Rennes France

Luxury France Tours: Private, VIP-Style Travel Across France

If you’re dreaming of a French vacation that truly “feels hosted by a local,” you’ve probably heard of Luxury France Tours. They specialize in creating custom, private, driver-guided tours of France for travelers. They pair you with a knowledgeable local driver/guide, customized experiences, and carefully selected, charming, or luxurious accommodations based on your preferences.

In this review, we’ll walk you through what you get, what they do particularly well, and some of the pros and cons of using Luxury France Tours before you send that inquiry form.

How Luxury France Tours Works

Lavender-Provence
Provence

Ultimately, Luxury France Tours creates and runs completely private, guided tours of France designed around you, not around a specific departure date. When you reach out to them, you provide them with your preferred travel dates, how long you’d like to spend traveling, and your areas of interest (wine, history, coastline, small towns, art, food, etc.), and they create a no-cost, customizable itinerary for you to review and edit.

Travelers can focus on a single region (for example, Provence or Normandy) or travel throughout several regions, with recommended itineraries spanning from short 3-day breaks to longer, 28+ day Grand Tours connecting Paris, Champagne, Burgundy, the Riviera, the Alps, and beyond.

In essence, you are purchasing a complete trip design and on-the-ground logistics for your vacation to France. You are not just purchasing a tour.

VIP Touring, Luxury Vehicles & Personalized Comfort

If you value how you are transported around France as much as where you are going, Luxury France Tours is a reason you may consider working with this company.

Typically, your daily touring is conducted in modern, comfortable vehicles, suitable for your group’s size, and driven by an English-speaking driver-guide/chauffeur, and/or separate guide, depending upon the itinerary. The primary focus of Luxury France Tours is providing smooth, hassle-free logistics and ensuring your comfort while traveling, rather than trying to pack as many passengers as possible onto a coach bus.

Your guide can easily adjust the pace of your day, divert to a scenic viewpoint, or slow down for a member of your family who prefers to walk a little slower. Many of the reviews on their website illustrate how guides thoughtfully accommodate different ages and generations within families without requiring constant management of the schedule.

As far as accommodations, the team tends to focus on charming boutique hotels, Chateau stays, and upscale city properties, and can adjust the level of luxury based on your budget. Reviewers consistently praise the quality and location of the hotels they select.

Pros & Cons of Working with Luxury France Tours

Nice France
Nice France

Pros

1. Completely Custom, Not Cookie-Cutter

You are invited to use each of their sample itineraries as a starting point. You can modify regions, pace, hotel type, activities, and add special interests such as wine workshops, World War II History, Food Experiences, Coastal Days, etc. The custom itinerary itself is provided at no cost and includes as many revisions as you require.

2. Comprehensive France Focus & Regional Coverage

You are not working with a travel agency that sells “everything everywhere.” They exclusively focus on France (with some additional European combinations), and this focus is evident in the numerous regions they offer: Paris, Provence, Normandy, Loire Valley, Bordeaux, Burgundy, Alsace, Champagne, Riviera, and more.

3. Special Access & Experiences

The types of unique experiences they promote on their website include: Private boat rides, workshops with local artisans, chef-led tastings, and workshops with Master Craftspeople. Additionally, they provide information regarding skip-the-line access at major monuments where possible, which saves you time and energy once you arrive.

4. Locally Sourced Guides with Strong Storytelling Ability

Their guides are described as certified, highly knowledgeable, and selected for personality, as well as knowledge. Traveler reviews repeatedly mention guides by name for the ability to bring history and culture to life in a way that you will continue to discuss months after the trip.

5. Excellent Social Proof

While most websites feature generic client testimonials, the testimonials on Luxury France Tours’ website are quite detailed. They describe complex group trips, including older relatives, solo travelers, and family groups, that went smoothly, and repeatedly mention “exceeded expectations” and were “well planned.”

6. Female-founded, Relational Business Approach

If you prefer doing business with companies that allow you to see who is behind the brand, and who you can email by name, you will find this reassuring. Debbie’s involvement and the close-knit team approach make the operation feel personal, rather than corporate.

Cons

These are not deal-breakers, but you should know them prior to deciding whether this is the correct fit for you.

1. Price is Premium Compared to Group Tours

You are paying for private guides, private transportation, and custom planning. As a result, when you compare it to large coach tours, the cost will be greater. This is better suited to travelers who are willing to invest in a higher-touch experience, and not bargain shoppers.

2. No Instant “Book Now” Packages

Due to the fact that everything is customized, you cannot instantly book a full tour in 2 minutes like you could with a mass market operator. Instead, you submit an inquiry form, receive a complimentary itinerary, and go back and forth with the team. If you prefer an immediate, self-service booking, you will find this slower, consultative process to be excessive effort.

3. Too Many Options Can Be Overwhelming

Although you have the opportunity to choose from multiple regions, trip lengths, and themes, you may initially feel overwhelmed by the choices. If you are unsure of what you want, you will rely heavily on the team for guidance, which is the purpose, but it means you need to be open to suggestions instead of arriving with a rigid list.

Will Luxury France Tours Work for You?

Paris
Photo by Meagan Wristen

You will be a great candidate for Luxury France Tours if you:

  • Are you interested in a private, customized itinerary in France without designing everything yourself
  • Would prefer to be driven comfortably and taken care of by local guides
  • Would prefer to stay in boutique and luxury-leaning hotels, rather than basic hotels
  • Appreciate having a named person to communicate with via email or phone
  • Are willing to pay more for a group coach tour in order to obtain flexibility, privacy, and a higher level of service

Conversely, if your main goal is to minimize costs, or you prefer the social aspects of a large group tour, you will likely be happier with a mainstream escorted group tour.

All in all, if you are looking for a female-founded, France-only specialist that treats your holiday as a customized project, rather than a product on a shelf, Luxury France Tours is a compelling option for your trip. With excellent customer reviews, local guides that are experienced and passionate about sharing the history and culture of France, and a clearly defined focus on VIP-style comfort, you will likely feel confident stepping off the plane in France, knowing that someone competent has the reins for your vacation.

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