Paris tours

[lovelyladi]

We will be spending 4 days this ummer in Paris b4 joining a Baltic tour out of London (Southampton)

 

Can anyone recommend reasonably priced Paris tours?

[Hlitner]

There are lots of tour companies that operate various daily tours such as Grey Lines and Viatour. Since you are staying in Paris, your hotel will have all kinds of info on various tour options and will usually be able to handle bookings and arrange for a pick-up right at your own hotel.

 

You might also want to buy yourself a copy of a decent Paris guide book (like the Rick Steves Paris book) and do a lot of stuff on your own. Paris is a city made for walking so, unless you have mobility limitations, you should spend as much time as you can spare just walking around the city and enjoying its many different neighborhoods (Arrondisements). The city also has a great Metro (subway) system which makes it easy (and fast) if you want to get between larger distances. There is also a pretty decent Hop On Hop Off Bus system which is actually a great way to explore the city for those that favor HoHos.

 

DW calls Paris her favorite city in the world (and we have been to many cities around the world) and for good reason. When you are in Paris there is never a problem finding something to do or see...but rather never enough time to do it all. It is what keeps many Paris lovers coming back again and again.

 

Hank

[Got2Cruise]

One thing to remember about Paris is that it is the most popular cities for tourists. It is packed with tourists and all of the popular tourist destinations are very busy. Paris is a very walkable city. Of course you need to know where you want to walk to. That is why a hotel that is close to many destinations plus the subway or RER station is a must.

 

Getting "skip the line" tickets to many of the places you want to visit is also a must. Get yourself a good Paris guide book and outline the places you want to visit. I like Rick Steves, but there are several good ones. For the places you are not comfortable DIY then Viator has several options listed to book. Don't hesitate to book, the popular tours for your date might get sold out. There are also several reputable walking tour companies, plus Seine River tours.

[hubofhockey]

We enjoyed Sight Seekers Delight for their 4- hour walking tour, Paris along the Seine and their 2.5 hour walking tour or Montmartre. The main tour was 40 euros and Montmarte was 30 euros. I thought they were both worth it, but not sure what OP considers "reasonably priced" to mean.

[dalgirl]

A boat tour down the Seine is always a highlight for us. If you are mobile a subway pass and some good walking shoes are a great way to see Paris. There are also "Paris at Night" tours that might appeal to you. Tripadvisor also gives excellent recommendations.

 

We were in Paris for 5 days in October and with a good guide book I planned for one museum and one outdoor outing every day. That way we had total flexibility and got some fresh air outside of those fabulous museums. You may also want to take the train out to Versailles - that was also a wonderful day.

[Jolimont]

This site is really good in helping prepare self-tours in Paris: http://joinusinfrance.com/ it's a free audio show (podcast for those in the know). Very nice I think. You can listen on the site or in iTunes.

[Hlitner]

There are many options for using the Metro/buses but the multi-day passes may not always be the best choice. Consider that the best way to enjoy Paris (for those who like to walk) is on your feet. So many folks who buy unlimited Metro passes find that they really do not use the Metro/buses as often as one would expect. Another option is to simply buy a "Carnet" which is simply a way to purchase 10 Metro tickets for about 13.70. This gives you 10 single trip tickets (and since they are single tickets you can share them among your group) good on the Metro or buses. You may find that this is actually a lot cheaper then buying a multi-day pass...especially if you are like us and use your feet more and the Metro less.

 

Hank