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The Opera Garnier is undoubtedly one of the most dazzling monuments in Paris. The tour will go through the history and context of the construction with a first outdoor description. The visit of the building will start with a vast space formerly used as a waiting room, before ascending the Great Staircase which leads to the auditorium as well as the various reception rooms and the famous grand foyer. It opens onto a balcony offering a stunning panorama stretching over to the Louvre. Some areas also exhibit costumes from famous plays, an archive gallery and temporary exhibitions. -
Amid disarray and chaos, the German army entered Paris on the 14th of June 1940. They will rule over Paris until the end of August 1944. Between grand and small history, the tour takes you to see the main buildings where the German invaders settled and ruled for four long years. Lives, actions and fates of a few unknown people living through this period will also be told along the way, between Occupation, Resistance, Collaboration, Deportation and Liberation. -
Around the Montsouris park, there are several charming and bucolic streets that celebrities of the 1920s, after leaving Montparnasse, made their home. The architectural style of these houses is worth a look and corresponds to the technical and artistic criteria of a very precise movement. In the immediate vicinity, lies the imposing Cité Internationale Universitaire, made famous by its ideals, wide green spaces, student residents from around the world, and also renowned architects who worked on several of the buildings. -
This is an enchanting tour in the Montparnasse area. Even if today, the neighborhood is more well known for a huge commercial centre, train station and its emblematic 1970's tower, Montparnasse is filled with back alleys, amazing stories, artists homes and workshops as well as a vibrant day and night life especially embodied with the famous great brasseries that made the area famous around the world in the first half of the twentieth century. -
Discover the luxurious mansions of the Plaine Monceau. This popular area of the city gives you an impression of being in a Parisian village. In the second half of the 19th century, wealthy people settled in the Monceau district, building beautiful mansions near its picturesque park. We will approach several, uncovering hidden and magnificent courtyards, detail the park and finish with a very unusual street favored by up and coming 19th century artists. -
The Louvre, largest museum in the world, has a long and complex history that begins much earlier than the buildings of the 16th century would suggest. The tour proposes to reconsider the different stages of construction of the Kings of France's main castle in Paris by presenting the most fundamental pieces, famous or less known, which are exhibited in different parts of the museum. The visit will also go through the grand historical rooms, such as the Henri II salons, the private apartments of Napoleon III or Louis XIV's bedroom. -
Stroll the 17th arrondissement of Paris and discover the unsung Batignolles quarter, with its flowery and discreet streets and designer shops. Beyond the traditional park lies the recently built eco-neighborhood around the Park Martin Luther King, as well as the brand new courthouse designed by the architect of the famous Centre Pompidou museum, Renzo Piano. -
Discover six masterpieces by Le Corbusier in the 13th and 14th arrondissements, from his first building in Paris for a painter friend to a student residence inaugurated in the 1950s. During the tour, there's a stop to enter and visit one of the buildings, with the chance to admire the interior as well as furniture and paintings by Le Corbusier. A guided tour in English lasting around 2 hours and 20 minutes. -
The historic Jewish quarter is found in the charming preserved district of the Marais especially around the rue des Rosiers. The walk brings to life the fascinating history of the Jewish population that has lived in France for more than 2000 years. In between persecutions and forced exiles, there have been periods that have consecrated the Jewish community as one of the most important and active in culture, politics, and business. The tour presents places that often go unrecognized, from large synagogues to small hidden oratories, private mansions, typical streets and, of course, places of remembrance, followed by a reflection on the current status of the French Jewish community. -
Walk around the Park Monceau and discover the beautiful mansions of famous Jewish families who were part of the Parisian rich elite society living in this brand new area of Paris from the mid nineteenth century. -
Follow this Jazz tour path in the Saint Germain des Prés quarter, cradle of Jazz music in Paris. The walk will review the great names, jazz icons as well as the most famous venues from the start of jazz music in the area in the 1930's to today. The tour will also show places where jazz still tunes on in the area, from restaurants to festivals, or at random in the open air. In the end, a concert is usually proposed in one of Saint Germain's most legendary venues. -
Immigration and multi cultural Paris : From the first migrant workers who came as a result of the Industrial Revolution in the 1840’s to massive immigration in the 1960’s, explore different faces of Paris through various districts in the North and East of the city, a colourful market and a mint tea at the superb Paris Great Mosque where today's situation as well as related topics and overall immigration questions will be debated. -
The tour will detail the historical and political roles of this capital city landmark since the 16th century. After meeting on the large main square outside the building, the impressive facade will be detailed and its history recalled.
Upon entering, we'll discover all the fantastically decorated reception rooms, including the function room, created as a replica of the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles, as well as the impressive stairs of honor.
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Magnificent Hôtel de Lauzun is one of the very few hotels particuliers (private mansions) that retain their rich carved, painted, mirrored and gilded interiors from the time of Louis XIV. The mansion is a 17th century interior and exterior architectural jewel. It is the only private mansion on Ile St Louis that can be visited. It has been recently restored while being preserved as its last private owner left it at the end of the 19th century, with the gold detailing and ceilings of the 17th century, combined with the exuberance of the 19th century.
Hotel de Lauzun can only be visited every day but during private events only -
Custom your tour! The best of Paris is on the agenda with the most famous monuments, neighborhoods and museums, as well as breaks for lunch or a drink whenever needed! This tour is especially designed for newcomers or all those who want to refresh their old memories with facts, anecdotes and amazing views! From Notre Dame cathedral on the Cité Island, the Latin Quarter, Montmartre, the Eiffel Tower and the Champs Elysées... to Louvre museum and a cruise on the Seine river, you will get the best of the city enjoying the comfort of a private transportation. Make your choice in the options and custom your day!
Warning: Please note the Eiffel Tower requires a two month advance booking. -
This tour will uncover the secrets of la Defense, the largest business district in Europe (38 million square feet of office, around seventy buildings and skyscrapers, five more major towers under construction). The promenade will you from the esplanade where the project started in 1958 up to unusual and unknown areas, monuments and gardens, with many significant anecdotes, from Napoleon to the American Foreign Legion! -
This seminar will go in depth over the work of Haussmann and urban planning in Paris over two centuries. The tour expands from the Palais royal to the Opera via “Grands Boulevards” and haussmannian avenues to witness the amazing 19th century changes in the city. Included: visit of the Opera, Galeries Lafayette department store terrace and cupola, a major bank headquarter and the most fascinating hidden ballroom in Paris. Note that the ticket's entrance to the Opera is not included and can be pre-purchased. -
This tour will explore the Cité Island with some of the most beautiful Gothic monuments built in Paris. After a reminder of what the Paris urban plan was in the Middle Ages, we'll discover the former palace of the Kings, now home of the Palais de Justice (courthouse) where the Queen was on trial during the French Revolution, the Saint Chapel, the Conciergerie (prison during the French Revolution) from the outside, and of course the Cathedral Notre Dame both from outside and inside. The tour will end in the Latin Quarter with a few last interesting places.
Note that due to long lines and security checks, Sainte Chapelle and Conciergerie are on optional visit for the end of the tour and require advanced booking.
NOTE THAT NOTRE DAME CATHEDRAL WILL REMAIN CLOSED UNTIL APRIL 2025 DUE TO THE 2019 FIRE. -
This route through the 16th arrondissement aims to explore the places and history linked to the German Occupation through the formidable security and police services as well as their French auxiliaries. The tour will also reveal the roles of several characters, French or German, notoriously known for their activities during these events. -
A stroll around the streets of Pigalle, the world famous ancient red light district of Paris will show you hidden tracks and buildings linked to the love business. With around 10 000 prostitutes, cabarets and erotic shows in Paris at the end of the nineteenth century, the capital of France could attract visitors eager to blend in a risqué atmosphere far from home. -
The route then heads for the heights of Nogent, where the town center is located. A number of unexpectedly charming suburban houses and a lovely park lie along the way. The main street in the center is interesting on several levels. First and foremost, its ancient heritage is impressive. What's more, teeming with shops and restaurants of all kinds, the town center is one of the busiest in eastern Paris. Through its squares and monuments, the tour will explore the history of this town, which at the beginning of the 20th century was home to one of the largest Italian communities in the Paris region. Finally, the walk ends in front of the Royal Palace cinema, a landmark of Nogent sur Marne built in the early 1920s and a Mecca of the Parisian music hall of that era. -
The Faubourg Saint Antoine has gradually developed around the Royal Abbey of Saint Antoine des Champs, but the bulk of its activities developed when the wood craftsmen settled in this neighborhood. In the early 18th century, over 500 carpenters’ and cabinet makers’ shops thrived in the area thanks to royal commissions and the activity of the abbey. These traditions still exist; although manufacturers are increasingly rare to find, replaced by promoters' lofts or convenient stores. A meeting is organized with one of the last woodcrafters in his hidden workshop! -
Step into Wenzou, via Hanoi, Pnom-phen or Vientiane at the nearby Choisy triangle, the largest of the four Asian districts of Paris. Many expatriates from former French colonies in Asia own businesses around the commercial area of Olympiades, the heart of the area that has now become the largest Chinatown in Europe.
