseille - 8 Days
This culinary tour winds its way from gastronomic Lyon (with a food scene rivaling that of Paris) through the colorful countryside of Provence. Taste famous wines, relax in olive country, and fall in love with the ancient cities and sweeping flower-filled fields that make this region famous.
"Like a Local" Tour in Provence and the French Riviera: 7 Days
Love getting off the beaten track and traveling like a local? This tour was tailor-made for you. Experience the best of the French Riviera, including the hilltop villages of Luberon, multicultural Marseille, charming Aix-en-Provence, and vibrant Cannes.
Hiking & Hilltop Villages in Provence: 7 Day Itinerary
Immerse yourself in the best that Provence has to offer with a week-long retreat in the Mont Ventoux area. You'll hike to charming villages, cook with locally-sourced ingredients, and enjoy plenty of relaxation time at the region's world-class spas.
Highlights of Provence - 11 Days
Vibrant Marseille, charming Aix-en-Provence, and historic Avignon: pay a visit to every quintessential locale in Provence on this comprehensive tour. With a perfect balance of outdoor activities and cultural experiences, this itinerary will check every box on your list of things to see and do in this lovely region of Southern France.
Family Adventure in Provence: 8 Days
Spend a week exploring Gorges du Verdon, the biggest canyon in Europe, on this family-friendly adventure. Hike, bike, and raft through the canyon, all while enjoying some of the most picturesque scenery in southern France.
Discover Provence by Electric Bike - 6 Days
This self-guided e-bike tour was designed with cyclists in mind. Pedal your way through lavender fields, vineyards, and charming hilltop villages. Work your body, soak up the French sunshine, and overnight in comfortable boutique hotels.
Recent trip reviews for Simon
Estelle from sun e bikes was great and very helpful. The staff at the restaurants: Fort in Marseille, La Fourchette in Avignon were very pleasant and good experiences. Heily Lucullus in Avignon was very good and our owner/hostess was very nice. Eating dinner outside at Les Fin Roches in CDP had excellent ambiance. CDP itself was just OK. Sylvie at La Nerth gave a great tour although a little rushed since we were a little late. But she spent a lot of time with us in the the tasting... read more
Our Trip to Provence and The French Riveria was great. Alex our guide and driver was fantastic. Very professional but friendly, excellent driver, so knowledgeable on the history and geography of the area and very flexible when we had requests for small variations. Our hotel accommodations were all very good - the last one - Hotel La Perouse was fabulous - great way to end our holiday. Regarding the activities we partook in - we all thought the hike in Calanques National Park was great but in... read more
Short visit in cote d'azur area., France - Sep 17 - Sep 19, 2018
The two days of hiking in the "Vallee des Merveilles" was wonderful with Damien. He was very considerate, interesting and fun. The tour was exactly what I was hoping. Sometime in the future, I would love to plan another but longer hike through that part of France.
The tour of Nice was good. Our guide knew the information and presented it well. Our only problem was that she talks too long with a very fast loud voice. Sometimes she talked so quickly that we could not follow her strain of... read more
An active trip that coordinates w an nternational munich flight, Germany - Sep 4 - Sep 8, 2018
Simon was very helpful to meet with me pre trip and make sure I understood where I was supposed to be each day. The hotels and restaurants that he selected were fantastic. I especially loved Danielle at the wine b and b. The wine experience was fantastic. Sun E bikes made the trip pretty tough. While I am certain they had the best of intentions, the person who drops off the bike needs to be trained on how to set the GPS up for success. I asked immediately how to zoom in and he wasn't able to... read more
Hi Lori, thank you for the review concerning your 3-days bike tour in the hinterland of Provence. I will let Danielle and the other people met know that you enjoyed their services. But I also have listed a series of recommendations dedicated to my partners in order to improve our service before and during the bike tour itself. I know that you had rough moments during your trip...and I hope that you will remember the good times too. All my best, Simon
Family friendly tour of provence, France - Jul 9 - Jul 13, 2018
We are a family of 4 who travelled to Provence in July 2018. Our children are aged 4 and 6. All our accommodation was superb and the guided tours excellent. The tour of the calenques with skipper Laurence was one of the most unique and memorable experiences of our travels so far - we traveled quickly to some magnificent swimming locations and saw a really different side of Marseille.
The tour of an Olive mill was delicious and fascinating. The family were really welcoming and involved the... read more
Hi Kylie and Matt, what a great pleasure to hear that you appreciated your stay in Provence with us! I expected that your children would have appreciated the cultural & outdoor activities with our local ambassadors... I will tell them directly. I hope to see you maybe another time in Provence, the Southern Alps or the French Riviera! All my best, Simon
What an incredible journey! Merci merci merci Simon for a well thought out itinerary and the amazing guides that were assigned to take us to all those beautiful places. Having a private guide made all the difference because we were able to see even more than what was on our agenda Alex and Natalie were incredibly knowledgeable and so nice! Our hotels were fantastic! Located close to everything. The one in Marseille was amazing located right across from the Old Port and just around the corner... read more
Hi Teresa and Kim! Thank you for this very pleasant message! I am glad that you enjoyed your trip and the service of our local guides during the past weeks between Provence & the French Riviera. This is really gratifying. See you maybe another time in France!
Sightsee and relax, France - May 31 - Jun 9, 2018
We enjoyed the whole experience.
The itinerary was meticulously planned, the guides were very professional , yet friendly and helpful, the vehicles comfortable and the small groups made interaction and time management easy.
One of my most memorable experiences was the Gallimard perfumery - I enjoyed making my own perfume!
My husband greatly enjoyed the trip to Monaco and Monte Carlo.
On the whole, a fabulous trip!
Hi Maria, thank you very much for your feedback! We are glad and proud that you enjoyed our immersive experiences in the hinterland of Provence and along the French Riviera. A bientôt! Simon
Provence village tour, France - May 20 - May 20, 2018
I had a wonderful experience working with kimkim to arrange for private vans and guides to villages in Provence for a group of university students. When we were in Barcelona we were affected by the train strike in France, and our train was cancelled...which left us (a group of 16) stranded and unable to get to our hotel in Avignon. Out of desperation, I contacted Simon, who was my kimkim contact based in Marseille and he took time on a Saturday (holiday weekend) to make calls for me and... read more
Hi Allyce, thank you for these kind words! I am glad as well that your students enjoyed the cultural guided tour, and that that you guys didn't stay stuck in Nimes during the strike! There is always a solution :) I am looking forward to having you again with us in Provence! A bientôt, Simon
Simon helped make our vacation effortless. He stayed in constant communication during the planning stages with great suggestions and coordinated our pick up from the train station.
He even left his cell number in case I had questions while on our trip.
Our guide, Alex, was amazing. He was so knowledgeable on various subjects and made our tours
Delightful. He was punctual as well, which we appreciated being in Provence a short time.
I highly recommend the kimkim team!
Laura
Bonjour Laura, thanks for your review! Great to hear from you all, we always do our best to set up great guides and chauffeurs for our travelers, and Alex is one of them! We're looking forward to having you again with us in Provence and the French Riviera. Best regards, Simon