Paris WW2 The German Occupation Small group or Private tour

Recommended by 93% of travelers

Paris, France

Great choice

5+ bookings last month.

3 to 4 hours (approx.)
Group discounts
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

Why travelers loved this

4.7

· Michael_O ·

May 2026

Chris was an exceptionally knowledgeable guide, providing a comprehensive and deeply engaging narrative of the Nazi occupation of France. He brought history to life by highlighting places and stories that most people walk past every day without realizing their significance. It was a fascinating journey back to the 1940s and the perfect way to conclude a terrific week.

· Robert_T ·

May 2026

Chris was very knowledgeable and passionate about his subject delivering facts and anecdotes in a straightforward and often amusing manner. We were often reminded that the German occupation and the French resistance were complicated and nuanced in many ways. He had boundless energy and tailored his presentation to the group. We learned a lot and had a good time in the process.

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Overview

Learn and experience history on a small group tour learning about Paris during World War II and the true story Occupation of Paris that breaks stereotypes. An expert guide who has lived in Paris for a long time will be your guide and tell you the true histories as you walk through the WW2 battlefield sites.

Visit the second largest monumental square in France and learn its history and that of the buildings surrounding it
Check out Jeu de Paume Museum, where Nazis hid stolen artworks during the Occupation
Visit Rue Rouget de Lisle and the site of the first resistance newspaper at Rue de Rivoli
Be led on the tour by a passionate, expert, and experienced tour guide

What's Included

Semi Private Bookings limited to 4 separate groups per tour 8-10 people max to maintain high quality
Fully Private tours available with personalised itenerary , flexible start times and meeting pointss

All small group tours require a minimum of 4 people in total to run

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

Place Colette
Rue Saint-Honoré, 75001 Paris, France
We meet outside exit 5 ,Place Collette , of the Palais Royal Metro station which is on lignes 1 and lignes 7 It's the MOST unique metro entrance in Paris consisting of 2 domes made of multi coloured Murano glass beads Its opposite the Comedie Francaise Theatre on Place Collete

End points

This activity ends in a different location. See details below:

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Itinerary

Your tour begins right outside the Tuileries metro station, where you’ll meet your guide and the other tour participants (10 people maximum). Head to the Jardins des Tuileries, where your guide will give you an overview of the German occupation of Paris and the events leading to World War II.

The historical discussion continues up Rue de Rivoli and over to Rue de Castiglione, where Nazis requisitioned hotels and resistance fighters were put on trial. Learn about Coco Chanel’s stay at the Ritz and the looted Jewish art stored at Jeu de Paume.

Visit cafés—including the famous Maxim’s—and cinemas taken over by Germans and learn about the only building in Paris destroyed in war over at Place de la Concorde.

Finally, understand the rise of anti-semitism and the Vichy government during a visit to the Jewish Quarter in the Marais district. Tours typically end at the Holocaust memorial, although stops may be shuffled around or replaced on the itinerary.

Palais-Royal

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Louvre / Palais-Royal

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Rue De Rivoli

2 hours 15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Place de la Concorde

20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Memorial De La Shoah (Pass By)

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability
Wheelchair accessible
Stroller accessible
Service animals allowed
Near public transportation
Most travelers can participate
IMPORTANT ALL TOURS REQUIRE A MINIMUM OF 4 PEOPLE TO RUN
For this reason bookings made less than 2 weeks before the requested date will usually only be accepted if they meet the minimum required number of people OR the tour already has the minimum required number of people already booked

Booking requests made 2 weeks or more before a tour may be accepted still even if at the time the tour deosn't have enough people to run This Is because there is still reasonable time for more people to join the tour
The guide resrves the right to cancel any tour up to 24 hours before if the numbers on the tour fall below the required minimum number Including owing to LATE CANCELLATIONS by people ThIs is unfortunate but does occur and is Inconvinient to both myself and the other remaining people who may now be effected I am NOT a large tour company who provides LARGE group generic Impersonal tours and to whom even multiple late cancellations have no effect as their tours are so large , I am an Individual expert guide who ONLY works with small groups providing higher quality tours So this means I have a very small margin between having and not having enough people on a tour to run It so please be considerate and AVOID cancelling within 72 hours of a tour unless due to an emergency or medical reason even though a refund Is still available up to 24 hrs before of course
The right to cancel a tour that falls below the minimum number of people is exclusive of cancellations due to so called "Acts of God," Force Majeur and Medical or health related reasons for which a tour may be cancelled at any point Obviously this does NOT occur very often
All cancellations made for whatever reason by the guide themself ,even within 24 hours of a tour are of course subject to a FULL refund
The guide does not take cancelling tours lightly , especially at short notice and will only do so for the reasons listed above However they wil also propose an alternative date when doing so or see if there is a solution to enable the tour to still run if possible
If a booking request has been accepted and by 3-5 days before the minimum number of people has still not been met the guide will contact the guests to notify them and discuss possible solutions If the tour remains below ther minimum number required
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 10 travelers

Supplied by

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

Traveler Photos

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Gallery picture 5 (from a traveler's review)

Reviews

4.7

based on 143 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

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US family tour

Lynn_T, Jul 2026

Our guide, Chris, was very knowledgeable about WW2 history in Paris. Great detail. Answered all of our questions.

Not a true walking tour

Marcy_D, Jul 2026

Chris was incredibly knowledgeable and friendly, and it's clear he has a genuine passion for WWII history. He shared a wealth of information and provided interesting historical context throughout the tour. That said, we were disappointed that this was marketed as a walking tour, as the majority of the experience was spent standing in one place listening to explanations rather than actually walking to the sites being discussed. In a few instances, locations being referenced, such as the Opera House, were well within walking distance, yet we remained stationary while Chris pointed them out in the distance. I should have been more diligent in reading previous reviews, as I was expecting a true walking tour rather than a series of lecture-style stops with only short walks in between. One suggestion would be for Chris to invest in a tablet rather than carrying multiple folders filled with maps, photos, and printed quotes. A tablet would make it easier for guests to follow along and would create a more polished presentation. Overall, Chris is extremely knowledgeable, but the pace of the tour felt slow and, at times, dragged on. If you're looking for an in-depth history lesson, you'll likely enjoy it. However, if you're expecting a more active walking tour that takes you from site to site, this may not be the experience you're looking for.

Response from Host, Jul 2026

Hello Marcy and anyine reading this Thank you for your feedback I was happy to be able to spend the time with you "Chris was incredibly knowledgeable and friendly, and it's clear he has a genuine passion for WWII history. He shared a wealth of information and provided interesting historical context throughout the tour". So considering this I musst have done something awful or very bizzare that to warrent only 2 stars and my tour not being a true walking tour , whatever thats Is ,last time I noticed we used our legs to get around and covered around 2 miles in total? Considering the majority of people disagree with you and call my tour the highlight of their trip even and certainly consider It to be a "True walking tour" I think the problem Is as a first time visitor to Paris with little or no knowledge of the occupation, or the size of the city this tour was NOT suitable for you depsite my honest efforts even to adapt It for you You don't understand the subject at all firstly and what It takes to explain It so you are ableunderstand it properly and Instead saw It as like a sight seeing tour which It is not even though we do "see sights" of course They are secondary to the actual HISTORY and the people I talk about So I could genuinely ask then what more do you want from a guide then than this ? It doesn't seem that my lack of a tablet affected my ability to provide a wealth of Information ...Let me ket you Into secret as well Tour guides do not bring tablets to enhance the experience of people on their tour They do not enhance It They bring them for their OWN coneinence to avoid having to carry folders of pictures wth them which are superior but of course take up more space and are heavier I tried using a tablet years ago and found the experience far inferior to having actual full size photos and REAL copies if documents people can see and TOUCH in ALL kind of light and hold for themselves with no problems with aspect ratio or the need to zoom In as tbe tvabet screen is smaller Yes they may LOOK "cooler" but trust me they are there purely for the conveiience of the GUIDE at the cost of an INFERIOR experinece for the people on the tour! So I should actually be applauded maybe instead of criticised by someone who doesn't understand the Issue for putting my OWN convienience aside in favour of yours by bringing 8 folders of photos and documents , even though I do not use all of them on a tour , I bring them never the less just In case I get a question about something I want to show a visual for ! You had never been to Paris before so I think your complaint about not actually visiting the some of the places we talked about on a THREE HOUR walking needs some context and shows an ignorance of size the City and what Is practical on foot Its actually ridiculous to suggest we should hace walked to these places I mean I have lived here 20 years but obviously you understood better the distance between certain landmarks and what is practical in 3 hours? The ironic thing Is I actually changed the Intineary just for YOU because you said it was your first time so I thought It would be nice If you could see some of the most famous monuments from a distance as Its not practical nor does it work for a WW2 Itinerary to walk to them all in a 3 hr tour and I could talk about them during the occupation But apprently this was not In fact enough , you actualy DO think we should have WALKED TO THEM from where we were ?? Are you serious ! Besides the The Opera house which was walkable , thats true , It was a 15 min walk from where we began the tour but it would have taken us completely out of our way and why would we walk all the way up there for absolutely nothing? Its not mentioned as a place we may visit on the tour descrpition so I fail to understand your complaint , its misguided I pointed It out and explained it was under renovation and the entire front was covered and had been for 18 months ! There was therefore absolutely nothing I could not tell you from where we were standing I showed you several photos of it during the occupation and explained its signficance What more did you require? There Is nothing to see except a huge advertising board if we walk uo there ? But now find out that you actualy wanted me to walk you and the other 2 people all the way up there and back, taking 30 mins total for what exactly? Then as we walked through the Louvre and saw the Grand axis of Paris where we could see straight up to Concorde square then the Champs Elysee to the Arc de Triomphe a distance of over 2.5 MILES or a 50 min walk I took the opportunity explain to you the history of the Arc and its significance during the occuppation but apparently you also complain we should have WALKED all the way there even though It was a FIFTY min walk and this was a WW2 tour NOT a general sighsteeing tour We also saw the Tour Eiffel In the distance and I took the chance to again talk about Its significance during the occupation But apparently you also use this to criticise me because again we should have walked THERE too another 50 min walk ??? Are you serious? This is what you do on the BUS tour not a 3hr or so WW2 walking tour ! Never mind the other 2 more elderly people on the GROUP tour , one of whom needed to sit down?? Its a shame because actaully took you to this spot deliberately as it was your first time In Paris and i thought you would appreciatte that you could take in this wonderfull view on the Grand axis and I could also take the opportunity talk specificlly about these monuments during the occupation for you but apparently to quote you below .... "the majority of the experience was spent standing in one place listening to explanations rather than actually walking to the sites being discussed." This Is totally Is simply NOT TRUE and ludicrously out of context and disingenious to suggest The MAJORITY of the tour , 3 hrs was NOT spent doing this at all, maybe 30 mins at MOST for THREE sites, thats 10 mis a site ! And the sites in question where the Opera house wich I have already discuseed Arc De Triomphe and Eiffel tower , which you are now complaining we didnt WALK to even though they were both 2.5-3 MILES away? I have had some strange complaints over the years but I have never had this one before , NEVER had First lets get things straight Instead of embelleshing the truth We didn't stand in ONE place , we stood In 3 different placesto doscuss each site seperatey So you are seriously then complaining that we didn't WALK all the way to the Arc De Triomphe and the from there to the Eiffel tower but just stood in one and saw them from a distance? Because these were the only places we You'd never even been to Paris before but you know the layout better than me now and the practicality of getting around it?? And for Information after meeting we stopped at TEN different locations during the tour and talked about different subjects and finshed at place Vendome Yes TEN in total.... SO no we were not in ONE place all the time , that Is ludicrous I just took you to physically VIEW certain things from one place as a gesture that I thought woud be nice as It was your first trip as they are far to far away to walk to! Yet that Is used ludcirously as a criticism becasue we should have actually WALKED to them too ! I guess thats what you mean by a "true walking tour then! Thats why its important to give the context of these sites you talk about us viewing from one place, and WHY we did this ! Its a WW2 WALKING tour and its made clear In the desription the AREA we walk around Its NOT a Private BUS tour I better be careful then in future If I point out the TouR Eiffel in the distance as i could get critisicised for not actually walking all the way to it as well... But this nonsense aside I do think you summed up one important thing quite well though In essence folks ..... If you want a real In depth explanation of the Occupation and also real in depth answers to your questions and If you want to know the TRUTH , not just more of the myths and over simplified narratives you've been told then this tour IS for you As the many reviews from very happy people show But understand this may take time sometimes and entail me having to explain things you have NEVER heard before On the other hand If you DON'T really want this , If instead you don't want an In depth explantion of the subjects or me to actively encourage you to talk to me and ask questions and then take the time to properly answer your questions and Instead just move you on quickly with you leaving the tour having seen maybe a few more things , get some photos , got a few anecdotes but haveing not learnt that much you couldnt find on Wikipediea and certainy NOT having had long standing myths about the subject debunked and learnt the TRUTH the then this tour is NOT for you I repeat this tour is not for people who dont want to Invest a little time in learning the truth Or people who don't consider It a true walking tour they dont walk 50 mins between each site.... Its up to you to choose folks Thats why I thank Marcy for actually giveing a fairly accurate description of what I am about and like as a guide as It allows me to CONTRAST this with the opposite One of the problems that Is clearly arises Is some people misunderstand the nature of this subject that Its not just a simple walk around an with 5-10 mins of Information and the chance to take a photograph of buildings Well we do this, we do walk and we do see buildings of course but also far more , I take the time to fully explain the history and how fits into the WIDER context But because this subject Is not well known and a lot of what people do know Is either grossly over simplified or simply not true then as a teacher of history It is my repsonsibility and duty to not only take time to explain basic background Information to them but to also make clear to people what is the TRUTH and this can mean showing and rtlling people things they have never heard or understand before And guess what, , again this can take time, especially at the beggining of the tour and If questions the arise from people that I also have to answer Should I just skip this? On this particular tour you were on there where other people who had been to Paris multiple times and were more well Informed and had a much deeper understanding and as a result asked me 2 or 3 questions that required some time to answer correctly What should I do? Ignore their questions? Not answer them ? Give them haf the truth ? You though had never been to Paris before and had no knowledge of the city so prehaps a sightseeing tour may have been more suitable for you rather than one on such a complicated historical subject of which you had zero knowledge? And what In fact Is a "True" walking tour if not a series of stops with lecture style Information given? The amount of time between stops is irrelvant, the value if the tour is IN the quality of Information you are given not the distance between the stops The history of the occuoation toll place all over the City there Is no one place you can go to tell the whOle story in a few hours, It Is NOT like visiting a museum with everything laid out In nice chronological order .It would take me a week of taking you on tours to get near to doing this Likewise I cannot control the distance between buildings or sites to suit you As this Is a history tour not a sightseeing tour of tourist attractions then what does iT matter if the sites we vsist are all located within a 2 mile area? Most people appreciatte that we can meet in an area where the locations are all within a short distance of each other and they don't have to walk 50 mins between each place ! ITe irony Is I am certain that If I did tha and understandably then I would be sure to have people complaining about walking too much I really cannot win It feels sometimes ? Again I think you shoud have just taken a sight seeing tour maybe Marcy? And In terms of the tour being Marketed as a walking tour you wlil find that if you look in the tour description we did exactly what It says in terms of the area we visisted and the amount of walking we did ! So folks If you want a "true walking tour" better stay clear of me I wont make you walk 50 mins between sites ... Also at the sites we visit I WILL explain thoroughly the importance of them in the social, political and military context of the occupation I also wont pointlessly walk you 30 mins up and down an Avenue to see a building thats covered in advertising boards as Its being renovated so It waste of time I also won't rush you on without answering your questions' I also will make sure you I explain thouroughly the real reasons behind the German and Nazi Invasion of France and their plans for the country I will do this at the beggining and I will make sure yu understand this even thugh It may mean me having to debunk myths amd tgus may take time I make no apologies for this as I have already explained that I see It as my job to tell you the truth and explain the complicated situation in France during this period rather than just reinforce simplistic untrue narratives Its up to you ! Thanks

Great (but long) tour

meghan_m, Jul 2026

Interesting tour and very knowledgeable guide. This guy knows his stuff and I learned a lot. Be prepared for a long tour but it was very informative!

Response from Host, Jul 2026

Thanks Meghan for your postive comments I really apreciate your compliments about my knowledge and how much you learnt! Thank you And that you are also prepared to give your honest feedback on the tour length I do state on Viator that it is usually between 3hr to 3.5 but I do have a limit of 3,5hrs because after this I feel both my own ability to teach physically and menatally starting to lag plus the abiity of people to take any more infirmation Inreachs overoad Let me just note that for PRIVATE tours, not GROUP I do run longer tours sometimes up to 4hrs but this will usually include us stopping for a drink of course and a chat So It is neither a negative or a positve thing, It depends on the context and what I I am trying to achieve on the tour in those 3plus hours and what expectations the people taking It may have I have had people turn up onsome occssions telling me they thought the tour was 2 hrs, or 2.5hrs so they obviously haven't read the information on Viator So I now I always mention about this at the beggining so I know if anyone has to be finished by a certain time But most importantaly Im glad you thought the tour was great Hearing this makes me happy as my goal Is to educate people not just show them a list of sites and photo ops with 15 minutes of information you can find in a textbook or Wikipedeia! Or to tell a few stories that just confirm simple cliches and tropes that many tours regurgitate So let me be clear my tour is not a sight seeing tour where you just come to take photos and hear a few new stories that though they are Interesting and new still function just to confirm what you already believed or had been told before My tours are meant to challenge peoples existing perspectives and streotypes whilst also also being a lesson In historyt So usually my tours are between 3-3.5 hrs as stated on the Viator site however this Is not a fixed length, I have some tours that do last less than 3 hrs and some that have lasted longer Let me be clear though , I will never force this on people as so many of my previous guests can testify , I leave open the option of going longer than 3 hrs depending on the level of Interest and crucially the type and depth of questions I am being asked on that tour And I I do tend to get asked lots of questions as well that are not always directly related to the subject I am currently explaining I am in a way a victim of my own knowledge and desire to teach the truth and provide new and different perspectives because when people start to realise that a lot of what they thought was true or had been told Is not the they then become very eager to ask me questions about all sorts of subjects related to the occupation even though I may not the time be talking about them, Whicj is great BUT It does take time to answer them properly and thats one reason I have to have some flexibility in tour length Of course this Is kind of Unique but necessary if I am to achieve my aim So I leave some flexibility unlike many other shorter tours with SET times where everything can be rushed a bit to try to keep within a set time limit I don't do that because my aim Is not to complete a tour as part of a business where people on It are just another group of nubers and take peoples money for It them tick It off but Instead to educate them Amd I wont be satisfied unless people have gone away with their questions answered and having learnt the truth As a result on short 2hr tours people do not have things properly explained to them, Its Impossible assumimg the guide even has the depth of knowledge to do so and do not have the chance to really ask questions and have them answered fully On my tours it is different And we can always go to bar or cafe to get a drink and chat too which I something I do quite often with people So my tours certainly may not be for some people they do go into subjects in far more depth than the 2hr photo op tours and people get to ask questions and have them answered properly I also send my guests a lot of additional after . a book list , a google map of the area we walked in with sites marked and Information I have provided plus links to interesting media information Best wishes Chris

Extremely knowledgeable...

Mark_M, Jun 2026

Extremely knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the topic. We learned a lot about the war and the French experience during that time.

Great Historian!

James_M, Jun 2026

I was very lucky to arrange a private history lesson with Chris. He is amazing. We could have talked for 10 hours! He knows it all!

This tour was a highlight...

Drue_P, Jun 2026

This tour was a highlight of our visit to Paris! We thought we knew a lot about Paris during WWII but the depth of his knowledge was amazing! We learned about the “back story “ between the French (and the French Police) and the Nazis, their relationship and what happened between them. I feel we heard so much that we wouldn’t have been able to read about. I am obsessed with Paris in the 1940’s and the tour really put a framework around the history of our family who lived here - and left- at that time. The tour is excellent for people who are interested in that time period!

Response from Host, Jun 2026

Thank you so much Drue It was a pleasure to spend the time with you from start to begginng and I really appreciatte you taking the time to leave this review as well Only around a 3rd of people who tell me they loved the tour end up leaving a review , whereas unfortunatiely 100% of the small minoriity of people who do not waste zero time jumping In here to leave a negtive review and cast untruths which can be disheartening It shows how ludicrous these peoples comments can be to rationalise their own pride , .apparently everything I told one person could have easily been found In a texbook ,, yet you , someone with actual vast knowledge of the period and years of passion for its history who I know has read many many books says you learnt t so much you woudn't have been able to read about in a text book .... !!?? I am also not a large tour conpany and one anonymous guide out of dozens you coud be doing the tour with I am a freelance expert guide so I do everything myself and put a lot of energy and effort into every single tour i do I try to contact every person before so I know the name of EVRYONE on my tours and a little bit of backgroud infomation because I care to know People on my tours are not a reservation number or bar code on a reservation paper to me ,I like to know who they are before and why they want to take the tour I was really Impressed with your knowledge and passion for this subject and eagenrness to learn the TRUE story As I said at the beggining my aim is not to please people on the tour with a simplisitc good guy/ bad guy story though there were plenty of them .... .I'm not there to just tell them some more stories that simply confirm and add to what they already thought they knew and then showing them some buildings just for photo ops No my aim is to increase peoples UNDERSTANDING of what REALLY happened and WHY things happened And this means challenging the long standing and highly pervasive but simplistic and totally Incomplete and unbalanced narratuves that people were taught or hold And this Is NOT for everyone I see people who run 2hr tours and claim not only to tell the story of the occupation but to answer peoples questions about a whole range of subjects ! Trust me they are not It Is IMPOSSIBLE In 2hrs All they are doing is giving people a superficial story that goes along with the simplistic and unbalanced narrative people already had going into the tour about the NAZIS in Paris, the Resistance and the Shoah They just give people MORE of the SAME and people go away feeling good because it always does to have your pr- existing views reinforced by additional new examples and information I do the OPPOSITE my aim if needed which It nearly always Is is to DECONSTUCT the siimplistoic narrtaives many people have been sold and told and the reconstruct It brick by brick with the truth And this Is not for everyone , as It requires people to think and CHANGE the way they saw things which can be unconfortable at the same time as It us fascinating IF you are open to learning If your reading this and just want to hear more of the same of what you read in your Faction books and get some photos of buildings then my tour Is not for you And yes I know this Is why I do get these occosianal wildly out if sync negtive reveiwslike t I received earlier this week I do expect them from time to time and I understand if my tour was not for everyone but they still hurt becasue they always seem to follow the exact same pattern where they just have to go beyond and start misrepresenting what occurred then sadly often end upeven lying So thank you so much just for having an open mind, an open heart and an eagerness and with It humility to learn even though you did have a lot of knowledge about this period yourself It was a pleasure and I am glad I can stay Im touch and send you more information directly as we discussed Best wishes and stay cool!

The guide gave us a...

Phyllis_s, Jun 2026

The guide gave us a lecture for 2 hours+ rather than a walking tour with information. . His information was not concentrated on the topic at hand until we spoke up. He obviously knows a lot but we did not benefit from his knowledge.

Response from Host, Jun 2026

Thanks for the 3 stars Its better than 1 But what a totally weird and untrue account and once again someone Is manipulating the facts to cover up their OWN mistakes , misunderstanding and unfortunately arrogance First : Could you describe the 'topic at hand?" The subject at "hand " was the Occupation of Paris ? That's the title of the tour right ? Oh hold on , wait .....let's see what actually happened? So I had began the tour by explaining why the area we were In was so Important as It was the centre of the German command of and occupation of Paris I then explained the entry of the German forces into Paris and the establishment of the first German Police and SS head quarters? Correct? And their priority In Paris ? Correct? And then division of France following the armistice a week later and why this happened in the way it did ? Correct? We then moved to another location where we could get a better look at the Paris Opera house which I was about to explain the significance and Its use ,why was it a such an Important building to the Germans during the occupation How that helped us to understand the reason behind their occupation? Correct? So It is at this point you"spoke up " But not in the way you are trying to present It... Let's tell the truth... You spoke up to say quote "Isn't this a tour on the Resistance in Paris "? To which I replied ,no that's not the title of the tour , Its called the occupation of Paris so it's about the ENTIRE occupation of the city Check ? At this point you grimaced and furiously scrolled through your phone to check and then went quiet when you realised I was correct! And you were wrong Ouch Forgot to mention this "little" detail above didn't you when writing about your "speaking up"? and why? You found that hard to swallow and got a little bee under your bonnet Now next please explain how talking about the German entry into the City , the setting up of their Headquarters, the arrival of the SS and Gestapo and then the Importance of one of the most significant buildings nearby to where were to them during the occupation on a tour about "THE OCCUPATION OF PARIS" Is NOT " CONCNTRATED ON THE TOPIC AT HAND IE "THE OCCUPATION OF PARIS "!??? Care to explain? Because I have no idea what your on about unless maybe of course in YOUR head you were struggling to come to terms with the fact you were wrong about the title of the tour and therefore the emphasis of the subject matter? I had spoken about ALL this BEFORE you "spoke up" ( and found out you were wrong a about the tour title ) yet apparently it all had nothing to do with the Occupation of Paris and it was only AFTER you "Spoke up" ,that this changed ?!! ??? What is even MORE Ironic in you saying this is the following nugget that has also evaded your memory... Whilst I was attempting to talk about the "topic at hand " IE the occupation of Paris but wasn't apparently ,YOU were speaking over me to another person who had asked a question about a TV series they should watch about events that took place OUTSIDE of Paris ( certainly NOT the topic at hand ?) and continued to have these off topic at hand conversations THROUGHOUT the tour ! So you accuse me of giving Information that was not on the topic to hand , the OCCUPATION of PARIS whilst actually thinking you were on a DIFFERENT tour only to find out you were wrong and then continued to talk over and under me whilst I tried to talk about the topic at hand , the OCCUPATION of PARIS about things that had nothing at all to do with the OCCUPATION of PARIS or the actual "topic at hand ".....! Is this a joke? Look You made a point of telling me you worked In Tourism and emphasized your own "knowledge" .... And it felt straight from the beginning at that you were there more trying to judge me or catch me out rather than learn or listen to what I was saying talking over me ,and showing other people that YOU actually knew better when you didn't So I don't know what type of tour you expected , after all you openly had to accept you thought you were on a different tour then accuse me of not talking about the actual subject the tour WAS about! With your background and "knowledge" this seems It might have been hard to accept so you then psychologically rationalise your own mistake because of your own pride by projecting it on to me as the culprit and cause by ME not taking about the 'topic hand "... Honestly one thing I have learnt over the years from meeting certain people on tours who are disgruntled after Is It is in reality because they have made a mistake and didn't read the tour information correctly or have come along and projected their OWN Idea of what THEY think the tour SHOULD be about or they just don't Intellectually understand nuances or complex interactions make up this history and just want a photo op tour with a few stories about stereotypes but no actual critical historical analysis And instead of accepting this they try to blame me And I have seen the infinite capacity of these people to rationalise and embellish the truth and leave out conveniently little things that don't fit their narrative and and lose them credibility when they go about blaming me in their "review" Its depressing and as someone who puts so much effort into my tours Into going beyond simple narratives to tell people the TRUTH which IS complicated at times and DOES take time I feel really rock bottom So to finish and I say this 100% honestly.. You obviously know a lot but the tour did not benefit from your knowledge It felt the opposite After you left the tour carried on another 90 mins and honestly the atmosphere changed completely , a cloud lifted and we had a great time I'm sorry to say this but it's true

Not the Walking Tour We Expected

Annette_J, Jun 2026

I know negative tour reviews are difficult to write. A guide may be a nice person, and after spending time with them, it can feel uncomfortable to say anything critical. But reviews are only useful to future travelers if people are honest about their experience. Vacation time is valuable, and it is frustrating to spend part of it disappointed because previous reviews did not clearly reflect the experience. This tour has many five-star reviews, but I strongly recommend reading the negative reviews as well, because they accurately describe the issues we experienced. If you are imagining a walking tour through the city, stopping at multiple sites and learning how each location was used during the German occupation or World War II, this is probably not the tour for you. If you want to stand or sit for long stretches while listening to a broad WWII history lecture, then you may enjoy it. The guide is clearly extremely knowledgeable and passionate about the German occupation of France. He would probably be an engaging professor or lecturer. However, as a walking tour guide, we found the experience very disorganized and disappointing. The storytelling jumped around the timeline, repeated the same points many times, and did not connect the history to the actual locations in a meaningful way. We spent about 1.5 hours sitting like students while he talked through general WWII history. He repeatedly said, “I can’t make this any shorter,” but in my opinion, much of what he covered could have been summarized far more efficiently. Most people booking this kind of tour already have a basic understanding of WWII history. They are there to connect that history to the place they are visiting. In the 2.5 hours we stayed with the tour before leaving early, we only stopped at three locations. At one stop, we stood near an empty fountain filled with trash and never learned how or if that specific location was actually used during the war. There were brief mentions of a few buildings used by the Germans, but most of the commentary was general historical information that could easily be found in a textbook. I tried to ask questions and gently redirect the tour toward the locations and their wartime significance, but that did not really work. After reading similar negative reviews going back years, it seems this has been a consistent issue. To be fair, the guide is knowledgeable and passionate. But this was not the walking tour we expected, and it was not a good use of our limited time. We left early because we were not enjoying the experience. For future travelers: if you want a lecture on WWII and the German occupation, you may appreciate this tour. If you want a well-paced, organized walking tour that connects specific city sites to what happened there during the war, I would book something else.

Response from Host, Jun 2026

Hello Annette I'm sorry this was YOUR experience The tour was ovbiously not for YOU Anyone looking at my reviews can see clearly that now and again one of these pops up And I understand I dread It but I get It But come on what Is this evidence of a "Consistent issue" when 95%of my reviews are totally positive and beyond! What did you do scroll through a half dozen reviews out iof 130 + to then try to justify yourself? There a minority of people who my tours just dont suit And you were one of them It seems Its people who are better suited to a photo-op sight seeing tour with a bit of Information on the buildings and a few stories about what happened there, usually the resistance v the bad guys And of course It all seems new to people and they lap It up and think this Is great, I knew it was like this of course but , now I know even BETTER and I'm seeing where it happened But what they are not being told Is that they are wrong in theIr FUNDAMENTAL understanding of the Occupation Where Is easy and thats what you'll get on most tours and thats fine I know because years ago I freelanced for the same companies who run these type of WW2 tours and I know what they are telling people Is totally Incomplete BUT It is EASY to sell and not too hard to do But thats only part of the story and the least Important and I set myself a much harder task on my tours WHY did it happen? IE Do you know that France was NOT meant to be part of Hitlers 3rd Reich and as a result the Nazis had NO plans to deport ANY of Frances Jews when they arrived In June 1940? This meant that many Jews who had fled Paris when the Germans arrived to the South were desperate to RETURN before the end of Sptember 1940? WHO were the occupiers? Really . who were they and what did they really want from France ? IE The Germans In Paris were NOT all Nazis , In fact the Nazis were the minority and they never intended to occupy France in the first place WHO were the RESISTANCE? And who were NOT IE Do you know FRENCH MEN were NOT the majority of the resitance but a minority ? WHO were the Coollaborators? IE Do you know the "Puppet" collaborative French Vichy Government also SHOT nearly 200 people for spying for the GERMANS between 1940 and 1943 and arrested 2000? And held full knowledge of the Alles Engima code breaking but never told the Germans? See how quickly things can get complicated ? Fascinating but complicated You missed a lot of this because you left early and couldnt understand the purpose of the neccessary "General Information that you can get from any text book " apparently I was explaining to people for them to be able to understand all this in CONTEXT You just wanted to see a few buildings , take some pics , hear some cool stories etc And thats fine I do cool stories You missed the best But I do FAR more too So I make sure people on MY tours go away NOT with just more of the SAME Information but completely NEW Information and a NEW understanding of the occupation And IT TAKES TIME to explain So they are not for people who want nothing too deep that really peels the onion and completely challenges the view they had People who just want to have what they already THINK they know confirmed by MORE Information or stories that add to this And people like that would make exactly the same complaint you do because for me to do what I do in my tours means I HAVE to take some time to first UNBUILD or UNRAVEL the false narratives and THEN rebuild the reality and truth And It can seem complicated at first because well It IS , It cannot be explained in just 15 mins My tours are NOT for those people and My tour was obviously not for you They are not about confirming what people already know, or have heard In the often Faction books they have read or films they have watched by adding MORE of the SAME stories Conifrmation Bias So they go away THINKING they have learned more about the Occupation and that It was just as they thought Oh they have , MORE of the SAME but NOT the actual TRUTH of the Occupation Now you coud have just left It there but you couldnt and had to make this claim of evidence of a "Consistent issue" which just actually makes you look non credible To tell people to read the apparent "negative reviews" going back YEARS showing this "consistent" problem and use THEM to form their judgement of my tours in place of 95% of reviews that say something very very different ? You do know what "Consistent "means right? IE Pray tell how MANY of these "Negative reviews going back years " there are that show this "consistent issue"? Anyone who does may see what a LUDCIROUS and contradictory thing this Is to to say How can a tour with a handful of negative reviews and 95% positive and the majority being 5 stars have a "consistent Issue" going back years" thats negative enough for people to give 1 star reveiews? Thats the exact OPPOSITE of "Consistent ",your review and the ones you claim to reference are the EXCPETION Previous reviews very clearly DID reflect the experience of the people on the tour too and on those tours we did pretty much the same as we did on the day you took the tour and they say something very different Why not equalky tell people to go back and read them AS WELL and THEN form their judgement? So what they did was not reflect YOUR experience of the tour which of course Is subjective and dependent on YOUR expectations NOT a CONSISTENT problem, Stop the hyperbole and attempt to create a false narrative to back up YOUR exeptional subjective experience which you are quite entitled to have of course and I am sorry you had You know that one person once gave a 1 star review becasue THEY never turned up for the tour and left me standing in the rain for 20 mins after i had travelled 2 hours in and out of Paris and wanted a refund for example ? Another person gave me a 2 star review because It was apparent they never actually read what the tour content was or how long it may go on claiming It was a 2hr tour in the review I think they may have actually booked the wrong tour One titally vile couple gave me one star review after abusing me for over 2hrs I ran a GROUP tour under numbers just for them , so basically i only got half my fee but they treated It like a Private tour and were disrespectful to me the entire time , cutting me off mid sentence telling me they had a "history degree" as if that Impresses me and already knew what I was telling them when In reality they knew virtually nothing because I questioned them and they didn't actually know the answers And compaining when I simply followed the tour Itnerary THEY had signed up for Thats one reason sinsce I have refused to ever run a group tour under numbers NO WAY So I am sorry this was YOUR very unique experience Let me clear a couple of things up though that are NOT true You didn't leave after 2.5 hrs You left after 2 hrs I dont want to be pedantic but this Is important because the tour was 3.5 hrs that day In total and that day we visted 10 sites if you had stayed but you decided to leave before so missed them Also come on stop being fruity with the truth I hate It when people do this, to use your own words "To gently MISDIRECT " and create a false narrative about me You did not ask "questions" in the plural, you asked ONE question , yes One and that was when we were by the supposed "trash filled fountain" You obviously thought we had spent too long talking about the context and were going to see more "Things" , (which we later did) and wanted to know when we were moving on Thats It To which I replied I understand and we will asap but If I didn't finish explaining the context of Frances place In RELATION to the 3rd Reich , how the Nazis saw It and WHY then when we did later see more things then you wouldn't understand properly the significance of the events that were associated with them That was IT So stop It There was no "multiple questioning" trying to gently redirect me towards the locations and there war time signficance , something I had already done in detrail, making It seem like I was some run away train of mad autocratic professor ignoring you while you martyred yourelf for the group on an alter of "gentle redirection" No you had just lost your attention span because the Information I was giving you was not of the level you expected prehaps , it was In fact far deeper and more complex meaning you just lost interest as you only wanted few basic facts you can get from textbooks ! Most people on my tours actually have little understanding before of what I teach them about the history of the occupation and the real German plans for France Unless you understand these things then you will not understand properly the occupation and WHY certain things happened and certain people behaved the way they did Or you can just look at a bunch of buildings and learn a few thIngs you CAN actually learn from a textbook about them ! Yes thats the ridiculous Irony of what you claim You actually WANTED a tour where we look at buildings and learn things you can learn from a textbook about them But then you compalin that apparently we didn't do this and that most of the commentary was Infirmation that couLd easily be found IN A TEXTBOOK E So its funny how people who dont even know the date Germany Invaded France let alone the date they occupied Paris suddenly turn Into "historical experts" who according to you have basic undertsanding of WW2 history and know better what we shoukd be talking about? The tour is NOT museum tour or sightseeing tour with buildings laid out In a nice chronoloigical pattern There is no one place you can go In Paris and learn the history in a set timeline and in just a few hours , its all OVER the City and NOT in chrnonolgical order So yes I'm afraid i HAVE to jump around the time line as you put It , I'm sorry If you struggle to remember information because for your benefiut in my "disorganistaion" I actually bring 9 folders , yes 9 folders full of maos and photos , plus a whiteboard I write upon tohelp show you this Thus tour Is about the OCCUOPATION OF PARIS AND FRANCE and in my experience 90% of people on my tours have hardlly any understanding of this history and what they do have is often wrong and fueled by sensationalist "Faction books " that can reinforce very simplistic existing narratives because thats what sells books rather than the ACTUAL facts of history and experience of 96% of the French population And I wish they did have more knowledge ,It would make It an easier tour to run properly but the fact is they and you DONT and its my job and my pleasure to educate you properly not give you some self confirming microwave meal version of the Occupoation that enforces the simplistic stereotypes you may have read about in Faction books or been "sold" as the story of the occupation by people running tours who just want to show you abunch of photo ops were the "Nazis" hung out rather than go deeper Into whin these people REALLY were ans what they were REALLY doing here So you have a cheek saying this about me for soemone , and your not the only one because most people dont understand the subject at all really But then they also appreciatte learning this hard to find information and real history I teach and don't come on here after leaving 1 star reveiws claimiig what I told them was general historical Information you can find in a text book !!!! Well if you can so easily , Iand I'd like you to name the text books as well , then how come YOU didn't know any of the following .... The date WW2 began in the West , the date Paris was occupied the difference between the SS and the Army command , the Nazi planned constituition of the 3rd Reich ,that FRANCE was not meant to be part of it ,that the Germans therefore had NO plans to occupy France for more than maybe 6 months Initially or deport ANY of Its Jews and the ideological between the Eastern war and in the west , one a genocide the other a traditional STRATEGIC war , the origins off the Gestapo and range of Its power in France ,the internicine confict between the German Army and the Nazi Militias and Police units trying to operate In France the way the battle for appropriation of cultural capital and art work demonstarted this and the structure and relationship between the French police and the German and Nazi police units m hiw they wroked togther and mire crucially WHY and how this changed over time ?? I could go on and on and on So in your own words For future travellers this may well not be the walking tour YOU expect If you want to REALLY understand the TRUTH about France and the German Occupation during this period understand Its probably NOT what you thought and It Is complicated So if you have a little patience It takes TIME to explain and this requires me to talk more than I would wish for the first hour of the tour but you will I gurantee go away knowing more than 98% of people including the French do about this subject and most people who claim they are "buffs" on the subject If I do not explain this to you then you will NOT learn the truth or understand WHY the building , places, sites we see after In the tour were Important as STAGES for the PEOPLE who made the history and WHY they did the things they did Now if you already know "basic WW2 history" because apparently thats all I communicate or If you just want to look at a bunch of buildings and get a bunch of basic information about what happend there during the occupation but not WHY and the way its ALL connected then feel free join Annette on a different tour or just buy this "textbook" she's on about I have about 100 in the subject and Ive yet to find It Really Annette ibefore you wrote this and exaggerated so much If you were that dissapointed I wish you'd just asked me for a refund, I'd have happily given you one, do you think I want people to go away feeling like you obviously did ? Or that I want to write all this too ? But I have no choice becasue I won't let people misdirect or push a false narratives that are not true and unfortunately I have found THIS a consistent Issue with a handful of people over the years who leave negatiuve reviews just have to try to justify themselves and end up adding their little embelliishments to the story , their little twrils but just dig themselves Into a hole of dishonesty Toodle pip as they say !

Chris was very...

Robert_T, May 2026

Travel backIn time

Michael_O, May 2026

A terrific learning experience.

Jonlee_A, Apr 2026

Chris was a fountain of knowledge about Paris during the WW2 occupation of Paris. And all the way he shared how Paris had changed over many centuries (for example we had no idea that an entire wing of the Louvre was torn down many years ago as the palace was seemed to be made into a big “U” which was opened to the public. There were so many great examples. And Chris had so many pictures and maps that helped to develop our understanding.

Johnson Review on WW2 German Occupation

Maryann_J, Apr 2026

We had a wonderful 4 hour tour with Chris, our guide!. He was pleasant, professional, WELL RESEARCHED and filled with many “”hidden” stories about German occupation in Paris!

Pais WW2 The German Occupation

John_B, Mar 2026

The knowledge Chris had on this subject was amazing. We learned a great amount of history that we had no idea existed.

If you’re a WW2 buff and love learning about it, this is a great tour!

Kip_R, Mar 2026

As an avid World War 2 history buff, I loved this tour! I learned so much more about the German occupation of Paris and was able to see things/get context I would have never been able to do on my own. I left with a much more knowledgeable understanding of the occupation and what it was like being in Paris at that time. My wife gives me a half day on trips for world war 2 activities and she was very engaged as well. Our guide, Chris, was incredibly insightful and full of knowledge about the occupation and the war in general. You could feel his passion for the subject the entire time. We went about 4 and a half hours before we had to leave for another reservation but Chris was fully open to going as long as we wanted to! A great tour guide to have on a subject that has so many intricate details. Would highly recommend!

Response from Host, Mar 2026

Thanks Kip It was a pleasure, for me I kk=new you needed It ! And to meet your wife and your daughter to be ,.. I can only say that this Is the best part of what I do Those occassions when I get the chance to share and be a tiny part of a special moment and memory in someones life and in your case the story of your new daughters 1st trip to Paris when she was still Inside her moms tummy! I didn't even notice the time was gone because we talked so much and I enjoyed your company Yep we did do a long one ..... Anyone reading to clarify not ALL my tours go on 4.5 hrs ! They rarely do but usually as I say in the description expect 3-3.5 hrs but I am happy to adjust to shorter times so long as people let me know In advance But I I don't clock watch either or hurry people and knowing how your life Is about to change Kip and that this was your special time on the trip you'd looked forward too so much well, I was eager and happy to take the extra time with you to make it as special as possible I also admit I owed you something for telling your wife that when my daughter was born her mom received a large diamond ring, from me something she was In total agreement was an excellent Idea as a way to compensate her for all her hard work pushing her out ....! Sorry Kip , remember In Nazi Germant they got a Gold medal for pushing out 10! I'm so happy for you and thank you so much for staying In touch Bets wishes Chris

Chris was a wealth of...

Katie_W, Dec 2025

Chris was a wealth of knowledge, very interesting and fully prepared. Well worth it. Definitely recommend

Response from Host, Dec 2025

Thank you Katie , Thats very kind of you to take the time to say such positive things I really apreciate your reveiw as I know your husband was struggling with some pain in his leg and I was trying to make sure we could sit down as much as possible but It was also a cold day which then makes it harder to sit ! As a result you had to leave early so you taking the time to write this review despite this Is very kind Thank you both I know I messaged you after to ask but I hope he is feeling better and you managed to enjoy your trip I will send you my book list this week as well and some other things you can watch that I hope will Interest you As I said to you onnSaturday if you come back to Paris and I have a group tour running you are free to join us for free to make up for having to leave early on Saturday If you wish Best wishes and thanks Chris

We only thought we knew!

Rene_L, Nov 2025

Chris is a wealth of knowledge on all things WWII. We enjoyed hearing things from a new perspective.

WWIl tour focusing on the...

Shelley_B, Oct 2025

WWIl tour focusing on the resistance was wonderful. Chris was extremely well prepared and knowledgeable. Would highly recommend spending time with him as your guide. He asks ahead of time your specific interests so he can personalize the tour.

Chris knows his stuff!

swm5rybc42, Oct 2025

We spent a half-day with Chris, touring some key spots in central Paris. Chris’s passion and knowledge runs deep. He set a broad context to help us better understand the beginnings of the war and what both sides had anticipated. Chris was able to then dispel myths and outline the various economic, political and cultural factions that drove various actions on both sides. It’s complex, but Chris unpacked the details in a clear way, with a ton of visual aides to bring history to life. We learned so much.

WWII Walking Tour Disappointment

Daniel_C, Oct 2025

Tour was scheduled to be 2 hours. The tour guide was a wealth knowledge on WWII. However the tour guide kept going off on one tangent after another & never stuck to a main theme. The tour guide kept talking seemingly without any conception of time. We left the tour after 3 hours & 15 minutes, don't know when it actually was finished. It was cold & windy day, there was no concern for the participants such as to pause for a bio or water break. Tour guide needs to improve on organization of his presentation & clock management.

Response from Host, Oct 2025

I 'm sorry to hear this but it seems you are confused as to what tour you were actually on and the nature of It ! So where to begin with this ....? The totally false things ? Or the touch slanderous or is It libelous as it's written? Firstly let be clear the whole premise Is Incorrect in the first place because I have no 2 hr tours and never have!!?? SoI don't actually know what tour you are on about or thought you were on because a priori It couldn't have been a tour I run If it was scheduled for 2 hrs and if you had this basic fact Incorrect then also what KIND of tour you thought you were on? Did you read the description for a DIFFERENT tour then book mine by mistake? Or are you just confused or at worse twisting the truth? Maybe you just didn't bother to READ the very CLEAR tour Information provided which Includes the tour duration of 3-3.5 hrs??? Or the tour description of how I work with my guests which viirtually no one else from the overwhelming majority of my reviews seems to have a complaint about or problem with ? Yes it CLEALRY says in the tour description that duration on avergage is 3-3.5 hrs though this can vary IF people make a SPECIFIC request to finish earlier but thus would need to be the WHOLE group remember , this was a GROUP not PRIVATE tour So YOUR expectations clearly where Incorrect and NOT In line with how the tour actually runs and what type of tour It is in the first place ? So instead you why not try admitting this was YOUR fault and YOU got It wrong ? To CLAIM it was scheduled for 2 hrs then base the majority of your complaints about It on the premise of how long it went on when In fact this is TOTALLY incorrect just makes you look like you are confused, vindictive or dishionest? And foolish to boot unfortunatley The truth Is wouldn't even give this the time of day to reply to If viator didn't require it and if you didn't also give completely FALSE factual information which I cannot allow and basically then slander me personally I could of course easily just say to people read all my other reviews and ask yourself after If this sounds like an accurate description of me , my tour and my concern for my guests?!!! So let go through It starting with the first point No the tour was NOT scheduled for 2 hrs, I have NEVER run a group tour in my life that was scheduled for 2 hrs so I have no idea why you are saying this ?? What are you on about??? Quoting from the actual tour description on Viator "It is around this area that our tour will end The tour time can be BETWEEN 3-3.5 hrs " Yes Daniel it clearly says the tour can last between 3-3.5 hrs ..... So why are you claiming It was scheduled for 2 hrs ? Care to apologise for your OWN error ? So It takes some gall to come on here and complain and falsley claim the tour was scheduled for 2 hours and then complain that it went on for at least 3hrs 15mins and because of this I had seemingly no conception of time ? What are you on about??? I did nothing wrong You were wrong So either you are dishonest or even read the wrong tour description somewhere or struggle with basic literacy? Anyway this Is cear for all to see, on Viator you are totally wrong and begs the question that If you are unable to even get this basic information about the tour correct then It doesn't really add credibility to any of your other complaints does It? As Is often the case when someone tells one false thing or even a deliberate lie this they also then try to back up this first falsehood or lie with MORE misrepresentations and lies and end up providing a completely false description of the tour just to fit with the tone of the narrative they have set at the begining So no I was not In fact talking with NO conception of time ,It was in fact YOU who had the wrong conception of time and all I was doing was actaully my what my tour description says And maybe even then you should appreciate I am not constantly looking at my watch rushing you round but taking the time to make sure everyone understands the subjects properly ? Then there's the going off on "one tangent after another " claim? Yes this Is commonly called ANSWERING QUESTIONS people ask ? Where you not expecting this? Maybe not if the tour was only "2 hours" ?? Yes answering peoples questions, caring enough to make sure they go away understanding the actual SUBJECT, not just having seen a bunch of sites buildings with a guide reading a generic script who struggles to answer questions around the subject in any detail and avoids doing so like most mass tourism tours do ? Which as I clearly state, in the tour information my tour Is not like at all ? Which you clealry also did not bother reading or struggled to understand as you have demonstrated already by not even having the correct tour duration ? And this Is usually something 99% of people seem to love and appreciate usually , as you can see from reading even a handful of other reviews before this nonsense ! I do get a lot of questions around subjects I am talking about that to answer properly require me to go off the current subject before returning to It as the subject of the occupation Is an extremely complex one effected by MULTIPLE social, political and economic factors And my promise to people on the tour Is that IF they ask questions I will always answer them fully Which Is something people don't get to do on other tours with rIgid fxed intenery where the guide IS rushing them around more intrested in ticking off sites and finishing the tour as quckly as possible than actually EXPLAINING and educating people as to WHY things haooened not just where and when So I will make NO apologies for "Going off on a tangent" as you call It from a subject I may be talking about to keep my promise and answer questions because that is one of the things people love about my tours , that they CAN ask questions and I have the ability answer them properly not reading off a script And yes sometimes people will ask questions that YOU may think with your possiibly limited superficial knowledge are unrelated directly to a subject I am talking about at the time but In fact very much ARE If you are actually LISTENING to me and F you actually appreciated the level of background knowledge I have as I explain to people in my answers Which again as you can see from my abundance of extemerly positive reveiws is something people who can tell the difference betwwen 2 hrs and 3.5 hrs APPRECIATE and praise me for So best go and complain to the people asking me questions If this bothers you or instead pay the extra and BOOK A PRIVATE TOUR where we can talk just about the "themes" that YOU want to and do it for 2 hrs if that is what you want ? Shall I also apologise for the weather ....?? Oh dear....The weather now I see, thats ALWAYS a sign ..... You make it sound like a death march from WW2 the way you present It! It Is an OUTDOOR walking tour and to claim I have no concern for the particiants Is utter rubbish and In fact slanderous in my view and I will not tolerate that I made EVERY effort as I always do to the point of altering the inteneray to keep everyone OUT of the rain and wind , making sure whenever there was cover we took advantage of It Of course In difficut weather we cannot always sit down as much as we usually do because to do so would mean us sitting In the wind or rain which I'm sure you woud complain about ( And rightly actually) Again anyone reading my other reviews will see what utter nonsense this is with people going out their way to praise me for my empathy kindness and efforts For this reason I take what you say about me very personally It also TOTALLY contradictory to the nature of your other claims Why if it it was cold and windy would we need to stop specifically for a "water break"?? Yes folks, sorry NO WATER ALLOWED on my tours, all bottles are to be confiscated or binned before we start? Are you SERIOUS? I had water with me , nearly everyone on my tours usually brings something to drink and there's absolutely nothing stopping you buying something as we walk around ? I will wait for you ? You say It was cold and windy as though thats my fault then complain like we were doing sport in 90c heat or running a marathon because there was no "Water break"?? STOP IT Daniel ,Now you are just grasping and it makes you look silly and pssoibly a little vindictive There's absolutely nothing stopping anyone asking to stop and buy a drink but no one asked and it wasn't a hot day as you so kindly point out? Its even more riduculous becasue I am KNOWN by my guests for my attentiveness to and willingness to be flexible Just last week I even stopped the tour to take the peolpe to a cafe because they asked if we could sit down and get a drink and chat there instead, no problem and I have done this on numerous occassions and I am happy to So this claim PARTICULARLY annoys me and I consider it slander as I always go out of my way to help people I have even brought a STOOL with me to tours on several occassions after finding out someone had trouble standing that I carried along with my own 2 bags on my 1 hr journey into Paris to run the tour and 1 hour journey home ! I always check with people on every tour repeatedly if they are ok or needing a break and I am quite hapy to stop at a cafe if the group is happy to do so (realising that this will eat into the time available of course) I don't really understand either what type of tour you were expecting and thought you were on that lasted only 2 hours and also included an actual scheduled break , we woud be left with about just over an hour on the actual tour ! No one on the tour expressed ANY discomfort or need for a break on the tour and reading my reveiws It Is clear that this Is something I am acutely aware of and always available to do and how you describe me is TOTALLY out of character to who I am So stop misrepresentng the tour to fit your already flawed narrative based on false information and untruths And remember I also am out in this weather and for the entire tour and I am ALSO carrying 1 bag and pulling another that altogether weigh over 10kg? I also have chronic arthiritis in my back that i take daily pain medication for and often come home after a tour in pain I also had major back surgery 3 years ago 2x In a month and spent over 2 weeks in hospital after 2 severely herniated discs that caused me to lose function and sensation in parts of my right leg To this day I still have no feeling In parts of my lower right leg and foot from permanent nerve damage and a restricted range of motion in my back that prevents me from doing certain movements Why am I saying this ? Because as I said I am ALSO out there in all kinds of weather on my tours and if ANYONE is empathetic to people and prepared to take break if needed or requested then its ME with my own situation!! To claim my attitude is otherwise and to the point of having no concern for my guests is just propsterous and a figmant of your own grasping to construct your false narrative about the tour by backing it up with more and more outrageous claims Again just read all my other reviews and what people say about me you can see hiow totally ludcirous your claims are But thats what happens , when you start off with a an untruth at the very beggining , (the tour being scheduled for 2 hrs)which Is not even debtable but just FACTAULLY wrong then you have to keep digging deeper even further into the pit of untruths to try to support the Initial one and look for ANYTHING you can twist in the end What you end up doing is make yourself look uncredible by contradicting yourself logically and making selective out statements that are more and more untrue One thing Is clear from you confusng statements You obviously did not read the tour information I provided at all then proceed to criticise me for simply conducting the tour how it TELLS you it is conducted IN the description ! I have to say these these kind of misleading comments where someone Includes ludicrous claims and blames me for their own mistakes and even starts to slander me just make me feel like I don't have the energy to deal with them I put a LOT of energy into my tours and effort as so many people testify and give everything always so to have someone just make stuff up and tell complete lies about me Is really upsetting My advice Is next time you take a tour READ the actual Information first on duration and the description and reviews so you choose a tour better suited to you rather than not bother it appears and then leave a review like this after blaming the operator or guide simply for running It AS DESCRIBED rather than how you thought It should be based on your own error ! Anyway thank you to all the other wonderful people I meet on my tours and whose company I enjoy so much , I love you all x!

Thanks Chris!

Sean_C, Sep 2025

Chris was great! Enthusiastic, knowledgeable and friendly! Highly recommend if you have any interest whatsoever in WWII. You will learn a ton!

Highly Recommended History Tour

Angie_B, Aug 2025

My husband and I agree that taking the WW2 tour with Chris was the highlight of our visit to Paris. We are both interested in history. Chris is very knowledgeable on the Nazi occupation and the role of the resistance. He does an incredible job of weaving the he stories of people and places together. After the tour he sent booklists on topics that are of interest to us. We highly recommend this history tour.

WWII tour

Richard_F, Aug 2025

Wonderful experience - very knowledgeable guide! Perfect tour Appreciate the guises experience and expertise

Interesting, knowledgeable and informative tour

Selina_b, Jun 2025

Really enjoyed Chris’s passion for the history of Paris/France and how he tailored the content to our group.

WW2 Walking Tour

Marie_G, Jun 2025

Me and my 18 year old daughter both enjoyed the experience. Chris is very knowledgeable and we learned a lot.

Very knowledgeable guide...

maureenjbusch, Jun 2025

Very knowledgeable guide who provides personal attention. We learned a lot about the occupation and enjoyed it immensely

París during occupation time WWII

Carlos_E, May 2025

Excellent guide. Chris knows a lot about París and the occupation time. It was a real pleasure to be part of this experience. Good preparation and excellent walking experience.

Paris during WWII

Liz_F, May 2025

What an amazing tour! If you are a history buff or even a slight bit curious about life in Paris during WWII, then this is the tour for you! Our guide Chris was fantastic, very knowledgeable about the subject, very passionate and ties things together with current events of today. The tour was 4 hours and we still could have listened to him for another 4 hours! I highly recommend!

Very informative! Chris...

Maggie_O, May 2025

Very informative! Chris has done an immense amount of research. We enjoyed his stories and learned quite a bit.

Things I couldn’t learn from books alone.

Nicholas_H, Apr 2025

I reserved a private tour. Excellent, educational, exactly what I was looking for. I don’t care for presentation beyond what is necessary to convey the significance of history (I consider it frill). We stood for hours. I listened. The resistance, the French Foreign Colonial soldiers who helped to save Paris, the French Foreign Legion, Chanel, the bullet holes that still exist in plain sight, the people, more. Things I couldn’t learn from books alone. Things I wish I knew before booking: - He does not recite a script as other guides sometimes do. His material is prepared and tailored for you; make sure to book in advance and communicate via WhatsApp. - If you book him short notice as I did (less than 48 hours), he’ll do his best to tailor everything for you. - Dress for extended time outdoors. Dress in layers. Bring water. - Expect to walk about 2 miles over the course of about 4 hours. If you’re looking for frills, go elsewhere. If you want knowledge that is hard to find in books and film, then reserve time with Chris. Would happily do again. This tour was one of the highlights of my two weeks in Paris.

SO great!

Michelle_G, Mar 2025

What a tour!! Chris is engaging and SO knowledgeable. We spent hours with him on a private tour. Chris reached out in advance so he could tailor our tour to our interests and he managed to keep my 15 year old engaged and happy. We learned so much! We will definitely do this tour again with my full family. Chris has so much to share you could do the tour multiple times with no repeats!