Touring Paris - Tour Guides/Tour Companies vs on your own
Jul 21st, 2011, 03:45 PM
#21
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I used Paris Greeters and had a lovely gentleman in his late 50s or early 60s show me all around the back streets of the Marais. It was one of my favourite things I did in my 10 days in Paris. The greeters are a a free service http://www.parisiendunjour.fr/
Our greeter met us at our apartment and then spent almost 4 hours walking us around the Marais and the Île de la Cité. At that time they were not taking donations but we did pay for his coffee and pastry and later an ice-cream. We were supposed to have 2-3 hours with him but he happily stayed with us for closer to 4 and delivered us to the Monet museum after the tour was finished.
I am sure it depends on who you get but I think these personal tours are a brilliant idea.
Our greeter met us at our apartment and then spent almost 4 hours walking us around the Marais and the Île de la Cité. At that time they were not taking donations but we did pay for his coffee and pastry and later an ice-cream. We were supposed to have 2-3 hours with him but he happily stayed with us for closer to 4 and delivered us to the Monet museum after the tour was finished.
I am sure it depends on who you get but I think these personal tours are a brilliant idea.
Jul 21st, 2011, 06:11 PM
#22
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After reading your input - I now feel a little less compelled to pre-arrange my schedule to the last minute and will take your advice and follow my "own time schedule" as well as take advantage of the names of tours you have all suggested that are free or close to free. I appreciate your suggestions.
Jul 22nd, 2011, 03:23 AM
#23
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Relax and enjoy...you are wise to not try to do too much and allow the day to take you where it wants. Plan a little, and then just let some things happen spontaneously. Paris is just so wonderful. You will get lost a time or two and you find the most interesting or beautiful things while lost!
Jul 22nd, 2011, 03:24 AM
#24
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Relax and enjoy...you are wise to not try to do too much and allow the day to take you where it wants. Plan a little, and then just let some things happen spontaneously. Paris is just so wonderful. You will get lost a time or two and you find the most interesting or beautiful things while lost!
Jul 22nd, 2011, 05:33 AM
#25
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I like the DK Eyewitness Guide to plan "days" because the book is divided into quarters--and what is there.
The hop on hop off bus tours are a great way to get an overview. Take your own guide book--it is hard to understand teh commentary. Same is true of the boat ride on the Seine, but good for respite from walking for a while.
Make a list of what you want to see and "connect the dots".
I am not a fan of the Louvre either, but using the Michelin Green Guide you can choose a "wing" that may interest you and have a pleasant few hours. The Orsay is my favorite, but I just "wander".
One guide I would recommend for a GREAT day would be Michael Osman. Well worth the very reasonable amount he charges. He will tailor the day to what you want to cover.
The hop on hop off bus tours are a great way to get an overview. Take your own guide book--it is hard to understand teh commentary. Same is true of the boat ride on the Seine, but good for respite from walking for a while.
Make a list of what you want to see and "connect the dots".
I am not a fan of the Louvre either, but using the Michelin Green Guide you can choose a "wing" that may interest you and have a pleasant few hours. The Orsay is my favorite, but I just "wander".
One guide I would recommend for a GREAT day would be Michael Osman. Well worth the very reasonable amount he charges. He will tailor the day to what you want to cover.
Jul 22nd, 2011, 05:45 AM
#26
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I would do a blend of DYI and tours.
My last trip I would take a Paris Walk tour, for example the Marais in the morning. The tour finished at Place des Vosges. Very nice sqaure, good palce for outdoor lunch. Afterwards, walked around on my own in the Marais area.
They also have an Ile St Louis tour. Small island, lots of old mansions and many famous people lived there. You could combine with lunch on Ile St Louis (outdoors), then cross over bridge to Ile de la Cite, see Notre Dame, dinner in area, and nighttime Seine cruise from western tip of the island (Vedettes du Pont Neuf).
More to come...
My last trip I would take a Paris Walk tour, for example the Marais in the morning. The tour finished at Place des Vosges. Very nice sqaure, good palce for outdoor lunch. Afterwards, walked around on my own in the Marais area.
They also have an Ile St Louis tour. Small island, lots of old mansions and many famous people lived there. You could combine with lunch on Ile St Louis (outdoors), then cross over bridge to Ile de la Cite, see Notre Dame, dinner in area, and nighttime Seine cruise from western tip of the island (Vedettes du Pont Neuf).
More to come...
Jul 22nd, 2011, 08:22 AM
#28
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What Gretchen said is what DH and I did on our first tour. We loved the DK books and basically enjoyed the on/off bus except when it got very busy and a bus was too full to pick up passengers.
Please write a trip report and share what you ended up doing!
Please write a trip report and share what you ended up doing!
Jul 22nd, 2011, 11:46 AM
#29
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Jumping into this thread: the "Paris walks" option looks great for us.
For the days we are in Paris we likely have the option of a tour of Montmarte or of le Marais. Both last a few hours. Do you all have feedback as to which of the two would be better to go with a tour and the other we could do by ourselves? Is Montmarte easy enough just to wander around a bit, especially at sunset? We've not been to Paris in many years. Thanks.
For the days we are in Paris we likely have the option of a tour of Montmarte or of le Marais. Both last a few hours. Do you all have feedback as to which of the two would be better to go with a tour and the other we could do by ourselves? Is Montmarte easy enough just to wander around a bit, especially at sunset? We've not been to Paris in many years. Thanks.
Jul 22nd, 2011, 11:55 AM
#30
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If you want to wander around Montmartre at sunset then take the Paris Walk tour of the Marais. The tour will end too early for sunset (unless you're going in the middle of winter).
Both tours are good and I would not recommend one over the other.
Both tours are good and I would not recommend one over the other.
Jul 22nd, 2011, 12:13 PM
#31
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Ditto on the Marais tours then Montmarte on your own. For Montmarte look at the Montmartrobus and using the funicular.
For the OP, I would sit down with a piece of paper and write down all of the things I would like to see, Then I would research to check opening hours. Layout a grid for the days you will be there and fill it to overflowing with your interests.
Most will repeat (live Louvre), but you will also find that some things (like Louvre) are open different hours on certain days.
Then, you add in all of the tours.
Then you add in, perhaps, a bus or hop/on hop off bus tour on..say..your first day. That way you can "see" everything, but not necessariyl "go" to everything.
Then, look at each day and start grouping things by location. It owuld not make sense, for example, to want to see Eiffel, then Places des Vosges, then Montmartre, then go for dinner in 6th arrondissement.
But...Eiffel Tower, Champs de Mars, Ecole Militaire, Rodin Museum /Orsay, walk along Seine, dinner in the 6th, and then night Seine cruise works.
What you need to watch out is trying to do too much. Allow time to wander (Paris ia a great city for walking), allow time to just sit at a cafe and drink it all in.
For the OP, I would sit down with a piece of paper and write down all of the things I would like to see, Then I would research to check opening hours. Layout a grid for the days you will be there and fill it to overflowing with your interests.
Most will repeat (live Louvre), but you will also find that some things (like Louvre) are open different hours on certain days.
Then, you add in all of the tours.
Then you add in, perhaps, a bus or hop/on hop off bus tour on..say..your first day. That way you can "see" everything, but not necessariyl "go" to everything.
Then, look at each day and start grouping things by location. It owuld not make sense, for example, to want to see Eiffel, then Places des Vosges, then Montmartre, then go for dinner in 6th arrondissement.
But...Eiffel Tower, Champs de Mars, Ecole Militaire, Rodin Museum /Orsay, walk along Seine, dinner in the 6th, and then night Seine cruise works.
What you need to watch out is trying to do too much. Allow time to wander (Paris ia a great city for walking), allow time to just sit at a cafe and drink it all in.
