TourMaG – Could you tell us about your background and how you came up with the idea to launch Mômes Trotteurs ?
Frédérique Lapeyre-Gariglio: In 1994, I was fortunate to join the Air Littoral company, where I worked as a check-in agent at Marseille airport. That was my first encounter with tourism and it felt immediately right. The atmosphere and the vibe matched all my expectations.
Subsequently, I joined Air France at Avignon airport. The organization was quite smaller, but it allowed me to gain a broader view of what air transport entailed and the various services associated with it. I then joined a traditional, independent agency, where I marketed pre-packaged products.
I quickly realized that this was not at all what I was looking for. At that time, the Internet was emerging, so I tried to unpack as much as possible and build the trips as requested. This proved to be a real revelation and the starting point for the creation of Mômes Trotteurs.
Frédérique Lapeyre-Gariglio: In 1994, I was fortunate to join the Air Littoral company, where I worked as a check-in agent at Marseille airport. That was my first encounter with tourism and it felt immediately right. The atmosphere and the vibe matched all my expectations.
Subsequently, I joined Air France at Avignon airport. The organization was quite smaller, but it allowed me to gain a broader view of what air transport entailed and the various services associated with it. I then joined a traditional, independent agency, where I marketed pre-packaged products.
I quickly realized that this was not at all what I was looking for. At that time, the Internet was emerging, so I tried to unpack as much as possible and build the trips as requested. This proved to be a real revelation and the starting point for the creation of Mômes Trotteurs.
Mômes Trotteurs spans the entire world
TourMaG – How did you come to school travel, since it is indeed the specialty of your company ?
Frédérique Lapeyre-Gariglio: I chose school travel because it is what we can sow as a small seed in young children who will be the adults of tomorrow.
It is deeply what motivates me about choosing students rather than adults.
TourMaG – How do you operate?
Frédérique Lapeyre-Gariglio: We mainly work with educational institutions, public as well as private, notably middle schools and high schools.
For the public sector, we respond to tender calls published on a dedicated platform. In the private sector, we rely more on a loyal clientele that reaches out to us again each year.
Frédérique Lapeyre-Gariglio: I chose school travel because it is what we can sow as a small seed in young children who will be the adults of tomorrow.
It is deeply what motivates me about choosing students rather than adults.
TourMaG – How do you operate?
Frédérique Lapeyre-Gariglio: We mainly work with educational institutions, public as well as private, notably middle schools and high schools.
For the public sector, we respond to tender calls published on a dedicated platform. In the private sector, we rely more on a loyal clientele that reaches out to us again each year.
TourMaG – In school travel, we may have the image of children visiting Paris, but there are long-haul trips as well. What destinations do you offer?
Frédérique Lapeyre-Gariglio: School travel is no longer what it used to be when we were younger, i.e. a fairly restricted geographic scope, but it has extended far beyond France and Europe, becoming global.
We send young people to Japan, to South America, to Iceland… All across the world.
TourMaG – Do the teachers choose? Do they set up an educational program around these trips?
Frédérique Lapeyre-Gariglio: Yes, absolutely. At the origin of the demand is an educational project. And from that project, they pair a destination and we work jointly to build this program and implement the trip.
TourMaG – Taking young people to the other side of the world is not trivial. I imagine it carries responsibilities for parents and schools. How do you establish trust?
Frédérique Lapeyre-Gariglio: The responsibility is the same whether I send a group to Italy, Spain, Iceland or to the other side of the world. I apply the same rigor to every element that builds the trip.
The quality will be the same for a trip to Japan or for a trip to Italy. I work with partners who are reliable throughout the entire chain.
Frédérique Lapeyre-Gariglio: School travel is no longer what it used to be when we were younger, i.e. a fairly restricted geographic scope, but it has extended far beyond France and Europe, becoming global.
We send young people to Japan, to South America, to Iceland… All across the world.
TourMaG – Do the teachers choose? Do they set up an educational program around these trips?
Frédérique Lapeyre-Gariglio: Yes, absolutely. At the origin of the demand is an educational project. And from that project, they pair a destination and we work jointly to build this program and implement the trip.
TourMaG – Taking young people to the other side of the world is not trivial. I imagine it carries responsibilities for parents and schools. How do you establish trust?
Frédérique Lapeyre-Gariglio: The responsibility is the same whether I send a group to Italy, Spain, Iceland or to the other side of the world. I apply the same rigor to every element that builds the trip.
The quality will be the same for a trip to Japan or for a trip to Italy. I work with partners who are reliable throughout the entire chain.
Mômes Trotteurs has Erasmus+ accreditation
TourMaG – What destinations are trending? Are there destinations that are emerging?
Frédérique Lapeyre-Gariglio: There is always a very strong demand for classic countries like Spain, Germany and England. One of Mômes Trotteurs’ specialties is to move beyond these destinations.
We tend to offer more atypical destinations. We have new requests that perfectly match what we are capable of delivering, such as Morocco, Turkey and Egypt. These are destinations that currently stand out a bit from the crowd.
These destinations bring a mindset shift that is completely different because they confront cultures that can be very different, a religion entirely different, and a different way of life. Facing difference is the most beautiful thing we can offer to students.
TourMaG – You also offer Erasmus+ stays. What is that about?
Frédérique Lapeyre-Gariglio: Indeed, we have received Erasmus+ accreditation to organize this type of trip. It is highly requested at the moment. It allows schools to connect with another school in the country.
It is either a simple exchange of coursework, or it can go further when students are hosted by their counterparts.
The advantage is that Erasmus+, through Europe, awards a grant that can be quite substantial to schools. They can then allocate this funding according to destinations. There are two possibilities: either schools use this funding and do not ask families for any participation, which puts everyone on an equal footing and lets all students travel. Or they request a small contribution, which allows us to offer slightly more comprehensive projects with somewhat higher-end services.
TourMaG – You also work with the system of host schools.
Frédérique Lapeyre-Gariglio: Yes, this is what we call pairing arrangements. This is becoming increasingly common, notably in the United States or even in Asia.
Schools have to find other schools abroad themselves. They locate a partner and, before arriving there, they will do a supplementary visit; for instance, across the Atlantic, they might spend three or four days in New York. Mômes Trotteurs’ role is to handle this logistical portion.
We handle the visits and accommodation in New York. After that, the children join the stay with their host counterparts.
Frédérique Lapeyre-Gariglio: There is always a very strong demand for classic countries like Spain, Germany and England. One of Mômes Trotteurs’ specialties is to move beyond these destinations.
We tend to offer more atypical destinations. We have new requests that perfectly match what we are capable of delivering, such as Morocco, Turkey and Egypt. These are destinations that currently stand out a bit from the crowd.
These destinations bring a mindset shift that is completely different because they confront cultures that can be very different, a religion entirely different, and a different way of life. Facing difference is the most beautiful thing we can offer to students.
TourMaG – You also offer Erasmus+ stays. What is that about?
Frédérique Lapeyre-Gariglio: Indeed, we have received Erasmus+ accreditation to organize this type of trip. It is highly requested at the moment. It allows schools to connect with another school in the country.
It is either a simple exchange of coursework, or it can go further when students are hosted by their counterparts.
The advantage is that Erasmus+, through Europe, awards a grant that can be quite substantial to schools. They can then allocate this funding according to destinations. There are two possibilities: either schools use this funding and do not ask families for any participation, which puts everyone on an equal footing and lets all students travel. Or they request a small contribution, which allows us to offer slightly more comprehensive projects with somewhat higher-end services.
TourMaG – You also work with the system of host schools.
Frédérique Lapeyre-Gariglio: Yes, this is what we call pairing arrangements. This is becoming increasingly common, notably in the United States or even in Asia.
Schools have to find other schools abroad themselves. They locate a partner and, before arriving there, they will do a supplementary visit; for instance, across the Atlantic, they might spend three or four days in New York. Mômes Trotteurs’ role is to handle this logistical portion.
We handle the visits and accommodation in New York. After that, the children join the stay with their host counterparts.
From standalone transport to tailor-made travel
TourMaG – You offer bespoke trips to educational establishments, but you also offer stand-alone transport.
Frédérique Lapeyre-Gariglio: Yes, indeed, because especially in the context of exchanges, institutions may request simply an airline ticket, but also a train ticket, whether in France or Europe. We offer a truly à la carte service: either the client asks for a transport package, including visits and lodging, or just part of it, or only visits, or solely lodging. We are truly attentive to bespoke requests.
TourMaG – In the industry, we talk a lot about artificial intelligence. Have you adopted it and how?
Frédérique Lapeyre-Gariglio: Well, adopting it yes, because I believe we are at least required to have some knowledge. For us, AI helps us only in our daily work to save time, but not at all for constructing the trips and even less for the exchanges we have with the teachers, because we truly work in the human dimension.
What matters for us is to have a direct relationship with the teachers.
TourMaG – So, in back-office, yes, but in the relationship, no.
Frédérique Lapeyre-Gariglio: Exactly. And as you mentioned earlier about responsibility, that is where our responsibility ends in the use of AI.
Frédérique Lapeyre-Gariglio: Yes, indeed, because especially in the context of exchanges, institutions may request simply an airline ticket, but also a train ticket, whether in France or Europe. We offer a truly à la carte service: either the client asks for a transport package, including visits and lodging, or just part of it, or only visits, or solely lodging. We are truly attentive to bespoke requests.
TourMaG – In the industry, we talk a lot about artificial intelligence. Have you adopted it and how?
Frédérique Lapeyre-Gariglio: Well, adopting it yes, because I believe we are at least required to have some knowledge. For us, AI helps us only in our daily work to save time, but not at all for constructing the trips and even less for the exchanges we have with the teachers, because we truly work in the human dimension.
What matters for us is to have a direct relationship with the teachers.
TourMaG – So, in back-office, yes, but in the relationship, no.
Frédérique Lapeyre-Gariglio: Exactly. And as you mentioned earlier about responsibility, that is where our responsibility ends in the use of AI.
