France · GUIDED
The good guided tours go weeks ahead and the best go first. Here are 15 to reserve early, what each includes and where they part company.
Visit the Louvre with an English-speaking guide, choosing a one or two-hour route through works such as the Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo, and Winged Victory. Then use your flexible Seine cruise ticket within six months, with boats departing about every 30 minutes from Alma Bridge near the Eiffel Tower.
“Very good and the guide was very able and friendly.”
Meet near the Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel, then spend about three hours inside the Louvre with an English-speaking guide. You’ll see the Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo, Winged Victory, works by Leonardo and Michelangelo, and lesser-known treasures. Choose a group, small-group, or private option, with an optional wine and cheese tasting upgrade.
“I’m giving all fives because the tour guide was super amazing and accommodating and I don’t want her to be penalized for the accessibility issues we had! The site says that the museum is handicap accessible and it is but not for all exhibits. This caused us to miss much of the museum and guided tour. But this was in no way the tour guides fault and she was exceptional and very patient!”
Meet your English-speaking guide at the Louvre Pyramid for a 2.5-hour tour through the museum’s major galleries. You’ll see the Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo, and less familiar works, with a private or small-group format available. Your timed adult entry ticket is included, and you may continue exploring alone afterward.
“Excellent!! Florent was terrific. His knowledge of art and his explanations were clear and really interesting!! Terrific”
Meet your guide by Louis XIV’s equestrian statue and enter Versailles through a separate entrance. The 90-minute tour covers the Royal Apartments, State Apartments, and Hall of Mirrors, with headsets and commentary in English, French, Italian, or Spanish. Afterward, explore the gardens, Trianon, and Marie Antoinette’s estate at your own pace.
“First, the app was very helpful and practical. I really appreciated the map feature. Oliver, our guide was very thorough, and pointed out relevant features in an overwhelmingly overwhelming historical site. He did a great job.”
Choose a guided Louvre visit or a host-led escort straight to the Mona Lisa. Meet at the Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel, walk through the Tuileries Garden, see the Venus de Milo and Winged Victory, then stay inside to explore independently.
“Our historian guide Victoria was very well informed. We thoroughly enjoyed her tour and are happy to recommend her.”
Spend two focused hours at the Louvre with a licensed guide, priority entry, and a headset. The route includes the Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo, Napoleon’s apartments, Egyptian mummies, Psyche Revived by Cupid’s Kiss, and the Louvre’s medieval foundations. Guides such as Ivan, Benedict, Claudia, and Frederic are praised for lively, clear explanations.
“The guide was funny and wealth of knowledge. Took us to so many spots we probably would have missed. Thank you.”
Walk through Père-Lachaise Cemetery with an English- or French-speaking guide such as Jade, Philippe, Josephine, or Morgan. Over two hours, you will see famous graves, hear stories about Chopin, Piaf, Morrison, Wilde, and Proust, and learn about reported ghosts, spiritualist cults, and strange events. Meet at the main entrance near Philippe Auguste Metro.
“This tour was excellent. Our tour guide, Morgan, was very knowledgeable and made the tour very interesting. Morgan is a great asset to your company! I will recommend this tour and your company to all. Thank you once more for providing this great experience!”
Walk through the Tuileries Gardens, then enter the Louvre with a licensed English- or Spanish-speaking guide. Spend about two hours seeing the Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo, Winged Victory, the medieval fortress, and the Pyramid. Guides such as Camille, Pierre, Sandrine, and François have been praised for clear stories, humor, and strong crowd control.
“It was informative and we had immediate entry access into the museum without having to wait hours outside in the line. I had booked the earlier tour and arrived very late. If you miss the tour you booked you're not illegible for a refund and have to book and pay if I want a new tour. However, they thankfully added me to the following tour an hour later without having to pay any extra money. I don't know the name of the lady who did this unfortunately. A big shout out to Monty our guide who was exceptional and did a good job in the very crowded museum.Read more”
Meet near the Eiffel Tower for a guided climb to the second floor by stairs. Your English-speaking guide explains Gustave Eiffel’s design, engineering, and curious past, with stops at the glass floor and old spiral staircase. Add summit access by lift for Eiffel’s office and higher views. Guides have included James, Ana, Fortune, Nihad, and Joanna.
“Made it easy for us to get our tickets. Tour guide (Nihad) spent the entire time giving recs for food and what to do but no time talking about construction of the tower or history. We saw other guides from same company discussing this while waiting for tickets.”
Start near Metro Anvers with a small group of up to 15 people, then walk and ride the Metro through Montmartre, central Paris, and the Seine area. Guides such as Adva, Rami, Chiara, and Olivia bring history, local tips, and photo help to a fast-moving overview. Sights are viewed from outside except Sacré-Coeur.
“Great way to see Paris and curcumnavigate the key parts of the city. This is the way to start any trip in Paris to get you acquainted with the areas you and to return to for a deep dive experience.”
Travel from Paris to Mont Saint Michel by air-conditioned coach with an English-speaking guide such as Maja, Asma, Ash, or Onome. After the long ride, explore the medieval island at your own pace, enter the abbey with a prepaid ticket, and use an offline audio app. Expect steep paths, many stairs, and about four hours on site.
“The facility is only reached by 380 death steps to the top period. It was cold and rainy the entire day we were there which did not make it any easier to travel period. Bite on the hole it was a lovely and very unique place to visit period.”
Meet near Avenue Elisée Reclus for a guided climb to the Eiffel Tower’s second floor. Your guide explains the tower’s design and history while you walk upward. Add summit access by elevator if available, or choose the optional Seine cruise. Guides may include Ana, Yusra, Ash, or Hendrix.
“The meet up was very easy. Our guide was great and very helpful. He even helped get us in a very short line to get up to the top. The lines were short, but I think that was due to how early we got there we couldn’t figure out if we were gonna be able to just get tickets by showing up in the morning and this was helpful to guarantee that we got in the Eiffel Tower. It was hard to tell with everything being sold out on the official website, so this was a little bit more money, but it’s worth it for a piece of mind and…”
Board near the Eiffel Tower for a one-hour Seine cruise on a quiet electric boat. A local guide speaks in French and English, while an app adds commentary in five more languages. You will pass Notre Dame, the Louvre, Musée d’Orsay, Hôtel de Ville, and historic bridges before returning to 2 Port de Suffren.
“Guide was excellent all 5 star. Good value for money.”
Travel by comfortable, air-conditioned coach from Paris to Versailles with a live English- or Spanish-speaking guide. Visit the State Apartments, Hall of Mirrors, Royal Chapel, and private apartments, then explore the gardens on your own. Choose a shorter visit or allow up to seven hours for the gardens and fountains.
“Franscois was a great guide, passionate and informative. Half day was not enough to fully explore the palace and gardens. Heartily recommend 👍👍”
Travel from Paris to Giverny by air-conditioned coach and visit Claude Monet’s house, flower gardens, and famous lily pond. Choose a live guide or explore independently with an audio guide. Guides such as Agnes, Alex, and Christelle have been praised for clear explanations, while the half-day schedule keeps the outing simple but leaves little time for lunch or the village.
“Beautiful day in Giverny. The trip went very smoothly. Agnes, our guide, was friendly, joyful, and knowledgeable. It was peak season, so the garden and house were crowded. The line for people trying to get in was extraordinarily long. It made us very happy we could skip all of that. Take a snack since there is really not time for lunch and the "snack" window in the garden is very limited. Have a late lunch when you get back to Paris.”
Pick a monument, a coastline or a cellar.
