Top Paris Museums

The day we arrived in Paris it was late afternoon and we didn't want to do much...and this was a perfect start to our vacation!! We walked to the top (284 steps) in the late afternoon staying through dusk and then darkness! The city sights were beautiful during daylight, but absolutely magical when the city lights lit up! Especially the Eiffel Tower!! A dream come true!

Our private tour of Notre Dame Cathedral totally bypassed the hour-long line to enter the cathedral – great on a 100-degree day. Our Guide Diana was extremely knowledgeable and did a great job explaining the various contents and history of the Cathedral. She used her IPAD effectively to show what things looked like before the fire, what the interior looked like immediately after the fire for comparison to present day. It is a miracle that the stained glass survived only for Macron to replace some of it as a part of the post fire rebuild. Things that were at either end of the cathedral were undamaged. Most of the damage to contents was where the flaming roof collapsed in the center section. She also explained all of the statues and symbols on the façade of the building. I highly recommend this tour.

Leo was such a phenomenal tour guide. After a small snafu with the meeting point, she took us into the catacombs. She knows so much about the catacombs, describing herself as a cataphile. She knows so many little details about the place! It was very memorable. It was super cool to see parts of the catacombs that regular visitors can't see. I would love to explore the catacombs with Leo! She even gave us recs for a nice place to have a drink after the tour.

The Paris Catacombs tour with Saeed is a very unique experience for those who like the macabre. The experience starts with learning how the rock was quarried to build the great monuments of Paris, moves to the burial and cemetery crisis around the time of the 1789 revolution, and the unique solutions that were put in place. Be prepared to go down and up spiral staircases. There are no lifts.

Our guide Gilbert was impeccable. Kind, communicative, and clear throughout the tour. He was so knowledgeable about the history of the palace, the Kings Louis/Marie Antoinette, and the era. I left with such a deeper appreciation for the history of this place and the people of it and France than I expected. I’ve been on probably 100s of castle/palace tours, and to be honest I wasn’t exactly ecstatic about the idea of the tour before we went, but I was just so impressed by it all. That feeling was in no small part because of this tour. Given the crowd sizes as Versailles, I also highly recommend this tour as a it’s a small group tour with 8 people maximum. First, the transit to/from the grounds is very comfortable. Next, you have many chances to ask questions and dive deeper into different areas of the tour. And third, the small group also gives you more time on your own to explore a few areas and take incredible pictures. My only suggestion for how to make the tour better would be to add additional time and include an option for an included golf cart rental so that we can see more of the gardens. They were so incredible, but with only about 30 minutes of time on our own for them, there’s not much we could see in person. Overall though, I wouldn’t change anything about the actual palace tour itself. Oh and also, the tour office (where you meet your guide for the transport) has a very well maintained restroom you can use before and after the tour. Definitely a bonus!

Our guide Teo was amazing! He was very knowledgeable about the history of Versailles and was inclusive with everyone in the group. Teo took us to parts of the garden that we never thought we would get to see. The picnic in the gardens was a highlight and riding the bikes was super easy and fun. Thanks Teo for such a fun day :)

Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and entertaining! She made sure that the 6 of us saw the most important works of art in the Louvre within our two hour semi private tour! Everything from the medieval beginnings of the Louvre discovered 150 years ago to statues from the Greek and Roman periods. And of course, the most important paintings. My husband and I were very happy with the tour!

Our guide was fabulous — enthusiastic about the chocolates, breads, and other goodies we tasted, but equally enthusiastic and descriptive of the rich history of Paris and the Marais District. When I (80) got droopy about half way through, she graciously suggested a break for water, coffee or cola. When one of the destinations was closed unexpectedly, she easily and cheerfully regrouped. When it started sprinkling she entertained us with more tales while we waited and then shepherded us on our way. I wish I could remember her name - she accounts for all of the stars, along, of course, with the great goodies.