Kimkim Trip Reviews for France

Joel did a great job helping us plan our trip to France in early June. We were a little late getting started and had a number of changes and complications on our end (adding my son and his friend to the trip mid-way through) and Joel was very helpful and patient with us. We hade great experiences in Paris, Bordeaux and Cassis. Joel arranged great guides and experiences and arranged the travel in a manner that worked perfectly. He seemed to think of everything and made the trip stress free and wonderful!
Thanks to Kim Kim and especially to Joel!
Mark and Debi

Hotel Reviews

Best Western Aramis Saint Germain

Paris

Great location! Very helpful people at the front desk! Comfortable and they provide a very nice breakfast. Just steps away from the Metro stop and an easy walk to the Luxembourg Gardens (and just a little further to the river and Notre Dame.

Authenticity & Character

We had a small balcony where we could sit and watch people coming and going to work and school. Charming!

Location

Easy access to the Metro, and within walking distance of a lot of downtown Paris.

Staff

The people working at the hotel seemed very happy to be helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Met or exceeded our expectations

Hôtel Majestic

Bordeaux

Great location, very nice rooms and a great breakfast. You really felt you were somewhere else while you were staying there (it was much more authentic that being at a standard chain-hotel). The room was very comfortable and just a short walk from the main square area of the town.

Authenticity & Character

Its not a chain-style place. The rooms have character and our was very large!

Location

Its just around the corner from the Opera House square - easy walk to the main parts of the town and the riverfront and the metro line.

Staff

Everyone was so friendly and helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Met or exceeded our expectations

Une Terrasse sur la Mer

Cassis

Fantastic view! This is a private apartment, not a hotel, but the main room has fantastic views of the bay.

Tips for future travelers

It is located on a hillside above the town - which results in fantastic views but also some significant stairs/hillside walks.

Location

The views of the bay.

Activity Reviews

Paris Macaron Baking Class

Paris

Just a fantastic experience! Fun, and instructive, and the other participants were all so friendly!

Quality of Experience

A nice break from the usual activities of a Paris vacation.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very friendly and also very informative!

Notre Dame and Sainte Chapelle

Paris

Our guide was very pleasant and knowledgeable, and seemed very interested in sharing what she knew about the locations we visited.

Quality of Experience

We saw a number of things we would otherwise have missed, and learned a lot!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide was very knowledgeable and friendly.

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

Paris

Obviously any trip to the Louvre is fantastic, but calling this a "skip the line" visit is a bit of an overstatement. Even with these tickets there was a significant line, but it was much better that if we just tried to get tickets that day. We found the audio guide to be cumbersome at first, but that may just be our inexperience with this type of technology.

Landmarks of Bordeaux - Private Walking Tour

Bordeaux

Very pleasant and informative. Our guide was very knowledgeable and friendly. In just a few hours we learned so much about the city and its history! It really improved our whole stay in Bordeaux!

Quality of Experience

Our guide so knowledgeable and nice, and provided so much information on the city and its history.

Saint-Emilion Afternoon Wine Tour

France

A wonderful tour of the Sant Emilion city and the surrounding vineyards and very nice stops at two Chateaus/wineries! Travel in a comfortable van with a very friendly and knowledgeable guide.

A kayak trip in the Calanques (inlets)

France

Beautify location! The experience of paddling into the calanques and taking a little swim in one of them was great!

Great hotel locations and suggestions — looking forward to the next one!

We had an amazing trip to France and are so glad we used KimKim to help plan. Joel took into account everything that we wanted to try to do while we were in France and planned a truly incredible trip for us. While we lost a day due to flight delays on the front end of our trip, we were able to get a wonderful taste of Paris and Versailles. Our favorite tour while in Paris was the Murders and Mysteries of the Louvre tour with David. The next stop was the Alsace region and we can’t stop telling people about how much we enjoyed the area. With Ana and Erik of Alsace Safari, we toured the adorable towns in the region along the wine road, tried some wine at a couple wineries, visited a castle, and drove up into the Vosges mountain range. The Alsace region is a must see! Dijon and Beaune were our next stops and we enjoyed trying the wines in the region, seeing the vineyards, and taking in the beauty of the area. Our final stop was Aix en Provence where we took part in an amazing cooking class experience with Gilles of Provence Gourmet and have been sold on trying cooking classes whenever we travel from here on out. We also loved seeing the villages and countryside in the Luberon region near France. This trip was filled with so many positive memories and we will not hesitate to use KimKim in the future.

Hotel Reviews

Hôtel Le Saint-Grégoire

Paris

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

James Boutique Hôtel

Colmar

The breakfast was excellent. The room was modern and comfortable. The hotel was walking distance to quite a bit in Colmar.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Philippe Le Bon

Dijon

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Boutique Hotel Cezanne

Aix-en-Provence

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Montmartre & Sacré-Coeur Walking Tour

Paris

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Nighttime Seine River Cruise with Dining Experience

Paris

Quality of Experience

Food

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

We got stuck in traffic on the way there, so our half day was rushed. We also expected the tour to be a small group but it was more like 30 people. I enjoyed our guide. Knowing what I know now, I’d rather have done a full day at Versailles so that we could take our time on the grounds and in the town.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Murders and Mysteries of the Louvre

Paris

This was such a fun tour. David was an excellent guide. It was definitely a fast walking tour to the various spots within the museum, but we got to see a lot and David provided us with a lot of interesting and cool information.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Walking tour in the old town of Strasbourg

France

I enjoyed our walking tour of Strasbourg and we really were able to make the tour our own since it was just us and our guide. I enjoyed learning the history of Strasbourg.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Iconic Full day Tour in Alsace from Colmar

Colmar

Loved, loved, loved this tour. The towns along the wine road were incredible. I’d never seen a stork until we traveled to the Alsace region and they were everywhere. The castle was incredible and the wine tasting was fabulous. Highly recommend.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Munster Valley Full-Day Tour

Colmar

Fun day in the Vosges mountain range. We got to see the villagers in the area herd the cows up the roads of the Vosges Mountains. We enjoyed tasting wine and having cheese from the region.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Exceptional wines & a stroll through Beaune (Passion Day)

France

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Picturesque Villages & Countryside in Burgundy

Dijon

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cooking Class, Provencal Lunch and Local Market Tour in the Alpilles

France

Such a fun experience and I highly recommend it.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Luberon Markets & Villages

France

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had the most amazing trip to France because of Simon. He helped us plan out every detail. We enjoyed fantastic excursions, our favorites being a wine tour in Bandol & Cassis and a cooking course in Provence that was absolutely incredible in a Michelin starred kitchen! Simon was also available and incredibly responsive when I had a couple questions during our trip. I cannot say enough good things about Simon and the unforgettable trip he helped design for my family. Merci beaucoup Simon!!!!!!!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Capelongue Bonnieux

Bonnieux

This hotel is AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Le Parisis Paris Tour Eiffel

Paris

We loved the location and our view of the Eiffel tower, the rooms are quite small and the bathrooms left a little to be desired (paint chipping in showers, a little unsightly).

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Restaurant | Welcome gastronomic dinner in Aix en Provence

Aix-en-Provence

Of all of the restaurants we enjoyed on our trip, this one was one of our least favorites.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Full-day Private Cassis & Bandol Rosé Wine Tour

France

So fun! Great trip and beautiful views! Our guide was fantastic.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private exclusive cooking class, Spa and Dinner in Joucas

France

This was our favorite excursion. We couldnt believe how hands on the chefs were and how much time they spent with us! Unfortunately there wasn’t enough time to use the spa, but the 7 course meal was amazing!!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

(DU) Evening Eiffel Tower Private Tour + tickets

Paris

Wow! The eiffel tower at sunset was unbelievable! It is a MUST DO!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transfer from Paris hotel to Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG)

France

On time and pleasant! Also were prepared with car seats for our children which was very appreciated!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I worked with Isabelle on a 5 day trip to Cognac & Épernay, France for me, my husband, and two friends. I was confident in her planning until we arrived in France. Based on my experience, I would not recommend booking a trip through kimkim and here's why:

Sloppy planning: Three of the five nights of the trip, we discovered that we'd paid for a hotel room that should not have been booked. Initially five of us were traveling, but a couple of weeks before departure one person in our group dropped out of the trip. Isabelle should have canceled his hotel rooms. She didn't.
The itinerary also left too much wasted time. We found ourselves having to "figure out what to do" to stay occupied. Well that's the point for me of using a service like kimkim. I expect them to figure it out for me.
Then the day we visited Épernay, Isabelle suggested we visit the Mercier house. It was closed. How did she not know that?

Using questionable vendors: We had three drivers for our various transfers between airports and hotels. Two of them were great: Aimee in Bordeaux and Moh in Paris, but then there was Claude. He drove us from Cognac to Bordeaux (2 hrs). He didn't speak any English. We don't speak any French. When he arrived at our hotel, he didn't even come inside to alert us that he'd arrived. A half hour after he was supposed to pick us up, my friend walked outside, saw him and asked him if he was there for us. Then he wasn't a very good driver. At one point he slammed on brakes so hard it sent all of us flying forward in the van. Not the way you want to wake up.

Poor choice of accommodations: I was disappointed with the hotel options. When we arrived it was obvious that there were probably better choices that could have been made. I had communicated to Isabelle that price was not a concern. I'd rather she'd put us in better hotels as opposed to having us pay for rooms we didn't need . In Paris we stayed at Hotel Bellechasse. I don't recommend it. The rooms are trash. They're entirely too small for two people to be inside at the same time. There's no where to plug up anything. And I actually got sick after eating the breakfast there. The hotel in Cognac, Hotel Chais Monnet was wonderful. I highly recommend that one. La Briqueterie in Épernay was ok. I think we ended up there because other hotels in the area were booked. The restaurant was very good.

I will not work with kimkim again. I would not recommend them to anyone. We have always worked with a travel agency for travel to Europe and I've never had such a poor experience before.

Isabelle put together a fantastic trip for us. It was a great mix of guided tours and museum visits on our own. The accomidations selected were nice and centrally located to each of the city centers of Paris, Brussels, and Amsterdam. While we are usually a Hilton family, it was nice to stay in two boutique properties and then one hilton property on our trip. Great variety.
Our guides Gregori and Sarah were amazing. Gregori expertly guided us around Versailles and Sarah showed us Brussels' city center and many hidden gems along the way. The day trip to Bruges and Ghent was a great experience when in Belgium.
We did experience an issue where our guide canceled on us for a day trip in Amsterdam. While we were disappointed, the guide woke up ill and tried everything to rearrange our trip with another guide, although unsucessful. Life happens. The guide refunded our money immediately and Isabelle worked hard to ensure that we were still all set for our airpirt transfer two days later with the same guide. Everything ran smooth thanks to great planning and immediate assistnace when needed.
This was my second trip planned with kimkim. I have used another, similar travel agency in the past for three trips as well, but kimkim surpasses everyone else with value and personalization. We will be back for our next adventure and our trip left us wanting to explore more of France.
Thank you Isabelle.

Our trip to France was over 2 years in the making due to COVID delays. The wait was totally worth it. Joel curated our trip to our exact specifications. We visited 3 regions - Normandy, Alsace and Provence. In each of these locations he chose the accommodations, tour company’s, organized rental cars, train tickets and most of our transfers. I was grateful for his expertise in planning what was reasonable and what was not. There is absolute value for dollar in the expertise Joel provided to us.

We planned 3 days in Avignon and 3 days in Aix-en-Provence. Simon prepared a perfect itinerary and we made the most of our limited time in each city. We flew into Paris, took the train to Avignon and rented a car. In Avignon, we visited the oldest winery (La Nerthe) at Chateauneuf du Pape, took a gourmet walking tour of the city with Julian and had time to explore the beautiful city on our own. On our way to Aix, we stopped in St. Remy and took an e-bike tour through the Alpilles natural park and road to Les Baux de Provence. It was spectacular! In Aix, we spent the day with Nathalie, starting with a winery tour in the morning and touring the beautiful small towns in Luberon (Lourmarin, Roussilon and Gordes) in the afternoon. We finished our time in Aix with a cooking class that started with buying the ingredients in the local market, choosing a wine from a local winery and preparing the meal at our guide, Gilles, home. My daughter and I had the BEST time!

Simon included lots of great (very helpful) information in the travelbook, restaurant recommendations as well suggestions on sites to see in each town. It was a trip of a lifetime!!

Hotel Reviews

La Mirande

Avignon

Amazing experience for a mom-daughter stay. The hotel is centrally located, but as other travelers have noted, driving can be a harrowing experience. We couldn't figure out how to get through the pop up metal barriers when we arrived. After driving in circles through VERY narrow streets, we got through only because the barrier was down for the person in front of us. When we drove out the next day to visit a winery, we encountered the barrier at the bottom of the hill. Still unaware how to get past, we backed up the hill, inevitably scraping the side of a wall. When we walked back up to ask for help, the valet graciously walked us down and explained how to use the call box. That aside, the hotel property is spectacular and the staff were wonderful. Our room was spacious, very traditional French country decor. We were greeted with chocolate and fruit basket. No detail was spared! Breakfast in the morning was wonderful and lunch in the restaurant on the patio is a must! Highly recommend!

Authenticity & Character

Traditional French country

Location

Centrally located

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Le Pigonnet

Aix-en-Provence

Amazing! The hotel is a 15 minute walk from the city center, however, the property is spectacular with beautiful gardens and fountains and pool. Our room was spacious and well appointed, breakfast in the garden was delightful and the staff were wonderful.

Authenticity & Character

The grounds are beautiful - nice relaxing breakfast in the morning and great to sit outside for a nightcap.

Location

Great location, but a bit far from the city center.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Bistronomic diner in Avignon

Avignon

Visit of Chateauneuf du Pape - Nerthe Estate Tasting

France

Camille was delightful! She was very knowledgeable about the history of the winery and explained the winery's AOC designation. Camille walked us through the cellar and explained the aging process for different wines. We concludes with a sampling of 7 different wines. Overall great experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Gourmet tour of Avignon - Shared activity

Avignon

Julian was a wonderful guide, very knowledgeable about the history of Avignon and local culture. We thoroughly enjoyed walking through the city sampling different foods and wines from the region.

Quality of Experience

Perfect amount of time and stops

Food

Visiting local shops and sampling different food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Ebike tour in the Alpilles from St Remy

France

We arrived at the bike shop and met our guide who set us up on our ebikes. We biked through the beautiful hillside; the pedal assist was perfect and we had no problem biking up steep hills. Our first stop was to see the view of Les Baux-de-Provence and then we road down town and walked around for ~30 minutes. The ride back was beautiful with water/snack stops on the way back. Overall, it was ~4 hours and ~30 miles. One of our favorite tours on our trip.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Wine Tour in the Luberon Nature Park

Aix-en-Provence

Initially we did not anticipate a full day tour, but realized it was broken down into two parts. Wine tasting in the morning and a tour of small towns in Luberon (Lourmarin, Roussillon and Gordes). It was a long day, but we absolutely loved see the beautiful villages. our guide, Nathalie was wonderful and we had ample time to walk around at each stop.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Provençal Cooking Class in Aix-en-Provence

Aix-en-Provence

The day started in the morning, walking through the local market and buying fresh produce, cheese and meat that we would use in our recipe. We then stopped at a local winery before making our way to our host/guides home. Gilles was a wonderful host, very knowledgeable about the local market, and regional cuisine. We had a great group and all worked together to prepare our meal.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Restaurant | Welcome gastronomic dinner in Aix en Provence

Aix-en-Provence

Unfortunately, we did not have a great experience at this restaurant. While my daughter and I are pretty adventurous eaters, we did not enjoy this meal. The restaurant itself was beautiful and the staff were very attentive, but overall, I would not go back.

Quality of Experience

Food

We had a wonderful trip. Planning a multi-generational trip for 5 seemed daunting, but KimKim hooked us up with Joel and he worked tirelessly with us to plan the trip of a lifetime. We appreciate all he did and the knowledge he provided was invaluable.

Hotel Review

Hotel La Villefromoy 4*

Saint Malo

The staff and concierge were extremely helpful! They really understand the hospitality business much more than American staff.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Cooking class in Tours

France

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Private Guided Tour of Mont Saint Michel

France

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Overall, the trip was good. We enjoyed the wine experience, the cooking class was very good and Narde was a good guide. Our disappointment was the guide, Christian. He was charming, but his English was terrible. He is more of a driver than a guide. We had him for two days and did not learn a thing. In fact, I had to google things to try and understand what he was saying. Other than pointing out houses of famous people, such as eeljun (his version of Elton John) and hotels, which had signs anyway, he had nothing to contribute. Really disappointing. He should NOT be guiding an English speaking tour.

Valentine was amazing at planning our trip. She took our suggestions and provided us with activities catered to our wishes.
From the food tours, the hotels, the city tours, the chauffeurs, everything was planned perfectly.
Valentine remained accessible and responded quickly to our inquiries throughout the trip.

I would 100% recommend to book with them if you are planning to visit a country that you are not familiar with.

Hotel Reviews

Hôtel Lorette—Astotel

Paris

The hotel was placed closed to several cafes and restaurant and far enough from the noise of the city to enjoy our sleep. The breakfasts were to die for!! from the croissants to the cheese, it was a good way to start our days! The hotel was clean and the staff was very attentive to our needs. Our room was small but we wanted to cut the costs of trip - so no reason to complain!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Yelo Hotel

Nice

Such a beautiful hotel! It was a bit hard to find but once we got in, we were in awe of the setup. The hotel is located walking distance from the old city and the beach. The room was just beautiful and great color scheme. The staff was very nice and welcoming. The morning breakfast was delicious and the dinning room was a beautiful as the rest of the hotel. I would recommend anyone going to Nice to stay at this hotel!!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Eiffel Tower Summit Ticket

Paris

It was cold and rainy but the view was worth it.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We commuted but it was not hard to get there

Marais Pastry and Chocolate Tour

Paris

AMAZING! You get wayyyy more than worth the price of the activity. The tour guide (Thibault) was very knowledgeable and gave us a tour of the area as well as the allowing us to try the best pastries in the city. By the end of the tour our bellies were full and we were very satisfied. For any lovers of pastries, I would recommend this tour.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Biking Day Trip Through Historic Versailles

France

It was a great was to see Versailles! The tour guide was not going to fast which made it easier for older travelers. We had an amazing group and bonded throughout the day. We first stopped at the market where we were able to get provisions for our picnic and see local vendors. Overall, the activity is a must if you like to know history and visit beautiful landmarks. The picnic was also a great addition to the activity and a great way to get to know the other travelers better. We ended the day at the Chateau the Versailles where we had the freedom to visit at our own pace. I wish I remembered the name of our guide but she was amazing and easy-going!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Uncover the Gastronomic Treasures of Nice

Nice

Once again you get wayyy more than your money's worth. The food was divine and guide was so knowledgeable (unfortunately I forgot her name!). The guide gave us a tour of the area an it's history and made us taste the local delicacies. The tour ended with a generous meal that allowed to keep leftovers! Our group was so friendly and even with the rain everyone kept a positive and were willing to continue with the tour!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Journey into the Heart of the French Riviera: Eze, Monaco & Monte Carlo

France

Monaco is beautiful! Our guide was knowledgeable of the area and stopped at the right locations to admire the view. The city was in preparation for the Grand Prix so we had the chance to see the buzzing city and admire beautiful cars! We also stopped at the parfum factory were we got to learn about the process of making parfum, sample several scents and visit the small village nearby where we found the most beautiful antique jewelry store. We had time to stop to eat were we enjoyed a delicious lunch under the warm sun! I would recommend to anyone who like me dreamed of going to Monaco one day.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half-Day Excursion to Cannes, Antibes & St Paul de Vence

France

We visited Cannes during the festival but unfortunately did not see any celebrities (!) However, were not disappointed by the view at the beach and being so close to the red carpet. St-Paul de Vence allowed us to see one of the most beautiful views in this calm neighborhood. We got to see several art galleries and many boutiques. The driver/guide was very knowledgeable of the area and very friendly.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The perfect 40th wedding anniversary trip to France!

Isabelle was incredible - patient with us as we worked through every detail of our trip, responsive when we ran into a snag, thoughtful in arranging both transportation and hotels that exceeded our expectations. Every request was met! At the end of a long day how wonderful it was to seamlessly check in to our hotel or walk to a fabulous restaurant all arranged in advance by Isabelle.

We thoroughly enjoyed an emotionally moving tour of the D Day beaches in Normandy led by our private guide Valentin. On another day, a precious young man from Bretagne met us at Mont St Michel and kept us out of the crowds for an excellent tour leading up to the abbey.

From small group tours in Champagne with Thomas to biking through the vineyards of St Emilion with Remy, every day was an adventure. We saw the sunset over the Seine in Paris, the full moon rise over Le Marais, dined on a four course luncheon at LaCaronne in Rouen, gathered sand on the hallowed beaches of Normandy, tasted Grand Cru Classe A St Emilion wines, strolled the Blvd St Germaine, rode the metro in Paris to the St Ouen flea market, rented a car, rode the train, toured and tasted champagne from a boutique family vineyard. Just one fabulous moment after another!

Thank you, Isabelle, for taking care of each detail so we had no stress. You made this 40th anniversary trip one of a lifetime!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel D'Argouges 3*

Bayeux

A little bit rustic but with charming and entertaining hosts.

Relais & Châteaux Hostellerie La Briqueterie

Vinay

Well appointed with an extremely attentive staff.

Château Belmont Tours by The Crest Collection

Tours

Spacious and modern. What a treat! The staff was friendly and so kind!

Logis de la Cadène

Saint-Émilion

Spacious and historic. Beautiful view over St Emilion. The staff could not have been more accommodating and personal. We were very pampered!

Hôtel des Saints-Pères

Paris

Fabulous location. Attentive and personable staff.

Activity Reviews

Tour of D-Day Sites

Bayeux

Valentin gave us an excellent tour!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Mont-Saint-Michel day Tour

France

Our guide kept us out of the crowds. He was with us for the first two hours. Guided us up to the abbey. From there we had a self guided audio tour.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Short day-trip to Champagne: Family Growers & traditional Lunch

France

Thomas was the most easy going guide. Super knowledgeable. Let us go at our own pace. We were never rushed.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Self-guided visit of Chateau de Chenonceau

France

Guided Wine and Bike Tour in Saint-Emilion

France

Absolutely the most fun! Thomas was exceptional. Our group of international guests was delightful. Thomas made sure we were ok on the bikes as we rode from one vineyard to another. He never hurried us along. So relaxed and so so much fun!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We had such an incredible time in France. Isabelle was highly accommodating in our booking needs and we ended up with a near perfect itinerary. Every excursion was something we had no idea of what to expect, and we always left feeling quite impressed. We had just the right amount of time of self-exploration and leisure time with structured activities. My wife and I could simply focus on ourselves. It was much needed and want to thank Isabelle and rest of the kimkim team for the experience.

Hotel Reviews

Hôtel Baume

Paris

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Aquabella Hotel & Spa

Aix en Provence

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Althoff Hotel Villa Belrose 5*

Gassin

Just stunning, the view, the service, the pool. Best hotel we've stayed at so far.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel West End

Nice

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Art, Architecture & Wine: A Provencal Journey at Chateau la Coste

Aix-en-Provence

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Monaco, Eze and La Turbie Tour small group tour

France

Quality of Experience

We wish we had more time in Monaco and Eze (vs 30/40 mins). Maybe reduce by one stop to spend more time in the other areas?

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Isabella was 1000% spot on with every detail planned. I traveled with my mom and daughter to Paris and every day was perfectly planned. Isabella went above and beyond to make sure everything went smoothly. An example...we went to a wine and cheese pairing at a cheese shop. I briefly mentioned I was curious the wines they would be pairing cheese with as I am a wine enthusiast. I didnt make a big thing of it but was curious. When we arrived to the event, the host handed me a paper with the details of each wine, specifically saying it was for me because I had inquired. Every detail was perfect... I would absolutely use kimkim again, especially Isabella.

Hotel Review

Hôtel Edouard 7 Paris Opéra

Paris

Every single employee of the hotel was accommodating and on point with every detail. One day we had an early train out and they opened the restaurant for us in the morning about 45 minutes early just for us. The room was great. Not every outlet worked but I can deal with that....there were plenty.

Tips for future travelers

i have recommended to friends.

Authenticity & Character

service was top notch

Location

great shops and restaurants

Staff

service was top notch

Cleanliness & Comfort

service was top notch

Activity Reviews

Short day-trip to Champagne: Family Growers & traditional Lunch

France

Cheese and wine tasting in a Parisian cellar in the Marais

Paris

Le Louvre Private Tour

Paris

excellent tour guide

The "Pletzl" the Jewish District

Paris

excellent tur guide

2CV Private Tour Paris Highlights

Paris

fun experience. Hard to hear the driver.

Seine Cruise with Commentary

Paris

good first day being tired!

Its been 2 weeks since we have got home from our holiday in France and we are both still on cloud 9 from our experience there. The whole trip seemed to strike a perfect balance seeing a little from different areas. A little of the mediterranean, a little country in the medieval town of Avignon to ending in Paris. Dream trip and we couldn't be happier. Isabelle was great and so easy to work with. She's responsive and knows how to navigate around budgets and individual tastes with grace and patience.
We will be dreaming of this trip for YEARS to come!!

many many thanks
M&S Morneau

Valentine planned the perfect trip to France for us. The hotels were modern and clean, the activities were a lot of fun and catered to our instrest. She was also very quick to respond when we thought there was a mixup with a reservation and clarified things immediately. My best friend and I treated ourselves with this trip as a birthday and graduation present and we will definitely be booking with KimKim again 💙🤍❤

Hotel Reviews

Hôtel Lorette—Astotel

Paris

Simply amazing. Clean, comfortable and friendly staff.

Tips for future travelers

Book it.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to a lot of cool places

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Yelo Hotel

Nice

Amazing. The breakfast was excellent, the hotel clean and smelled great and the staff very nice and helpful.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Easy to access. Lots of things around

Staff

Activity Reviews

Marais Pastry and Chocolate Tour

Paris

Thibault was great! He not only took up around tasting great chocolate and pastries, he also new a lot about the history of France which was very interesting

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Biking Day Trip Through Historic Versailles

France

Amazing. Will def do it again :)

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Uncover the Gastronomic Treasures of Nice

Nice

Above all our expectations. Ali knows about food, wine and everything Nice. It was the absolute best experience and even made some great friends.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Journey into the Heart of the French Riviera: Eze, Monaco & Monte Carlo

France

Ben was the nicest driver and tour guide. The scenery was absolutely breathtaking and he made the whole experience even more fun

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half-Day Excursion to Cannes, Antibes & St Paul de Vence

France

Great tour, great day.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Eiffel Tower Summit Ticket

Paris

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our itinerary in Paris was everything we hoped it would be! Sara took the time to create exactly what we were looking for - a mix of culture, history, and food - that made my husband, my 12-year old and myself all smile. Sara stayed in touch with us during our trip to make sure everything went smoothly. The guides selected for us were absolutely excellent and we had the same guide more than once, to build off of the relationship we already established. Our itinerary was easy to follow and was the perfect mix of days filled with walking then offset by days with a bit of travel outside of Paris. And our hotel was a great match with thoughtful and friendly staff and centrally-located. Thank you, Sara...you made out dream trip a reality!

Hotel Review

Hôtel LOUISON

Paris

Charming boutique hotel with warm & friendly staff. Our room was quiet and relaxing. Breakfast was excellent...try the house-made yogurt! In the heart of the city, we were within walking distance of many great sites. Highly recommend!

Authenticity & Character

I love that there were only two rooms on our floor - when you open up the window, you get the most lovely birdsong!

Location

We walked EVERYWHERE from our hotel!

Staff

The staff are wonderful - friendly and genuine

Cleanliness & Comfort

We had a triple room and were very comfortable.

Activity Reviews

Evening Eiffel Tower Tour

Paris

Having expedited access was SUCH a good thing, as lines get long at the tower! 5:30 was a perfect time for a guided tour - it wsd still very warm, but not too hot. And seeing the city from above was a perfect way to start our vacation and get a sense of where everything is...the Paris cityscape is everything you imagine it is :)

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We met at a coffeeshop that was a 5 minute walk from the tower. Couldn't have been easier!

Notre-Dame Cathedral & Sainte-Chapelle

Paris

Saint-Chappelle is absolutely breath-taking! If you want to understand the power of stained glass as an architectural element of the cathedral experience, SC is one of a kind!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Roberto was an absolutely excellent guide - so thoughtful and knowledgeable! He went out of his way to bring stories and extra books to help our 12-yr old daughter have a fantastic experience. I can't say enough about how much we enjoyed learning from and exploring with Roberto!

Transport

Day trip to le Mont Saint-Michel

Paris

This is a long drive from Paris but absolutely worth it - there is not another experience like this!!! Le Mont Saint-Michel is unlike any other location in France!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We really liked Sarah - who is originally from the region and could add a layer of "living history" and remembrance to our experience!

Transport

We went with one other family - the van was a great size and very comfortable!

Pastry & Chocolate tour in Saint-Germain-des-Prés

Paris

This was SUCH a great experience! There are so many shops to choose from and many are so exclusive, it's hard to explore them in a meaningful way. This tour added to our understanding of the culinary values and pride of French chocolate and pastry making....and we dearly LOVED all the amazing tastes of this tour!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We can 't say enough about Roberto - he clearly loves providing French culinary experiences (and has a collection of over 1500 cookbooks himself!). His depth of knoweldge and respect for the French traditions and innovations in chocolate and pastry made this an exceptionally fun experieince!

Transport

Perfume workshop in Paris

Paris

What a fun, informational and unqiue experience in Paris! We learned so much from the master perfume maker who led our session! Our 12-year old daught had a fantastic time with us, and we all have a fantastic souvenier from our trip. We also learned a lot!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The owner of Candor actually led our session - his passion and charm made the 2-hour experience absolutely delightful!

Transport

Château de Versailles & Giverny

Paris

Giverny has my heart - the gardens were exception and Monet's house so meaningful to visit! Our guide gave an exception session of storytelling and information on our trip to Giverny, which added a wonderful layer of meaning. Versaille - in all it's grandeur - blew our 12-year old daughter's socks off :) And once again, our guide gave a wonderful guided tour that helps you understand the purpose and impact of all the oppulence,

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide had an exceptional level of knowledge....it brought both sites to live in a meaningful way.

Transport

Our bus driver was warm and friendly and the coach was very comfortable.

Market Visit & Cooking Class in Chef's Apartment

Paris

This was an absolutely lovely experience in Paris - especially on our last full day. Chef Marthe is so warm and genuine. And her passion and wisdon related to ingredients and French cooking was wonderful to experience. The trip to the open market and the selection of foodstuffs led to all sorts of wonderful stories about food and farming in many regions of France. And our cooking session in Marthe's appartment was a wonderful way to learn more about food, family traditions, and Marthe's previous restaurant...all within the ambience of a true Parissienne apartment.

Quality of Experience

The authenticity of it all was so appreciated!

Food

The meal we all prepared together was fantastic! The chicken dish was a recipe from Chef Marthe's grandmother. And the zuchinni cerviche? Well....my daughter does not like zuchinni and she LOVED this dish! Everything was amazing. And had such special meaning for us. And Chef Marthe sent us the recipes so that we can make them again.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

I so enjoyed our time with Chef Marthe. I would have loved to share a bottle of wine with her and here more of her stories!

Transport

Walking the neighborhood and hearing about the various markets and stalls in Paris added another layer of appreciation of Paris as a living city.

The Louvre museum

Paris

Our guide Anja made our first-ever trip to the Louvre a wonderful experience! The Louvre is so massive and overwhelming...the thoughtfulness by which Anja selected works for us to see and spend time with was amazing. And she built layers of connection and comparison between the works so that we could get a whole other layer of appreciation. No matter what aspect of the collection we asked about, Anja was a master of knowledge and so passionate about the works. I have a background in Art HIstory, and I was so impressed by her agility and depth of caring about the role the Louvre plays in the cultural history of not only France, but all of civilization.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

I can't say enough about the depth of Anja's art historical knowledge and - more importantly - passion and how that helped us connect with each piece we saw, in a VERY busy and chaotic environment.

Transport

Lifestyle tour of the Marais

Paris

We loved strolling through the Marais district with our guide Roberto! He brought the history, culture and contemporary moments of the Marais to life for us....and shared some Parisienne off-the-beaten-path gems, too!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Roberto tried to tailor the experience of his tours to each group he works with. So for us, he paid particular attention to our 12-year old daughter, to make sure she had a great time too. SO incredibly thoughtful!

Lifestyle tour of the Marais

Paris

We loved strolling through the Marais district with our guide Roberto! He brought the history, culture and contemporary moments of the Marais to life for us....and shared some Parisienne off-the-beaten-path gems, too!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Roberto tried to tailor the experience of his tours to each group he works with. So for us, he paid particular attention to our 12-year old daughter, to make sure she had a great time too. SO incredibly thoughtful!

Our interchange with KimKim begin during our planning phase by working with Valentine and the team in establishing activities, locations and ideas to experience on our trip. With the help of the team, we selected a local hotel to use as our base to take day trips throughout the area.

The hotel selected was a very good recommendation by being responsive to most of our needs. They also free provided transportation to/from town since we chose not to have a rental car. The hotel facilities as well as the pool/spa were very nice and the staff was very friendly.

We had some 'not so great' experiences with afternoon and evening dining at the hotel. The dinner menu was a static Prix Fixe menu that did not change throughout the week of our stay. So after the first night, we did not have much dinner choices on site. The buffet breakfast was alway beautiful and plentiful, but again, offered the same daily choices.

Valentine also attempted to assist after the hotel scheduled a conference which had the break period immediately below our rooms resulting in lots of noise and smoke from cigarettes. It was too late to effect any changes but it was appreciated.

The daily tours that we chose where fun and cultural met our expectations - Sophie (forgot last name), Provence RÉverie was an excellent guide. She went above and beyond to ensure we had a great time and adjusted the schedule so that we would have time to visit St Rémy.

Our favorite day was the visit to the local market with Gilles Conchy of Provence-Gourmet. We determined a menu several minutes before our tour of the market of local produce, cheeses, and meats. Then off to the winery to select wine with lunch followed by arriving at the kitchen of a local chateau to prepare our lunch together under his classic instruction. We highly recommended for Gilles for anyone looking for a cooking and eating experience.

We also need to identify our driver to the train station in Avignon, Christophe Lano, Alpilleges Luberon Provence Transport. He delivered a present of wine from Valentine fromthe local vineyard we had just visited. Total surprise and was a wine we had tasted and enjoyed. Although we did not experience his ability as a guide, he was very informative on the way to the train station and I believe he would also make a great guide/driver for English speaking tourists.

One note - as tourists not used to traveling on French rail we experienced difficulty in ascertaining the actual itinerary on the train from Avignon to CDG as the tickets did not show where the train would actually stop. We were on an older train that did not have the digital readout showing the actual station and do not speak French. Unfortunately, we got off the train at the Disney stop rather than the airport stop and had to take a cab the rest of the way. Easy solution, but it would have been a bit less hectic if we had a 'tutorial' in riding the French train.

Overall we had a relaxing and fun time on our trip. Thanks to the entire team for your guidance!

Hotel Review

Le Vallon de Valrugues & SPA

Saint-Rémy-de-Provence

Activity Review

Cooking Class, Provencal Lunch and Local Market Tour in the Alpilles

France

Loved this opportunity to experience the market, find local produce and wine and then prepare a meal. Gilles is amazing!!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our experience and expectations started with outstanding support during the planning phase. We outlined our objectives and with Valentine and Team we worked through many options to create a memorable and most enjoyable trip.

They were especially helpful in recommending a location outside Avignon, in St. Rémy de Provence for our lodging. This allowed us to spend time in St Rémy and see and enjoy the small town of Provence.

The hotel selected was overall a very good recommendation. They provided transportation to/from town and it was very responsive. This was especially important to us since we did not have a rental car. The Spa and facilities were also very nice. Overall the staff was helpful and pleasant. On the negative side, when we arrived it was at the end of lunch and initially we were told that we would not be able to get any food. They did arrange for a platter and wine. Dinner was set menu - it would be helpful when arranging lodging for Americans not familiar with France to identify if a la carte menu is available.
Valentine also attempted to assist after the hotel scheduled a conference which had the break period immediately below our rooms resulting in lots of noise and smoke from cigarettes. It was too late to effect any changes but it was appreciated.

The Tours met our expectations - we wanted to visit small vineyards and were able to have a great experience with tasting and finding new wines that we liked. Sophie (forgot last name), Provence RÉverie was an excellent guide. She was passionate and knowledgeable about Provence and its history, food and wines. She went above and beyond to ensure we had a great time and adjusted the schedule so that we would have time to visit St Rémy. One of the highlights was our cooking class, presented by Gilles Conchy, Provence-Gourmet. He was superb and humorous. His tour of the market was instructive in the local produce, cheeses, and meats. The location for the class was fantastic. His patience with those of us who needed a bit more assistance was appreciated. Finally, the meal and wine we had topped off the experience. He should be highly recommended for English speakers who are looking for a cooking class.

We also need to identify our driver to the train station in Avignon, Christophe Lano, Alpilleges Luberon Provence Transport. He delivered a present of wine from Valentine fromthe local vineyard we had just visited. Total surprise and was a wine we had tasted and enjoyed. Although we did not experience his ability as a guide, he was very informative on the way to the train station and I believe he would also make a great guide/driver for English speaking tourists.

Overall transportation was excellent. On time and provided safe and timely travel. One note - as tourists not used to traveling on French rail we experienced difficulty in ascertaining the actual itinerary on the train to CDG as the tickets do not show where the train will actually stop. We were on an older train that did not have the digital readout showing the actual station and do not speak French. We heard a reference to Charles de Gualle and could not see any name of the station; and we made the mistake of getting off one station
early. In hindsight we should have know that it was too early to be a CDG.

Again, thanks for helping use create and enjoy a memorable trip.

Hotel Review

Le Vallon de Valrugues & SPA

Saint-Rémy-de-Provence

See my previous notes

Authenticity & Character

Location

availability to St Rémy

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Cooking Class, Provencal Lunch and Local Market Tour in the Alpilles

France

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Simon was very attentive and designed a wonderful trip for us. We visited Lyon, Avignon, the Luberon, and Marseille. It was a good balance of planned activities and free time for exploration on our own. Each stop had something memorable. In Lyon, the gastronomy walking tour peas our favorite. In Avingon, Pont de Gare and a side trip to Nimes. Both the cooking class and the e-bike tour were great, and staying in Roussillon was superb. We didn't have much time in Marseille so that was some place we'll have to return to on another trip.

Hotel Reviews

Le Clos de la Glycine

Roussillon

Roussillon is a stunning location and this hotel is right in the center of the town. Our room had a patio with a gorgeous view of the ochre cliffs and across the valley. It was a few weeks before prime lavender season but everything was lush and green. The room was spacious for the three of us. And breakfast on the terrace was delicious, plus the view...

Tips for future travelers

Our room had a hot tub (not all do), check so you can be prepared.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hôtel de l’Horloge

Avignon

Great location in Avignon, central, near the Pope's Palace. Breakfast was excellent.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Cultural and culinary walking tour

Lyon

Guide was amazing, very easy going, lots of interesting facts. He was also good at engaging the group. The tasting locations were all excellent as well. Learned a lot.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport