2027 tour dates announced!
War and Peace Tour 11 - 31 May 2027
Essence of Provence Tour 5 - 15 June 2027
Savoie Mountain Tour 20 June - 4 July 2027
Our Tours
Travel with a difference, meet locals and soak up the wonder of exceptional places in France that are off the standard tourist trails. Get an authentic feel by observing and doing what the locals do, indulge in some of their favourite pastimes (including eating), and learn how life is lived there.
We offer unique, immersive, bespoke small group, go-slow tours that are designed with a focus on connection, on quality not quantity. Otherwise known as ‘Wagon wheel travel,’ the wheel hub is the base, and the wheel spokes are local day outings. Your specially chosen home away from home for the duration of the tour is a charming old French village house. It’s cosy and welcoming, the perfect place to unpack, unwind and relax.
During the tours, you’re given the time to freely explore and discover cultural and culinary differences, live like a local, make friends, and enjoy a true restful and interesting holiday. Rested, recharged, and relaxed while on a personal journey, creating memories of a lifetime immersed in typical French charm and culture.
A sample of what to expect
Day 1
Your tour starts in the Savoie region.
Check in to our luxurious farmhouse that was recommended by Gabriel Gate on ‘Taste the Tour 2017, 18 & 19.
Settle into your room and then enjoy a welcome drink while getting to know your fellow travellers before dinner.
Day 3
Visit Annecy, ‘Venice of the French Alps’. Market day in the old town with its paved pedestrian streets and tantalising stalls full of fresh fruit, vegetables, cheeses, cured meats, designer shops, home-made crafts and more.
This is your day to freely discover this beautiful lake town - Take a boat tour around the lake, shop till you drop, buy a sandwich and then picnic with your feet in the water, take a dip, visit the castle or just wander around the canal and enjoy the beautiful old town of Annecy.
Day 4
Morning cooking with Nikki 10.00 – 12.00, followed by lunch in the forest.
In the afternoon, we’ll take a trip down to visit the medieval city of Conflans situated above the town of Albertville, home to the winter Olympics in 1992. Visit a local farmer who will share his expertise on producing the famous regional ‘Tomme de Savoie’ cheese.
Day 8
Day out in the local mountains, a hike through the woods discovering all the spring flowers, visit a local farm and Helen who makers her own natural herbal infusions from the flowers. Lunch treats and evening meal.
5 reasons ours tours may be perfect for you
One
Right from the start, everything in the tour is organized from A-Z, economising money, planning time and stress
Two
You want to have an authentic, real immersive experience within a small group and without language barriers.
Three
You love the idea of having time to relax in your home away from home while embracing the present moment and all that it offers. Savouring encounters and landscapes, soaking up stillness & beauty.
Four
You’re without a travel companion so the best way to join a likeminded group and maybe even make a life time travel buddy.
Five
You love how the excursions offered are so flexible and with a discussion over dinner tailored to suit the conditions and the group.
Your Host
Robyn Marmottan
Life is a journey
Life takes us down many roads. I feel blessed to have travelled around the world several times and to be able to call two countries home – Australia and France.
As a country girl growing up in the Mallee, I always wanted to travel when I grew up. Coming from a family of cooking enthusiasts, my first experience with foreign countries was in the kitchen, where I discovered the world by cooking recipes from different places.
The day finally came when I set off on my first travelling adventure. As I backpacked around Asia and then on to England, my horizons quickly expanded, and I marvelled at how different things were away from home. With Europe at my doorstep, country hopping had never been so easy. I crossed the Channel to go on a ski holiday and never came back! My love affair with France and the mountains was kindled and before the end of my week’s holiday I had found a job in the French Alps. This was not without its challenges, of course, the main one being the struggle with the language. However, as time went by, things got easier, and I knew that this was home.
Some years later, when I was working as an English teacher, I saw the benefits of organising and accompanying my French students on immersion trips, breaking down the language barrier while sharing the wonderful experience of visiting a foreign country in a relaxed and friendly manner. My trips were an immense success and sowed the seed for the future.
After many years in France, I decided to return to Australia and the vision of France and Beyond Tours was born. My aim is to share my passion for France and to show this breathtakingly beautiful country to others in the best way possible: away from crowds, in an immersive and personal way, allowing time for an authentic experience without the stress and fatigue of being on the road continuously. A home away from home!
