The purpose of the private Van Paris Discovery Tour is to give you an overview of all the most spectacular and renowned monuments and historical sites of the city. It will help you to get your marks and make your plans for the next days. Your private, licensed driver-guide will pick you up at your hotel in a very comfortable, air-conditioned minivan (or similar).
After a brief introduction to the architecture of Paris so that you may better appreciate the beauty of the city, you will start your journey at the geographical center of Paris, the Opera Garnier (that inspired the “Phantom of the Opera”,
then drive to place Vendôme (a jewel of architecture from the 17thC),
the Palais Royal (former Cardinal’s palace), the Louvre (outside visit),
continue along the Seine River to the Ile de la Cite , passing by the Conciergerie (former seat of the Royal power),
where you will make your first stop to have a visit of the cathedral Notre-Dame ,
you will continue then driving by the Hotel de Ville (Town of Hall) and
the Ile St Louis before arriving to one of the most interesting areas of Paris: the Marais district , that from the 14th C on became the residence of the King, rich noble families and the Jewish community. You will stop for a small walking tour with your guide that will take you along, rue des Francs Bourgeois to the first Royal square in Paris: place des Vosges (visit of the square, hotel de Sully etc.).
After this discovery of the Marais district, your guide will cross the Seine River to continue your journey on the Left Bank , the old Paris ,
the scholastic Paris with the Latin Quarter (student quarter),
the Sorbonne (university), the Pantheon (rest place of the great men of France),
the Luxembourg Garden (most spectacular park in Paris with the Statue of Liberty),
the Church St Sulpice, the Saint Germain district ( home of many jazz musicians, writers and painters since the roaring twenties) where you will have lunch in a typical French restaurant or bistro (not included in the price – your guide will choose a place that will suit your expectations).
After this culinary break you continue your ride along the French Institute,
the Orsay Museum (outside visit) ,
the Concorde square ( the largest square in Europe where the French Revolution took the life of the King and the Queen),
the Champs Elysées (most famous avenue in the world),
the Arc de Triomphe (Napoleon’s Triumph Arc),
the Grand Palais, the Invalides,
the Eiffel Tower where you will make a stop for photos before driving to Montmartre , the village of the artists (Renoir, Picasso, Braque, Toulouse Lautrec, Gauguin, Van Gogh …) and highest place in Paris (with an incredible view) where your guide will take you for a small walking tour to discover its unique scenery, the famous place du Tertre with its cafés and shops and the eternal white Sacre Cœur basilica before driving you back again to your hotel.
This tour will definitely wake up your appetite for one of the most fascinating cities in the world.
Lunch not included
Extra charge for a pick up and/or a drop off outside Paris
If you wish to have a private visit of the following monuments (Sainte Chapelle, Conciergerie, Invalides, the Arc De Triomphe and the Opéra Garnier, tickets not included) please warn us before to be able to fit it into your schedule and know that you will not have enough time to see all of the monuments listed above.