In this episode of Maison Voyage: The Art of Luxury Travel, Vanessa sits down with Mary Jennifer Markham — founder of Markham Travel and a boutique luxury travel specialist with a deep and personal passion for France. Together they pull back the curtain on what luxury travel in France actually looks like beyond the iconic postcard moments: the Paris hotels worth every euro (including the Relais Christine and the JK Place), the regions most first-timers don't know to ask about — Provence, Burgundy, the South of France, Bordeaux wine country — and how to know when Paris alone is enough versus when it's time to go deeper. They also tackle some of the most common planning conversations luxury travel advisors have with clients: how to gently steer a first-timer away from a seven-country itinerary, why the London-to-Paris Eurostar combo works so well for families, what a well-curated food tour actually looks like, the honest trade-offs of river cruising in France, and why Paris may actually be more affordable than most Americans assume. It's a rich, insider-level conversation between two advisors who love Europe deeply — and want their clients to feel that same connection.

Maison Voyage: The Art of Luxury Travel is the official podcast of the Maison Voyage brand, hosted by luxury travel advisor and founder Vanessa Kromer. With more than 16 years specializing in Italy, Europe, and bespoke international journeys, Vanessa sits down with the hoteliers, DMCs, destination experts, and industry insiders who are quietly defining what luxury travel looks like today — beyond the price tag, beyond the postcard, and beyond what you'll find on a typical influencer reel. Whether you're an affluent traveler researching your next unforgettable trip or a travel professional looking to sharpen your craft, each episode is designed to inspire, educate, and reveal the access, relationships, and intentional design that turn a vacation into something truly extraordinary.

Subscribe to Maison Voyage Magazine https://maisonvoyagemagazine.com

Check Out M Markham Travel: https://mmarkhamtravel.com

Follow Vanessa on Instagram to keep the journey going between episodes! @vanessakromermmv

In the inaugural episode of Maison Voyage: The Art of Luxury Travel, host Vanessa Kromer pulls back the curtain on what this podcast is really about — and where the conversation is headed. After 16 years curating bespoke international travel, with her heart firmly anchored in Italy, Vanessa shares the vision behind the Maison Voyage brand, from the quarterly print and digital magazine to the upcoming guest lineup featuring hoteliers, DMC partners, yacht company founders, design specialists, and the people quietly shaping the future of luxury travel. She also previews her own upcoming research trip — a Venice round-trip itinerary with the Dolomites in between — including a stay at the brand-new Orient Express Venice, a return to the Venice Venice Hotel, the gold-standard private water taxi transfers, and why summer in the Italian Alps is one of the most under-booked luxury experiences in Europe right now. Along the way, she gets honest about Instagram reels versus reality, the logistics most travelers don't see coming, and the question that will close out every episode of this show: what does luxury travel really feel like?

Maison Voyage: The Art of Luxury Travel is the official podcast of the Maison Voyage brand, hosted by luxury travel advisor and founder Vanessa Kromer. With more than 16 years specializing in Italy, Europe, and bespoke international journeys, Vanessa sits down with the hoteliers, DMCs, destination experts, and industry insiders who are quietly defining what luxury travel looks like today — beyond the price tag, beyond the postcard, and beyond what you'll find on a typical influencer reel. Whether you're an affluent traveler researching your next unforgettable trip or a travel professional looking to sharpen your craft, each episode is designed to inspire, educate, and reveal the access, relationships, and intentional design that turn a vacation into something truly extraordinary.

Subscribe to Maison Voyage Magazine

https://maisonvoyagemagazine.com

Follow Vanessa on Instagram to keep the journey going between episodes!

@vanessakromermmv