SmoothRed trip to France in 2025

I’m taking my mother Stephanie to France for her 70th birthday in 2025. We are going in mid September during harvest season for the wine country. We are doing a mother-daughter trip and we used the agency SmoothRed. We did this because my mom has a bad back and some leg injuries and I wanted a bespoke tour that would accommodate her needs. We had a wonderful travel consultant named Sira who spoke with us on the phone twice and multiple times over email to tweak the itinerary before putting down a 30% deposit. Flights and travel insurance were not included in the quote from SmoothRed.

This is not my first time traveling with my mom. We have been to Ireland and London, Argentina, New Orleans, LA, a road trip through the state of Maine and New Brunswick, CA, and on a European cruise to Venice, Montenegro, and Greece. There are challenges to traveling with an older person, and there can also be personality clashes especially between two neurotic people. So below is the plan, and in one year I’ll update how it went, where we are, where we drank, and what we saw. Oh… and also if we survived 🙂

The itinerary:

Day 0 from Chicago ORD to Paris CDG overnight and arrive on the 14th for Day 1.

Day 1. Private car from CGD to Paris train station for a train ride of two hours thirty minutes to Bordeaux. Private car from train to Hotel de Seze. Meals not included.

Day 2. Breakfast at hotel included, private driver to Saint Emilion. Morning private tour of a TBD winery featuring Premier Grand Cru Classé. Lunch, booked for us but not included, at TBD restaurant overlooking the city. Afternoon tour at another TBD winery and tasting with the sommelier. Private car back to the hotel for a second night, dinner and evening activities on our own.

Day 3. Check out of hotel and head to Medoc for tastings. Tbd vineyard with Grand Cru wine at a chateau. Tasting paired with artisanal chocolates. Lunch on our own (booked but not paid for by SmoothRed) at a TBD brasserie. In the afternoon head to another Medoc area estate for a private tour and tailor made tasting session. Spend the night at Château Cordeillan-Bages.

Day 4. Breakfast included on the terrace at the chateau and then day at leisure. Optional cooking class can be arranged for an additional price. Recommended to head to village of Bages for dinner.

Day 5. Breakfast at the chateau, check out and private transfer for Bordeaux train station. 2 hour 30 minute train ride to Paris. Check into Hotel Balmoral Paris. Afternoon at leisure.

Day 6. Breakfast at the hotel, private transfer to train station to travel approximately 45 minutes to Reims in the Champagne region. Private full day tour of two champagne houses in Montagne de
Reims. Michelin starred 3 course lunch included. Visit to Reims Cathedral and Masion Fossier. Private transfer to train, 45 minutes back to Paris, private transfer back to hotel.

Day 7. Paris museums. Either Musée de l’Orangerie and then Musée d’Orsay, or an upgraded trip outside the city to full-day private tour at Giverny and Claude Monet’s home. Return to Paris hotel for dinner on our own.

Day 8. Day at leisure. We opted to upgrade to a private tour of Versailles. They booked us a private English speaking guide for the two of us that can walk slowly and take breaks. They also booked us an afternoon Royal tea-time at Versailles. Return to Paris and the rest of the day on our own.

Day 9. Breakfast at the hotel and then check out. Private transfer at time we need to return to CDG. Hotel will hold our luggage until it is needed.

The questions I asked before booking:

1. What are the average day and night temperatures?
   • It varies. Southern France near Bordeaux is typically warmer and Paris typically chillier. But with global warming, we won’t know exactly until sooner to the trip.
2. Is tap water safe to drink everywhere?
   • Yes, and the hotels and chauffeured tours provide mineral water and still water bottles.
3. Are there mini fridges in the hotel suites and is there ice available?
   • Yes, but the cost of taking out items is not covered by Smooth Red and will be charged when we check out. We can ask room service for ice- the French do use it more than some other European countries.
4. Is English widely spoken?
   • Yes, in all regions, and each driver and guide we have will speak English.
5. Are atms available at the hotels? How wide is the use of credit cards?
   • Yes, atms are available at the hotels except for at the chateau. credit card is accepted almost everywhere
6. How is cell service and WiFi?
   • Non-issue. All hotels have WiFi and it is offered in many restaurants and malls.
7. We went from separate rooms to a shared suite at each location to save cost. Are we in separate beds?
   • Yes
8. We requested first floor or hotels with elevators (lifts) due to my mom’s walking abilities. Is this possible?
   • Yes, all hotels are first floor or lifts. It was important to sign and deposit quickly once we chose our price and itinerary to make sure we locked those in.
9. What if there is an emergency?
   • We have an app to use and a 24 hour number to call with Smooth Red. Each town we go to has police, ambulance, and hospitals.
10. What kinds of cars do the chauffeurs drive?
    • Even for this private two person tour it will be a Mercedes minivan with air conditioning.
11. What if our train is delayed and we need to contact the driver for the transfer?
    • The app or the 24 hour Smooth Red phone number will allow the agency to contact the driver for us.
12. We both smoke- where is this allowed?
    • Not in the rooms or common areas of the hotels, but almost everywhere outside.
13. Is there laundry service at each hotel?
    • Yes.
14. Are we paying for the first class train tickets to and from Bordeaux/Paris or is that included?
    • It is included in the price of the package.
15. Is Notre Dame still closed inside?
    • Yes, it is.
16. Can they book us a private tour of Versailles on our leisure day in Paris?
    • Yes, for an additional cost. They booked us a private English speaking guide for the two of us that can walk slowly and take breaks. They also booked us an afternoon Royal tea-time at Versailles.
17. Can the hotel concierges make us recommendations and reservations for dinners on the nights that dinner is not included?
    • Yes.
18. Will the guides be told ahead of time of my mother’s walking restrictions and pace?
    • Yes
19. Are any of our hotels on cobblestone streets? (Walking hazard).
    • No

We’ll see what happens in 2025!