Justine is what we call a travel concierge. Raised and borned in Paris, she is a young and generous woman full of energy, willing to share her knowledge about Paris through unique and fun walking tours. She is also organising customed trips in Paris for foreigners who want to discover Paris as a local.

As a parisian photographer of Happy People, I’m always looking for new people who share the same values as I do and who will help you live a great experience in our city, Paris.

As such, I met Justine several times and I wanted to share with you her world as travel concierge and some of her advices for your next trip to Paris, through this interview:

Who is Justine from Just’in Paris and what is your background?

I am French and I grew up in Paris. I still live here and I have left only to quench my thirst for travel since I was 20. Six months in Madrid; one year in London, seven months traveling around the world – including the US, New Zealand and Australia – and many other trips in Europe. My studies, my professional experiences as well as my travels helped me to become fluent in English and in Spanish.

What do you offer to people coming to Paris?

I created Just’in Paris, a Trip designer service, in January 2013. My role is to help people arrange their trip to Paris so they can enjoy a perfect stay that matches their desires and budget. I consider each client as someone unique with specific expectations; That why I only provide custom-made services. I also offer private tours to discover the “Paris of the Parisians“; trying to offer a perfect combination of history, culture, food and fun.

What is the favorite part of your job as a travel concierge?

I am a Parisian in love with her city but I also need to meet new people of other cultures to blossom. My job is based on this harmony: sharing the treasures of Paris and learning from all the people I am so lucky to get to meet.

What do you love about Paris?

Paris has so much to offer. Of course, famous sights and French history make this city unique, but Paris is not frozen in the past, it is important to discover it in the present tense too! Paris is a very dynamic capital with many cultural events, new restaurants and stores opening every week, a wonderful blend of communities, different districts with an atmosphere and architecture that vary greatly from one to another! From my insider point of view, living in Paris is of course not perfect: running after the bus, getting crammed into the metro at rush hour, living in a 30 square-meter (320 square-foot) apartment… But it is also about meeting friends for the “apéro”; in a cool wine bar, going to the open-air food market on Sunday morning, shopping in small boutiques of Le Marais, inviting my mum to the theater, having a picnic on the banks of the river…

Any advice for people coming to Paris on vacation?

Get to see the real Paris! I strongly advise my clients to plan a few things in advance so they can skip the long lines at the Louvre, Versailles and the Eiffel Tower. There are many different ways to skip lines and all of them are not necessarily expensive! But in my opinion, it is also very important to save free time so people can stroll at their own pace, enjoy the architecture, relax in a park, go to a market and sit on the terrace of a café… basically experiencing real Parisian life!

Looking for someone who will help you create your custom-made trip to Paris? Justine will be happy to help you: http://justinparis.com/en/!

If you are looking for happy and fun photos from your trip, please contact me (Stephanie): https://www.bullesdejoie.net/contact/

See you soon!

Stephanie