March 14th, 2017
GDP Client, Danene Dustin, Shares Her Experience in Paris, France!
Recently, I had the good fortune of traveling with the sales team from Global DMC Partners, as well as others within the MICE industry to both Marrakech, Morocco, and Paris, France. The week we spent together was not only educational but also exhilarating and loads of fun
. These were new destinations for me so I was absolutely counting down the days until we departed. Now keep in mind, I am one who has extra high expectations that are rarely met, however, this time around that certainly was not even close to being the case. Our traveling party was incredibly cohesive and those who hosted us and the places we visited were off the charts!
I absolutely fell in love with both destinations, yet my focus here will be Paris. From the minute we approached the Eiffel Tower, the feeling in our tour bus turned electric. I couldn’t take my eyes from the majestic building and kept snapping photos as quickly as possible. Much to my delight, we took an unexpected detour, stopping for a quick, unplanned photo which thrilled the entire group. From that moment on, I had the distinct feeling I was going to be very happy in the “City of Lights.”
During my time in Paris, I quickly learned that it is a perfect destination for groups as there is something for everyone. I felt completely safe during my stay and learned in a formal meeting of all the protocol in place to elevate the security level from the airports to the hotels to the city as a whole.
One of my favorite activities was a cooking class wherein we had the opportunity to work as teams to ultimately create a scrumptious, French lunch. I enjoyed this activity as not only did I bond with my fellow team mates, but also learned loads about French culture and cuisine.
Our visit to the Louvre is a must do for groups due to the fact it is the world’s largest art museum and is incredibly famous. There are many ways a group can utilize this enormous space…from simply wandering its spacious halls during the day, sensing all of the historic art work to partying there at receptions and gala dinners. There are endless possibilities for groups to maximize that mesmerizing venue.
Another activity I thoroughly enjoyed was that of creating my own signature perfume. As a group, we entered the perfumery and were in a classroom setting with all sorts of scents to help us in attaining our desired creation. Though we each made our own, individual scent, there was plenty of interaction with peers in receiving opinions as to what to add in making our perfume that much better.
The property where we stayed, The Intercontinental Paris-Le Grand, is a luxury hotel, perfectly situated near the world-famous Palais Garnier, home to the Paris Opera. We had the pleasure of enjoying a welcome dinner in the vicinity of the spectacular Salon Opera ballroom which would make any meeting and/or incentive group feel like royalty, as it is absolutely magnificent, having recently been restored to a high level of elegance and sophistication.
One of the many aspects of the program I loved, was having an extremely knowledgeable tour guide who was warm and friendly. She often allowed for some flexibility in the itinerary so that we had some much desired shopping time and as previously stated, a photo opp by the Eiffel Tower, even when it wasn’t on the agenda at that moment. I believe that this is valued by many when traveling so that was a very nice addition. Global DMC Partners as well as Lafayette Group could not have been more accommodating as they were not only true professionals, but also friendly and caring, making this experience absolutely unforgettable!
-Author: Danene Dustin, Morris Meetings & Incentives
