"Wendy and I have just returned from our first overseas trip.

We were privileged to have Sue plan an itinerary for us for our 10 day tour through France. We had organised our arrival and departure times and within this parameter and after consultation with us about what wanted. Sue organised the rest. Every day had highlights which we both consider we would have missed out on had we planned the trip ourselves.

Sue and David have had 23 years taking tourists through France and their in-depth knowledge is so valuable. Sue recommended hotels, places to shop and picnic, special restaurants to sample, historical facts, things to be aware of. This was all presented to us in a concise day-to-day printed manuscript which we found very easy to follow.

We would absolutely recommend Sue to plan a holiday in France for anyone.

Peter & Wendy Buchanan,
New Zealand"

"This was our fourth trip with David and Sue to Europe.  Every time we return home, we say "That was a trip of a lifetime,"  (you could say that about any of our trips with them).
We started our journey with a visit to the Champagne region around Epernay.  Saw Champagne being made and drank some!  Spent the night in a GREAT B & B and then on to Colmar in Alsace, for two nights, which was a part of Germany from 1870-1918 thus much German architecture and cuisine.

Then made our way to Interlaken, Switzerland, where we took a cog railway to the Jungfraujoch for a true taste of the Alps. It was everything we dreamed it would be.  Postcard perfect.
Our accomodations in Interlaken  could not have been better.

We stayed at a beautiful villa in the Chianti mountains and lived like a local.  The villa was in a vineyard where they grew their own grapes and made wine.  Which we sampled and bought a case and sent it
home   Delicious! 
Each day we went to a different hilltop town, ate incredible food (we wonder how Sue found these restaurants) and met the locals. 

My wife fell in love with Florence.  We had been to Florence before but had not seen some of the small neighborhoods within Florence.  My wife met an artist that she had admired for years. 

There were 7 of us including David and Sue and we all became best friends. Travelling on our own, we would not have seen 20 per cent of interesting parts of the country where the average tourist doesn't go. Imagine traveling with your brother in law (who you rather like) and he does the work and a sister in law who does all the thinking/arranging and you have it!

Jim and Dianna Peterson
U.S.A."

"My 17 days with Sue and David was everything I expected it to be and more. I had wanted a small group tour because I knew it would be more personal and flexible and so it was. We always had somewhere wonderful organised for us to visit each day and always some free time to do a bit more exploring if we wanted to but few hard and fast rules which made it so much more relaxing.

We first travelled to Epernay and from the Champagne tunnels to our first dinner together and then a wonderful sleep in the lovely Bed and Breakfast we stayed in it was the perfect start to our touring and set the tone...and the very high standard. After travelling through the Loire and visiting beautiful Chateaux and many lovely towns and villages we arrived at that wonderful villa in the Dordogne area where we stayed for 10 days and spent many happy times visiting all sorts of amazing places.

A highlight for me were the picnic lunches we had some days...made for a pleasant break. We did eat at some great restaurants but I really enjoyed the al fresco dining too.

David's safe driving, good humour and patience with any requests for photo stops and late arrivals was much appreciated. Sue's organisational skills and fluent French plus great cooking skills at the villa made everything very easy for us. It truly was a most relaxing tour though with plenty of exercise exploring beautiful gardens and climbing castle steps to keep us fit. As an extra treat Sue had organised a cooking class for us with Pascale...what a wonderful day that was.

Sue and David are very special people who have a huge knowledge and love for France and it shows in the enthusiasm and energy they shared with us. Would I go again? Yes...in a heartbeat

Thank you Sue and David for an absolutely wonderful time and for looking after us so well.

Gabrielle
Airlie House Bed & Breakfast
New Plymouth "

"Our twenty one days with Sue and David Sweet couldn’t have been better.  All the accommodation was first rate with spacious rooms and ensuites, beautiful furnishings and comfortable beds.
The itinerary included ancient rock dwellings, cave paintings, numerous and diverse chateaux, often with beautiful gardens, a porcelain factory tour and canoeing on the Dordogne river. Plenty of time to sit and enjoy a coffee and people watch too. 
David’s driving was exemplary and their planning appeared effortless although we’re sure it wasn’t.  We loved being able to eat “at home” from time to time, Sue’s cooking is delicious and varied.  When often we did eat out the choices of restaurant were superb, the picnics something to look forward to.
We travelled with two other guests whose company we enjoyed too - this is the way to travel, all the planning taken care of and everything  truly was paid in advance, the only thing I paid for while on the trip was French Perfume and presents for friends. 
Thank you Sue and David."

"The day trips through the Dordogne culminating in the road excursion through the Loire and Champagne to Paris were for me the travel experience of a lifetime – my first visit to France. On reflection, possibly the greatest contribution David and Sue made was their years of experience in hosting tours in this part of the country. We were able to profit from their knowledge of the cities, towns and villages, countryside and sights so that for example the chateaux we visited were all abundantly worthwhile and in contrast with each other so that I believe in 10 days “we picked the eyes out” of what was available. I felt that in this brief time I had a glimpse of a real part of France rather than a traipse through tourist traps. We did visit the main attractions e.g. Chateaux de Villandry and de Chenonceau, the Lascaux caves, the historic town of Sarlat, etc but as I had had only read about these places or the unusually fond relationship between Francois I and Leonardo da Vinci, it was breathtaking. Similarly the cafes and restaurants while being of high quality were varied in sophistication and menu. It goes without saying that for someone with next to no understanding of the language, having fluent French speakers guiding us gave a depth to the experience.

The meeting in NZ before the trip with accompanying notes had allowed us to gain an understanding of what was available but also gave an opportunity for us to say what our interests were. I was particularly interested in the history of the area: the 100 years war, religious strife of former times and any lingering effects of the Vichy period in French history. I am sure the tour we experienced was tailored to a considerable degree by the requests of the four of us who participated. The daily briefings and debriefings were valuable. I did not feel that we were hurried or that we were wasting time with places of little interest.

Our accommodation at our base and the chateaux in the Loire were clean, comfortable and of high standard. The fact that we toured as a party of 4 with our hosts meant that there quickly grew a warmth and camaraderie (if I used the word, ”intimacy” you’d get the wrong idea!) which added to the experience. Finally the enthusiasm of our hosts for the area, the people and their culture added to and heightened our own – this was just a magnificent experience, FIVE STARS!

Pam & Peter, New Zealand"

It really was challenging because we were going to spend three weeks with two other couples that we did not know (nor did they know us). We spent two weeks in Southern France using a farm house as a base and traveled in a van together every day. There was not one problem because Dave and Sue and the other New Zealand couple, Will and Margaret are such classy people. They were all fun and very considerate. The last week we drove about 200 miles north per day, sightseeing and stopping at French B&B's (Chambres d'hôte) each night.
I don't know of anything that Dave and Sue could have done better in organizing and orchestrating the whole three week trip.

Pat & Sandi."

"My husband and I took the 2004 trip to France with Dave and Sue Sweet, The French Connection. We can't even express what a wonderful trip that was!
We have been on numerous other tours and never experienced anything like this. We felt like we were family and Dave and Sue took wonderful care of us. We toured Châteaus and stayed in a farm house in the Dordogne area.
This was a small group. Imagine yourself being on a tour with a small group of friends that just happened to know everything about where you were going. The language and all of the places that you would pass by if you were on your own. No situation arose which wasn't handled with experience. We have friends here in Calif that are planning on joining them on their next tour of France. This is definitely a MUST for anyone who wants to experience France and see the beautiful countryside!

Dianna and Jim Peterson, San Francisco, California"

"If you want a holiday treat,
TRAVEL with Sue & David Sweet!

I would regard my travel with you both as a fitting 70th 18 day birthday celebration gastronomically - never have I eaten so much wonderfully fresh & tasty food washed down with so much great wine. Please thank David for his exemplary display of driving throughout the tour . . . this enables passengers to be relaxed enough to enjoy what there is to see.

Betty, Auckland, New Zealand"

"Thank you, thank you, thank you a thousand times for giving me a such a wonderful trip, holiday, change of scenery and outlook on life. You both really gave me a fantastic experience and it is really special to see it all in reality and not just on TV. Your knowledge and skills with the language etc. really amazed me.

Sue, Marton, New Zealand"

Not only do I know that I do not want to try any of what we did alone, but going with you all was great fun. You are the greatest tour guides, sooo patient with everyone, I loved the fact that it was only 8 of us, and your trips are so imaginative. You gave me some wonderful memories!

Pam, Indiana, USA"

"The first 10 days were spent in a rented Château on a 35 ha private estate surrounded by forest.  With a rental van we explored the countryside, visited famous attractions, ate at restaurants, picnicked by the Dordogne, shopped or enjoyed a meal by our swimming pool back at the Château.  From there we spent every 2 nights traveling back up towards Paris staying at Châteaus along the way exploring the Loire Valley, villages and towns.  The advantages of having 2 people that spoke French were getting to know the locals, being able to shop and order food, going into non tourist areas and stopping to visit an area that we spotted and wanted to explore.  By paying for an “all inclusive” holiday, apart from personal items, it was just that.  As hosts the Sweets are brilliant and couldn’t have done more to ensure the most memorable holiday.  Would we go again with the Sweets – absolutely.

Carol & Francie, New Zealand"

"This is just to say how wonderfully you looked after us, and how much we enjoyed being with you - you really are excellent hosts, and were much appreciated.  I shall never forget that wonderful countryside and the multitude of castles (even more than we have in Wales), the beautiful little villages, and the excellent food - both Chef Sweet and the French chefs!

Mrs Suzanne Hunter, Wales"