French-speaking driver/guide in Rio de Janeiro

Hello everyone,

We’re going on a cruise in January 2017 from Rio, and I’m looking for a French-speaking driver/guide in Rio de Janeiro.

Can anyone help? Do you have any contacts?

I’d also love to hear your tips and ideas.

Thanks in advance, and have a great day!

Francine

😉 a contact: Aurélien Négre auredobrazil@hotmail.com Cell: (5521) 93324771 Phone: (5521) 34044060 Transport in air-conditioned minibus, priority access to tourist sites. Speaks French, English, Portuguese. We used him 3 years ago with a group of 8—way more comfortable and efficient than the standard tours. A tip: unless you love fast food, pack sandwiches in the morning to eat on the go. It’ll save you from wasting time at restaurants during your visits. We had a picnic on Copacabana Beach.

Hi there, a few years ago during a cruise, I contacted the agency AlterNativ Brasil to book a guide for almost all the Brazilian stops. The guide in Rio was Andrea Stoppe—I’ve stayed in touch with her. She’s an amazing woman and an exceptional guide! One of my best memories. If you’re interested, I can tell you more. Have a great Sunday

Hello,

Thanks for the info. Yes, I’m very interested and open to any tips or advice.

Thanks in advance and have a great day

Hi there— We’re taking a transatlantic cruise on March 18 with friends and we’d love to explore Rio the day before departure. Could you share the contact details for your guide so we can visit the main sites, along with her approximate rates? There’ll be 4 of us. Thanks, Dominique

Hello- We’re taking a transatlantic cruise on March 18 with friends and would love to explore Rio the day before departure. Could you share the contact details for your guide to visit the main sites, along with her approximate prices? There will be 4 of us. Thanks, Dominique

Hi, Sorry for the delay. Here’s the info you asked for—I took this trip 5 years ago. I contacted the agency ALTER NATIVE Brésil, run by a French person, via email. Through VF, I met 5 other couples who wanted to join us for the excursions. So, in total, 12 people. We booked 3 excursions: RECIFE, MACEIO, and RIO. At each stop, we had a 12-seater minibus and a guide who spoke perfect French waiting for us right when we got off the ship. It was unforgettable—they took us to amazing places while avoiding the crowds. Rio was still the best, though. Our guide, Andrea STOPPE (andreastroppe@hotmail.com), works for Alter Nativ. She took us to Sugarloaf Mountain and Corcovado before everyone else, so it was peaceful, knowing that 2 hours later, everything would be in the mist and you wouldn’t see a thing. In fact, the Costa excursions saw nothing! We visited tons of places other cruisers didn’t even know existed, and she took us to lunch at an incredible restaurant on Copacabana Beach. I don’t remember the exact prices, but it was certainly half of what it cost on the ship, with way more services and a friendly vibe. Obviously, it was cheaper for 12 people since we filled the minibus than it would’ve been for just 2. Of course, we had to pay a deposit for these bookings, but no worries—it’s a very reliable agency, and everything went smoothly without a single hitch. If I can still help, don’t hesitate. Happy travels and enjoy your cruise!

Hello,

Thanks for the info. Yes, I’m very interested and open to any information and tips.

Thanks in advance and have a great day!

Hello, Brazilian transatlantic cruise in November 2011. I contacted the agency Alter Nativ Brasil to organize 3 excursions: RECIFE, MACEIO, and RIO. Three different guides, of course, who were waiting for us at the ship’s exit with a minibus. We started with 4 people, then 12 by the end when we met others on this Forum... Great prices. Superb organization, very professional. Everything was booked in advance, so no waiting in lines. We discovered loads of places other excursions don’t take you, mainly due to lack of time... The guide in Rio works for Alter Nativ Brasil. Her name is Andrea STOPPE (andreastoppe@hotmail.com). She was amazing, just like the churrascaria (spelling?) we had for lunch on Copacabana Beach—one of the best restaurants of my life!!! In Salvador de Bahia, we explored partly on foot via the elevator that takes you to the city center (police in cars discourage you from venturing into risky areas) and partly by taxi for a broader view of the surroundings. In Ilhéus, we went to the beach. Feel free to ask if you need any other details. Happy travels.

Hello— We’re taking a transatlantic cruise on March 18 with friends and would like to explore Rio the day before departure. Could you share the contact details for your guide to visit the main sites, along with the approximate prices she charges? We’ll be 4 of us. Thanks, Dominique

Hi, We’re also leaving Rio on March 18 on the Costa Fascinosa—it’d be great to connect! We usually organize our own excursions, but if we’re a small group of French speakers, we could use a local agency. We arrive in Rio on Tuesday the 14th to have a little time to explore. I speak Spanish and I’m working on my Portuguese to make things easier. Hope to see you soon, Marie Jo

Hi Gégé, I’ll also be (for the third time) solo on this Rio/Savona cruise starting 18/03/17, on the Fascinosa (great ship and usually a good entertainment team). Since I’ve stayed in Rio before, I know it pretty well and will arrive a week early to visit my Brazilian friends and revisit the places I love. I’ll meet you on board and happily help with the other stops.

Otherwise, from Rio’s port (Pier Mauá): - Copacabana is quickly accessible by metro, - Sugarloaf Mountain by metro + bus + cable car, - Corcovado too (metro + bus), but it’s farther and there’s often a long line for the funicular—better to take a shared taxi up, and go early if there’s no fog - Visitable pacified favela (with a guide and by reservation) Dona Marta by metro + bus, - Beautiful botanical garden by metro + bus, - Brazilian market Saara not far from the port, on foot, - Brand-new Museum of the Future very close to the port, on foot, - Museum of Arts right near the Pier, ... See you soon, Philippe

Good evening

Thanks so much for the info. We're leaving on Sunday and are sooooo excited! 😊 Have a great evening

Hi Marie-Jo, I’ll also be (for the third time) solo on this Rio/Savona cruise on 18/03/07, aboard the *Fascinosa* (lovely ship and usually a great entertainment team). Since I’ve stayed in Rio before, I know it pretty well and will arrive a week early (10/3) to visit my Brazilian friends and revisit my favorite spots. I’d be happy to meet you on board or even earlier and help out, including with the other stops.

From Rio’s port (Pier Mauá): - Brand-new Museum of Tomorrow (*Museu do Amanhã*), very close to the port—walking distance, - Museum of Arts, also near the pier, - Brazilian market *Saara*, not far from the port—walking distance, near Uruguaiana metro station. Great for cheap souvenirs, but English isn’t widely spoken, - Uruguaiana metro station on Av. Presidente Vargas, a 10-minute walk, - Copacabana is easily accessible from Uruguaiana metro to General Osorio, Cantagalo, or Siqueira Campos stations, - Sugarloaf Mountain (*Pão de Açúcar*): metro to Botafogo + bus + cable car, - Corcovado: metro to Largo de Machado + bus, but it’s a longer trip with a long line for the funicular. Better to go early if there’s no fog, or take a shared taxi up, - Visitable pacified favela (with a guide and by reservation): *Dona Marta*—metro to Botafogo + bus, - Beautiful botanical garden: metro to Botafogo + bus, - ...

Hope to see you soon! Philippe

Hello! I just got back from the MSC Buenos Aires/Rio cruise, where I contacted Humberto Campos, a French-speaking guide who was very professional. There were 4 of us (2 adults, 2 kids), and I paid 290 € for the day (8 AM to 6 PM). He picked us up right at the ship’s exit and showed us around the city. To save time, I also recommend booking your Corcovado train tickets online—it lets you choose your time slot and skip the endless lines. Don’t hesitate if you have any questions! Happy planning

Hello, I’d be very interested in getting the contact details for Andrea Stoppe’s guide. Thanks in advance! Best regards, Béatrice Barranco

Hello, I’d be very interested in getting the contact details for Andrea Stoppe’s guide services. Thank you in advance. Best regards, Béatrice Barranco

- Good evening, Andrea is on Facebook—you can contact her on my behalf via Messenger. You can also reach out to the Alter Nativ Brésil agency and ask for her as your guide... If you’d like, I can give you their email address, but I’ll need to look it up. I think you can easily find the info you need online by searching for Alter Nativ Brésil. Don’t hesitate to ask if I can help further. Good night...

Got it, thanks!

Hi, we just received news from Costa through our online agency: the cruise from March 18 to April 8 is being cut short to April 5—how charming. Apparently, there’s no compensation other than 150 € to spend on board. Are you all aware of this? They’ll arrange a transfer from Genoa to Marseille for us. I’m eagerly waiting for more info. Best, dominique

Hi there, Did you get Costa’s email removing 3 days from the cruise, so no Barcelona and arrival is now Genoa? The transfers have changed—what do you think about this change? I’d love to hear from others on this cruise, since it feels a bit last-minute with only a month to go. Thanks for your replies!

Hello, We actually had the same unpleasant surprise, and we’ve had numerous exchanges with Costa (no justification for this change) and with the agency. Here’s what we’ve managed to get: a transfer from Genoa to Marseille (we asked to be dropped off in the city center rather than at the port, as proposed—we’re still waiting for a response, but it’ll likely be nearly 6 hours by bus!). They’re also offering us a credit of 150 euros per person, but we’re waiting to hear if it can be used to pay for the daily packages on board, since with our fare, we have the max drink package included. Additionally, the agency is crediting us with a discount of 231 €—I don’t know if this applies to everyone or if it depends on the type of cabin (we have a suite). All of this has disrupted our plans for getting home; we had a non-refundable train ticket to return to Paris on the 8th, so we’ll either have to stay in Marseille or lose our ticket. That’s the information we have, and despite our dissatisfaction, I’m afraid we won’t be able to get anything else. We’re hoping the cruise goes well and doesn’t hold any more unpleasant surprises. See you soon, Marie Jo and Christian

Hi,

You can contact the Franco-Brazilian agency, Eldorado Voyages (contact@eldoradovoyages.com), which offers tours and all kinds of activities in Rio de Janeiro (and elsewhere in Brazil) with French-speaking guides and drivers. They’re very professional, reliable, and their guides are official. Best regards,

Hey there! I searched for my name online and found this post. Thank you so much!!! Today I live in France, in Arles. If you ever come through this region... Big hugs!

Hello, during a cruise a few years ago, I contacted AlterNativ Brasil agency to book a guide for almost all the Brazilian stops. The guide in Rio was Andrea Stoppe—I stayed in touch with her. She’s an amazing woman and an exceptional guide! One of my best memories. If you’re interested, I can tell you more. Have a great Sunday