Heather Stimmler

Heather’s writing career started in Scottsdale, Arizona, where she was Teen Correspondent at the Phoenix Gazette and attended the Summer Journalism Institute at ASU’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism in 1993. She studied political science and environmental policy at Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota and the University of Paris 2 Panthéon-Assas in Paris where she moved permanently after graduating in 1997. After working for 17 years in the Paris travel industry as an author, tour guide and publisher, in 2016 she became the Media Director for a non-profit marine conservation group, but still maintains the Secrets of Paris in her free time.

• LinkedIn Profile

Travel Writing

After working as the editorial assistant at the Carleton College News Bureau, her first professional position in Paris was as Travel Editor for the website of ELLE Magazine (1999). That same year she created the Secrets of Paris as an alternative, insider’s guide to the city. Freelance since 2001, she wrote for many international travel publications and websites including Fodor’s Guides, Michelin Guides, Maison de la France’s France Magazine, Robb Report, Expedia.com, Time Out Guides, United Airways inflight magazine, The Guardian (UK), Rick Steves, Hotelier International, ELLE, L’Officiel, Monocle Travel Guides, and wastheParis correspondent for easyJet inflight magazine for over a decade. See a selection of her published works here (PDF).

Indie Publisher

In 2007 Secrets of Paris created its own independent publishing house, Fleur de Lire Press, which has published the award-winning travel guides “Naughty Paris: A Lady’s Guide to the Sexy City” and “Naughty New York: A Lady’s Guide to the Sexy City”, the iPhone app and eBook “Paris Pastry” with cookbook author David Lebovitz, and the eBook “Secrets of Versailles: A Visitor’s Survival Guide”.

Tour Guide

In 2004 Heather became a tour guide, working for EF Tours, Backroads, and Context Travel before starting her own Secrets of Paris Tours in 2006 to focus on private, custom tours of Paris for individuals and small groups. Today she refers travelers to some of the best guides in the city who she’s had the honor to work with over the years.

• Public Speaking & Television Appearances (PDF)