When I travel, I love to be surprised and to surprise those accompanying me. But it often requires a lot of preparation and hours of online research to uncover the best deals (my specialty, obviously), the best spots (my other specialty), things to see, things to do…
So, when I discovered that there was an online travel agency specialized in organizing mystery experiences, I thought that Santa Claus might have heard one of my prayers (by the way, I’ll take this opportunity to mention that I’m also interested in the gift of ubiquity and the ability to teleport—just saying…).
Anyway, one of my dreams had come true, and by a French company at that!
So Emoovio is a Parisian start-up that offers to prepare trips/getaways/atypical evenings for you based on your desires and, of course, your budget.
In this mystery experience, everything is kept secret until the very last minute and unveiled bit by bit through a mystery invitation received by mail, a mystery notebook, text messages sent with clues, and envelopes to be opened at specific times to keep the suspense intact…
The agency’s offers currently cover France and Europe, and you can choose on their site between existing packages or the option to create a custom one with one of Emoovio’s mystery agents.
What I love: atypical locations and activities selected by the agency’s deal-hunters (sort of like my cousins).
In Paris, about forty experiences are already on offer: unusual visits (walking tours, behind-the-scenes, underground experiences, artistic performances…), offbeat classes and workshops (furniture making, discovering 3D printers…), atypical spas, private exhibitions, concerts with limited seating, original shows, gourmet or trendy restaurants,…
My test:
After receiving clues in the mail and a few hours of waiting (during which I was chomping at the bit, as you can imagine), I found myself in the 18th arrondissement of the capital—not far from where I actually lived a few years ago—to start a little tour in the area around the 18th district’s town hall with a few fellow bloggers.
On the agenda: learning about the life of a street art wall on Rue Ordener that I had walked past dozens of times without really understanding it, a short baking class in the hidden workshops of Cook’n with Class (see our superb cheesecake creation below), and a little wine/cheese tasting by a passionate wine merchant at Vinum Picatum.
And above all, a very pleasant moment, full of discoveries and encounters in a neighborhood that I ultimately looked at from a different angle…
