Paris Neighborhood and History Tours
Get to know Paris with a true and seasoned expert of the city’s history. These tours can be adapted tour interests and can also be combined to make up full days. Peruse my various tour options below!
To book, contact me by email at jetaimemeneither [AT SIGN] gmail.com with your requested tour/s, date and number of participants, then I will get back to you to confirm.
Here is some feedback from my Montmartre tour!
Our tour of Montmartre was fantastic. Lily took us through the winding streets as she told the stories of Montmartre. She was clearly incredibly knowledgeable and we learned a lot about the history and development of this lovely part of Paris. We would highly recommend a tour with Lily. She’s fun, easy to talk to, and happy to answer any and all questions. And she knows her stuff. – Aletia & Dave, Newark, Delaware.
The Rise and Fall of the Marais
Duration: 3 hours on-site. Cost 300 euros / up to 6 participants
One of the oldest neighborhoods of the city, the Marais is historically rich while being full of beauty and modern life. This tour will travers the district’s 1,000-year history from its days as a marsh and farmland in the Middle Ages through its aristocratic golden age of the 16th and 17th centuries to its decline and revival over the 19th and 20th centuries. Along the way we’ll discover historic mansions, pretty squares, secret gardens and other hidden gems.
Artistic Montmartre
Duration: 3 hours on-site. Cost 300 euros / up to 6 participants
While most visitors to Paris only visit Sacré-Coeur and Place du Tertre, the back streets of Montmartre exude the true character of the neighborhood and reveal stories of its heyday as the artistic hub of the city at the turn of the 20th century. We’ll take tiny alleys and narrow streets stopping to see where artists like Van Gogh, Picasso, Modigliani and Renoir lived, painted and debated with their fellow artists. This is an excellent complement to visiting the Musée d’Orsay or the Centre Pompidou.
Saint Germain & the Latin Quarter, the Heart of Intellectual Paris
Duration: 3 hours on-site. Cost 300 euros / up to 6 participants
This tour delves into the academic and intellectual centre of the city, taking quiet back streets we’ll see some of the oldest remaining sections of the city, discovering how the early days of the University of Paris and connecting institutions and monasteries influenced the development of the Left Bank of the city. This continued through the Enlightenment and Revolutions and eventually led the area to being the center of cultural Paris in the 20th century, home to writers, artists, musicians and philosophers.
The Opera District, from Secret Spaces to Grand Squares
Duration: 3 hours on-site. Cost 300 euros / up to 6 participant
Revolving around the glitzy Palais Garnier, the central Opera district has many layers of history. The centre of Parisian life from the late 17th to 20th centuries, it has both intimate covered passageways and some of the city’s most opulent squares and has links to the royals as well as fashion and theatre history. As we weave our way through the neighborhood, we’ll discover its history at the Palais Royal, historic arcades, Opera Garnier, Place des Victoires, Place Vendome and Place des Victoires.
Paris Orientation Tour
Duration: 4 hours. Cost: 400 euros / up to 6 participants
Ideal for first time visitors or for a city refresher, this half-day tour will provide an excellent primer on the city’s history, layout and main sites and traverse its history from pre Roman times to today. We will journey back over 2,000 years to the founding of the first village here by Gaulic fishermen on the banks of the Seine River. Starting on the Left Bank, we’ll explore the key time periods of the city, seeing the remains of Roman Paris, the gothic churches of Medieval times (including Notre Dame), the influence of the University of Paris, the Renaissance era Luxembourg Palace and Gardens and the Bohemian roots of Saint Germain.
Crossing over to the Right Bank, we’ll see the impact of the various leaders of France on the cityscape, from Charles V to Napoleon III. Sites could include the exterior of the Louvre, the Palais-Royal, the Opera district, Place de la Concorde, the Arc de Triomphe or the Eiffel Tower, according to the client’s itinerary.
Full day option available: Includes lunch break and reduced Montmartre or Marais tour
Offbeat Tours
I’ve spent years discovering the best secret places and uncovering the lesser known areas and history of Paris. These tours are ideal for repeat visitors to Paris or for people looking for something a little different. A detailed description and other tour ideas on request.
La Nouvelle Athènes: This tour explores Romantic era Paris in the 9th district, the cultural center of the city in the early 19th century.
Secrets of the Latin Quarter: Once containing the Roman city of Lutetia, the less trodden areas of the Latin Quarter make up some of the oldest parts of Paris. this tour uncovers its history through some wonderfully hidden and unique spots.
Hidden Marais: The Marais has a wonderful history and many unique places that are tucked away on its quiet side streets. We can trace the old city wall and even see a place where a hidden treasure was found.
Secret Spots in Montmartre: Montmartre is so popular with tourists, but most of them stick to the area around Sacré Coeur. There is much more to discover in the neighborhood and it’s very easy to escape the tourist throngs. We’d explore hidden lanes, quirky sites and learn about the artistic heritage of the area.
The Bastille and the Faubourg Saint Antoine: The Bastille Prison was a formidable gate to Paris, we’ll learn about it, the Square today before zigzagging through the former working class area to its east, home to cobbled passageways, artisanal workshops and examples of today’s Paris
Cool Canal St Martin: A lesser known part of Paris, the area around the Canal St Martin is filled with street art, small designer boutiques and some great local and international food. A great way to have a local experience in the city.
Exploring Off-the-Beaten Path Paris, canals, parks and hidden villages: This tour travels to the 19th district, where we’ll discover this less trodden part of the city, which contains some wonderful gems in the form of hidden former villages, canals and the Buttes-Chaumont park.
Secret Castles, Cloisters and Villages of Southern Paris: The 13th and 14th districts of Paris contain some true historic gems. We’ll track these secret spots down on our tour through the back streets of the area.
To book, contact me by email at jetaimemeneither [AT SIGN] gmail.com with your requested tour/s, date and number of participants, then I will get back to you to confirm.