We're Tripologiste: two friends crafting trips you couldn't plan with a search bar.
Americans in Burgundy, on the ground across Europe, designing trips and staying close when inspiration strikes and when the train is late.
Our Story
We’re Jonas Martin and Paul Browning, best friends who turned years of travel, hospitality, and creative problem-solving into a boutique planning studio.
Jonas grew up in Dallas, cut his teeth touring with bands, and later built sets and experiences for Broadway houses and big-name productions in New York. Years on the road honed his read-the-room instincts, crisis-calming presence, and knack for turning strangers into allies, from ticket agents to restaurateurs. Now based in France, he’s the connector who keeps plans smooth in real time: negotiating fixes, finding the great-but-unbookable, and adjusting days on the fly without losing the magic. He brings Tripologiste a maker’s eye for detail, hospitality-first service, and the steady logistics brain you want when a train is late or an opportunity appears.
Paul was born in Burgundy to a French mother and American father, grew up in Texas with summers back in France, and later studied in Switzerland, collecting languages, train timetables, and a reputation for making complex plans feel easy. In 2024 he moved back to his grandfather’s village in Burgundy to put that cross-cultural life to work. He’s the strategist who turns big-picture wishes into elegant routes: aligning pacing, booking smart, and leaving white space for the good surprises. On the ground, his French fluency and local instincts keep things frictionless: securing tables, smoothing transport snags, and translating nuance so you feel at home. He brings Tripologiste a planner’s rigor, a host’s warmth, and the calm, EU-time presence that makes travel feel effortless.
Tripologiste started the way our favorite trips start: with a good idea, a giant paper map, and time left open for magic. Today we design trips that feel like that: grounded, personal, and full of room for the moments you’ll talk about for years.
Why “Americans in Burgundy” matters
Being based in Burgundy, France means we work on your time, European time. We scout places ourselves, and between us we get by in English, French, and Italian. It is the kind of closeness where a last-minute table in Marseille or a bag mix-up in Berlin is a phone call, not a crisis. When we are planning your trip, that is the difference between a plan on paper and one that works on the ground.
What we're up to now
These days our focus is close to home. Our first small-group trip, My Life in Burgundy, opens in May 2027, and the waitlist is open now. Alongside it, we are building a full-service way to travel with us, trips handled end to end, which reopens before long. Mise en Place readers hear first on both.
What we stand for
We plan thoughtful travel: respecting local rhythms, supporting independent businesses, cutting friction where it doesn't add meaning, and leaving space for the unexpected good stuff.
Be first to know
Two ways to stay close for now: put your name on the My Life in Burgundy waitlist, or join Mise en Place. When custom planning reopens, you will hear it here first.
Ginger Geyer
“They listened, advised, delivered, and respected our budget. Their planning made an ambitious, art-filled Europe trip not just doable, but joyful.”
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Ginger
We started with a long list of cultural sites, many in out-of-the-way villages. Tripologiste did deep research before each meeting and honed it into an exciting, doable plan. In two weeks we went from Austin to London to Burgundy to the Riviera to Paris, with reservations assembled and smart downtime built in. As an artist, I’m supremely grateful; this trip will shape my work for years. There’s no way I could’ve done this alone. They listened, advised, delivered, and respected our budget, anticipating the unexpected magic, too.
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Rick
From the first planning session, Tripologiste blended old-school, full-color paper maps with the latest apps and links, so we felt informed at every step. They quickly understood what mattered to us and integrated it beautifully. Their calming presence, reasonable pricing, and solution-oriented approach gave us confidence. International travel can be stressful; with Tripologiste, we felt fully supported and free to enjoy the experience. We’re already looking forward to the next trip because of the magical moments they made possible.
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Heather
I was nervous about a first solo trip to France and about not being fluent, but Jonas and Paul prepped me so well that I never felt like a stranger. They asked what I love, built an itinerary with easy options, helped with the metro, matched me to neighborhoods, and grabbed dinner reservations. It felt like they were on holiday with me (in the best way). Update: I hired them again for Marseille: same smooth experience. Tripologiste is now my go-to for European travel.