The favourite places of Pierre Schuester

Pierre is a travel blogger and influencer who lives in Paris, France and tours the world. From hotels to unusual places, he likes to share his tips and experiences on his blog and Instagram account to inspire fellow explorers. He talks to Mr Hudson about his passion for travel, and some of his favourite places.

Tell us about yourself

My name is Pierre Schuester. I was born in Cognac, the city that gave its name to the famous alcohol. I moved to Paris when I was 20 and believe it or not, I had never been on a plane before that! So yes, I started travelling when I was 20, and since then it hasn’t stopped, and I am not going to complain! If I used to travel for my pleasure at the time, soon with the help of Instagram and my blog, it started being a challenge and collaborations started showing up enabling me to travel even more and share it with my community! I’m a lucky guy doing what he likes for a living!

What is your blog about?

It is mainly about my travel experiences. Sharing content and tips about hotels and things to do in such and such destination. I challenge myself to bring something extra to what my viewer may expect. Not always easy but when I manage to I feel like it’s a success.

Tanzania

Budapest

“Zhangjiajie and its famous national Forest park which inspired James Cameron for the Avatar movie was also fascinating. The landscape our literally OUT OF this world!”

What is your perspective on Instagram and other popular social media platforms in relation to travel?

Instagram is a strong source of inspiration to me, and it has been so for years now. I think I do inspire people too… So I’m happy it exists and that each and everyone can get lucky to either discover things through it. I wasn’t sure a few years back, but now I think it will last longer than anyone would have bet in the beginning. Other platforms aren’t so convenient for travel matters even though I find interesting stuff on twitter sometimes like articles and such.

Where did you go on your latest trip?

I spent New Year’s in China, in Shanghai and Zhangjiajie and had the most amazing time. I had many prejudices about China, but I was pleasantly surprised about what I found there. Shanghai is such a modern city, and everything is so clean everywhere. Sometimes I felt like it was even more modern than Tokyo than in our minds is on top of modernity. Zhangjiajie and its famous national Forest park which inspired James Cameron for the Avatar movie was also fascinating. The landscape our literally OUT OF this world! I get why Cameron got inspired. I was also positively surprised about how everything is thought of and made it easy for local tourists but also foreigners like me. So I wrote an article about it to help people who plan on visiting and give them as many tips as possible.

Zhangjiajie, China | Photo: Robynne Hu

Which is your favourite city, and what makes it so special?

It is hard to come down to one single city because many were so memorable. But I would say Budapest has something special. It has the magic of Paris with beautiful architecture, but it also has its world-renowned Thermal baths.

Tell us about a great little place you know

If you ever get the chance, I would strongly recommend stopping by Hallstatt in Austria. It is a small village, stuck on a border of a lake about 1hour away from Salzburg. But the lighting and the water reflection makes it very unique. If you are looking for a place to sleep and make it even more special try the Hallstatt Hideaway. It’s somewhere between a guesthouse and a tiny hotel made only of a few suites, all different and so cosy.

Hallstatt, Austria | Photo: Dimitry Anikin

“I remember this old guy in a Bayou in Louisiana. He told us many stories about his childhood, about those alligators, etc. I felt very precious”

What is the best hotel you’ve stayed at?

I had one of the most exciting experiences at the Buergenstock Hotel, a unique resort on top of Lake Lucerne in Switzerland. The hotel is flawless, it has the most amazing hotel spa I’ve ever been to and the most unbelievable views of Lake Lucerne you could imagine. And since it’s very hard to only mention one hotel, I’d also like to name the Amangiri. It is close to Lake Powell and Antelope Canyon in Utah and it feels like it is on Mars… You’ve got to go there to understand, I guess.

Have you ever stolen anything from a hotel?

Well, I do happen to bring a few amenities at home when they smell so good. But other than that I’d rather not steal.

Who is the most interesting person you’ve met while travelling?

I remember this old guy in a Bayou in Louisiana. He was one of the latest french speaking people in his area and took us on tour in one of those small boats. He told us many stories about his childhood, about those alligators, etc. I felt very precious. It feels even more so now as I’m pretty sure he may not be alive today. I felt privileged at the time.

Iceland

Egypt

Any recommendations for gay travellers?

I suppose gay travel is easier in larger cities if you are looking to meet people. And Miami, Vegas or Barcelona probably are the best cities in the world in that regard. But frankly, I have been to many places and never did it feel wrong!

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