Paris
All neighbourhood tours are approx 3 hours and can be extended or reduced according to your preference. (Please click on Tours for Rates.
On all my tours there are plenty of options to make stops for delicious pastries, coffee, hot chocolate and crepes!
NOTRE DAME ISLAND - Ile de La Cite (the island of the city) is the historic centre of Paris. It is where the city was founded and contains over 2000 years of history from the Romans to the Franks to the medieval Kings, their castle, Notre Dame, the Revolution, the trial and executions of King Louis XVI & Marie Antoinette, Napoleon... and all the big names of French history! All while admiring the stunning medieval and Renaissance architecture on the island.
- CATHEDRAL - I was one of the last tour guides inside Notre Dame on the day of the fire in 2019. It is truly thrilling to visit the gleamingly restored church in all her renewed glory.
- WITH SAINTE CHAPPELLE - eye popping gothic church with over 1100 stained glass windows.
- WITH CONCIERGERIE - stunning medieval gothic castle of the kings and queens of France. It became a Revolutionary jail where Marie Antoinette was held prisoner. We will walk into the place she was kept for months, until her execution.
- WITH RIGHT BANK, LOUVRE (from the outside) & TUILIERIES, & PLACE DE LA CONCORDE.
- EXTEND TO INCLUDE PALAIS ROYAL & PLACE VENDOME
- WITH LEFT BANK (see below Latin Quarter description)
LATIN QUARTER (with Notre Dame if preferred) a fascinating stroll through the neighbourhood made famous by the Sorbonne University, Shakespeare and Co. James Joyce, Ernest Hemingway and other writers like F.Scott Fitzgerald, 'the Lost Generation', the Pantheon, gothic churches, the Cluny from the outside, hidden gems, Roman ruins, and the Luxembourg Gardens.
LE MARAIS - stunning historic neighbourhood, Jewish quarter and the Shoah / Holocaust Memorial, famous for the exquisite 'Hotels Particuliers' old aristocratic mansions, home to Victor Hugo and the beautiful Place des Vosges.
JEWISH HISTORY TOUR - in the current global climate as the temperature rises both literally and metaphorically, it's ever more important to remember the past. I have created a tour specifically about Jewish history and culture in Paris. I will be donating 10% of my tour fee to the charity "Campaign Against Antisemitism" in the UK.
We begin on the Left Bank outside Shakespeare & Co. We will explore Jewish symbolism and the earliest Jewish communities and synagogues in Paris. We cross to the Island and discover the challenges, resilience, and creativity of the medieval Jewish community including writings and poetry that remain influential today. We discover the Crusades, the Templars, the building of gothic churches and the burning of Jewish scriptures; we will see medieval symbols of anti-semitism carved in plain sight on the facade of gothic chapels. At the Palais du Justice and Conciergerie we will learn about the political, religious and financial Jewish persecutions and expulsions committed by the French kings throughout the middle ages, and up to Louis XIV. We will learn about the impact of the French Revolution on Jewish life. Then we cross to the right bank and Le Marais to discover the Shoah / Holocaust Memorial (from the outside) and learn about the Occupation of Paris and the deportation of the Jews during WW2. We end the tour on a much lighter note - celebrating Jewish cuisine and culture on Rue des Rosiers, famous for its Jewish bakeries and Falafel, and the beautiful antique bookshop filled with scripture and other writings. We will definitely be sampling some delicious traditional pastries too... yum!
Approx 4 hours
This tour can be extended to include a full tour of Le Marais. And paired up with Pere La Chaise Cemetery with its many deeply emotive Holocaust Memorials. See below.
MONTMARTRE - Bohemian home to the Impressionists with quaintly cobbled streets, the Moulin Rouge and the magnificent Sacre Coeur. A fabulous and fascinating tour full of juicy gossip about the larger than life characters that created the legends of Montmartre, from Monet, Manet and Renoir to Van Gogh and Toulouse Lautrec. I take you through the thrumming and bustling streets that have made Montmartre so famous for its art, ambience and Absinthe! But we will also head off the beaten track to enjoy the peace and tranquility of lesser known hidden gems.
PERE LA CHAISE CEMETERY - tranquil, beautiful, unusual tour exploring some famous graves including Jim Morrison, Edith Piaf, Oscar Wilde, Chopin, Gertrude Stein, Sarah Bernhardt, Balzac, Gericault, Delacroix, and many more memorials including those to the victims of the Holocaust and the French Resistance.
ARC DE TRIOMPHE & CHAMPS ELYSEES - the most iconic street in Europe, with 360 degree views from the top of the Arc de Triomphe with many stories to tell from Napoleon to Charles de Gaulle (ticket reservations required)
PALAIS ROYAL & 2nd ARRONDISSEMENT: - A truly unique tour created by me, for you - an exploration of a very non-touristy yet central and beautiful area of Paris. From the magnificent grandeur and scandals of the Palais Royal, we will explore two royal squares, theatres - including the home of the Can Can, the unique Covered Markets and fascinating stories of Parisian life during the turbulent 19th Century. We will see Bourse, Place Vendome and end at Opera, famous for the legendary Phantom...
CATACOMBS - A chilling but fascinating and inspiring tour through the underground ossuary of Paris. We descend into a netherworld of tunnels - quarries that stretch for nearly 700 miles all told, beneath the streets of Paris. We will learn about the infrastructure and urban planning of Paris through the ages. And then... Dem Bones, Dem Bones! This is a true confrontation with mortality as we walk past walls, banks and piles of around 6 million skeletons that line the tunnels of the old quarries.... We will learn all about the overcrowded cemeteries of the middle ages, King Louis XVI and his policies to alleviate the stench of death that cloaked the Parisians. And the man who saved Paris... Charles Axel Guillamot.
(Tickets required - subject to availability. One of the most exciting and popular tours in Paris!)
MONET'S HOUSE AND GARDEN AT GIVERNY: 6 hours excursion - This is a Truly magical experience to step into the famous paintings, walk on the iconic green bridge, see the water lilies, wander around Monet's beloved gardens, and eccentric house. We also explore the village of Giverny, make a pilgrimage to his grave and learn all about the man and his extraordinary family life. Monet is famous for his peaceful paintings - but his character was almost opposite - his friends nicknamed him The Hedgehog, because he could be so prickly. And he could fly into a passionate rage - slashing his paintings with a dagger when riled up! But he was also a devoted husband, father, friend and of course a passionate gardener in his later years.
Just under an hour's drive from Paris. The tour takes about 6 hours, depending on how long you would like to linger in Giverny. The village is charming and filled with modern day artist's studios, and many restaurants for lunch and coffee.
CHAMPAGNE - I mean... the only way to taste Champagne is in Champagne, right? This is a wonderful day trip to Champagne - famous for its stunning rolling vineyards, quaint villages, medieval castles... and of course the millions of bottles of bubbles that can be found in the magnificent caves below the iconic town of Epernay. We can explore the church where Dom Perignon is buried, and visit a couple of Champagne houses - a small family run business and a larger house like Moet. Plus lots of tastings, of course! Full Day. (8.30-6.30).
