Avignon
Meet the Local Experts
Your on-the-ground insiders. The ones who know the enduring favourites, the quiet corners and what’s worth your time.
Anna
London, Paris +4
Hi, I'm Anna! I'm mostly based in London, and travel is genuinely woven through both my career and my life - I work as a Food Guide and EF Tour Director, leading multi-day tours across Europe. This year my tours ran 10–17 days through London, Paris, Provence, Rome, Madrid and Barcelona, on top of guiding regular small-group food tours around Borough Market and Soho for Secret Food Tours. I also lived in Paris and Madrid, so I know several of these cities as more than a passing visitor. I have travelled extensively in groups and solo for more than 20 years. What most tourists miss is that the best version of a trip usually comes from slowing the pace and using a place the way locals do; public transport over taxis, market stalls over tourist-strip restaurants, one or two neighbourhoods done properly rather than a checklist of sights. That's the difference I try to give the travellers I meet. I most love helping travellers who want a genuinely local, well-paced trip rather than a highlights reel. Solo travellers, families and multi-generational groups, first-time visitors, and anyone nervous about logistics like public transport, language, or getting from A to B smoothly. I am also a huge foodie so love to recommend areas / restaurants / eateries to others!
Douglas Arthur
Paris, Versailles +8
5.0(1)Parisian and American both, I am a tourism professional with a decade of experience. With a rich, varied background and extensive education, I craft unique cultural experiences and tours for individuals and 5-star hotels in Paris. I am the founder of Vendôme Circle, a culturally-focused brand that offers connoisseur-level tours and experiences in Paris and beyond. My love for Paris began as a child, when I immersed myself in French cuisine, history, culture, and language. I have lived on the Left Bank near the Luxembourg Gardens since 2013. My path has been an adventure. I received a classical education in literature, philosophy, mathematics, art history, music theory, and ancient languages. I then entered seminary and was ordained a Catholic priest, serving as vicar of a large parish – where I oversaw and facilitated the growth of the Hispanic community – and as part-time chaplain at a Catholic high school. I later moved to Paris to pursue a Master's in Biblical Studies at the Catholic University of Paris. While here, I realised the priesthood was not for me. I left to start my life over, this time in Paris. As academia was still beckoning, I earned a Master's in Contemporary Philosophy at The Sorbonne, where I also pursued doctoral research on Jean-Paul Sartre and began a dissertation. It was during my time at The Sorbonne that I created my first walking tour of the Latin Quarter in 2017: a success that set me on my current path and ultimately led to the founding of Vendôme Circle. Beyond guiding and travel planning, my passions run deep and inform everything I do. I am an organist and pianist, a devoted foodie who has been cooking French cuisine since the age of nine, and a serious wine enthusiast. I am also a fine art photographer working exclusively in film, and a collector of antiques and porcelain with an intimate knowledge of the Paris market. I look forward to helping you put together a trip you will never forget.