My experience with A Paris Travel started with an Alzheimer’s Disease diagnosis in 2011. My Mother was diagnosed and my brother and I were devastated. We already knew because it was easy to see, that didn’t change the fact that it hurt so deeply. I decided that we were going to spend however much time we had left with Mom mentally present having a good time.
That year, I got the idea of us taking our Mom to Paris. She’s always wanted to go to Paris, she even wrote it in her high school year book in 1966. Mom was turning 66 in 2013, why not do it then I thought! We come from modest means so I knew if we were going to Paris in 2013 we were going to have to start saving right then.
I researched some options but everything was so disjointed, I couldn’t make heads or tails of how to ours a magically trip. That’s when I found A Paris Travel and Sue Lillie. I explained to Sue what I was trying to do and that I wanted it to be so special for my Mom that Alzheimer’s couldn’t take the memories away. Boy did Sue deliver!
Sue prepared an itinerary for us that was mind blowing. We had airport shuttle service to our hotel; a driving tour immediately waiting for us; and, guided walking tours of the city, the Louvre, and some castles by some of the best for guides I’ve ever interacted with. All of this culminated to a delicious dinner on our last night in Paris, in the Eiffel Tower, on my Mom’s actual 66th birthday!!
Sue did this special thing for my Mom that she normally doesn’t do to help my family afford to give my Mother a trip she’ll never forget. She gave us an estimated price based on her experience to give us an idea on a budget for the two years we saved. She crafted a fairy tale itinerary with care and love for perfect strangers. And when it looked like things were going arry, someone booked the entire Eiffel Tower on my Mom’s birthday and effectively canceled our dinner plans, Sue didn’t give up! She kept calling and checking to see if the whole Eiffel Tower really was going to be reserved and on one of those calls she found out that the reservation was cancelled and that my Mom’s birthday dinner could be rescheduled there! That’s persistence, care and love!
Sue Lillie and A Paris Travel gave my family the best week or our lives in Paris! I highly recommend them for you too!
S. V., Atlanta, Georgia
Just a note to say thanks for arranging the Normandy beach tour for my son. He called to say the tour guide was very nice, very friendly and that everything worked out just fine. I appreciate that I can surf the Web from the west coast, find a firm on the east coast to arrange a tour in France, that you could keep in touch even though you were in Florida, and I could send the confirmation form to my son in Spain and you could notify the tour operator in France!
And quite frankly, it’s impressive that we could complete a business transaction over such a long distance without knowing each other, and me having picked you from a selection of Google listings. It says something about the Internet and cellular phones, but also about people, it seems. So thanks again for the help in putting the trip together…and so quickly!
Gary A., Berkeley, CA
Hello Sue…just for your records, I can totally recommend our Aix Chef; we had a delightful time with her. She is warm and friendly and was just right for us. She told us some of the local Aix history while shopping and my cooking lesson with her and our meal really seemed as if we were at the home of a friend. The meal was delicious and we had a lovely day.
Pamela B., Abu Dhabi UAE
Hello Sue – I wanted to drop you a note and tell you of our trip. It was FANTASTIC !. Everything worked well, the transfers and trips you setup for us, were great. The Hotel was very friendly and accommodating. I would/will recommend you to anyone wishing a France trip.
Tom W., Gibsonia, PA
This is a belated thank you for a wonderful experience during our recent trip to Paris in October. Lionel Rochmann was the guide you provided to us for our private tour of Normandy with a stop in Honfleur. Lionel was extremely knowledgeable and highly professional. He was an expert guide with a passion for the subject matter. We were very, very pleased with our experience. I would not hesitate to recommend your company and Lionel in the future. All the best for the holiday season,
Marla and Phil G., New York, NY
Just a short note to thank you for your organization on particular aspects of our European tour on our behalf. Could not fault it.
The Normandy Tour was the highlight for us and our chauffeur, Pierre, was excellent .
We’ll have no hesitation in using you again on future “adventures” and recommending your services to our friends. Thanks again.
Paul T., Kalgoorlie, Australia
Sue, You were right! Rene was a fantastic guide – the best. The day from Le Havre was one of the best days of travel we have ever had. Thanks so much for the personal touch and for finding this incredible guide.
Bonnie S., Marco Island, FL
Thank-you so much for the excellent trip Randy and I just had. All of the transfers were on time and very helpful- Randy and I figured out the TGV, and are currently in French food withdrawal. The Loire valley was awesome- the accommodations , food, wine and the guide – (Phillipe) – was like being in a fairy tale, where I was the princess. It is difficult to surprise me – But the Chateau did. And we are very happy.
Anne G., Bloomfield Township, MI
Thanks Sue – we had a wonderful Giverny tour – great place to spend an afternoon. That garden! That yellow dining room and blue kitchen – I’m already mentally renovating our house – A la prochaine fois!
Diane S, Victoria, BC, Canada
Hello Sue, I wanted to send you a note too say” THANK YOU ” for all you did to help us enjoy Paris. Everything went very well and all the tours were so enjoyable, the guides that took us to visit the sights were so friendly and knowledgeable. Pick up and drop off were on time and your staff and contacts are dependable. We had some reservations booking from the Internet, but once in Paris we couldn’t ask for better service, if you ever need a reference for a skeptical client you can give my name. Sincere Thanks,
Marianne B., Congers, NY ( party of 5)
Sue, The excursions you booked for us were excellent. We thoroughly enjoyed the All Day Walking Tour and the Foodie Tour and would highly recommend them for future tourists in Paris. Our tour guides were excellent!
Pat & Ed Y., Longwood, FL
Dear Sue, We have just arrived back to Australia and would like to thank you for our great trip to Versailles. The guide who drove us was very knowledgeable and such a lovely lady. Also Oliver who guided us around Versailles was a wealth of information and a very nice fellow, so thanks again.
Christine A., Beverly Hills, Australia
Hi Sue: I just wanted to thank you for all your assistance. We had a great time! I also wanted to compliment our tour guide, Lionel. He was extremely knowledgeable, very pleasant, and spoke perfect English. He was wonderful and I would highly recommend him. He definitely made our trip. If you could, please pass this along to the appropriate authority. He was fantastic.
St. Johns University, Queens, NY
I wanted to thank you for all that you did putting together the guides for our trip. They all were perfect, Ingrid was so incredible in Rome, so professional yet also very friendly. She was always very concerned about our comfort and always stayed over her time to show us extra stuff. The driver we had with her, Gilberto was amazing as well. Between the two of them our trip in Rome was spectacular!!!!
Then Rene in Normandy, he was awesome as well. He and Phil had so much in common, and they had sooooo much to talk about. Both love history and were each very excited to share stories together. Yet as a guide, he was fabulous and he also went a couple of hours over his time with us to show us more. He made the trip to Normandy extra special for Phil!
Then in Paris, I have no idea why Phil planned to meet with Barbara the last day we were there. Our tour with her was our BEST day in Paris. For the first few days we just kinda hung around the city and took the double decker tour bus and did the boat tour, that was all nice. Then when we met up with Barbara, the places she took us were absolutely breath taking. We had such a good time with her. And as well she stayed with us 2 hours over her time. She was like Ingrid, very professional yet very friendly too. She was great!!!! I would of liked to have spent more time with her. Next time , because we will be coming back, that is for sure. We both loveded it so much in Europe and I personally wanted to thank you for planning the guides for us, they were absolutely perfect. Thank you Sue ,.
Debbie & Phil A., Costa Mesa, CA