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Precious encounters | 06/26/2020

In 10 years, Marion has travelled worldwide and became a tourism professional thanks to her job as a tour operator abroad. Today, she continues to do this job punctually but she mainly devotes herself to her blog mademoiselle-voyage.fr to promote destinations through her articles! Travelling is her starting point but Marion also talks about fashion, decoration, environment ... An exciting meeting we are happy to share with you.

Why do you travel? How does it impact you? Professionally, personally... Do not hesitate to give concrete examples, especially professionally.

Why do I travel ? On a personal side: to discover new cultures and to meet unforgettable people. Traveling is a kind of wealth, even if you don’t realize it at the time. Traveling brings a lot in your daily life.

For my blog, traveling brings me creativity, new ideas I want to highlight.

In my “decoration / fashion” themes, I talk about things we do not necessarily see here in Paris. Discovery remains essential.

I also meet people such as fashion designers, guides or restaurateurs. Human is at the heart of everything!

I’m in an environment where people are so important. I meet ethnic groups, communities that have different customs. This enrichment is fantastic. Such opportunities allows me to really become aware of our lives and our chances.

It’s a real passion for me, you have to think outside the box, see different things.

My mother told me when I was a little kid, I already read travel guides or Géo magazines. The journey makes me dream...

Travelling today is different from how it was. Environmental issues are at the heart of today's concerns, have your trips led you to change your habits?

Yes, totally, that's why I created a sustainable section on my blog. My daily life and my travels are linked.

I will soon share an article that puts an end to misconceptions about the plane and the Carbon emissions. The biggest pollution problems come from local means of transport (car, bus)...

Today, we have to change our daily consumption mode, but also our way of traveling. We must move towards slow tourism, take the time, not be frustrated not to see certain places, accept not to see certain things to discover others.

In my opinion, it doesn't make any sense to fly 13 hours by plane to discover Los Angeles in 3 days for example...

We must also avoid unethical activities such as animal parks, zoo or elephant rides. We must imperatively give meaning to tourism.

A memorable journey? Which trip affected you the most? Why?

Finnish Lapland, for sure. I lived there for 5 months for a winter season.

It was a dream. I waited 5 years on a waiting list to do the season as a French speaking guide there.

Today, on my blog, Finnish Lapland is the destination for which I have the most requests.

It’s beautiful, calm, exotic, wonderful… I could talk about it for hours.

It was really a dream for me, a milestone in my life.

Photos taken in Finnish Lapland

A precious souvenir brought back from a trip? An unforgettable memory? A memorable meeting?

My travel bracelets, I never take them off!

They belong to a Burmese giraffe women, it was a dream to meet them.

I spent 3 days with them during my round-the-world trip.

They are shy, reserved, and do not easily accept people from outside.

I always have with me their bracelets to remind me this precious and unique moment.

You live in Paris: what are your 3 favourite addresses? (Restaurants, shops, museums, secret spots ...)

- Mon Loup to eat a cuisine with seasonal products and a small menu that changes every month. The decor is vintage bohemian, flea market, everything we like!

- Le Café Dose for a coffee break where you can come to work for a few hours around a chai latte and a homemade pastry. As soon as it is sunny, the corner terrace is just perfect.

- Scoop me a cookie to taste big soft cookies and different flavours. (Matcha, chocobon ..)

You never leave without... What do you absolutely have to pack in your suitcase? What are the 3 essentials without which you never leave?

My phone and my camera !

With my phone, I write down all the events of my day, then with my camera, I capture and illustrate my memories.

Also, when I go out in sunny places, I always take a hat with me. You can see I wear one on many of my photos. It’s a bit my trademark since the beginning of Mademoiselle voyage !

From left to right :

Break in Bahamas

Cuba and its colourful houses

Discovery of Yunan region in China

What is your recipe for a great journey? What are your tips for a successful trip: prepare a very specific itinerary, let yourself be carried away, immerse yourself in local music or literature, explore the museums, establish certain rituals...?

I always prepare my trips beforehand. For example, it took me more than 6 months to organize my round-the-world trip. However, when I get there, I take full advantage knowing that I can change my itinerary by talking to the locals, it is essential. It’s important to build a first itinerary, but we have to listen to our desires and have a part of spontaneity! I also note major events such as the water festival in Asia or the festival of colours in India. Then I build my planning around in order to have the chance to participate !

How have your journeys influenced your professional choices? Do they inspire you in your daily occupation?

When your job is linked to travel, you can never get bored! There is so much to say!

Tourism is evolving: destinations that were fashionable before are no longer today, new ones are coming... Bali is a striking example. The destination has completely changed in 15 years but there are still so many authentic things to discover.

New ways of discovering have emerged. There are destinations that are exploding with the expansion of social networks. Instagram has revealed places, circuits are organized around the concept of Instagramable places… It is a real scourge. This is not my definition of travel.

With my job and through social medias, we discover destinations by taking the risk of exposing preserved places... This is the challenge of our job !