If you only have one full day in Paris, might I recommend the British Tour companies private tour? We were a group of four staying in London who wanted to do an overnight in Paris. Even though we stayed the night, you can do this tour and then take the Eurostar back that night. The biggest benefit of a private tour, if you will be in Paris a very short period of time, is that you get the most bang for your buck. It is not that you can't do it on your own and save money, but if you are unfamiliar with Paris, it can be difficult to navigate and see the things you want to see in a limited amount of time. We were able to go to Versailles, see the Eiffel Tower, take pictures by the lover's lock bridge, see Notre Dame, eat some amazing and recommended crapes and macaroons, take pictures with the Arc de Triomphe, as well as see the location of the beginning location of the paparazzi chase on the fateful tragedy of Princess Diane.
With this reputable tour company, it was a relaxed and easy day. They held up a sign at the train exit and whisked us away to the air-conditioned van waiting right outside. Our guide maneuvered the streets and parking with the experience of the Parisian and the knowledge of a certified guide. He talked to us about the history surrounding Paris and took us to some of the best local locations as he led us to every must-see site we could fit in a seven hour day. We even went to Versailles and toured that lovely palace, that I highly recommend seeing, right before settling us into our hotel. Before you ask "how much?", let me be upfront that it is expensive. Converting US dollars to pounds made it even more so. That being said, it is the company we chose since we had such a limited time to spend and determined the bulk of our travel money should be spent on this type of tour. In London, it was very easy to get around without a private tour. Just having a common language (for us) in England made London a breeze. France is France. The charm is in the difference. However, that difference can get you caught up in a hot day, spinning your wheels trying to find one or two must-see places. If you do choose to go it alone, just make sure that you do your homework before you leave so that you can make sure and get to where you want to be without a lot of confusion.
Below is a video of the outside of Versailles
With this reputable tour company, it was a relaxed and easy day. They held up a sign at the train exit and whisked us away to the air-conditioned van waiting right outside. Our guide maneuvered the streets and parking with the experience of the Parisian and the knowledge of a certified guide. He talked to us about the history surrounding Paris and took us to some of the best local locations as he led us to every must-see site we could fit in a seven hour day. We even went to Versailles and toured that lovely palace, that I highly recommend seeing, right before settling us into our hotel. Before you ask "how much?", let me be upfront that it is expensive. Converting US dollars to pounds made it even more so. That being said, it is the company we chose since we had such a limited time to spend and determined the bulk of our travel money should be spent on this type of tour. In London, it was very easy to get around without a private tour. Just having a common language (for us) in England made London a breeze. France is France. The charm is in the difference. However, that difference can get you caught up in a hot day, spinning your wheels trying to find one or two must-see places. If you do choose to go it alone, just make sure that you do your homework before you leave so that you can make sure and get to where you want to be without a lot of confusion.
Below is a video of the outside of Versailles
RSS Feed
