Ils ont apprécié la Bourgogne avec moi… voici quelques messages

Colette,

Thank you so much for your planning, the driving, the instruction on the terroirs, and the wine education and recommendations. Our day with you is a highlight of our vacation that we will cherish and recall with delight. Merci mille fois !

Jo-Ellen and Greg Baron – USA – juin 2022

Dear Colette,

Thank you for all that you imparted to us in one day ! We so enjoyed the tour, the scenery and mostly the wine and you! It was fun and easy and informative and surprising and delicious in every way.
We will savory the information and the entire experience with lasting memories and abiding joy.

Thank you for your gracious presence, and your effusive enthusiasm for the complete and complex terroirs of Bourgogne !
I will see you again.

Carolyn Verheyen – USA – Sept 2022

Hi Colette,

My wife and I, along with my two sisters and their spouses , toured Burgundy with you in 2012. You treated us to two of the best days of my life.
I’m ready to come again. I am curious as to your availability to guide us for three days in May or September, 2023?

Thank you for your consideration and warm regards.
John Faulkenberry – USA – mai 2022

Merci mille fois Colette !
The day we spent with you was wonderful. My family all stated that the tour with you was their favorite day in France.
Thank you again for a most wonderful experience. I hope we will return to Beaune in the next couple of years. In the meantime, if you come to Florida, please call me! The beach is lovely,
we have a good cellar, and we are very good cooks!

Marci Mc Ivor and family– USA – Mai 2022

Bonjour Colette, we made it back!
I am sitting back in my office just smiling because of the wonderful experience we had with you touring Cote De Nuits and Côte de Beaune.
You are a a great educator with a scense of humor… Hard to find !
And yes, your English was awesome!
Again, thanks and hopefully in the future we can meet up again!
Have a relaxed retirement……..if you know what retirement means….HA! HA!

Toby and Sue ROTH – USA – sept 2019

Bonjour Madame Barbier,

You were recommended to us as a professional Burgundy wine tour guide by my father who had toured with you several years ago and speaks glowingly about your effervescent personality and your knowledge of Burgundy.

Au revoir,
Eric Rigby – USA – Juillet 2019

Dear Colette,
Marsha and I cannot begin to thank you enough for spending your time with us last week and sharing your knowledge of Burgundy. We were extremely excited that we were having the opportunity to visit your lovely region and, thanks to you, the visit far exceeded our expectations. You have an incredible understanding of the history and culture of your beautiful area and are exceptionally good at explaining it. Not to mention, you are just so much fun to be with. Our trip, from start to finish was just amazing !

Thank you also for arranging our transportation back to Paris in a strike period. As it turned out, our train from Dijon to Paris was, in fact, cancelled, so we would have been in a mess without those arrangements.

Our journey was fantastic and we are so happy that you were a part of it.

We wish you all the best.

A votre sante,
David and Marsha NORRIS – USA – Mai 2018

Bonjour Colette, It’s hard to believe it has been almost 5 months since our trip to Switzerland and France. We had such a great time, and the very best highlights of our trip was the day spent with you. Thanks again for a terrific experience! We are looking forward to our next excursion already. If it brings us nearby, it would be a pleasure to spend another day with you. We learned so much and really enjoyed your company. Many thanks again for a great day! Best regards
Alan, Julie and Janet MASOW from Boston and NYC, USA – 08/2015
Dear Colette

Yeelong and I are now back in the USA. I am writing to thank you so much for guiding us on our historical, wine and gastronomic tour of the Burgundy region, including Beaune, Chablis and Dijon. We had a totally fantastic time and we were able to see and do so much more than I imagined we would ever be able to on our first trip to Burgundy! Certainly, we would never have been able to achieve so much on our own or to gain a better appreciation of the history and culture of the region. Your knowledge of the people, the history and culture, and of course the wines and the vineyards of the region, made our visit a learning experience as well as a vacation. Thank you so much.Your recommendations for sights we should see, and restaurants and wine bars to visit were always spot on; and of course we would never have been able to gain entry to so many fine domaines and to given such a welcome as we enjoyed there. It was a wonderful surprise to be able to visit some of my favorite domaines, to see the cellars and vineyards and to taste the wines. You also introduced us to a number of fine domaines that I was not familiar with and we really enjoyed their wines as well. Best of all, I did not imagine that we would be able to buy many of their wines and ship it home! At prices 33% less than in London!!! And of course 50% less than the USA.
Thank you also for guiding us in Beaune, Chablis and Dijon; in each case we were able to enjoy the town and city from the perspective of a local citizen and not just as a visitor and tourist. And I will remember fondly our visit to the Abbey of Fontenay, which you also recommended…
We will be looking forward very much to our next visit to burgundy, perhaps in the autumn next year. Thank you again for making our first visit so memorable and enjoyable. Very best wishes !

Michael and Yeelong Balladon –GB and Singapoore living in USA in 07/2015
Dear Colette, We have no words to thank you for such wonderful day. We had a great time with you and now we really know some very interesting things about wine and about Burgundy history. We loved your way to tell about the things of wine and things of Burgundy and you spoke a real nice spanish. Our best wishes and if someday you come to Brasil let us know and we will be happy to assist you there. Best regards
Cristo e Adriana from BRASIL – 06/2015
Dear Colette, We are safely back in the United States and we wanted to take this opportunity to thank you again for guiding us on a wine tour. Your knowledge of the food and wines of Burgundy is beyond impressive and your enthusiasm is certainly contagious. Our time with you was the highlight of our trip. We often refer to a lesson you taught us during our time together.
All our best to you and your husband. You truly represented Dijon in a marvelous way and we are so thankful for spending time with both of you. Merci et a bientot,
Susan and Jack Plonkey From USA – 06/2015
Colette, Thank you very much for allowing us an opportunity to experience a part of your beautiful French countryside and people. Beyond the knowledge you passed on to us, it also helps us to better understand each other’s culture and therefore bring us closer together.All the best,
Ken, Derylann and Calvin Price from USA – 06/2015
Bonjour Colette, I just want to let you know how much we all enjoyed the wine tour we spent with you experiencing Burgundy. My love for Burgundy, the place; plus burgundy, the wine, has only increased as a result of your expert knowledge and great contacts with the Domaines and Negociants. We thoroughly enjoyed our time with you. As it was my son Mark’s and Sandra’s first experience with Burgundy : they were very impressed and I am sure they will have many lasting memories of that day. It was also so good to see that Thanks to you, Sandra changed her opinion about white burgundy ! We are telling all our friends back in Australia what a wonderful experience we had.It wont be too long before we are back in France and will definitely make the trip down to Burgundy again. Maybe 2016 or 2017….. I hope you will be still available when we return to take us on another Burgundy experience. Thanks again. Kind Regards
Paul STEPHENS from AUSTRALIA – 06/2015
Colette, Ya estamos en casa en Monterrey. Gracias a Dios!No quería dejar pasar la oportunidad de, a nombre de toda la familia, agradecerte por todo el enriquecedor, bello y formativo paseo por tu tierra, la Cote d’Or. Disfrutamos mucho los paseos, las vistas, los vinos, la historia, las buenas comidas, y en especial tu agradable y muy educada compañía. Aprendimos muchísimo y disfrutamos igual.A partir de ya, tienes unos amigos en México.Ojala un día de estos nos volvamos a ver.Te mandamos un beso,
Arturo GALVAN y familia – From Monterrey, MEXICO – 04/2015
Thanks for another wonderful experience with you! You are remarkably adept at handling all manor of personality and situation. We had a great time, learned a lot, and we are very excited about our wines.We look forward to seeing you again in June.
P.S. : it was our 3rd tour with you and we will come again and again !
Maggie KERN From USA living in France – 04/2015
Bonjour Colette, Last time we were in Burgundy was last July. When we arrived at the train station you greeted us, Karen and Will Stolz, with a most beautiful smile and took us to our hotel in Dijon. We spent 3 spectacular days wine touring the country side, tasting delicious wines, and visiting charming villages with you as our tour guide. Your knowledge of the area and kindness was immensely appreciated. On our departure your husband escorted us to our train and he too was a pleasure to meet. From beginning to end it was perfect. Sipping wine with you in Burgundy will always be one of our most treasured memories:) Bien des choses à vous
Karen and Will Stolzfrom Atlanta, Georgia – 01/2015
Dear Colette, Many thanks ! Once again just to say what a great trip you arranged for us. Everything was just perfect, and the whole experience more than met my expectations. As I said I now feel slightly more confident about ordering and buying burgundy, and the insights you gave us will prove invaluable. And we had such fun. You are also very charming! Again, thank you so much for giving us such an amazing time, and we definitely hope that our paths do cross again as you said. In the meantime we shall of course recommend you to any of our friends or colleagues who plan a trip to explore the wines of Burgundy. Best regards
John Sunderland - London, GB – 10/2014
Hi Colette, Thank you for the wonderful tour, again. Your experience and professionalism are unsurpassed. The quality of the wines you presented us were exactly what I expected from you!!!
Best regards, and hope to see you again soon.
Neil Weiner from USA – 09/2014
Dear Colette, Thank you for an absolutely wonderful day in Cote D’Or! You are a terrific guide, and we loved every minute. Your knowledge and passion are remarkable. We really enjoyed our dinner in Beaune : delicious! Thank you for the recommendation. I hope we see you again in the future! We are happy you are in no hurry to retire. 🙂 Here are some pictures for you to enjoy.
All the best,
John and Patty Jones – 08/2014
Hi Colette – I wanted to say thank you again for the wonderful tour you provided to myself, Rachel, Eddie and Chris. We’re now settled back in the States and I can say that the tour was the very highlight of my trip!! Thank you for giving me memories that will last a lifetime and the knowledge to at least pretend I know something about Burgundy wines 😉
Hope you have a great Fall and rest of the year – I’m hoping our paths will cross again and if you ever find yourself in Chicago, don’t hesitate to reach out. Best,
Renee Barone from USA – 08/2104
Dear Colette, Merci beaucoup for an absolutely wonderful tour! We returned with so much knowledge about wine, the process, and the culture.And now we know how NOT to make fools of ourselves when presented with a glass of wine to taste at a restaurant. Truly, your expanse of knowledge is awesome. We enjoyed ourselves, and your warmth and enthusiasm further added to our appreciation and affection for France. We feel like we have a friend in France.
Fondly, Carrie and Ernie Finestone from USA – 07/2014
Dear Collette, Thank you so much for a wonderful wine tour day yesterday touring your beautiful region, sipping superb wines and eating a fantastic meal together! Be sure that we will recommend you to others that would like to spend a wonderful day in your region !
Christine Snyder (And Robert Rigby Hall) From USA – 07/2014
Colette,Now that we’re back home in Seattle, I wanted to say thanks for the wonderful day you created for Bob and me. It met all of our expectations and more. Even the weather cooperated when we really needed it to. The lunch choice was fantastic, the wine tasting fun, the scenery splendid, and all your explanations and information were amazing.Thank you so much !
Judi and Bob KALITYZKI – USA in 07/2014
Bonjour Colette! Just wanted to again say thank you for a great day on Tuesday! We learnt so much about burgundy and it’s wines! We will now keep an eye out in Australia for Burgundian wines and hopefully will return one day. Also, we also very much appreciated your restaurants recommandations for our diners. Thanks for the tips ! all of them were gorgeous setting and food and great service! Thanks again and all the best! Regards
Brandon JONES from AUSTRALIA – 07/14
Dear Colette, We have returned from our European adventure, and it is time to write and thank you for a most perfect day exploring Beaune last month. After we left you at the train station, Chris and Felisha both said, « This Burgundy wine tour was the best Christmas present we have ever received! » And of course, Steve and I were very happy to have been included in that gift. 🙂 We all enjoyed every moment of our time with you, and learned an amazing amount of culture, history, wine, and dining. Plus, you are so much fun to be around! We spent the rest of our holiday saying, « If only Colette were here, she could tell us more about…… etc.  » So next time, perhaps you can accompany us on our entire journey? Warm regards,
Linda BAHR Oregon, USA – 06/2014
Thank you so much Colette. We had a fantastic Burgundy wine tour with you and appreciate all the education. We had so much fun and that picnic you organized was so amazing !Our time in Burgundy was absolutely wonderful. We cannot thank you enough for everything
Thank you for all your help with the train as well we very much appreciate it. Have a wonderful evening.All the best,
Christine Suzuki, from USA in 06/2014
Dear Colette, First of all, please allow me to tell the world how wonderful you are ( well, in a discreet way !). Your guided wine tour, tailored to my request was perfect. You have a wonderful report with the different people/producers/Domaines we visited, and obviously they regard you very highly…even love you. You worked hard to ensure we had a fulfilling experience of the Cote D’Or.Every feature of your time was instructive, insightful (perspicace), and always full of your boundless (sans bornes) energy. We thank you sincerely for this.We also want to thank your husband, Dan, for the generous ( generosity with his personal time ) attention he gave you in support of your commitment to your clients, and to us, to ensure we could get on a return train to Paris in the evening, during the national train strike. He even helped us onto the train with our bags….which is exceptional. We might never have made it back to Paris without both your assistance. Please sincerely thank him for us. Thank you, and Dan, once again, Very best Regards
Jeffrey & Sandi DALEY from AUSTRALIA – 06/2014
Bonjour Colette! It’s been over 2 weeks since we spent that Sunday with you and I just wanted to thank you and say how much we miss Burgundy! Thank you again for accommodating us on such short notice and on your day off that week. Your knowledge and passion for the Burgundy area, it’s wine and it’s history, was obvious and made a lasting impression on both Tim and I. It was an unforgettable day for us.We are looking forward to this autumn when our wine arrives and we will reminisce about our time in Burgundy. We have highly recommended you to family and friends and if we ever return we will most definitely contact you again:) Fondly wishing you all the best,
Donna HOGAN from USA in 06/2014
Colette, We just got back and thank you for wonderful time in Beaune. I wanted to thank you for the wine tour on Wednesday. It was definitely a full day and we all learned a lot and could not have done that on our own. It was a great way to start our visit in Burgundy. We are definitely Burgundy wine fans now. We would love to come back some time. Once again, thank you for a wonderful day
Pam and Jim ESSMAN from USA – 04/14
Bonjour Colette. I want to thank you again for a wonderful tour. Steve is fine and with his new education will not allow me to always choose the wine! All of us had a great time and I learned some new things too, which I didn’t think would happen…! You are the best. Regards
Tom HANS from USA – 04/2014
Bonjour Colette, We are writing to thank you for Sunday. Not only did we learn so much from you about the wines of Burgundy, we were also delighted to have met you. You are a wonderful ambassador for your region and your country. We made some feeble attempts two years ago to understand the wines of Burgundy and learnt enough to know we wanted to know more. The depth of your knowledge and experience has been most welcome as we continue out delightful journey of education. We have been reading the book you recommended and more importantly drinking some of the wines we bought on Sunday, in particular, the 1999 Hospice Volnay and 1997 Meursault. We wish you well for the future.
Catherine Cuthbert from USA in 06/2013
Bonjour Colette!

This has been a long time coming, but we wanted to tell you what an amazing and memorable day we had on your Burgundy Wine Tour. You made everything so easy. It was expertly planned. We enjoyed all of the vineyards as well as the beautiful lunch : we want to live there!! ) We also learned a great deal about the different wines and we really pay attention to the labels now, thanks to you, we now know how to read them !!! And we try not to swirl the wine until after the « first nose ». We are also looking forward to receiving all of the délicieuse wine we purchased !! Although sadly most of it will have to, in your words, « take a nap » for a while. We are planning some more wine tour and the next time we will definitely be seeing you again to explore even more of Burgundy.
Thank you again! Best Regards

David Hilst and Johnny Martinez from AUSTRALIA – 10/2013
Bonjour Colette! You probably don’t even remember us : Peter and I were with Kathleen and Tom Maas for a day of Burgundy wine tour by you around Beaune on July 1st. I just wanted to thank you again for your endless energy, passion, and accommodation of us that day. Your plan was perfect; each stop a delight. It was the highlight of our week in Burgundy. Peter would love to take a class from you one day. I would love to share a day of cooking together! Our impression of shared passions made the day even better for us! Kind Regards
Patricia Lareau from USA – 08/2013
Dear Colette, Catherine and I want to write to you without delay to thank you for the fabulous wine tour through Burgundy. We learned a lot. More important, even such a brief exposure leaves me with the feeling that I know this land, these grapes and wines.
Again, thanks so very much for making our trip a perfect delight and a major sensory and learning experience. Yours,
John de Strakosch from USA – 07/2013
Hi Collette,
We’re back in California and I just wanted to thank you so much for the most informative and fun tour of the Burgundy wine country. Joan and the kids and I felt we really learned some valuable information and had fun too! We’ll be looking forward to sampling some of the wines we had shipped and stowed in our bags. It was indeed a memorable trip. Best regards,
Greg Looney from USA – 07/2013
Dear Colette, This note is to thank you most sincerely for the wonderful day you gave Sarah and I on 24 April.We were already fans of Burgundy wines (even if I have somewhat limited receptors?). Now we have a far greater appreciation of the importance of the terroir and climats and therefore a much greater appreciation of these excellent wines. We also recognize that there is a lifetime of learning needed, something we will enjoy advancing for ourselves.The cellar visits were fascinating and your choice for lunch very much appealed. Our lively discussion at lunch was fun and you were kind to give us some insights to French life.Sarah and I very much hope we can spend another day (or two!) with you and will be certain to recommend you to any friends we have who might be headed your way.With our very best wishes
David and Sarah WORLEY From NEW ZEALAND living in AUSTRALIA 04/213
Hello Colette, Just a little note to tell you that we visited Burgundy and we spent a wonderful day with you! I am sure that you wouldn’t remember us – but – we were the 2 couples from New York who told you that we weren’t very interested in a tour of the wineries (!!!) and then we had the best, most interesting time with you! I loved learning about the art of wine – loved tasting it – and bought a case of very good wine (6 white – 6 red) to be shipped home. I will have to come back to France when we finish the case! I also loved the stop in Beaune, Hotel de Dieu, Château de Clos Vougeot etc. When we were there, you took us to a wonderful restaurant and the boeuf bourgonion (I cannot spell it – sorry) was so incredibly delicious.You explained me how to make it and I remember that you pour a Whole bottle of wine into the pot!!! I look forward to returning to Burgundy soon! Merci!
Bonnie LeVar From USA 02/2013
Colette, Our day was so wonderful and major highlight of our trip! Thank you again for taking such great care of us. We will carry the wonderful memories forever. Happy New Year!
Anita Colburn from USA – 01/2013

My favorite guide in Burgundy is Colette BARBIER, who is a native and an official licensed guide for over 30 years. Her job is also teaching wine and the history of gastronomy at the University of Burgundy. She loves and knows the French life style, spectacular scenery and the culture of the region. Her encyclopedic wine knowledge and vintner contacts are amazing. She was my secret for so many years, but now the world is finding out about her, so it is important, that if you want to engage her fabulous services, you’ll get better chance if you book her many months in advance. You won’t be sorry ! POSTED BY HOWARD LEWIS, TRAVEL AGENT CT USA, IN FEB 2012

Dear Colette,
Our Burgundy wine tour with you, Peter and Todd was fabulous. The trip exceeded our expectations. Your leadership and knowledge is superb. It’s clear that you have a close relationship with the producers and that there is mutual respect. As you pointed out to us, relationships in Burgundy are of paramount importance. Barbara and I enjoy hearing from the producers what they were trying to achieve in a given vintage, as well as what they think of a wine that we are tasting at the moment. You were able to guide and bring out the rich dialogue while in the producers’ cellars. Sincerely, Bob & Barb Schaefer from USA in OCT 2012

Hi Colette,
Thanks for organizing the day tour for us this summer. My parents and I had a fun time touring Burgundy with you. We learned so much from you about the region, tasted great wines, savored delicious cuisine, and enjoyed the beautiful scenery. It truly was the highlights of our vacation in France.
Thanks, Andrea David and Karen Sun from USA in may 2012

Bonsoir Colette,
Merci encore pour la superbe journée que tu as fait passer à nos invités !!! Comme d’habitude tu as été exceptionnelle et fais l’unanimité. 
A très bientôt et bonne soirée.
Sophie Panier compagnie des commissaires aux comptes Dijon oct 2012

Bonsoir Colette,
Just wanted to follow up on the arrangments with Rick Kawala & Joseph Bavaresco. I finally spoke with them and they said they had a fabulous time with you and really enjoyed all your knowledge. They said you were very professional and fun and felt they couldn’t have asked for a better day. I am glad to have you in my repertoire now so I can use your services in the future. Merci beaucoup, Fran Wilder travel consultant USA in july 2012

Hi Colette,
Wanted to just send you a quick note to let you know what a great day we had and we really appreciated the combination of geology, history and great wine that you provided. I have come away with an appreciation of what a really special place Burgundy is and hope I can come back again soon. Thank you again and all the best, Kay DeBroux from USA in july 2012
Kay DeBroux from USA in july 2012
Bonjour Colette !
Summer, Patrick, Cara, and I would like to say thank you ever so much for the fabulous time we spent with you in Chablis, Dijon, and the Cote D’Or.
From the moment we stepped off the train, we knew you would be someone special. I couldn’t have asked for a better experience and your expertise made the birthday trip simply luxurious.
From the bottom of my heart, we thank you and hope to cross paths again in the near future. There is still so much to see and learn.
Patrick and Cara
C’était un plaisir de vous rencontrer. Au revoir pour l’instant, de vous voir bientôt !
Craig CLAIBERMAN from USA in june 2012
Hi Colette,
Just a short note to thank you for all your efforts in relation to Saturday. For a weekend with such short notice you got us some great appointments and your knowledge and passion for the greatest wine region in the world really made it a great day for us. We will be in touch with you well before our next visit and in the meantime I will pass on your contact details to anyone who is planning a trip to Bourgogne. Cheers !
Grant Van Every, sommelier. From Australia in may 2012
Hi Colette!
I want to thank you again for a wonderful tour. We finally looked at the photos from our trip Saturday night with some good friends. We told them about all the things you taught us and what a wonderful guide you are. We really enjoyed all our conversations. Also, your timing in picking us up and getting us back to the train. . Again thank you for your tour. The day we spent with you is our best memory of France ! We will never forget our wonderful day in Burgundy or you. Cheers !
Bonnie, Tony and Santi GREEENWOOD from Colorado in june 2012
Dear Colette,
If Betty and I had dreamed of a tour of Burgundy, it would not compare to the memorable time we spent with you. Your enthusiasm and knowledge complimented your vibrant personality as a perfect matching. We truly enjoyed the French countryside, the wine tours, the tastings and the restaurants just to mention a few pleasures. By far, we enjoyed you the most. Thanks so much for the tour of a lifetime. With warmest regards.
Pete Rigby from USA in june 2011
Collette, as expected, you did not disappoint, seeing you and experiencing Dijon and Beaune through your eyes is truly a pleasure. Thank you so much for everything, your patience along with your knowledge makes you very special and someone we will always come back to and recommend. Thomas sends his regards and thinks that you are much better than « not bad » ! Take care of you and please let us know when you come to VA.
Hugs.
Joyce A. Moorehead from Virginia in may 2011
Since saying good-bye in Beaune, its been busy and I never had a chance to say thank you again for your time, your passion and your charm! Stephen and Laree have already told me the tour exceeded their expectations. They were very happy with everything and you were a very big part of that!! So thank you again !!
Peter Martin, Photographer, Canada in oct 2011
Dear Colette, Thank you so much : We LOVED our wine tour with you. Thank you for choosing us as your clients. We were very privileged to have had the opportunity to tour with such an expert. All wines taste better now that we know what you taught us. Gerry and I just returned home and had a wonderful time in France : Touring the Burgundy Region was a highlight. Colette, thank you again so much. I would be a very lucky woman if our paths crossed again in the future. Merci beaucoup ! Kindest Regards,
Nancy LINK from USA in may 2010
Thinking of you this holiday season and remembering your kindness hospitalitiy. We have wonderful memories of the time we spent with you. It was truly inspiring experience to visit the beautiful countryside of Burgundy with you, Colette. This is your passion, Colette, your sense of pride in the beauty and richness of the area as well as your family roots which was so apparent as you guided us through the villages countryside and wineries of the area. We didn’t feel like we were on a guided tour but felt like we were with family ! Many thanks again to you for making our trip to Dijon the hilghlight of our vacations, ever ! Best wishes to you and your family for the new year !
Anne PRINCE, from USA in January 2010
Dear Colette, Once again, I would like to extend my personal thanks to you for your excellent services during our Wine Divas of South Florida visit to Burgundy last week. We all felt we were so lucky to have had been referred to you. You were a wealth of information about everything related to wine from tasting, production, history…… really, everything!! We could not have asked for more. You also deserve a medal for your charm and grace in dealing with seven women…. never easy to have 7 independent women to have to guide! It was a wonderful visit and I thank you so much!!! Until we meet again (I would love to bring my husband back for a visit) Cheers.
Judy (Beverly Parker tour in sept 2009)
Colette, I have told, many times to friends and associates, the story of Colette, how she made the Burgundy experience fun, memorable, and educational. A rare gift to find in a stranger through the Internet, especially coupled with personal beauty and class. I (we) are lucky to have met you…
Hump Astorga, Virginia
Hello Colette ! …We had such a wonderful time with you. Thank you very much for your terrific services, you are a treasure of Burgundian knowledge and now Heather and I feel we understand this area like we never could have before.
Christine Diedrich, Tacoma, Washington, US
…We ended up going to Dijon and Beaune in Burgundy, France. You recommended Colette Barbier to us. I cannot tell you just how wonderful she is. We didn’t want to leave. She is so well-versed in her subjects of gastronomy, history and wines. Also she’s much fun ! We couldn’t have had a better time if we tried.
If anyone wants to take the TGV train to Dijon to have Colette take them around the Cote D’Or, the Cote De Nuit, or the Cote de Beaune, they will not be sorry. We had a fantastic time and it was really because of Colette.Thank you so very much for recommending her to us. We will recommend
her to as many friends as we can…
Melanie and Sal Cracchiolo, California
Hello all you wine lovers. My wife and family visited Burgundy France Oh!! What a great and wonderful time we had!!! What made it so enjoyable was the excellent service we received from our tour guide: COLETTE BARBIER!!!! I found her recommended in RICKSTEVE’S and I decided to hire a guide to help us through the Burgundy region. I don’t speak french, nor does anyone else in my family; so I though it would be a good idea to find someone who could speak French… Boy!!! What a great idea that was!!! I contacted Colette via the internet and she responded immediatly!!! I love this kind of service. She just asked me a few questions about what I expected from the tour and then went right to work on creating an itenerary dedicated to me following my expectations. This beautiful person made everything worthwhile. I can’t begin to tell you how wonderful and professional she is. We got into some of the best chateaux in Burgundy and met some of the owners and cellermasters. We would not have been able to do this without Colette’s help. You notice I call her by her first name; that is because she made herself so personable that we have become friends. My family and I are Americans of African decent and I hoped that that wouldn’t hinder our enjoyment of the trip. My fears were totally unfounded the first second we met Colette!!! She treated all of us as, I truly believe, if we were family. Right away we felt comfortable and at ease and our tour was SUBLIME!!!!!!!Do not cheat yourself. email Colette at : cobatour@aol.com. You will not regret it. Her fee is very reasonable and worth every penny. Her expertise is spot-on, plus she knows just about everybody in Burgundy!!! Do yourself a favor and hire this wonderful, beautiful person to be your guide while in Burgundy. I know I will !!! Again and again !!
Gerald Glover Detroit, Michigan USA
Colette, Everyone was delighted with the guided tour and we all praised your depth of knowledge and animated descriptions of the countryside, culture, wine and food. Thanks for making it such a sucess…
Brian Jamieson, England
Colette, May I just say that your valuable input into our visit absolutely ensured its success.Everyone was delighted with what and how you shared your enthusiasm with us.It hardly seems adequate to say thank you for your wonderful guiding service,which we all will have no hesitation in recommending to others…
Peter Johnston, England.
…I wanted to write and let you know that we had an absolutely fabulous time with Colette a couple of weeks ago. My husband and I, along with two of our neighbors, spent two days with Colette in Burgundy and she was great. She was very knowledgeable, helped us make arrangements in Dijon, and set up several tours of some wonderful vineyards. Colette was also a lot of fun. I don’t think we could have asked for a more knowledgeable and personable guide. You made our trip very special Again, thanks for the wonderful recommendation.
Beth Kenny Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Hi Colette,
Just wanted to let you know that I’ve gotten back a number of guest evaluation forms from our Burgundy tour clients, and they unanimously loved you ! One of them said « I can’t imagine there is a better guide anywhere in France. » Just wanted you to know!
Lauriann Green, Florida
…We are home again and back to our usual routines, but we wanted to let you now how much we enjoyed our time with you in Bourgogne. Paris is grand, historic and memorable but does not compare to the beauty, history, fun and GREAT WINE AND FOOD we experienced with your expert guidance.
Barbara and Mark Kailer San Francisco
Dear Colette, Susan and I had such a wonderful time with you last week. We really feel that we now understand Burgundy to the extent that we can actually make informed decisions in restaurants and wine shops. I think the entire trip revolved around our day with you.
Thank you again.
Steve Olderman, New York,
Dear Colette, Mike and I wanted to let you know just how much we enjoyed our day with you in Burgundy. We could not have possibly had the same experience on our own. Your knowledge and enthusiasm made the day very special…
Dalia & Michael Engler from Texas
… It was so wonderful meeting you and having you as our guide for our tour in Burgundy may 30-June 2. Your enthusiasm and real passion for everything Burgundian made this trip our best vacation ever ! Our dicussions about gastronomy was incredibly incitefull, interesting and fascinating. In looking forward to seeing you next year…
David and Sandi Wood, Nanaimo, B.C., Canada
Because we knew very little about Burgundy, we decided to hire a guide to max our short time available… We can recommend Colette very highly for knowledge, personality, english language skill, and just fun to be with. All that after being with her for 3-4 days–and would not hesitate to hire her again. Prior to the trip, we did everything over the internet and never even talked to her until she picked us up at train station in Dijon—can you believe that?
She completely restructured our dining guide because she was more up-to-date than the Wine Spectator–and she was right. Have a good trip and let us know how it works out…
Phil Duke, Virginia USA
We enjoyed our tour with you in Burgundy and your professionalism. We all learned a lot while with you and to hear that even from the « GUYS » who think they are wine experts…is a big thing !
We again Thank you for your wonderful guidance. Your way of mixing up scenery, history and wine making made the tour fun and enjoyable. All the meals you advised were awesome and we truly enjoyed them.…
Maria and Dado BANATAO from Los Angeles
Colette, Many Many Thanks for a wonderful tour! Your passion, humour and knowledge added a whole dimension I could never have provided. Every one was happy and loved you !…
Peter Martin, Canada
Colette I just wanted to tell you that your work as a guide was fantastic, to me it was the most important factor in making this a memorable trip. I will hope to use your services in the near future…
Carlos CAMACHO, Mexico
…First. Let me thank you again for a most wonderful tour. Your energy and enthusiasm was infectious. You made us all want to be French men and women! I have printed your list of the wines we drank and have put it in our notebook. It is impressive…
Marcie TUBB, Maryland USA
… It was a truly fantastic and memorable day, and our Dad had an absolute ball. Thanks so much, Colette, from me and Helen for organising such a once in a lifetime experience. You were a terrific host. All the best
Hamish Wallace – Australia
Dear Colette, we wanted to thank you again for the great tour on Saturday, we had a truly marvelous time! And not just because of the weather, but first and foremost because of all the interesting information you so enthusiastically shared with us throughout the day, it was a real pleasure! While we are certainly far from being experts ourselves (yet), we have developed a profound interest in the topic, and I was especially delighted that we wound up with a real professional as opposed to just being driven from A to B:) …
Phillip Schieferdecker and Sepulveda family, From Geneva, and Columbia

For 30 years that I have been working as Tour-Guide, my job is a pure pleasure : sharing Burgundy with you !

Colette Barbier