Private Sightseeing Tour - History and Culture of Paris ULFR03

Personal Highlights:

• Viewing the Medieval stained glass windows of Saint Chappelle
• A tour of the Louvre with a private guide
• Exploring and dining in le Marais created by the Knights Templar and Paris’ oldest residential areas
• Lunch in the Latin Quarter near the Sorbonne

Day 1 Depart USA

You board your overnight flight to Paris to begin your historical and cultural exploration of this great city.

Day 2 Bienvenue a Paris

Upon arrival in Paris you are met by your guide and driver as you take an orientation tour of Paris. Whether this is your first or fifteenth trip to Paris it is impossible not to be impressed as you see the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, L'arc de Triomphe or the Champs Elysees and know that you are truly in Paris. You will view many of these sites in detail later on but for now we absorb it all. After the tour, your guide takes you to your centrally-located hotel where you have the afternoon to relax or explore the neighborhood around your hotel. Dinner is at the hotel's superb restaurant this evening.

Day 3 Birth of a City, Revolution and a Celebration of Art

Today's excursion will start at Isle de la Cite, the island in the Seine thought to be the site of the original settlement in Paris. Your tour starts with the Conciergerie built in the 14th Century. During the French Revolution, nearly 3,000 prisoners, including Marie Antoinette, spent their last days here before heading to the Guillotine in Concorde Square. Nearby is Saint Chapelle, built by Louis IX to store the crown of thorns and a piece of the true cross. Despite damage during the revolution, over two thirds of the stained glass windows are original. You will tour the church and then adjourn for lunch at a nearby restaurant. After lunch you proceed to the Louvre where you spend the afternoon viewing some of the great works displayed here including The Wedding at Cana by Veronese, Coronation of Napoleon by David, the Venus de Milo and, of course the Mona Lisa by DaVinci. Tonight, you dine from a selection of restaurants in various parts of the city through our Concierge dining offer and put together through collaboration with your hotel's concierge.

Day 4 From the Bastille to the Marais

After breakfast, your guide will take you to an ultra modern building with an ancient past. The Opera Bastille is an aggressively modern structure not to be mistaken for the Opera Garnier which is more traditional (and home to the Phantom...). This new opera house was built on the site of the Bastille prison whose storming was a seminal event in the French revolution. Your next stop will be le Marais which is named for the marsh which the Knights Templar drained and thus created this area. Because it escaped the Haussman re-design, it is the oldest existing neighborhood in Paris and the mansions in Place des Vosges are considered to be some of the most desirable in the city. In the late 19th Century many Eastern European Jews settled here and despite the holocaust it still remains an area with a strong Jewish tradition.  After lunch the rest of the afternoon is free, but join us for another Concierge dinner, perhaps in St. Germain de Pres?

Day 5 From the Moulin Rouge to the Sacre Coeur

Perhaps no other place best captures the bohemian and artistic side of Paris than the hilltop village of Montmartre. You will spend the day with your guide exploring this unusual area. While located within Paris, this area has one of the few remaining vineyards in Paris and two windmills one of which was " Le Bal du Moulin de la Galette" painted by Renoir. At various times Montmartre has been home to Monet, Renoir and Picasso and even today you can have your portrait sketched in the Place du Tetre. Your host is knowledgeable about the area and will take you down some narrow alleyways to absorb the true flavor of Montmartre. After your exertion (Montmartre is a hill after all) you stop for lunch at one of our favorite bistros in Montmartre. Following lunch you make your way through streets lined with shops offering a selection of the most famous and amazing sweet specialties in France. Of course, you indulge, knowing that you have walked off many of the calories. After sightseeing, you can relax over dinner at the hotel.

Day 6 A Journey through the Latin Quarter

Today's exploration will take you through the heart of Roman and Medieval Paris. You start with a visit to Notre Dame Cathedral where your guide gives a detailed explanation of its architectural and religious significance. You then walk through the flower market on isle de la Cite before heading to the cobblestone streets of the left bank. You pass the ancient Roman Baths and the Mansion built by the Cluny Abbots before arriving at the Sorbonne, the prestigious university of Paris. You have lunch in the area around the university then the afternoon is free and your guide will give you directions as to the best areas for shopping. Tonight another opportunity to enjoy one of our Concierge dinners.

Day 7 From the Champs-Elysees to the Eiffel Tower

After breakfast, your guide will meet you to take you on a walking tour of some of the most recognizable sights on the Right Bank. You will discover the major monuments of Paris between the 17th Century and the early part of the 20th Century. During your walk you will stroll the Champs Elysees, pass Les Invalides, the building containing the remains of Napoleon, and the Ecole Militaire where he studied to be an artillery officer. You then arrive at the Eiffel Tower where you take an elevator to the first level where a table has been reserved for lunch at Altitude 95. After lunch you have the afternoon free before enjoying a farewell dinner at your hotel along with a bottle of wine with our compliments.

Day 8 Depart for USA

After breakfast, your driver is ready to take you to the airport for your return flight to the USA which arrives in the afternoon of the same day.

Services Included

• 1st Class rail travel as indicated on the itinerary
• Superior Rooms at the properties indicated in the accommodations area (We reserve the right to substitute a property of equal quality in advance of departure should the designated hotel be unavailable)
• Private Transfers to and from the airport or rail station at destination
• All meals as indicated on the itinerary by B=Breakfast, L=Lunch and D=Dinner
• Private guides for city explorations and private driver/guide while traveling.
• Entrance fees to all museums, attractions and other venues as indicated on the daily itinerary
• Baggage handling at all hotels
• All applicable taxes and service fees

Services Not Included

• International airfare (round-trip from hometown departure gateway to destination)
• Beverages with included meals (unless otherwise indicated on itinerary page)
• Any meals not indicated on the Itinerary page
• Items of a personal nature e.g. minibar, film, postcards etc.
• Gratuities to Guides and Driver/Guides (we provide suggested guidelines for your selected destination in your pre-departure material)
• Any passport or visa fees or government departure taxes (It is the traveler’s responsibility to secure the latest information regarding passports and visa requirements)

Available Year Round