Santiago de Compostela is a city shaped by arrival. People reach it from different countries, cultures and circumstances. Some arrive at the end of a carefully planned Camino. Others find themselves facing an unexpected difficulty far from home and need clear, practical guidance.
Since October 2025, I have had the honour of serving as Honorary Consul of France in Galicia. This voluntary public-service role is entirely separate from my work as founder of Ultreya Tours. Yet both are connected by values that have shaped much of my life: welcome, proximity, international understanding and the desire to be useful.
An international life rooted in Galicia
I was born in the United Kingdom and grew up between Central Africa, Canada and France. Studies and work later took me to Córdoba, London, Sydney and Dublin before I settled in Spain in 2014.
Galicia became more than the place where I lived. It became my home, the place where I founded Ultreya Tours and where Alex and I are raising our family. I remain proudly French while feeling profoundly grateful to Galicia, my adopted home.
Living between languages and cultures has taught me to listen carefully, explain clearly and never assume that everyone understands a place or a system in the same way.
A practical form of service
The role of an honorary consul is often misunderstood. It is a voluntary local mission carried out under the authority of the relevant French consular post. It involves helping French citizens living in or visiting Galicia understand where to turn when they encounter an administrative or practical problem.
Lost documents, accidents, health difficulties and other unexpected situations can leave people feeling particularly vulnerable when they are away from home. This has a special resonance in Santiago, where many French pilgrims arrive after days or weeks on the Camino.
The task is often to orient, reassure and help someone identify the appropriate next step: a form of service grounded in proximity and practical assistance.
Different responsibilities, shared values
My consular responsibilities and my work at Ultreya Tours are, and must remain, completely distinct. Ultreya receives no official status, recommendation or advantage from my honorary position, and consular matters are never handled through the company.
Nevertheless, the two roles reflect some of the same personal convictions. A traveler or pilgrim should feel listened to. Information should be clear. Local knowledge should be used responsibly. When something unexpected happens, calm and practical guidance can make an enormous difference.
These principles have always informed the way Ultreya approaches the Camino. They also explain why public service in Galicia felt meaningful to me.
A commitment to this place
The Camino is international, but every journey depends upon local communities. Ultreya’s work has introduced me to people throughout Galicia, Spain, Portugal and France, while my consular responsibilities have deepened my connection with the French community living in and passing through the region.
Today I work from Santiago with travelers, guides, hoteliers, drivers and the many local people involved in a Camino. The welcome a traveler receives depends on those daily relationships, not on a slogan about hospitality.
