Recently updated on January 17th, 2020 at 09:50 pm
Travel Director: Giovanna
Regions: France
Trafalgar’s Travel Directors play a key role in providing each of our guests with a truly memorable experience. From the moment your Trafalgar journey begins, our Travel Directors share their local knowledge and provide a personalised, one-of-a-kind insider’s view of each destination. They are experienced travelers, learned historians and culture buffs whose job is to help you become immersed in the places you visit.
This week, Travel Director Giovanna took a few minutes to talk to the Trafalgar Blog to share some of her experiences and give some insight to why she loves what she does.
What is the best part of your job?
I love seeing how my insider knowledge and exclusive Trafalgar features, such as Be My Guest and Hidden Treasures, really enhance the experiences of my guests and make them feel they have truly connected with their destination. It’s by hearing the stories behind the people and places we encounter that travel becomes more enjoyable, exciting and memorable.
What’s your best Hidden Treasure?
The hidden passageways in Lyon known as ‘traboules’, usually only accessible if you know the secret entry codes.
What is your favourite place to take guests?
A farmhouse in the Loire Valley which we visit as part of Trafalgar’s exclusive Be My Guest experiences. It’s special and touching because of the warm and personal welcome we get from the owner Madame de Montferrier.
What is your most memorable ‘on the road’ moment?
The driver couldn’t get the coach out of the parking area of St Maxime because of an illegally parked car. After a group of nearby workmen whose help I had enlisted failed to move the car, an Aussie guest said we had to ‘bounce the car on the suspension’ to move it. I had never heard of this before, but he and other guests did it and it worked like magic!
What vacation photo would you recommend our guests have to take?
The coastline of Nice is so beautiful it has been described as ‘a sun-kissed goddess emerging from the waves’. I’d recommend taking a photo of the stunning sweep of the bay as it curves round.
Your staple travel items?
Bags of enthusiasm, a camera and a charger. In Europe I also take a facecloth with me as hotels very rarely have them.
What is your tip for feeling like a local when traveling?
If you are eating in a restaurant in France and have ordered wine or soft drinks, the waiter or waitress may ask if you also want water, by which they mean bottled mineral water. Do what the locals do and specify you want ‘une carafe d’eau’ – a jug of tap water – which is safe to drink and economical, since bottled water in French restaurants can cost as much as the wine!
A favorite local saying you need to know is:
Basic greetings are essential in France, so you need to start any exchange with a polite hello – ‘Bonjour Madame/Monsieur/Mademoiselle’ – in order to ensure you get better service.
What is your favourite food within your region?
Being a chocolate lover, it has to be the dessert Fondant au Chocolat served with vanilla ice cream.
Must buy souvenir?
As I have a playful sense of humour, I recommend buying ‘chocolate olives’ and a typical olive dish from Provence so you can have fun by serving them to unsuspecting friends when you get home.
What is your best travel tip?
Travel with an open mind and a willingness to engage with the people and places you encounter.
Why would you recommend Trafalgar?
From my experience of working for Trafalgar and other travel companies, to work for Trafalgar, Travel Directors need several years of previous experience. I realise that Trafalgar is a highly professional and genuinely caring company which puts the experiences of our guests at the heart of everything.
Find out more about our trips to France.