Meet Lauren

Hi - I’m Lauren Gibson, the artist behind the photographs and the creator & designer behind the travel plans here at Charlotte to Paris. I live in Charlotte, North Carolina, and I’m a mom, artist… and yes, I do love a good trip to Paris.

I’m passionate about appreciating and capturing the beauty of exploring a new place especially those little, ordinary moments while traveling that make travel so personal, memorable and special.

I’m grateful you’re here, and I hope you find a little something here that inspires you.

Un grand merci,
Lauren Gibson
Founder & Owner of Charlotte to Paris

Lauren Gibson, photographer and travel guide designer, at the Fontain Saint-Sulpice in Saint Germain des Pres, Paris France. Image by Katie Donnelly Photography (2022)

Keep reading to learn more about how I created my signature neighborhood-based travel planning style, and found my love of capturing the feeling of travel through photography along the way.

The story

Each time I returned from a visit to France, friends would ask me about recommendations for their own upcoming trips to Paris. I quickly realized that my approach to my own travel planning and my suggestions were different.

Sure, there were some iconic landmarks and must-sees included in my travel recommendations, but I made sure to give them the real details: the best neighborhoods to explore with the most gorgeous streets, small gardens and off-the-beaten-path museums, corner cafés… all the little things that make a trip special.

In many conversations with friends, I realized that most people wish they had thought about all the little things that you experience while traveling, like good places to eat, drink and explore, but few have the time to gather that kind of information (and wish they had!)… and so in 2019, Charlotte to Paris was born.

Lauren Gibson, travel photographer and creator of neighborhood-based slow travel plans, walking on Rue Ferou, Left Bank, Paris France. Photograph by Katie Donnelly photography (2022)

The travel guides

 I started Charlotte to Paris to give people another way to see Paris: one that certainly includes some of the highlights, but in the context of the neighborhoods, lesser-known spots and local gems that make the city what it really is, beyond the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower sparkle.

I create flexible and detailed travel guidebooks to Paris and the South of France. My signature neighborhood-based travel planning style blends flexible itineraries with well-researched travel planning. Learn more about my travel guide.

The Paris Explorer Guidebook: A 7-Day Travel Guide E-Book (2025 Edition)
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The Paris Explorer Guidebook: A 7-Day Travel Guide E-Book (2025 Edition)
$35.00

Purchase your copy of the Paris Explorer Guidebook (2025 edition). This gorgeously-detailed 109-page e-book features the perfect 7-day Paris itinerary. You’ll have all of the best things to do in Paris with all of the travel tips and detailed information you need for a fabulous week in Paris. This e-book is delivered to your email as a PDF digital download.

The Paris Explorer Guidebook includes:

  • A seven-day itinerary using my signature planning approach: a flexible neighborhood-focused daily guide using the principles of slow travel to explore the most beautiful Paris neighborhoods. This Paris travel itinerary perfectly blends must-see destinations with local restaurants, beautiful streets in Paris, picturesque Parisian parks, and other neighborhood spots and hidden Paris gems. Neighborhoods/arrondissements featured in the Paris guidebook include:

    • Saint Germain des Prés

    • The Latin Quarter

    • The Marais

    • Montmartre

    • Grands-Boulevards

    • Bastille & the Canal Saint Martin

    • L’Opéra

    • The 1st & 2nd arrondissements

  • An accompanying Paris Explorer Google Map with everything from the daily itinerary guide pinned on the map with notes and tips.

  • My keys for how to Navigate Paris, including an introduction to the city and its arrondissements, how to get around Paris by walking, how to take the Paris Metro, and how to get from the airports to Paris city center. Also included: an overview of train stations and how to book a train ticket in France, so that you can take a Paris day trip or explore another area of France.

  • Where to stay in Paris: The best neighborhoods to stay in while visiting Paris, how to decide on where to stay, and an overview of hotels vs apartment rentals in Paris. I also share my personal recommendations for Paris hotels and apartments, where I have personally stayed and had a positive experience.

  • A packing guide and printable packing list for a week in Paris. I provide suggestions for what to pack in Paris and how to minimize your luggage.

  • A printable travel prep list that breaks down all the things to do to plan a trip to Paris, from booking your hotel to making reservations and prepping your documents for travel.

  • The Paris Primer: my full set of Paris travel tips and all my secrets for navigating, language, and culture. I include my advice on culture, dining in Paris, dining keywords and essential French vocabulary, and my number 1 secret to having an enjoyable visit to Paris (it boils down to one word!), and advice on safety while visiting Paris.

  • My resource guide - a detailed list of my apps and resources that I use for travel, French language learning, and French culture, restaurants, and events. You’ll have all of my recommendations for podcasts, apps, and other resources to prepare for and use while on your trip to Paris.

To top it all off, this PDF travel guide is filled with my color photographs of Paris - so you can enjoy Parisian snapshots as you plan your trip to Paris.

After your purchase, you will receive an email with a link to the downloadable PDF guidebook within 15 minutes.

Need a sneak peek? Pick up a copy of my free One Day in Paris Guidebook to get a taste of my planning style (bonus: you’ll have another full day of itinerary ideas in your back pocket to use during your visit!).

Read what past clients have to say about planning travel with Lauren! Charlotte to Paris Travel Reviews.

THE ARTWORK

I’ve practiced photography for over 15 years, having learned on black and white film as a studio art minor in college. Some of my favorite memories from college are of the time I spent alone in the darkroom, developing my images, playing with as many film development techniques as I could.

I’ve carried that love of film into my photography and art practice. My home for all things art is at Studio Di Sarlo. I love to create vibrant and luminous photographs that invoke a sense of memory, wistfulness and exploration in my finished pieces. All artwork is custom-printed on archival-grade paper or canvas.

I love nothing more than connecting with people who are moved by their own memories of travel when viewing my photographs. And I’ve so enjoyed helping my clients choose a series of images for their collections, whether it’s an at home gallery or local business space. Learn more about my Photography.

Headshots of Lauren Gibson are by Katie Donnelly Photography (2022)