Paris TV Show Tour in a Open Top Vintage French Car Citroen DS

The star of this tour is not only Paris, but the 1960s Citroën DS carrying you through it. The classic French car attracts smiles, photographs, and plenty of attention as it moves from Montmartre to the Eiffel Tower. With Benjamin at the wheel, you get a private ride that mixes Emily in Paris locations with a broad introduction to the city.

I like the way the tour covers a huge amount of ground without making you march between monuments. I also like the personal touch: Benjamin can tailor the route, stop for photographs, and add French anecdotes to the history. The main drawback is weather. This is an open-top experience, so rain can reduce the pleasure, and the tour is not suitable for children under 10 because the rear seats do not have seat belts.

Key details before you book

• The Citroën DS is part of the attraction: This immaculate vintage French car is comfortable, heated, roomy, and likely to draw cameras wherever it goes.
• Benjamin is your private driver-guide: He combines Emily in Paris locations with stories about Paris, major landmarks, and photo stops.
• You cover a remarkable amount of ground: The route takes in Montmartre, the Latin Quarter, Île de la Cité, the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe, and more.
• Pickup is available in central Paris: Hotels and chosen addresses can be served, with some eastern and northern arrondissements excluded.
• The tour lasts about three to four hours: It works especially well on your first day, or when you have limited time and want a broad look at Paris.
• The price favors small private groups: At $540.95 for up to four people, the cost makes more sense when shared among three or four passengers.

Why the vintage Citroën makes this tour different

Paris has no shortage of bus tours, walking tours, and private car services. This ride offers a very different mood. You sit in a classic Citroën DS, a car closely tied to French design and style, while Paris passes at street level. The open top gives you a better view of façades, bridges, domes, and the changing character of each neighborhood.

The car has heating and comfortable seats with plenty of legroom. That matters because three or four hours in a cramped vehicle would take the shine off the experience. The back seats do not have seat belts, however, which is why children under 10 are not accepted. This is an important rule, not a small footnote.

The car also changes how you experience the city. At the Arc de Triomphe, you can appreciate the broad avenues and monumental scale. In Montmartre, the car helps you move between the hill’s scattered sights without spending the entire afternoon climbing stairs. The tradeoff is that some streets and sights are viewed from the car rather than explored at length on foot.

Benjamin’s personal approach

Benjamin is the self-employed guide and professional driver for this experience. He is licensed and carries passenger insurance, so you have both a private guide and a safety-focused driver in one person. He speaks English and can adapt the outing to your interests and to the places you have already seen.

That flexibility is useful. If Emily in Paris is your main reason for booking, he can focus on the show’s locations and help you find good spots for photographs. If the series is only a small part of your interest, the tour still works as a city overview, with Parisian history and local stories woven through the ride.

The photo help is another practical plus. Benjamin can stop at selected places and take photographs for you, rather than leaving you to manage a phone at arm’s length. The private format also means you are not waiting for a large group before moving on.

Starting in the Latin Quarter and Saint-Germain

The route may begin around the Latin Quarter, one of Paris’s oldest academic districts. Its cafés, student energy, and historic streets make a useful introduction to the city’s intellectual side. Nearby, the Panthéon gives you one of the area’s grandest views, with its neoclassical exterior and role as a mausoleum for major French figures.

At Place de l’Estrapade, you get a quieter corner of the 5th arrondissement. The small square is especially important for Emily in Paris fans, but it also offers a pleasant glimpse of ordinary Paris away from the main monuments. The stop is listed as about 15 minutes, long enough for photographs and a quick look around.

The route can continue through Saint-Germain-des-Prés, passing famous cafés such as Café de Flore and Les Deux Magots. These places are linked with writers, artists, and intellectual life, though they are also busy and expensive. I would treat them as atmospheric landmarks rather than plan a full meal during this tour.

The Jardin du Luxembourg adds a calmer pause. Its formal gardens, fountains, statues, and chairs give you a feel for how Parisians use public parks. You may also pass Le Champo, a long-standing cinema known to Paris film fans, along with lively gathering places where street musicians sometimes perform.

Île Saint-Louis, Notre-Dame, and the old river crossings

The route then moves toward the islands in the Seine. Île Saint-Louis has a more intimate feel than the grand avenues, with old buildings, narrow streets, and the famous Berthillon ice cream shop. If you want to try Berthillon, check how much time is available, since a proper stop may require more than a quick photo.

Île de la Cité is the historic heart of Paris. Notre-Dame Cathedral is usually seen from outside during this tour, with around 15 minutes listed for the stop. That is enough to admire the Gothic façade and take pictures, but not enough for a full interior visit or a detailed architectural tour.

Pont Neuf, despite its name, is Paris’s oldest surviving bridge. From here, you get one of the city’s classic river views and a sense of how the Seine connects the central districts. The bridge is especially rewarding when the weather is clear, since the open-top car gives you an unobstructed view upward and across the water.

Jardin du Palais Royal and Place de Valois bring you back to elegant central Paris. The Palais Royal combines formal gardens, arcades, and Daniel Buren’s striped columns. Place de Valois is quieter, with handsome buildings and close links to the Comédie-Française and the Louvre district.

Nearby, Galerie Vivienne offers a fine example of 19th-century covered shopping arcades. Its glass roof, boutiques, cafés, and decorated passageways make it a worthwhile visual stop even if you are not shopping.

Montmartre, from the basilica to the film locations

Montmartre is one of the strongest sections of the tour. The car helps here because the district rises sharply and its sights are spread across winding streets and stairways. You can see the Montmartre stairs, Place du Tertre, Rue de l’Abreuvoir, Rue Lepic, La Maison Rose, and the Moulin Rouge without turning the afternoon into a long uphill walk.

At Place du Tertre, artists work around a busy square lined with cafés. It can feel crowded and commercial, but it remains one of the clearest places to see Montmartre’s artistic identity. Rue de l’Abreuvoir is quieter and more picturesque, with old houses that recall the neighborhood’s former village character.

The Sacré-Cœur Basilica is the main high point, both literally and visually. The white domes rise over the city, and the area offers sweeping views across Paris. The listed stop is about 15 minutes, so expect an outside visit and photographs rather than a slow exploration of the basilica.

Emily in Paris fans will recognize several nearby locations. Rue Lepic connects the show’s Paris with real Montmartre life, while the Café des 2 Moulins is associated with the film Amélie, not the series. La Maison Rose is another popular photograph stop, with its pink façade and artistic associations.

The Wall of Love, or Le Mur des Je t’aime, makes a brief romantic pause. The phrase I love you appears in more than 300 languages. It is a small site, and 15 minutes is plenty for a look and a photograph.

From the Arc de Triomphe to the Eiffel Tower

After Montmartre, the tour reaches the grand western avenues. Parc Monceau and the Courcelles area provide a contrast to the hill’s narrow streets. Parc Monceau is a formal park with winding paths, statues, and a quieter atmosphere, while Courcelles is known for elegant residential architecture.

The Arc de Triomphe is another outside stop of roughly 15 minutes. From ground level, you can take in the monument’s carved details and the unusual traffic pattern around it. The tour does not include climbing to the rooftop, so plan a separate visit if you want the view from above.

The route toward the Eiffel Tower includes Rue de l’Université and the École Militaire. Rue de l’Université is one of the better streets for Eiffel Tower photographs, with the monument appearing at the end of a classic Parisian setting. The École Militaire adds military history and a broad view toward the Champ de Mars.

At the Eiffel Tower, you get another approximately 15-minute stop. This is enough for photographs and a close look, but not a tower visit. Tickets, elevator access, and time to go up are not included, so arrange that separately if a summit or second-floor view matters to you.

The grand Paris route: Invalides, the Seine, and the Louvre

The middle and late portions of the tour sweep through some of Paris’s grandest civic sights. You may pass the Élysée Palace, the official residence of the French president, and Les Invalides, with its famous golden dome and Napoleon’s tomb. These are imposing sights best appreciated from the moving car, since the full museum visits would require much more time.

Pont Alexandre III is one of the city’s most ornate bridges, decorated with gold details and sculpted figures. It offers strong views toward Les Invalides and the Seine. The Champs-Élysées then brings the tour through Paris’s best-known avenue, where luxury shops, cafés, traffic, and grand urban planning all meet.

The Church of La Madeleine, the Grand Palais, the Petit Palais, and Pont de la Concorde continue the architectural parade. Place de la Concorde is especially important because the Luxor Obelisk, fountains, and open space connect the city’s royal, revolutionary, and modern eras.

The final central stretch includes the Tuileries Gardens and the Louvre. At the Louvre’s glass pyramid, the listed stop is about 15 minutes, so you will see the exterior and photograph the courtyard rather than tour the museum. The Musée d’Orsay may also appear along the route, housed in its former railway station and known for Impressionist and Post-Impressionist art.

This is a lot of Paris in one ride. You will not get an in-depth visit inside every monument, but you will understand where the major districts fit together. That is the real value of the route.

What the $540.95 group price buys you

The price is $540.95 per group of up to four people. For one person or a couple, that is a significant expense. For four passengers, it works out to about $135 per person before any separate meals, museum tickets, or drinks.

You are paying for a private car, a professional driver, an English-speaking guide, bottled water, pickup and drop-off options, and a flexible route. The tour also saves time. Instead of arranging taxis between Montmartre, the Eiffel Tower, the Latin Quarter, and the Louvre, you make the connections in one continuous outing.

The value is strongest if you are a small group, want a special vehicle, or have only a few days in Paris. It is less compelling if you prefer long museum visits, slow walks, or the lowest possible sightseeing cost. This is a panoramic introduction, not a substitute for exploring the Louvre, Notre-Dame, or Sacré-Cœur at length.

Timing, pickup, and weather advice

The best suggested schedules are between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., when the aim is to reduce traffic delays. Paris traffic can still be unpredictable, so do not schedule a train, flight, or timed museum entry too tightly after the tour.

Pickup and drop-off are available at chosen locations within eligible parts of Paris. The service does not cover the 3rd, 4th, 10th, 11th, 12th, 19th, or 20th arrondissements, including Le Marais, Bastille, République, and Gare du Nord. If your address is outside the service area, the meeting points are near Hôtel de Crillon at Place de la Concorde or the Panthéon.

The tour requires good weather. If poor weather cancels it, you can take another date or receive a full refund. You can also cancel for a full refund up to 24 hours before the start time. Since the car is open top, I would keep your plans flexible and bring a light layer even on a pleasant day.

Who should book this Paris car tour?

I would recommend it most strongly to:

• First-time visitors who want to see the city’s major areas quickly
• Fans of Emily in Paris who want recognizable filming locations
• Couples, families with older children, or groups of friends sharing the cost
• Visitors with limited time who value efficient transportation
• Anyone who enjoys classic cars and wants photographs that feel different from a normal bus tour
• Cruise passengers or short-stay visitors who need a broad city view in three hours

I would be more cautious if you have children under 10, dislike open-air rides, or want extensive time inside museums and churches. The tour can show you where the sights are, but you will need separate visits for the interiors.

Should you book the Citroën DS tour?

Book it if you want a stylish, private introduction to Paris with a real local guide, plenty of photo stops, and a route that joins the show locations to the city’s major landmarks. Benjamin’s personal service, the comfortable Citroën DS, and the ability to tailor the outing are the strongest reasons to choose it.

Skip it if your main goal is the cheapest way to sightsee or a detailed visit to one monument. For a small group sharing the cost, though, this is an efficient and memorable way to get your bearings, see far more than you could on foot, and enjoy Paris from an unusually French seat.

FAQ

How long does the Paris TV show tour last?

The tour lasts approximately three to four hours.

How many people can join the private tour?

The price covers one private group of up to four people.

Who is the guide?

Benjamin is the self-employed local guide and professional licensed driver for the experience. The tour is offered in English.

Is hotel pickup included?

Pickup and drop-off are available at eligible locations within Paris. Some areas are excluded, including the 3rd, 4th, 10th, 11th, 12th, 19th, and 20th arrondissements, Le Marais, Bastille, République, and Gare du Nord.

Can children join the tour?

Children under 10 are not allowed because the rear seats do not have seat belts.

Does the tour enter the Eiffel Tower, Louvre, or Notre-Dame?

No admission tickets are included. The scheduled stops are primarily outside visits and photo opportunities, with about 15 minutes listed at several major sights.

What happens if the weather is poor?

The experience requires good weather. If it is canceled because of poor weather, you can choose another date or receive a full refund. Free cancellation is also available up to 24 hours before the start time.