Is there an agency that will provide a packaged tour for 7 to 9 days in Paris; including a tourist guide? <BR> <BR>Thanks

Dear Simon <BR>I'm sure there are many that offer escorted tours, check with a travel agent. One that comes to mind as a possibility in the US is Grand Circle Tours. <BR>I'm sure they have an 800 number or a website. <BR>I can't help but ask: If you will be staying in Paris for the entire trip, is there a particular reason that you feel you need a guide for the whole time?

Dear Elaine, <BR> <BR>I have not had much success in finding what I want in terms of guidance for the <BR>Paris excursion. I will follow your suggestion. <BR> <BR>My only experience traveling in a country where I did not speak the language was not satisfactory. I was <BR>"taken" on a number of occasions, mainly because of the communication void. The result is that I have limited the trips to the British Isles on several occasions and all over the US and Canada.I have heard that the French are not very hospitable to Americans. A good guide would make it a more pleasant visit. <BR> <BR>Thank you for your interest and help. <BR> <BR>Simon <BR> <BR>

Hi Simon. I understand your concern about the language. But, please believe me when I say that I speak about enough French to say "Bon Jour" and "Merci". <BR>I carried a phrase book and a French-English dictionary with me as well as a map -- the one in the Fodors book on Paris. (I also have the big Michelin map of Paris that has a street index. I found it very valuable for locating quite a few streets that did not show on the smaller map.) <BR>My wife and I spent 5 fun days in Paris doing everything on our own. We got help several times from English speaking Parisians when it was necessary. We even free-lanced our trip to Giverny. <BR>The taxi driver at the train station spoke less English than I did French, but he could say "50-50", which was how we split the cab fare with another couple. (They were from Japan and spoke some English; that is how we teamed up to share the ride.) <BR>We also took the RER out to Versailles and walked to the palace from the train station. <BR>Almost all of the hotels in the 5th, 6th, and 7th Arrs. that cater to tourists have someone on the staff who can speak at least a little English. And I was told that 3-star hotels must have an English speaker to earn the rating. (I do not know if that is true, but that was the story.) <BR> <BR>I think if you prepare well by knowing where you want to go and HOW to get there, you will be ok. There is something of a challenge involved in striking out like that, but Paris is easy to get around in on bus and Metro. <BR>So I would say do your homework and go for it. You will feel quite content after you make your way about. <BR>The only warning I have is to believe the stories you have heard about pick pockets because I was a target of an attempt that was not carried out. I am not sure if the fact that my wallet was in a zippered pocket deterred the fellow or if he felt of it and decided it was too thin to be worth the effort. I suspect it was the thin wallet that caused him to pass up this particular opportunity. He would have gotten an old wallet with $7 US and my voter registration card. <BR>How did I find out about it? A passenger on the Metro car I had just boarded spoke excellent English (probably an American) and he told me what happened. <BR> <BR>And, I might add, I never had occasion to feel that a clerk in a store, or a waiter, or anyone else was trying to cheat me. Perhaps I was just lucky, but by in large, we found the Parisians to be courteous people.

Dear Simon <BR>When it comes to traveling we all have to do what we're comfortable with, but I think of Paris as an easy city to visit and love, it's quite "user friendly" <BR>in my opinion. It's not very large, the metro is easy, taxis aren't too horribly expensive, there are plenty of moderately-priced places to stay and to eat in. There are plenty of people on this forum who can make suggestions for your trip, even to include some excursions outside the city. I don't think of escorted tours as a guarantee against getting ripped off. In some cases, a tour price can include things you'd rather not spend your time or money on, and they can steer you to hotels and restaurants you needn't bother with. <BR>Tour or not,if you'd like my sightseeing notes for Paris, feel free to email me.