Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Off the Beaten Path Small Group Tours are perfect for:
* Couples, solo travelers, adult families, groups of friends
* Travel clubs, wine societies, small private groups and organizations.

Who is Off the Beaten Path, LLC?
Off the Beaten Path, LLC is an American owned and operated tour company based in the USA and France with over 15 years experience specializing exclusively in fully escorted, small group, wine, culinary, cultural, walking and gourmet affinity luxury tours of Provence, the Loire Valley and the Bordeaux wine region of France (maximum 8 persons per regularly scheduled departure date). Additionally, the company specializes in private and custom designed tours of these above named regions, as well as Burgundy, the French Riviera, Alsace, Champagne, the Normandy D-Day Beaches and Dordogne for private groups and clubs of 6-16 persons. Off the Beaten Path, LLC tour programs offer a personalized, authentic French experience that non-France based and multi-destination tour companies can't offer.

OTBP tours are both interactive and activity driven, offering a hands-on approach to discovering and experiencing French culture and traditions in a recreational environment. Each of small group tour offers an unparalleled level of value by incorporating flexibility, personalized services, access to activities and experiences not available to the general public and knowledge and expertise in French history, culture and traditions into each small group tour. Through daily excursions and activities guests juorney beyond "tourist" hot spots and into the real lives and homes of local French Chefs, Bakers, Wine Producers, Artisans, Oneologists, Historians and Hoteliers where they are always welcomed as a group of friends. From gourmet dining experiences, private castle tours and vineyard walks to bread making, VIP wine tasting tours and culinary classes, seasoned, independent and first time travelers from around the world join Off the Beaten Path, LLC's 5, 6 and 7 day, fully escorted, small group tours to discover, experience and learn about the history, culture and traditions of France "en famille". Browse the our website for complete details of current itineraries, tour highlights, tour departure dates, what's included in each tour, tour prices and to reserve the tour of your choice, or email us to discuss and confirm space availability for your selected tour.

Recommended by Travel & Leisure, Conde Nast Traveller and Forbes Traveler Magazines

Are Off the Beaten Path, LLC tours in English?
Yes. All of Off the Beaten Path's fully guided, small group tours are designed for an international English speaking clientel and conducted in English. All of our tours are led by professional tour guides who are native English speakers and who also speak French fluently as a second language.

What is the percentage of repeat business?
Off the Beaten Path has one of the highest recorded levels of repeat business in the tourism sector in France. 92% of our first time guests return for a 2nd tour with the company. 75% of repeat guests return for a 3rd tour with the company.

Who are Off the Beaten Path, LLC tours designed for?
Off the Beaten Path, LLC small group, active, France tours are designed for the discerning traveler of all ages and backgrounds, from the seasoned traveler and independent traveler to the first time traveler to France. Join one of the our tours as a solo traveler, a couple, a small group of friends or family, or bring your entire travel club, affinity group, womens organization or wine society.

What are the guides like? Are they knowledgeable about history, food, customs, culture, traditions and wine?
All of Off the Beaten Path guides are qualified professionals who hold multiple univeristy degrees in French history and/or European history, who have professional experience in the French tourism industry and who have also received business and/or professional-level training. This is one of the key factors that sets us apart from other tour companies. All Off the Beaten Path guides are native English speakers and also speak French fluently as a second language. The company looks for guides who have that special combination of personal warmth, friendliness, excellent organizational skills, and dedication to customer service. The company guides are the cream of the crop and will take excellent care of your group and you, and will be able to answer practically any question you have.

What is included in the tour price?
All historical accommodations during the tour, Services of a Professional OTBP Tour Guide/Leader. Breakfast Daily. Many meals. All fees for activities and excursions detailed in each itinerary, such as, cooking classes, wine tasting workshops, winery tours and VIP wine tastings, bread baking class, hot air ballooning. All entry fees for visits and tours at castles, museums and other historical monuments detailed in each itinerary. All beverages at meals, including Grand Cru Wines. All taxes and gratuities at restaurants and hotels. Round trip transfers between group meeting location at scheduled time on tour start day and hotel, and between hotel and tour drop-off location at scheduled time on tour end day. All transportation by comfortable minivan during the tour.

What is excluded in the tour price?
Airfare roundtrip to and from France. Roundtrip train fare to and from the meeting location for each tour. Some meals as per each detailed itinerary, personal expenses, hotel incidentals and gratuities to tour guide/leader(s).

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Is my money secure with Off the Beaten Path, LLC?
Yes. Off the Beaten Path Is fully licensed and insured carrying a $1M Professional Liability/Errors & Omissions policy. The company is also bonded in the state of Pennsylvania and holds a website identity assurance warranty of $10,000. This means that you are insured for up to $10,000 per reservation booking when relying on the information provided by IdAuthority on this site.

How does Off the Beaten Path, LLC manage tour monies paid by travelers for its' tours?
All tour monies paid by travelers towards the company's programs are deposited into a managed trust account, and are only released to suppliers for payment of services included on your tour on tour departure day.

Who travels with Off the Beaten Path?
Off the Beaten Path travel guests come from a variety of professional backgrounds, but most importantly guests share a common passion for learning more about French history, as well as an interest and curiosity for learning more about French culture and traditions. The company regularly welcome Corporate Executives, CEOs, CIOs, CFOs, Movie Producers, Educators, Scientists, House Wives/Stay-at-Home Moms, Lawyers, Teachers/Professors, Doctors, Journalists, Business Owners, Investment Bankers, Accountants, Artists.

What are the ages of Off the Beaten Path travelers?
The Age of Off the Beaten Path travelers range from 35 to 55 years. Some travelers have been younger, some older, but the above range is the most typical of our travelers. We regularly welcome couples, singles, solo travelers (widowed or married traveling without a spouse), groups of friends, family groups, families comprised of parents traveling with adult children, family groups comprised of siblings & their spouses, mother-daughter/father-son groups, members of various travel clubs/organizations, families of our tour guides. Most importantly, you will meet travelers with a diversity of interests and occupations who share a love of active, cultural travel.

Are children welcome on Off the Beaten Path, LLC small group tours?
Children 18 years and older are welcome on our regularly scheduled tours. Families with children under the age of 18 are welcome to contact us to book a private tour for their family.

How large will my group be?
Maximum group size of Off the Beaten Path tour programs is typically 8 persons and for some tour dates 12 persons.

What kind of transportation is used for the tours?
All ground transportation is provided during the entirety of each tour by comfortable minivans.

Do I need to be an expert to take your tour?
Not at all. The idea is to learn about French culture, traditions, wine, daily life, artisan lives and culinary practices in a recreational and relaxing environment, and our tours offer great learning opportunities for everyone. Off the Beaten Path guides are very skilled at adapting their commentary to the general level of knowledge of the group, providing good introductory information for novices, and more advanced discussions for those who have more experience or a specialty interest.

Where might I have seen articles or features about Off the Beaten Path, LLC tours of France?
The New York Times, Condenaste Traveller, National Geographic, The Travel Daily, The Wine Commentator, Wine Spectator, Travel Lady, The Telegraph, Specialty Travel Index, The Dauphine Libere, Travel and Leisure, OLN, Luxury Living, Cultural Travels, Shaw Guides, Travel Channel, Vine to Wine, Courier Magazine, Travel Concepts, New York Times, Travel Intelligence: Best of France, Worldweb Travel Guide, Tampa Tribune, La Provence, France Guide, Food and Travel.

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Will most of the tour members be from the USA?
No. Travelers on Off the Beaten Path tours come from the USA, Canada, Australia, United Kingdom and New Zealand with a small percentage coming from western Europe and South America.

How many hotel changes does the tour group make during any given tour?
NONE. There is no hotel hopping on Off the Beaten Path tours. We select one unique historical hotel that reflects the charm & culture of each particular region for which a tour is offered, and that is centrally located for each tour's daily scheduled activities and excursions. The owner's of the hotels used on Off the Beaten Path tours are personal friends of the company's owner and all of the company's guests are welcomed as a group of friends traveling together.

When is free time or leisure time included in a tour?
We include free time (leisure time) at various times throughout each day on every tour to ensure guests personal freedom, time to explore independently, shop at local markets, boutiques and artisan galleries and to enjoy time at local cafes.

How are the tours structured?
Having over 15 years experience in the tour industry, specifically with small group touring, we have found that our guests are generally more interested in active experiences, culture, people to people experiences and "in depth" talks in museums and sites. Our guests like to visit private homes, and pursue their hobbies when they travel. Our guests enjoy being able to shop locally for items, such as, collectibles, art and local products. Our guests tend to do more homework and want a meatier trip. All of our trips are designed based on these factors. Each trip offers organized activities and excursions daily combined with periods of leisure time each day. Our tours encourage individual approach and pursuit of your interests, as well as introducing you to new experiences and people during each trip.

Will I order off the menu, or have set menus at each meal?
Our guests rave about our choice of restaurants on our tours and the selection of menus offered. Many meals are included in your tour. Some will be at Michelin-starred restaurants; others at very fine, typically-local establishments that offer finely prepared gourmet fare. Lunches will be full meals, at least appetizer-main dish-dessert; dinners may include more courses. Sometimes you'll have a choice of dishes; other times, everyone will eat the same dishes. In that case, the dishes will be expertly selected to ensure that everyone enjoys their meal. Meals offer great opportunities to discuss food and wine pairing!

What kind of wines are included in the meals?
We expertly match premium wines from the region we're visiting with each dish. Meals offer an excellent opportunity to try wines from appellations not available to guests at home, and to introduce guests to some select wines worth a favorable mention or that are exceptionally appreciated by the locals.

What size and types of hotels does Off the Beaten Path use on its' tours?
We select small (less than 30 rooms) boutique hotels of historical character and charm that offer well appointed rooms, comfortable King and Queen size beds, private ensuite bathrooms and excellent services and amenities, plus 24 hour front desk service and security.

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What are the hotel rooms like on Off the Beaten Path tours?
Hotel rooms are well appointed, individual, private rooms with large comfortable queen or king size beds and fully equipped, private, en-suite bathrooms (tub/shower, sink, toilet, etc.) that we have personally selected and have determined to meet our strict criteria. The highest hotel rating level in France is 4-stars (****L) and indicates that the hotel is a luxury establishment (There is no 5-star rating in France). Rooms are larger than traditional European standards. We have been working with the same hotels for many years and have established relationships of privilege from which our guests benefit.

What kind of shape do I need to be in to enjoy my trip?
Off the Beaten Path trips are designed for all levels of walkers and multi-activity enthusiasts. You certainly don't have to be a fitness guru to enjoy our tour programs, but you will get more out of your trip if you are reasonably fit. Travelers should be able to walk through a castle, village, winery and stand around during some specialty visits (sometimes there is no place to sit).

How challenging are the walks on your tours?
Click the link to review the Walk Ratings for our tours. Our Bordeaux Wine, Cultural and Culinary tours are designated as "walking tours" and include a 2-3 hour walk daily. Our Best Adventures in Provence Tours include one scheduled walk as part of the overall cultural experience and is optional to guests. In general though by nature of the country and French culture, we do quite a bit of leisure walking daily.

Do I have to participate in all of the scheduled activities of the tour?
No. Each trip offers the flexibility to opt -in or -out of an activity so that you always have the choice & flexibility to participate in as many or as few activities of interest to you.

Are any portion of your tours subcontracted?
No. No activities or excursions on any Off the Beaten Path tour is ever subcontracted to a third party. All guides, hosts/hostesses, chefs, artisans, etc., work directly and exclusively with and for Off the Beaten Path.

How far in advance do I need to reserve my vacation?
It is never too early to reserve space on a trip. We apologize if the trip you want is full, however we take bookings daily via our "real-time" on-line reservations system, as well as by fax and email, and space often fills up months to a year in advance.

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What is required to make a tour reservation?
It's easy! Take a look at the Tour Schedule, then either email us directly to request if space is available for the tour and date of your choice, or book your tour directly on-line using our secure online booking form (immediate confirmation is provided using the online reservation form), or complete and print a booking form and fax us your reservation using our secure printable booking form. Feel free to contact us with any questions that you may have. A company reservation agent will send you confirmation of your reservation within 7 days of receiving your forms, along with information about the tour to enable you to make your travel plans. Your balance payment is due 60 days prior to your tour start date and we send you a final payment invoice 2-3 weeks prior to the final payment due date for your tour. We will send you full information about your tour no later than 30 days prior to your tour departure date.

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Purchase Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance for all of you vacation travel.

If I am traveling alone, will you find me a roommate or can I have a private room?
Prices are based on double or twin occupancy. If you would like a roommate, the company can often pair you with one (of the same gender). If no roommate is available, the single supplement fee applies.

Can I reserve my Off the Beaten Path vacation with my travel agent?
Yes, Off the Beaten Path accept reservations from professionally licensed travel agents. If you prefer to have your travel agent handle your booking, please have him/her contact us directly.

Where do your tours start and end? How do I get to the starting place?
Most of Off the Beaten Path tours begin and end with a group transfer scheduled in the closest major city to the region of your tour. For example, transfers for the Loire Valley Tours are from and to the city of Tours, specifically the St. Pierre des Corps Rail Station. This allows flexibility for our clients, who often have other travel plans in Europe before or after our tour. All tours start and end near a major French city. You can fly into most cities via a connecting flight from Paris, or you can fly into Paris and then take a high-speed TGV train to our starting point. In every case, a group transfer will be available once you arrive, and at the end of the tour. The company is not a travel agency, so we are unable to book flights or train tickets. However, a company representative will be able to give you all the information you need to make your travel plans, and will be happy to give you further assistance by telephone or email.

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What clothes are most appropriate for your tours?
For day, bring clothing that is "casually chic." France is still a more formal country than the U.S., and you will feel more comfortable if you avoid sweats, sneakers and T-shirts. For evening, do bring some nicer clothes for our gourmet dining experiences.

What is the best time of year to take one of your tours?
Off the Beaten Path tours are scheduled between the months of April and November. France has a temperate climate, with generally mild conditions throughout the year.

Do you offer any incentives for Private Tour Organizers or Group Leaders?
Yes! If you have a group of at least 10 people, Off the Beaten Path can offer you a FREE tour as the Group Leader. Please Contact Us for complete details.

Do you offer self-guided tours?
No. Off the Beaten Path has developed trusting, long-term relationships with the professionals you meet during each tour program, and many have committed to working exclusively with the company and in return ask that Off the Beaten Path have one of its representatives present to ensure that excursions and activities scheduled are kept. Off the Beaten Path also believes that you will get a great deal more out of your experience, if you have the guidance of an expert guide for the majority of your travel through France.