Small-Group Travel
Curated Itinerary
Bonjour, I am Rachel Christophe Baker, a native of France. I was born and raised near Versailles and have been living in Chicago for 30 years. For the last 15 years, I have been teaching French and designing and leading cultural tours and programs. As I was growing up, my parents took me on the backroads of France and they infused in me a love for history, art, regional gastronomy, nature, and off the beaten path villages. I am excited to share my native country with you. Read my full bio here!
Bilingual Tours
A Journey Through the Backroads of the Loire Valley
Led in English & French. Guided tours are in English.
Group size: 10 to 12
Upcoming tour: TBA
I organize this tour with Laurent Bertrand (Zurg) & Sylvie Ribes (Yopo), a duet of French artists, performance poets, national organizers, and Slam Poetry teachers. Together, we founded Voyage & Cultures, an organization offering bilingual cultural tours in the Loire Valley for small groups. Our tours provide an authentic opportunity to explore the backroads and countryside of the Loire Valley with artists and locals to gain insights into the region's gastronomy, tradition, art, and history.
Past tour: A journey through the backroads of the Loire Valley, September 2018
French Immersion and Cultural Tours
French classes - cultural activities - Excursions
Small Group: (under 10) - All levels
Ecole Nomade Paris (Spring/Autumn 2026)
Ecole Nomade in Aix-en-Provence
Discover the charm of La Provence - TBA 2027
Hameau de Marie Antoinette, Chateau de Versailles - By Daderot - wikipedia.org - CC BY-SA 3.0
I am developing Ecole nomade, a new concept for travelers who want to study French in a non-traditional class setting. This program is appropriate for people who have an intermediate level of French or higher (B2 to C2) and for advanced beginners & lower intermediate levels (A2 to B1). Lodging is à la carte. You book your own accommodation and flight.
AIX-EN-PROVENCE (TBA 2027)
This tour offers a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in the French language and culture in a relaxed and convivial atmosphere. In addition to sightseeing, you will participate in various events with locals and have an opportunity to practice your “français" while gaining insights into the gastronomy, tradition, art, and history of Provence. Excursions include Montagne St. Victoire, Cassis, Marseille, Luberon villages.
PARIS / VERSAILLES/ FONTAINEBLEAU
This is not an organized tour but activities you can incorporate into your personalized itinerary. We meet once a day for a French class or French conversation on a topic related to a visit. We can also include activities such as cooking class, wine tasting, meeting with artists, museum visits, or a walking tour.
This program is only available à la carte for a private group of 2 students & more or a single person from the duration of your choice & during the time I am in France.
Cultural Tours
Featuring a region in France
Upcoming tour: A journey through Southern Spain & Portugal: 9/14 -26, 2026
Past tour: Orleans to Bordeaux: Pathways of the Dordogne -Sept. 13-25, 2024
Tours led in English - Group size: 22 to 24
Rachel & Sandy in Saint Emilion
Many of us long for wellbeing and wholeness. Through our travels we draw a deeper understanding of ourselves. In this spirit of self-care and discovery, we invite you to join us on these voyages. We approach these tours as a pilgrimage, in its broad spiritual sense, as a journey to renew our life’s focus, engage in personal reflection, and discover something new about ourselves. In addition to sightseeing, we make time to savor simple pleasures and cultivate wellness—such as journaling, moments of conviviality, conscientious dining, and practicing the arts of looking and listening. Everyday, we make sure you have some personal free time to explore on your own. We travel by bus but these tours require a fair amount of walking each day.
I run these with co-tour leader, Sandra Gaynor PhD, RN in partnership with Witte Travel & Tours.
Conques, Aveyron Region
Past tours:
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Orleans to Bordeaux: Pathways of the Dordogne -Sept. 13-25, 2024
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Explore Brittany - Sept. 4 - 16, 2022 (with a post tour extension in Paris, Versailles, Chantilly)
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Video Show by Elaine Beaudoin: https://youtu.be/nMFz13SGdzg
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Pathways of Medieval France: Beautiful Villages Along the Pilgrimage Road to St. James of Compostella - August 30 – September 11, 2019
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Wine to Water: from Burgundy to Amsterdam: Burgundy, Champagne, Belgium, Holland
August 30 – September 10, 2017 -
From Saint-Denis to D-Day: Paris, Loire Valley, Normandy
June 26 – July 7, 2015 -
Southwest France off the beaten path
June 25 to July 4, 2014 -
A Journey through Southern France and Northwest Spain: Bordeaux region, Perigord, Basque Region in France & Northern Spain - June 20-29, 2013
À la carte: curated travel itineraries
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I can create a full itinerary tailored to your needs & interests.
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I can also advise you on your itinerary and fine tune it.
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Book a "French for Travelers"class. You’ll have a better experience if you know some basic French before you go.
Contact me to discuss your needs and get a quote