kaz11

Paris Charms & Secrets runs 3 tours a day on electric bicycles.Their website is www.parischarmssecrets.com, and I was just wondering if anyone has taken one of these tours, and if so:

1. are the motors noisy?

2. do you still have to be fit to ride them?

3. is it worthwhile?

thanks

nbodyhome

Why not just use Fat Tires? They don't have electric bikes (it doesn't sound like much exercise with those!) and the biking is VERY easy around Paris, as well as to Monets Gardens from Giverny and such. We have pics of that on neesie.org, after the Normandy photos. You don't have to be overly fit to ride a regular bike in Paris, and Fat Tires also has Segway and walking tours.

I particularly enjoyed the night bike tour. We didn't do the day one, just the Monet and night tours.

kaz11

thanks nbodyhome
The Fat Tires tours sound really good, but I have some health problems which don't allow me to ride a conventional bike very far or for very long, and was hoping a motorised bike might be the way to go.

The paris charms and secrets ride also appealed to me because it seemed to go to some different, out of the way places that looked interesting, but I suppose I can always try to find them on my own.

The segway tour does look like lots of fun too and may end up being the best bet for me.

(I couldn't actually look at your photos as it said the site was under construction, but I'll try again at a later date)

Margaretlb

I just read about this tour in my France Magazine this morning on my commute in to work. According to the magazine, this electric bike tour goes into areas that regular bikes aren't allowed - they referred to these as "secret gardens".

PalenqueBob

??? more info??

hopingtotravel

I like the sound of 'secret gardens'. Tell us more!

chepar

I've never heard of an electric bicycle before - I was initially thinking it was another term for a scooter or moped.

I looked at the website - and sure enough, it's a bicycle. They have pedals, though - not sure if those serve any real purpose other than to be somewhere to place your feet.

I've done the Segway tour in Paris and it is a lot of fun. The only thing is that you are pretty much standing in one place for the entire 4 hours - not a lot of shifting your position is possible, as that would make the Segway move (you accelerate/decelerate by leaning and/or shifting your weight).

taxmej

My husband and I went on a tour with paris charm secrets a few weeks ago and we were very happy with it. With the electr. bike you are able to see much more of Paris. The bikes are not noisy. The owner provided us the tour and he was very charming.

I believe this company was also written up recently in the NY Times (that is how I found out about them)

Hope this helps.

whitewoman

Taxmej,

Did you book the tour before arriving in Paris? Our trip is in May and I am a bit concerned about all the rain this time of year.

luvtotravel

ttt
I'm heading to Paris in spring and am wondering, too, how far in advance one needs to book with parischarmssecrets. I'm limited on how much I can stand/walk, and this might work for me.

kaz11

I have tried emailing them but so far have had no reply.

I might wait until I'm in Paris to contact them again.

tod

book marking