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What do you do?

I am a trip planner specialized in the Southwest of France, my region of birth. I custom-design trips for discerning individuals and small private groups. My clients are families, couples, groups of friends, and like-minded travellers who share common hobbies or passions.

A trip typically includes an extended stay in the French Basque Country and Béarn region as a home base, a strategic location from where you can indulge in a variety of activities, cultures and sceneries. From that home base, you can also take day trips to the Spanish side of the Basque country, the Landes region and the Pyrénées mountains. Some of you might extend your stay and explore nearby regions for a few days, such as the Bordeaux wine region and Arcachon, Dordogne, and the Spanish Rioja wine region. Or you might opt for overnight hiking trips in the Pyrénées, hopping between mountain villages and shelters. I assemble your trip like an artisan, finding the best partners in France and in Canada, to deliver quality experiences in a cost effective fashion. Here are the services I offer:

custom itineraries and carnet de voyage (travel log) on the Basque/Béarn/Landes regions with insider tips.
carefully selected and inspected accommodations in villas, hotels and B&Bs in the French Basque Country, Béarn & Landes
a local host for welcome, on-demand assistance and emergencies
a wide range of personalized activities & services
privately guided outings with local experts and hosts
trip extensions into the Bordeaux, Dordogne & Spanish Rioja regions or fully outfitted hiking trips in the Pyrénées
in Paris: all logistics for a trouble-free stay
maps & driving directions in the French Southwest
car rental or lease
overseas & domestic flights
travel insurance

My clients look for authenticity when travelling. They opt for my expertise and savoir-faire for the sake of time and peace of mind.

Are you a travel agency or a tour operator?

Neither. I am a trip planner. I keep my business small in terms of geography but focused on knowledge, quality and service. I share my intimate knowledge of a region I love and unique contacts I have made. I travel and sojourn in the Southwest of France frequently for extended periods of time with my own family. I indulge in the pleasures of this beautiful region and old world culture but I also work hard when I am there. I visit and inspect private homes, boutique hotels and B&Bs. I meet with local tourism representatives, as well as villa owners, local artists, sport professionals, chefs, winemakers etc. I interview potential business partners and select the ones with the best fit. Business partners, friends and family keep my knowledge relevant and current on the area. With respect to nearby regions, I have local partners who share my business approach and quality standards. I work with them to design add-on travel experiences. Neither the internet nor a North American travel agency focused on France at large will be able to give you this level of intimacy and comfort in the Southwest of France. I also frequently work and do research in Paris to be an insightful purchaser of services.

Who are your partners?

I select the best partners to deliver high quality tailored trips in a cost effective way.

In Canada, I work with an established Ontario-registered retail travel agency and wholesale tour operator: Compass Rose Travel (Retail registration #1696211 and Wholesale Registration #04197240 as per TICO). My company, Expérience Authentique, operates as a division of Compass Rose Travel for all travel services purchased in Canada. Thanks to its TICO travel agency registration, Compass Rose Travel provides you, as an Expérience Authentique client, with financial protection as per the Travel Industry Act and the Ontario Travel Industry Compensation Fund. Its wholesale registration and its status as one of the largest privately owned agencies in Canada provide access to competitive pricing from suppliers and reliable administrative processes. Compass Rose Travel offices are located at 477 Mount Pleasant Road Suite 105, Toronto, Ontario - Canada - M4S 2L9 Tel: (416) 482-8610.

In France, I have carefully selected licensed agencies, expert in their field as destination management companies. They carry liability and financial insurance to ensure total peace of mind. They also offer my clients the benefit and comfort of having a local contact when travelling.

I am only looking for trip planning help

You value my expertise, but you prefer to do the final assembly of all the logistics and service providers. If we were to make a food analogy, you are looking for the ingredients and the recipes from me, but you cook your own trip. Typically plan to hire a minimum of 6 hours of my services to consult with you, then receive a custom-designed itinerary that includes suggested activities that flow well with your schedule and location, accommodation recommendations & reservations and the Expérience Authentique carnet de voyage. Help with transportation logistics is covered as well. Give me a call to discuss your needs.

Final advice: do not underestimate the time required to coordinate the final logistics. It is a labour of love similar to the work of an artisan. It takes time and dedication to produce a good vacation.