A walk about Paris, to quote Thomas Jefferson, will provide lessons in history, beauty, and in the point of life. The aim of our Paris in a Day tour is just that: to help first timers and return visitors alike glean the best of the Parisian atmosphere in a limited time. In the company of a local historian or scholar, we’ll potter down boulevard-lined streets, gaze at prized art pieces in the Louvre, and dwell on the power of Gothic architecture on Île de la Cité. Over the course of 8 hours, we'll unpack “the City of Light,” in the comfort of a chauffeured-car service—perfect for parties with mobility concerns.

We’ll meet at your hotel bright and early to give a short briefing on Paris and the surrounding area (with relevant maps) before embarking on our ‘Paris in a Day’ tour. Hopping in our private car, we'll drive through Paris to the Île de la Cité and our first official stop: the Notre Dame Cathedral. Here we’ll discuss the medieval Gothic style and the architectural innovations that emerged from the construction of this Parisian masterpiece. From flying buttresses to gargoyles to rose windows to the recent fire and near destruction, there’s certainly a lot to talk about. Due to the recent fire we can no longer access the interior of the cathedral, the towers, or the crypt. These will be closed to the public for an indefinite period. Continuing on, we'll visit the majestic church of Saint-Séverin to admire its ribbed vaults and walk down its double aisles reminiscent of the interior of Notre Dame. Leaving impressive Gothic architecture behind us, we might venture into the narrow cobblestone streets of the Latin Quarter and explore the charming Left Bank. We’ll spend some time here admiring medieval churches, bohemian cafes, and authentic shops.

We’ll then drive across the Seine to reach the Right Bank and sites such as the Palais Garnier and Palais Royal. As the center of 19th-century Paris and the massive urban revolution that took place in the capital, this area is rife with histories and intrigues to discuss. We’ll pass through the former neighborhood of Picasso and Van Gogh: the charming Montmartre, talking about the evolution of this hillside area from the 19th century till today. Continuing our drive, we'll join the Champs Elysées, admiring this historical axis of Paris and the perfect alignment of imposing historical monuments such as the Arc de Triomphe and the Obélisque. We’ll have a chance to see the iconic Eiffel Tower from a distance before we leave our car/driver and walk through the luscious Tuileries Gardens to get to the Louvre. At this point, we will break for lunch at a venue selected for our groups’ tastes. Fueled on French food, we’ll finish our time together viewing a mixture of masterpieces (including the Mona Lisa, of course) and unknown treasures to craft a narrative of kings, emperors, and the accomplished artists who served them. We'll spend the remainder of our time touring the spectacular museum before we finish our tour, at which point we can leave together or explore freely at our own leisure if we choose.

At the end of our immersive full-day itinerary, we'll have ventured across the city to sites relevant to Paris' historic, cultural, and artistic identity, emerging with a deeper understanding of this charming metropolis. Our "Paris in a Day, with Context: by Car" tour will leave us with a chic Parisian taste to add to our cultural palate.

If you are interested in sights not mentioned in this tour, please book a Paris Custom Tour.

Our private tours are limited exclusively to travelers in your party. They are designed to provide a learning experience that is completely tailored to you and your traveling companions. Private tours give you more flexibility with scheduling (you decide when the walk best fits in your trip), the ability to tailor your itinerary (we'll work to match the itinerary to the interests and dynamics of your group), and more personalized time with your guide.

Our tours happen rain or shine. Our guides are great at adapting their route during changes of weather. Please bring an umbrella.

Not usually. The Louvre closes at 6 pm, so in order to fit everything in, we need to start at 9 am. On Wednesdays and Fridays, the Louvre closes at 9:45 pm so we can start later on these days. That said, we could adjust the itinerary to start our tour with the Louvre museum and continue with the other venues mentioned in the description. If you'd like to make any changes to your Paris in a Day tour please email us to discuss the options.

This tour typically ends in the Louvre Museum. Your expert guide will leave you with some time to explore the collection yourself.

For how long will we have the car service?
The car service is booked for 4 hours. Your driver will drop you off at a local restaurant near the Louvre where you will have lunch with your expert guide. You will then continue with a tour of the Louvre museum and end your Paris in day inside the museum. Please note that the cost of lunch is not included in the total price of the tour.

If you have one of our pre-purchased tickets (or a Museum Pass), you will not be required to wait in any ticket line. There is a security checkpoint that all visitors to the museum are required to pass, and there is sometimes a line for this. Because we have advance tickets, we have access to a special ticket-holder security line, which is very short. Museum Pass holders also have access to this special line.