I love France. I love the food and the wine. I love the language and the challenge of learning it. I love the people, who are warm and kind once you learn what makes them tick. I love the magnificent city of Paris and the charming villages dotting the countryside. In creating Journeys with Sally Helms, I'm combining three of my favorite things in life: visiting France, taking others to France to introduce them to its many charms, and planning the itineraries.
By acting as a private guide for a trip designed just for you, I create a trip that focuses on your interests, enabling you to have a meaningful journey in whatever ways are important to you - whether it be experiencing a different culture, exploring the art and the architecture, learning more about the history, enjoying the food and the wine, taking in the spectacular scenery, or all of the above. It is my passion to take you in hand and help you explore the France I know and love.
Over the past dozen years I've traveled to France extensively, for both work and pleasure, and have learned a lot about the country and its people. I've visited most parts of France - the better-known areas such as Provence, the Dordogne, the Cote d'Azur, the Lot Valley, Normandy and Brittany, as well as the lesser-known areas of Languedoc, Corsica, Pays Basque and the Ile de Porquerolles. And I've been to Paris more times than I can count.
If you have a sense of adventure but prefer not to travel alone or with a large group, I can open new and exciting doors for you by sharing my knowledge, experience and planning skills in creating a dream-come-true vacation. If you are curious and interested in all that France has to offer and want the security of a travel companion who is happy to serve as a guide, Journeys with Sally Helms may be your ticket.
MY BACKGROUND
My relationship with France has evolved since the mid-'90s, when I visited France for the first time since my college years. As the result of a serendipitous meeting during that vacation, I founded a U.S.-based company offering vacation home rentals in the south of France. The business required me to travel there several times a year, to find and inspect properties, meet the homeowners, and explore the areas surrounding the homes so I could give accurate information to my clients.
In the beginning I traveled by myself because it was a challenge and I needed to prove to myself that I could do it. Eventually I started taking friends because travel is a lot more fun with a companion. (You will see some of their comments in the Testimonials section of the website.)
Over time, I conquered my fear of France and now feel totally comfortable whether in familiar or unfamiliar territory. I speak traveler's French, know how to navigate the country roads and the big highways, can decipher the road signs and the menus, and understand the French psyche.
MAKING YOUR DECISION
Together we'll plan the itinerary - you determine when you want to travel, what parts of France you want to visit, how many places you want to visit each day, the type of activities you want to pursue, the level of accommodation, the types of transportation we use, the amount of free time you would like. I will make recommendations based on my knowledge and experience, but your input, your interests, your taste and your style of travel will be the top priority.
The desire to introduce others to the great beauty of France has become a mission for me, and I welcome the opportunity to share this wonderful part of the world with you. The service I offer will be personally designed for you and your needs, and the only way I can do that is for us to talk. Please call or e-mail me so we can set up a time to discuss your trip to France.