Who we are

Who are we?

Or rather who am I? My name is Pascale and I was born and raised in France. I have been working as a translator for the past 18 years but I also worked in animal care, was a handler in a sled dog company and worked in a hotel and as a photographer (by the way 90% of the photos on the site are mine). I have travelled a lot for my studies, for work and for leisure. I lived for some time in Spain, 2 years in Canada, almost 1 year in Swedish Lapland and here I am in Norway!

But not just anywhere in Norway: among the highest peaks in Northern Europe, in the heart of a wild and untouched nature.

The idea of creating a tailor-made travel agency had been somewhere in my head for a few years. All the trips I made myself, I designed them on my own because I had the feeling it would be the only way to have a trip that matched my tastes, my fitness level and my budget. Speaking several languages was a serious asset when it came time to research and book accommodations and activities. I’ve always loved doing this: creating a trip has always been almost as exciting as the trip itself!

And so that’s what I’m committed to doing for you because we don’t all have the time, the will or the expertise to organize a trip.

This idea needed a magical place to come to life. It was out of the question to sell trips in places I had never set foot in, without knowing, without being able to make the best recommendations. When I arrived in the mountains of Norway, the landscapes just revealed themselves as the perfect spot to create WonderNorway. I had travelled a lot in Scandinavia before (Sweden, Iceland and also Norway but along the Fjords) but this place immediately captivated me. After having long dreamed of living in the mountains, I found myself totally by chance in the heart of the mountains of Rondane, hiking for hours and hours among the free-grazing sheep (sometimes even cows or reindeer), drinking the water from the brooks, pitching my tent wherever I wanted and I thought to myself:

1) I don’t think I could ever get tired of these landscapes;

2) How is it possible that I had never heard of this place before?; and

3) This is an ideal playground for nature lovers, outdoorsy people and photographers..!

It is not a place that is very popular or highlighted in the travel magazines or among large tour operators and it is a blessing. Is it the Norwegians’ intention to keep this place confidential? Maybe? But what I have noticed is that they are still very happy and almost surprised when people show interest in their small mountain community. This region has been underestimated in the past but it is now beginning to thrive again. The young people who used to leave for the big cities, are now returning to the villages, taking over the old farms that are sometimes abandoned and these young people have ideas, have energy and are perhaps becoming more aware of the “touristic” potential of their region.

After a few months of market research, networking and administrative paperwork, the company WonderNorway AS was born and I can’t wait to introduce you to my little gem in the mountains of Norway.

Velkommen!