My name is La Pro du Voyage (The Travel Pro). A journalist by trade, testing luxury hotels is my absolute passion. I launched this travel blog in 2009 from Paris—after spending twelve years in the newsrooms of Le Figaro Madame, Le Figaro Magazine, and L’Express.
Driven by one fixed idea: to share genuine, lived-in addresses, not copy-pasted press kits. Since then, I have slept in bush lodges in Namibia, tested spas in Singapore palaces, and taken night trains in Norway under skies filled with northern lights. And sometimes, I hated everything. When I do, I say so.
Who is La Pro du Voyage?
Before the luxury travel media came real field work—truly on the ground. I covered war zones, including Afghanistan and Haiti, for France Télévision, the BBC, AFP, Voici, Purepeople, and Telestar. I worked as a deputy editor-in-chief. I ate cold meals in editing rooms and waited hours outside ministries for statements that never came.
Then, I chose luxury. Not out of caprice, but from the conviction that travel can be a form of intelligence. Sleeping in a beautiful, well-crafted, thoughtfully designed place is another way to understand the world.
Today, I am a Level 6 Google Maps Local Guide with over 973,000 views on my photos. That number still makes me smile. Some of those images come from places I never thought I would return to.
What You Will Find on This Blog
Si Loin Si Prés covers meaningful travel and upscale hospitality. Not palaces just for the sake of palaces, but places that evoke emotion: a spa with a true signature, a discreet gourmet restaurant worth the detour, or a suite with a view that changes your outlook on tomorrow morning.
Specifically, you will find detailed travel journals, packing lists (chic packing without compromise is a science), honest hotel reviews, and fashion edits for stylish travel. Two staff writers have been with me for years: Sophie Bousquet and Juliette Rigal, along with Norah el Bouzidi and our intern, Camille. We are a small team, but we experience everything firsthand.
Every three months, we publish Jet-Lag Magazine—a print and digital issue dedicated to women’s travel. We only print what we sell; that choice has saved us more than once.
My Vision of Luxury Travel
Let’s be honest: a presidential suite does not automatically make a trip unforgettable. I have slept in them; some were cold, poorly lit, with staff who made you feel like an intruder in their decor.
What I truly seek is what I call sleep & recovery travel—the tourism of rest and regeneration. A perfect bed, lighting that doesn’t feel harsh, a slow breakfast, and a spa unlike any other. That is luxury to me.
I will never review youth hostels—that is not my niche. But I won’t guide you toward pure ostentation either. An inviting resort, an exceptional bed & breakfast, or a boutique hotel with character is what interests me. The most expensive hotels in the world have sometimes disappointed me, while hidden gems have blown me away.
Destinations I Truly Love
I have visited around sixty countries and lived abroad in the French Overseas Territories, Ireland, the UK, the US, Canada, French Guiana, Tahiti, and Réunion. I have a special place in my heart for South Africa, which remains one of the most striking destinations of my life, and for Norway, whose fjords have left me speechless twice—no small feat for a journalist.
I enjoy planning an itinerary as much as living it. Southeast Asia shaped me, the Americas set me free, and a road trip through French Guiana changed me more than any luxury palace could.
And Europe, always. Right now, I am particularly drawn to destinations that practice quiet hospitality: Norwegian roads, small vineyard hotels, and thermal spas hidden in the mountains—the kind of places you don’t find by searching “best hotel in town” on Google.
How I Select Hotels and Destinations
My reviews fall into two categories: press trips, where I am hosted by a hotel or tourism board with full editorial freedom, and personal stays that I pay for myself. I always disclose this in my articles.
What I don’t do: write about hotels where the welcome was terrible. That isn’t out of kindness, but editorial pragmatism—a bad hotel doesn’t deserve my words. However, when a place is exceptional, I state it clearly. And when it is great but overpriced, I point that out too.
I primarily cover luxury hotels, hotel spas, fine dining restaurants, business class travel, and niche experiences. The luxury travel experience in Namibia I’ve mentioned for years? I went back. Twice. Not for nothing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you make a living from this blog?
Yes. Otherwise, I would have quit. Honestly, the first few years were tough, and I won’t pretend otherwise. Today, revenues are growing and the business model holds up. Advertising remains the part I dislike most, but I’ve learned to work with it.
How do you choose your topics?
Based on available press trips, personal preferences, and hospitality news. We aim to cover three different destinations per magazine issue. Sometimes the schedule is crazy; sometimes I postpone a topic by a quarter because I am not ready to write it well.
Do you actually stay at every hotel you review?
Most of the time, yes. There are a few where I haven’t been personally, but where I trust a PR contact I’ve known for ten years. That is rare, and I always note it when it happens.
Do you travel for personal vacations too?
My last real vacation was in the Maldives. I must admit, there are worse places for forced rest.
Working with Si Loin, Si Près
Interested in proposing a press trip, editorial partnership, or product test? Reach out to us at christelcaulet@gmail.com or call +1 514 819-0782.
Mailing address: 8994 Centrale Street, H8R 2J6 LaSalle, Montreal, Quebec.
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All text published on this site is the exclusive property of Si Loin Si Près. Any reuse of editorial content or images is strictly prohibited without written authorization.
A Final Word from La Pro du Voyage
This blog represents fifteen years of travel distilled into my own words: hotels I loved, destinations that transformed me, and tips that took me years to master. If you are looking for authentic addresses rather than recycled internet lists, you are in the right place.
Inside the Club, you can access my full travel journals, exclusive hotel selections, detailed packing lists, and advice on traveling in luxury without overspending.
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