ABOUT YOUR TOUR GUIDE
'Bonjour, ' from beautiful Sarlat and the Dordogne Valley!
My name is Gabrielle, and I am a private tour guide . I would be delighted to show you around Sarlat and the Périgord Noir region of south west France and to share with you its beauty and incredibly rich history.
I fell in love with this stunning region and have been living here in the hilltop village of Domme for 10 years. I have immersed myself into so many activities, getting to know the local farmers and producers of the culinary delights of the region, like the foie gras, black truffles and goat cheeses. Spending many hours driving many of the tiny back roads, it is where I have discovered tiny quaint villages, ancient buildings lost in time, rarely visited as they are not on the main tourist routes.
I was born in Germany and grew up in Australia but was always greatly influenced by my European roots. I studied Linguistics and European Art and History. I returned to Switzerland and completed a degree in Business Hotel Restaurant Management as well as to be a Cordon Bleu Chef. I speak English French and German.
I am a passionate traveller myself and often a tourist. I love to discover new places and cultures, to find some cute, charming hidden spots, only known to the locals.
I have been a tour guide for over 12 years, in the Loire, Provence & Luberon regions in the south of France. I have walked with groups along the Camino path in Spain twice. Now I have settled in the Dordogne region, where I offer specialised private tours.
I met with Steve Smith in 2024 and took his group on a tour of local sites.
This year you will find me in Rick Steves 2025 "France Tour Guide" as the recommended local tour guide in the Dordogne Valley .
ABOUT OUR TOURS
Come with me and I will tell you stories of local history and visit the many medieval villages, hilltop castles, and prehistoric caves of the region and to wander the streets of honey coloured stone villages.
I will show you the popular tourist sites, not to be missed, of course. Many places are way out in the countryside, and you would not find them unless a local took you there. I include the local sites and famous village of St Denis, of local popular Author Martin Walker and his Inspector Bruno Murder Mysteries series as well.
I make my tours a combination of history & sightseeing with stories and legends of the people who lived in these places. I seek out unique and quaint restaurants to sample local cuisine and wines. On weekends we visit gourmet markets and also, if we can find one, the antique and bric-a-brac markets.
If it interests you as well I can arrange to visit small farms where they produce delicious local produce. My aim is that at the end of your tour, you feel that you have, for a short time, been immersed into the life of the locals, have been amazed by its beauty, its history and stories and leave with wonderful memories.
I offer small group tours of 6 persons with a set itinerary of 8 days which includes pick up and drop off in Bordeaux.
For private individual tours at other times my tours can be combined and changed to suit your interests. I look forward to meeting you soon.