Asian Roads Network
French-speaking agencies in Asia, local expertise and the security of a French agency
Asian Roads is a network of French-speaking travel agencies in Asia and Oceania, specializing in tailor-made journeys and small-group tours, far from mass tourism. By choosing Asian Roads, you benefit both from the on-the-ground expertise of locally based teams and from the security of a French-licensed travel agency.
Why travel to Asia with Asian Roads?
If you are looking for a truly authentic travel experience in Asia, far from standardised itineraries and anonymous groups, imagine exploring Japan, Vietnam, China, Uzbekistan, India, Oceania or Sri Lanka with a French-speaking expert who lives in the country and designs a bespoke itinerary with you, tailored down to the last detail.
With Asian Roads, each trip is:
- Custom-designed based on your wishes, travel pace and budget.
- Prepared directly from within the country you are visiting, as close as possible to local realities.
- Shaped to prioritise meaningful encounters, cultural discovery and respect for local communities.
- Secured by the framework of a French tour operator: financial guarantees, insurance, secure payment.
A story born in Yunnan… and now open to all of Asia
How did Asian Roads become a go-to network for French-speaking travellers in Asia?
The story begins in the mid-2000s, in China’s Yunnan province. The Asian Roads project grew out of its founders’ passion for Yunnan and the “deep China”, with the desire to offer French-speaking travellers not only the discovery of these lesser-known regions, but also access to human, locally based support across Asia. This sparked the idea of offering Francophone travellers a different way to discover Asia: relying on local teams who can open doors, unearth characterful accommodation and create itineraries inspired by everyday local life.
Starting from Yunnan in 2007, the network gradually expanded: China, Yunnan, Japan, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam, Uzbekistan, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Australia, Indonesia, Korea, Taiwan… and today covers more than twenty destinations across Asia and Oceania. The ambition remains the same: to share Asia differently, through genuine journeys designed locally, as close as possible to the cultures and people.
A small founding anecdote: many of Asian Roads’ very first itineraries were sketched out over a shared cup of tea, after stumbling upon a remote village down a dusty track or discovering a small guesthouse run by a local family. This “on the road” spirit is still at the heart of how we design every trip today.
Our expertise: organising your trip from within the country, for a truly immersive experience
At Asian Roads, trips are not built from a catalogue, but from the field. Every itinerary is imagined and organised from within the country you want to visit, which changes everything in the way you travel.
Working from the destination allows us to:
- Stay in tune with local realities: current events, travel conditions, climate, festivals, new addresses, regulations.
- Create unique, constantly fine-tuned itineraries, far from fixed routes.
- Offer fair prices by limiting intermediaries.
Whether you dream of immersing yourself in a Tibetan village, sharing dinner with a host family in Laos, crossing Myanmar off the beaten track, or combining several Asian countries in one trip, Asian Roads will always design fully tailor-made experiences, with a particular focus on encounters, unhurried travel and respect for each place.
Paul
Philippe
Our mission: helping you experience Asia differently
Asian Roads’ mission can be summed up in a few clear commitments:
- Designing tailor-made trips off the beaten path, away from mass tourism.
- Fostering genuine encounters with local people: homestays, remote villages, shared meals, workshops and informal exchanges.
- Placing local culture at the heart of the journey: traditions, festivals, crafts, spiritual practices, gastronomy.
- Encouraging more responsible travel: respect for people, places, seasons and local carrying capacities.
- Creating meaningful, memorable experiences, leaving you with more than just a list of “must-see” sites to tick off.
A network of French-speaking agencies, with the security of a French tour operator
One of Asian Roads’ key strengths is its ability to combine the local expertise of on-the-ground agencies with the security of a French travel company.
Thanks to our dual presence in Asia and in France, you benefit from:
- Simple and secure payment (bank transfer, credit card), with no international transfer fees.
- APST financial guarantee, protecting your deposits and payments in the event of agency default.
- Professional liability insurance with Hiscox, covering your trip in accordance with French regulations.
- Registration with Atout France, a guarantee of compliance with the French Tourism Code.
- Personalised follow-up of your booking by a dedicated contact person, available before, during and after your trip.
Travelling with Asian Roads means enjoying both the flexibility and creativity of local agencies, and the protective framework of a French tour operator.
Design your tailor-made trip to Asia with the Asian Roads network
Present in more than twenty destinations across Asia and Oceania, Asian Roads designs tailor-made trips for all styles of travel and every pace.
Here are a few examples of the kind of trips we can build with you:
- City breaks and major Asian metropolises, ideal for a first discovery.
- Grand overland journeys combining several regions or countries in one trip.
- Nature escapes, treks, hikes and stays in rural areas.
- Family trips, with adapted pacing and fun, hands-on activities.
- Cultural, spiritual or themed itineraries (food, crafts, photography, etc.).
- Beach stays and island getaways, either at the end of your trip or as a full “relax and unwind” holiday.
- Small-group tours with a maximum of 12 travellers for a more convivial experience.
You bring the idea, we turn it into a concrete itinerary: the Asian Roads teams organise transfers, accommodation, visits, encounters and free time, so that you can simply enjoy the journey.
How it works?
Contact a dedicated local advisor
Our travel consultants know in Yunnan. Their advice and experience will make the difference in creating the perfect trip.
Create your own customized tour
With your travel advisor, develop the tailor-made tour of your dreams. Based in Yunnan, we have the best possible rates.
Have peace of mind, go serene
Via payment to Asian Roads, you are covered by our insurance and benefit from the guarantees of our French travel agency.
Continuous monitoring & flexibility on site
Your advisor will contact you regularly and our French-speaking guides will advise you. Great flexibility is offered for on-site visits.
Recommended by guidebooks and the travel community
A China travel specialist that comes recommended
Over the years, China Roads has been recommended by several leading French-language guidebooks and travel platforms for trips to China: well-known guide collections (Michelin, Routard, Petit Futé, etc.), as well as specialist platforms dedicated to local agencies and tailor-made travel. These endorsements reflect the quality of our support, our price transparency, and our ability to design truly personalised tailor-made trips in China.
They talk about us
France Télévisions — JT de 13h
China: on the dizzying slopes of Yunnan
China Roads had the honour of being featured in a news report broadcast on the France Télévisions 1 p.m. news, focusing on the spectacular landscapes and dizzying mountain roads of Yunnan. Filmed entirely on location, the segment follows our French-speaking guide Lili Tan and several of our travellers, immersed in what we organise every day: tailor-made trips in China, as close as possible to local people and real life on the ground.
France 2 - A. Boutet, E. Sizarols, C. Wang, G. Caron - Published by the 6Medias agency
Edition of Friday, February 6, 2026
Le Petit Bleu des Côtes d'Armor
Dinan: tailor-made trips with Asian Roads
Based in Dinan (Côtes d'Armor), the travel agency is riding the wave of success along with the internet. Paul and Man Le Guyader now employ around twenty people.
By Pascal Cayeux — Published on 11 août 2019