erp

My husband and I will be visiting Paris for 5 days in April. This is our first visit. We are considering taking some small group tours. For example, there is a small group tour of the Louvre with wine tasting. We may want to do Eiffel Tower tour, walking tour etc.

can an anyone recommend a reputable company? I looked at tours by Viator but read many negative reviews including they are not tour operators and have been a lot of negative issues. I have googled this but interested in learning about any recent, first hand experiences.

Thank you,

Christina

Some people complain about Viator because it isn't a tour operator, I have no idea why that is a complaint or why anyone cares. So what, Kayak.com or skyscanner,net isn't an airline, either, and trainline.com isn't a railroad, why does anyone care about that. It is rather biased to complain about Viator but not complain about such other websites. I use them all the time in various countries as they are a very useful way to find all kinds of local tour companies you would have NO way of finding out on your own. And they do list reviews from people who have taken them. If you know one already, sure, go ahead and use them. I don't know what all the complaints are you've read, one good thing about them is they do have reviews on their website so decide for yourself. I have used them numerous times in several countries and have never once had a problem. It's a local tour company anyway, they give you the name of it after booking, and they contact you if necessary for details. I don't know what negative issues you find but it would be a problem with the tour company, not Viator, I imagine.

I just use local walking tours in French when in Paris, when you can find in the weekly entertainment guides, they are run by local licensed tour guides who have their own niches. If you know French, that's an option, just look in Pariscope under Conferences. There are dozens of them which niche itineraries. Otherwise, I think some people like ParisWalks or Context.

janisj

>>Some people complain about Viator because it isn't a tour operator, I have no idea why that is a complaint<<

Most people don't 'complain' that Viator isn't a tour operator. They mention that fact because many if not most people think they are taking a Viator tour when they are not. Nothing wrong with Viator - it is sort of like AutoEurope. One doesn't a car from AE and more than the take a tour by Viator.

If you want a one-stop site to look for tours Viator works. But almost any tour Viator offers is offered by the actual operator and/or other sites. And if something is wrong with the tour the tour operator and Viator can both claim it is the other's responsibility.

denisea

If you want a closer look at one of the arrondisements with wonderful cheeses, wine, pastries, chocolates, and charcuterie, you might consider a tour with Paris by Mouth. You visit all the shops to purchase foods, learn about the neighborhood and purveyors, some history and all about how the foods came to be (like cheeses created by monks to "replace" meat by creating a animal-like, barnyard-ish taste--smart idea and tasty cheese)...you will end a wine shop (usually) where you sample all the food (and there is quite a bit) with wines. We have done their tours in St Germain and the Marais. very enjoyable. They only take about 8 people in a group. The tour lasts about 2.5-3 hours and they vary depending on the interests of the participants and the guide.

Macross

Fat tire tours are fun

socaltraveler

I will also recommend a culinary walking tour with Paris by Mouth, one of the best afternoons we have ever spent.

Francewithfive

I agree - Paris By Mouth. We did the Latin Quarter. Amazing tour, excellent guide, small groups. We love to spend our first day in any new city we visit with a bike tour (if possible). It’s a great way to get to know the city and see the spots you want to come back to. We went with Bike About Paris and they were fabulous.

RJD

Try Context Tours.