Cazimmo

I am a travel specialist with 16 years' of experience in Saint Barthelemy and Provence.


The genesis

After completing my journalism studies in 2005 at Lehigh University in Pennsylvania, I moved to London and worked as a personal assistant to a renowned psychiatrist in a clinic for eating disorders. For the first time in my life, I experienced facets of the human condition that inspired me to seek work with charities and religious missions abroad.

Caroline Alexis Zimmerman property management Luberon

The encounter

One day, while filing documents in a basement in London, I took advantage of a dusty computer to search churches on the exclusive island of St. Barthelemy - a place I had visited as a child and so rooted in my memory that its beaches and waves lulled me to sleep on many nights. An article appeared with a photo of a jolly vicar and his congregation standing in front of a beautiful limestone church on the harbor.

I wrote to him on the off chance he could use my help. He answered promptly that he was all set, but that as owner of the island’s premier 5-star ‘Hotel Saint Barth Isle de France’ he was in need of a bilingual executive assistant. The die was cast and after several interviews in London, I was hired and flown to Saint Barthélemy where I spent five years honing my skills in luxury service, managing some of the island’s most exquisite properties and serving as executive assistant to one of the world’s most successful hoteliers.

 

Sometimes daydreaming on the job can lead to wonderful things…

The move

After a five-year work stay in the French West Indies and the birth of my daughter, I made a permanent move to the Luberon region of Provence, France to be closer to my family and rediscover seasons. The region attracted me for its exceptional quality of life and mesmerizing landscapes, open-air markets, exquisite produce, and myriad of outdoor activities.

After helping run the charming Bed & Breakfast L'Auberge du Presbytère in Saignon, a medieval hilltop village, I became a villa representative for the luxury travel company Abercrombie & Kent, greeting guests in stunning villa rentals across Provence. My partner at the time, Chef and Owner of the Michelin-recommended gastronomic restaurant 'La Petite Cave' asked me to help run his restaurant. As a passionate foodie I leaped on board and spent a couple years discovering first-hand what it takes to run a restaurant - creating menus, serving guests, washing dishes, sourcing the best ingredients and managing the back-office. We eventually opened a second venture, 'Le Petit Café' which continued my gourmet lessons as well as teaching me the bureaucratic acrobats needed to open a concept restaurant in a medieval village. It was a true gastronomic adventure and education in the pitfalls and joys of running a restaurant! I enjoyed every minute. 

In 2014, I joined the luxury tour operator Red Savannah as their Destination Manager, developing their portfolio of the most exquisite rental properties across France. After honing my hospitality skills and knowledge in these diverse environments , I decided to set off on my own and create Cazimmo, offering a full range of personalized services for secondary home owners in the Luberon.