Your Guide
Fluent in English, French, and Spanish, Simon has welcomed guests from diverse backgrounds while cultivating a deep local understanding of Queenstown and the South Island.
Meet Your Personal Guide
Simon, Lead Guide & Founder
Originally from France’s Loire Valley, Simon travelled widely before settling in New Zealand, six years ago. Drawn by its landscapes, history, and culture, he found a place that felt both grounding and inspiring.
Simon has spent his career guiding and driving across continents. After earning a bachelor’s degree in tour guiding, he led private tours throughout several French regions before moving to Queenstown, New Zealand. His early passion for history, wine, food and regional cultures naturally evolved into a specialty in curated, small-scale experiences.
Today, he shares the region he now calls home with visitors from around the world - accompanied, of course, by his unmistakably mellow French accent.
Historian • WSET Level 3 (with distinction)
With a master’s degree in history, Simon brings clarity, accuracy, and intellectual integrity to every story he shares. His approach is simple: only well-researched, verified information, delivered with the kind of context that helps each place make sense.
His expertise in wine is equally considered. A Wine & Spirit Education Trust Level 3 graduate, Simon developed his knowledge in the vineyards and tasting rooms of the Loire Valley, Burgundy, Bordeaux, and Alsace, as well as in wine regions across Europe, the USA, and Argentina. In New Zealand, he has worked in both production and cellar-door roles, giving him an insider’s connection to the local wine world.
He remains closely involved with Central Otago producers, ensuring every tour reflects the most current insights, relationships, and seasonal nuances.
Always Approachable
While Simon brings a wealth of expertise, his tours never feel overwhelming or academic. He has a natural ability to read the rhythm of the group, knowing when to pause, when to share, and when to let the landscape speak for itself.
Information is offered through conversation rather than instruction. Guests are free to guide the depth of the discussion, whether they are simply curious and discovering the region for the first time or already passionate about wine, history, or geology.
Simon’s warm personality and genuine joie de vivre create a setting where every guest feels welcome, comfortable, and looked after. The result is an experience that feels personal, meaningful, and quietly memorable - a day that lingers long after the tour ends.
“Knowledge should never overshadow the experience: it should enrich it.”