|
Paris Walk
Fat Tire Bike
Tours
EyePreferParisTours
Claude Marti
Audio tours
Sources for
Paris walking tours
Times and
additional information
Colleen's
Neighborhood walks
More
sightseeing ideas
Visit Paris as a living museum. For a casual few hours consider a
walking tour.
If
you are recuperating from jet lag or open to spontaneity, having a guide
for a while can be more relaxing and fun than trying to follow a
guidebook.
A familiar sight
sidetracked us one Saturday afternoon, and we did the unplanned. On our
way to a planned visit of Marais gardens during the 10th annual gardens
festival (Fête
des Jardins),
we spotted a familiar tour guide.
Claude Marti
was across the boulevard surrounded by a crowd as usual. Since we
had already been on his Belleville tour, we were familiar with his
wonderful ease, humor, knowledge, patience and consistent fresh interest
in his subject.
Another day, I changed my mind at the last minute and instead of taking
the “Classic” walking tour around Paris to locate the highlights, I rang
up about the Montmartre tour with
Fat Tire Bike
Tours.
As
long as I was on a roll trying different walking tours, I remembered my
experience with the London Walks. I called
Paris Walks about their walking tour of Saint-Germain.
These three walks varied as much as the commentators did. The language,
the scenery and the presentation for each set them apart.
The size of the groups varied and varies with each tour and day of the
week according to the tour companies.
On
these days, there were about 60 participants for Mr. Marti, 6 with
Charlie from Fat Tire Bike and 30 plus with Malcolm from Paris Walks.
What sets them apart
Mr. Marti’s
walks are in French, fast-paced and full of anecdotes and history. There is
little time available to chat with your neighbor or companion, especially along
narrow streets. The point is to keep up and not miss anything when he starts
speaking again. He rarely chit chats while walking to the next point.
His tours
are excellent because he is chatty, is so full of information, and loves to
answer questions! He enthusiastically takes you to buildings and street corners
and inside gates. You could say that he takes you back in time and is a great
Paris storyteller.
Remember, however, it is in
French; but is also a good way to practice listening, asking questions or just
seeing the sites and read about them later. His tours are extremely popular.
The
Fat Tire Bike
Tours are more relaxed, have a smaller group size, are in English, and
very social and fun. The number of participants is not an issue with Fat Tire.
Their tours go forward whether you end up with a private tour or have several
participants.
The routes
we took, gave the impression that we were nearly the only tourists in the
neighborhood.
Our guide,
Charlie, met us at Metro Blanche and guided us up to the hill (butte) of
Montmartre via a small side street to the cemetery. He preceded any references
to the various painters, who lived and worked in the area, with an example of
their work.
These tours
are excellent for those who just do not want to rush. There is time to chat with
others on the tour (and possible get some touring tips!), take photos, ask
questions as you go, chat with the guide and still end the tour at the
prescribed time.
We even had a chance to
watch the Paris
firefighters (sapeur pompiers)
in action. We watched
until the group decided by majority to move on.
Malcolm with
Paris Walks
was open to questions, full of good humor and ran an excellent, informative and
anecdotal tour. Along the way, one could also step into his private world of
interests: books, art and general window-shopping (lèche vitrine). By his
showing an interest in off the beaten path shops, it opened up ideas for us for
return visits on our own.
Advice
Using the
word “excellent” to describe these three tours was not for the lack of better
vocabulary. All three were excellent in their own way.
Whichever
one you choose, wear your good walking shoes.
As an
additional idea for an afternoon, if you are here on a weekend, consider a
walking tour, a concert and try a new restaurant.
Sources for
Paris walking tours
You will not
be wanting for choice when looking for a specific tour. In fact, Fat Tire, Paris
Walks and Claude Marti are only three of a possible 47 Paris walking tour
companies.
Visit the
Paris tourist office website for a list of official
"Guides and interpreters"
with their themes, language and contact information, including web (addresses).
"The guiding
profession is tightly controlled by a law dating from 13 July 1992 and, for
tours inside museums, monuments and châteaux, only those possessing an official
license are authorized to accompany you.... -- "Paris tourist office"
Another
important source is the weekly event magazines, L'Officiel des Spectacles
(0,35 euro cents) or Pariscope (0,40 euro cents). These small format
magazines appear each Wednesday. On the contents page, look up “Conferences” for
themes, dates and meeting place. Buy them at any magazine shop or kiosk.
Times and
additional information
Paris Walks
– Walks run seven days a week at 10:30 a.m. or 2:30 p.m. The themes vary. Their
website offers regular walks, this month’s walks, next month’s walks, private
tours. Some themes of their walks are the DaVinci Code,
Hemingway, French Revolution, Jefferson's Paris, etc. walks, walks in other
cities, etc.
Check their website for tour and theme details. About 30-32 people showed up for
the Saint-Germain walk. An average on most walks would be 15-25 people. Usually
over 30, they call in an additional guide.
For most of the Paris Walks tours, no
reservation is necessary, unless stated in the description. Prices vary from 10
euros and up; more details can be found in the description of each tour.
Fat Tire Bike Tours
– Their walks meet at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. and vary from two to four to ten hours.
Their themes include The Da Vinci Code Walk, the World War II walk, the
Montmartre walk, the Quaint Marais walk, the Latin Quarter walk, the Wine
Tasting experience.
Reservations are not necessary but may be made ahead of
time. The Montmartre tour had six international visitors. The Fat Tire
tours operate rain or shine with however many show up. Sometimes you might have
a private tour!
The
Montmartre tour lasts for two hours and meets on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and
Sunday at 2 p.m. Their other walks include the Classic, DaVinci Code, World War
II, Montmartre, quaint Marais and Latin Quarter walks, the D-Day Beaches Day
trip, Womens Groups in Paris. Check the Fat Tire website for dates and times and
current prices.
“The
Classic Walk gives a overview of Paris” -- Fat Tire. An Australian
couple took the “Classic” walk during their first day from Fat Tire and loved
it. This four-hour tour was very relaxed they said and gave them the time to get
their bearings in the city, which they proceeded to walk around and enjoy for an
additional 6 hours!
The Fat
Tire tours whether walking, biking or Segway always give you a chance to buy
a beverage or a nibble along the way.
The other
tours move too quickly for a stop at
the local corner grocery (épicerie). Their office also has high-speed
internet service available.
Claude
Marti --The group size for Claude
Marti’s tours both times was approximately 60 people.
Participation in M. Marti’s tours (in French) requires only that you show
up unless otherwise stated that a reservation is required. Repeat participants
receive a fidelity card.
After your
second tour with him, you receive a fidelity card; after five tours, the sixth
is free.
His visits
begin usually at either 11 a.m. or 3 p.m. at a cost of 10 euros plus any entry
fees to museums. Check his website for dates and times for the current and
future months’ visits. For detailed descriptions (in French) of his tours, click
on “Plus d’info”.
Even if the walks are in French, you may see some
things you would not normally see on an English tour. His subjects include Opera
Garnier, Basilique Saint-Denis, the Fire of the Bazar de la Charité and
prestigious neighborhood of François 1st, a rare visit to the
Academie Française, famous criminal cases at the Musée de la Police, treasures
of Ile Saint-Louis, etc.
Walking
tours without a guide
If you want
to walk around and follow a path without a person guiding you, the possibilities
are endless.
-
Colleen’s
Paris offers a few self-guided walks in
neighborhoods.
-
A reader
recommends City Walks: Paris: 50 Adventures on Foot compiled by Christina Henry
de Tessan. Cards in a box take you on your chosen tour.
-
The
Paris
tourist office offers six routes on their website to make your way around alone
(scroll down to "Some excursion ideas", hold the cursor over the photo and the
route will be revealed. Click on the photo and find out further details.).
Their map
shows the route and lists the highlights. It is up to you to track this on your
personal map and either stick to it or veer a bit and follow your curiosity!!!
The
general routes
are broken into six themes:
1. The
essentials: Champs-Elysées to Montmartre
2.
Paris and its history : Bibliothéque de France to Arènes de Lutèce
3. Shopping,
urban energy: le Marais to butte Montmartre
4.
Paris and romance : Place des Abbesses to Place des Vosges
5.
A différent Paris: La Villette to Grande Bibliothèque
6. Bohemian
Paris: Montmartre to Montparnasse
"Paris for
you" is available in English with 12 self-guided walks:
1. Timeless Paris
2. Hip Paris
3.
Glamorous Paris
4.
Village Paris
5. Artists'
Paris
6. Monumental Paris
7. Chic
Paris
8. Mythical
Paris
9. Undiscovered Paris
10. People's
Paris
11. Party-time Paris
12. Sightseeing in Ile-de-France (good for day trips)
|
May 2008
