About us
Our story : a meeting
Detour Odyssey is the meeting of two women driven by the same determination: to combine a passion for travel and ecology.
The idea that responsible travel should not be a headache, but rather a leisure activity accessible to all, led them down a common path.
Thanks to the support of Les Premières and Lyon Start Up, and the sound advice of Co-naissances, the project is gradually taking shape. Winner of the Provence Travel Innovation competition, Detour Odyssey benefits from the support of experts from the ESCAET tourism school and Marseille Innovation.
Then, in 2024, it was off to a flying start: Detour Odyssey SAS was created as part of the SSE (Social and Solidarity Economy); the company was registered with Atout France as a travel operator; and the first customers were delighted with their experience!
Our values and
commitments
Respect
Being aware of our impact: understanding and addressing it
- Calculate our carbon footprint and reduce it as much as possible
- Be transparent about our operations and prices
Sharing
Establishing a balanced dialogue between listening and advice
- Share our love of travel and our good advice and addresses
- Making our services accessible to as many people as possible thanks to our à la carte services
Curiosity
Be open-minded and listen for the unexpected.
- Help you discover places off the beaten track
- Favouring encounters and the surprise of a real discovery rather than the ‘bucket list’ of ‘must-see’ places
Slow
Slow down : taking the time to discover rather than run.
- Prioritise the experience at each stage rather than the number of kilometres covered
- Be patient and optimistic about everything.
Our founders
Charlène
Passionnate and big-hearted
Insatiably curious, cradled by the sea in Normandy and my head in the clouds of the Auvergne volcanoes, I’ve always been fascinated by the beauty of our planet and the diversity of our cultures.
As a travel agent, I’ve had the chance to travel the world, comparing my perspective with that of others and falling in love with many places.
But more and more I’ve seen the ‘other side of the coin’: our impact on the environment. So I decided to go beyond the ‘little’ things I do on a daily basis and become part of the solution, not part of the problem ✊.
Wonder and find solutions: these are my two ‘mantras’ in life!
Sabrina
Committed free spirit
With roots in Reunion and Berry, I’ve always been surrounded by cultural diversity. The result: boundless curiosity, to the point of asking to learn German from primary school!
I’ve cultivated this thirst for discovery through my ten years as an expatriate. And yes, I can’t stay in one place.
A trip to Alaska in 2018 was a revelation about the impact of tourism and the climate emergency, a turning point that transformed my life.
Living abroad and adapting to other cultures has nourished and enriched me: today, I’m sharing my curiosity with you by helping you discover Europe in a different way.
