We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Joelle Gracia. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Joelle below.
Joelle, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?
“C’était le coup de foudre” – It was love at first sight. I remember the day when I fell in love with Paris. It was during a trip with EF Tours in April 2002, my first trip abroad. Our group of 40 plus travelers had just arrived from London to Paris via Eurostar. On the coach ride from the Gare du Nord train station to our Paris hotel, I remember looking through the windows and feeling enchanted. The cafés, the lampposts, the bridges, the stylish people, the food & wine, the language… there was a certain mood, a certain ambiance that I had never experienced before and I instantly felt at home here.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
About Meet Me in Paris:
Meet Me in Paris is your invitation to travel as my guest to one of the most beautiful cities in the world. As your travel host, I invite you to join me in Paris for strolls in Parisian gardens, admire gorgeous art, taste exquisite food, explore French wines, and something that you cannot find anywhere else – a taste of Parisian café culture. As a speaker of the French language, I’ll help us navigate through our “bonjours” with the locals. The itinerary is convenient both for first time and returning visitors to Paris, as well as solo travelers and those traveling with companions.
Once you’ve arrived to Paris, Meet Me in Paris handles all of the logistical details- hotel, transportation, experiences, language/translation, etc so that guests can simply relax and enjoy what the city has to offer. Additionally, for anyone who’s always wanted to go to Paris but didn’t have anyone to travel with or felt intimidated to travel to France as a solo traveler, Meet Me in Paris accompanies guests throughout the daily experiences in the city.
To be able to help make a bucket list dream come true for others while sharing my Paris and France passion is the absolute best!
Can you tell us the story behind how you met your business partner?
Although it’s not officially on paper, Morgane De Meglio is someone that I’d consider my business partner. She’s a creative who’s been helping me with brand development, the graphics such as my logo, and web design. She is the person behind-the-scenes who’s brought this whole idea that I had to life. This business relationship happened organically since we’ve been part of the FranceAtlanta community for years. Like many friends and acquaintances, she knew of my passion for everything French, and so when it came time for me to find a web designer, I knew that she would be the one. Not only does she understand my vision since she herself is from France, but her talent, style and personality were exactly what I had in mind and so essentially she was the perfect fit for Meet Me in Paris.
How did you build your audience on social media?
Social media has been a part of my life since the My Space days. I’ve enjoyed for many years sharing personal experiences including travels to Paris and France as well as sharing travel tips and recommendations for these destinations through social media posts, stories and also on my blog site.
The advice I would give to others on building a social media presence is to share what brings you joy and to be consistent. I genuinely enjoy all things French, and I find “Frenchy” things to do even when I’m not in Paris such as going to French bakeries, seeing French art exhibits at local museums and hosting French groups. I then share those activities with others on social media which helps to keep the flow going and to connect with others who have similar interests.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.meetmeinparisatl.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meetmeinparisatl/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jo%C3%ABlle-gracia-6121911b8/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/MeetMe_in_Paris
- Other: Pinterest- https://www.pinterest.com/meetmeinparisatl Next Door- https://nextdoor.com/pages/meet-me-in-paris-clayton-ga/
Image Credits
Images by Joelle Gracia