Paris is relatively small as capital cities go, and most of its prize monuments and museums are within easy walking distance of one another. Walking is also a wonderful way of discovering the many pedestrian streets, beautiful courtyards, and other hidden pleasures off the beaten path. The most convenient form of public transportation is the métro, with stops every few hundred yards. Buses are a slower but more pleasant alternative, as you see more of the city. Taxis are relatively inexpensive and convenient, but not always easy to hail, particularly on Saturday nights after the last métro. Private car travel within Paris is best avoided; parking is extremely difficult.
This tour explores the oldest part of Paris dating from 200 years BCE : The two islands -Ile de la Cité and Ile St Louis - are part of both the right and the left bank of the Seine. This is the very core of Paris and was for centuries the center of the French empire.
At every turn you will see impressive buildings and winding cobblestone streets dating from the Middle Ages. Your host will share legends and lore of Old Paris all along the way, as well as help you discover the fascinating corners most people miss.
The tour begins on the right bank near Les Halles, which was for centuries the open air marketplace of Paris. From there you will wind your way to the Seine, learning the history of the aera as you go. Once at the river, you will cross on the charming Bridge of the Arts catching glimpses upsteam of Ile de la Cité and downstream of the Orsay museum.
From the vantage point of the bridge you wil learn the history of the most impressive Louvre Museum. After a brief visit to the Bouquinists of the Left bank, it's on the islands - site of the peaceful Place Dauphine, the imposing Conciergerie, jewel-like Ste Chapelle and the medieval masterpiece, Notre-Dame.
Your tour ends on charming Ile St. Louis amidst a row of wonderful restaurants that have carefully and successfully preserved their historical appeal. Your host can help you select a fine one.
Walking time approximately 3 hours. Typically a twilight tour.
In 1215, the Pope approved the establishment of a university on the left bank of the Seine in Paris. Students and teachers alike settled in the area and, since Latin was the official language of education at that time, the area came to be called "the Quartier Latin".
The Latin Quarter is alive with history, and its popularity is fully justified. For example, you'll walk the Rue Mouffetard, one of the oldest street markets in Paris. Scholars claim Mouffetard has been a street market since the 1300s and it remains a colorful street market to this day.
Not only you will see streets and buildings that have changed little from the Middle Ages, but this area also claims the most important romain ruins of Paris; an arena and well-preserved baths. You will also see a remnant of the wall that King Philippe Auguste built in the 1200s to protect the city while he was away on a crusade.
The tour ends amidst an area bustling with lively restaurants of various ethnic origins, as well as reasonablly priced French ones. Your host can help you to select one.
Walking time approximately 3 hours. Typically a morning tour.
The Marais, which means "marsh", is the name given to one of the oldest and the most intriguing areas in Paris. Situated on the right bank of the Seine, this district was developed in the 14th century when King Charles V moved his royal residence here from Ile de la Cité.
The King's presence drew other wealthy nobility to the area, and today it is a virtual gallery of their elegant 17th century city chateaux. Visitors can now see many of these hotels (mansions) because they have recently been restored and turned into museums.
Your tour begins in the heart of the district at the lovely Hotel de Sens, one of the oldest residences in the area. Built in 1475, it was the Home of Marguerite de Valois (wife of King Henri IV and daughter of Catherine de Medicis). You will also see Hotel Salé, which today contains the celebrated Picasso Museum, and the beautiful Place des Vosges where Victor Hugo and Cardinal Richelieu each lived. The Marais is also home to the city's Jewish quarter, and your tour will lead you down its colorful main street, Rue des Rosiers.
The nature of this area makes it best in the morning when the hotels are open to the public. Before the tour ends, your guide can assist you in recommending a spot for lunch.
Walking time approximately 3 hours. Typically a morning tour.
Now winter travelers can enjoy an inside walking tour of the picturesque passages of Paris. In the early 1800s, these glass-roofed passages (also called "galleries") provided a quiet, traffic-free area for commerce, workshops and appartments. Half a century later they fell into disuse when Napoleon III's city planner, Baron Haussmann, made drastic changes to the city.
Fortunately, the passages were dramatically revamped in the 1970's and now house eclectic mixture of small shops and tea rooms. Today visitors can find anything from designer jewelry to rare books.
Your tour explores a string of passages on the right bank of the Seine, in the area just north of the Louvre. As you stroll from one passage to the next, you'll find the hustle and bustle of the outside world almost forgotten. Well out of the mainstream, their charm lies in their hsitory, elegance and resistance to the tourist scene.
Walking time approximately 3 hours. Typically a morning tour.