Seven nights superior tourist class accommodations with daily buffet breakfast, taxes & service changes at the Duminy Vendome Hotel near the Place Vendome in the 1st Arrondissement.
Half day guided tour of the Musee d'Orsay (entrance fees included) followed by a walking tour of the St. Germain-des-Pres area in the 6th Arrondissement. The focus for this walking tour is a literary one with special emphasis on Oscar Wilde and The Hotel.
Half day guided tour of Versailles (entrance fees included).
Half day guided tour that begins with a visit to the Louvre (entrance fees included). This is followed by a walking tour with a focus on some of the sites written about in the best-selling novel, the Da Vinci Code.
A full day of guided shopping at the famous Galleries Lafayette Department Store on the Blvd Hausmann. This day also includes; a cooking lesson, lunch and a fashion show.
A half day guided shopping tour to the famous Marche Aux Puces. It is one of Paris' most interesting flea markets.
A guided visit to the Eiffel Tower followed by a dinner cruise on the Seine River on the Bateaux Parisiens with live music and beverages.
Six day Metro pass (including 1 day for the Versailles tour).
PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING
Airfare is not included.
Transportation to and from the hotel to the airport, or applicable train station, is not included. We can arrange special private car or minivan transfers at an additional cost.
Transportation within Paris is by the excellent Metro system or on foot.
The concept of this program is to introduce, or reintroduce, the visitor to the city as the people of Paris know and love it. There is plenty of free time to explore and to satisfy personal interests and curiosities.
We have purposely included only 2 group meals in this program so that participants can go to their favorite restaurants and/or those recommended by their friends. We will also provide lists of our dining establishments in the final documents. Those meals are; dinner on DAY 6 and lunch on DAY 7.
DAILY ITINERARY
DAY 1
Checkin at the Hotel Duminy Vendome anytime after 2:00 PM. This Saturday evening is on your own. The front desk personnel will be happy to advise you on nice restaurants within walking distance of the hotel.
DAY 2
A guide meets you after breakfast at a pre-assigned time in the Sunday lobby. You will proceed on foot through the Tuileries Gardens to the Musee d'Orsay which is one of the premier museums in the world to view Impressionist-era paintings. From there, the guide leads you through the literary haunts around St. Germain-des-Pres, including the final days of Oscar Wilde at The Hotel. At the end of the walking tour, the guide will direct you to the nearest Metro station where you will be given an explanation of how the subway system works. The remainder of the day is on your own and you are welcome to return to the Musee d'Orsay as your entrance ticket is good for the entire day.
DAY 3
After breakfast, your guide arrives to lead you on an adventure that Monday few outsiders experience - a visit to "the mother of all flea markets" - the Marche aux Puce. There are over 2,000 vendors at this site that was established way back in the 1800's. There is literally something there for everybody that fancies themselves as antique collectors with 13 antique markets and endless tents, tables and stalls to inspect.
DAY 4
This morning after breakfast, your guide arrives to meet the group Tuesday for a half day tour to the Versailles Palace. There will be time for a walk around the gardens and a tour inside the palace. At the end of the tour, the guide will go back to Paris by train with those participants who also want to return to the city. For those wishing to explore the town of Versailles, they are able to take lunch near the palace and return to Paris at their leisure.
DAY 5
This morning after breakfast, the guide arrives to meet the group Wednesday for a half day tour that begins with a short walk to the Louvre. Time is allowed to get acquainted with the finer points of the museum, as well as the role it plays in the novel, The Da Vinci Code. There will be time after exploring the Louvre to visit other sites in the city that are related to the book. After the tour, the rest of the day is free with the option of returning to the Louvre as your entrance ticket is good for the entire day.
DAY 6
The day is free for exploring on your own as your guide does not Thursday arrive to the hotel until very late in the afternoon. Your farewell/gala evening begins with a Metro ride to the Eiffel Tower where everyone will ride the elevators to the second floor of this magnificent landmark (entrance fees included). The view is spectacular and you will be able to pick out many of famous sites that you visited in your previous days around the city. Afterwards, it is a very short walk to the pier where you will board the Bateaux Parisiens for a Seine River cruise with dinner, live music and drinks. Once you have arrived and settled into your tables, the guide will depart for the evening.
DAY 7
Today is your Galleries Lafayette day. Your guide arrives at the Friday hotel after breakfast to collect the group. After a short Metro ride, everyone arrives and the experience begins with a cooking lesson, followed by lunch and the weekly fashion show, all at the famous Parisian department store.
DAY 8
After breakfast, there is some time to linger in the hotel before a Saturday late morning checkout. We thank you for allowing us the opportunity to show you the beautiful city of Paris through the eyes of a Parisian.
PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING:
Additional hotel overnights, group meals and ground services may be added to the
program, according to budget and time concerns.
Seven nights superior tourist class accommodations with daily buffet breakfast, taxes & service changes at the Duminy Vendome Hotel near the Place Vendome in the 1st Arrondissement.
PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING
A guide meets you after breakfast at a pre-assigned time in the Sunday lobby. You will proceed on foot through the Tuileries Gardens to the Musee d'Orsay which is one of the premier museums in the world to view Impressionist-era paintings. From there, the guide leads you through the literary haunts around St. Germain-des-Pres, including the final days of Oscar Wilde at The Hotel. At the end of the walking tour, the guide will direct you to the nearest Metro station where you will be given an explanation of how the subway system works. The remainder of the day is on your own and you are welcome to return to the Musee d'Orsay as your entrance ticket is good for the entire day.
After breakfast, your guide arrives to lead you on an adventure that Monday few outsiders experience - a visit to "the mother of all flea markets" - the Marche aux Puce. There are over 2,000 vendors at this site that was established way back in the 1800's. There is literally something there for everybody that fancies themselves as antique collectors with 13 antique markets and endless tents, tables and stalls to inspect.
This morning after breakfast, your guide arrives to meet the group Tuesday for a half day tour to the Versailles Palace. There will be time for a walk around the gardens and a tour inside the palace. At the end of the tour, the guide will go back to Paris by train with those participants who also want to return to the city. For those wishing to explore the town of Versailles, they are able to take lunch near the palace and return to Paris at their leisure.
This morning after breakfast, the guide arrives to meet the group Wednesday for a half day tour that begins with a short walk to the Louvre. Time is allowed to get acquainted with the finer points of the museum, as well as the role it plays in the novel, The Da Vinci Code. There will be time after exploring the Louvre to visit other sites in the city that are related to the book. After the tour, the rest of the day is free with the option of returning to the Louvre as your entrance ticket is good for the entire day.
The day is free for exploring on your own as your guide does not Thursday arrive to the hotel until very late in the afternoon. Your farewell/gala evening begins with a Metro ride to the Eiffel Tower where everyone will ride the elevators to the second floor of this magnificent landmark (entrance fees included). The view is spectacular and you will be able to pick out many of famous sites that you visited in your previous days around the city. Afterwards, it is a very short walk to the pier where you will board the Bateaux Parisiens for a Seine River cruise with dinner, live music and drinks. Once you have arrived and settled into your tables, the guide will depart for the evening.
After breakfast, there is some time to linger in the hotel before a Saturday late morning checkout. We thank you for allowing us the opportunity to show you the beautiful city of Paris through the eyes of a Parisian.