Enchanting trip to Provence ...
France
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May 10 - May 23, 2026
We were a group of three who had little time to plan our trip to France to meet a group of friends to attend a wedding in Arles. We started in Paris and ended in Marseille by way of Arles and Avignon.
Emilie was our planner and she was very patient and. made great suggestions to include things we’d not considered. We went through several iterations of the plan and she was amazingly gracious and kind when we waffled, changed our minds or weren’t sure. Many thanks to Emilie!
There were many things we LOVED about the trip. The hotel in Paris (Bastille Speria) was well appointed with all of things that , are pet peeves when I travel (if unavailable) - enough hangers, hooks in the bath, ample products, tasteful decor, wonderful lighting
And a delicious breakfast. And the coffee machine…tres bien! The tips on the bus and metro were helpful and having the vouchers and the itinerary in the app made things easy. Emergency numbers also came in handy a couple of times - no scrambling! The Hotel Medeval in Avignon was notable for a great location and VERY friendly and fun staff that made us feel right at home. The rooms were lovely and the rest of the hotel is in the middle of and update and it is a place to put on your list for a next trip. In the basement, there is a passageway that leads to the Palace of the Popes and this will become a subterranean bar in the next year of so. We went on 7 tours during the two weeks and had some great guides. We had Remy for three tours and he was very knowledgeable and had a great personality; Sonja was so fun and full of historic details in Monmart and Valerie was wonderful in Marseilles on a gourmet food tour. Konstantine, our driver for the last two days, was SO thoughtful, funny and all around nice. He got us settled and bagage checked at the airport. He went above and beyond expectations. Thank you Emile for curating a wonderful trip!
Hotel Reviews
Great location, nice decor, well appointed rooms, lovely breakfast and convenient to Metro, bus and anything you need. The neighborhood felt like the residential part of the French Quarter in New Orleans. My favorite hotel of the trip.
Rooms were nicely appointed and clean. The hotel is under the process of renovation and will be closed around Christmas to complete stairwell, lobby and breakfast area. Currently it could benefit from more decor in some areas; but this is coming. It is family owned and lacks that corporate cookie cutter feel.
Once in the reception area, this hotel is OK. BUT, there are 39 steps to get to reception. There is an elevator once you arrive in reception. Staff did help with luggage; but I wouldn’t stay here again just because of the steps.
Activity Reviews
Remy was our wonderful guide and we learned so much!
It rained cats and dogs the afternoon we were there. We were late to the tour, but notified the tour guide and they came back to find us and give us our tickets.
We were blown away by St Chappelle. Loved it.
Sonja was a wonderful guide and we enjoyed her so much!
Thank you, Evalyn, for your kind review. It was such a pleasure helping you organize your trip. You were wonderful to work with, and I truly enjoyed assisting you.
I’m delighted to hear that you enjoyed your time in France and had such a great experience. I would be very happy to help you plan your next trip to Europe, and I hope we’ll have the opportunity to work together again.
Have a lovely day,
Emilie