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I provide personal tours to English-speaking groups or individuals visiting Paris. If you or your group are planning on visiting the City of Light and are looking for practical, day-to-day accompaniment for your stay, I may be able to help.
The services I provide are a bit different from those of typical tour guides. Some of the differences include:
Most tour guides work by the hour. They spend however many hours you've paid for with you, then they leave. I work by the day, and so I accompany you from the time you step out of the hotel in the morning to the time you return in the evening.
Many tour guides have fixed "theme walks" or other packaged tour itineraries around the city, and you must take or leave these packages as-is. I take you to whichever places you wish to see (and only those places), so you aren't bored by places that don't interest you—and you can spend as much time as you want at the places that do. I can change plans on the spot if you decide that you wish to see something else, or if a particular place interests you more than you expected.
If you are running a large tour and have a good idea of what you want to see, I can help considerably with timing and suggestions on proper forms of transportation and sequencing, in order to see as much as possible in a given amount of time. If you're not sure what the tour should see, contact me well in advance and I can offer suggestions on itinerary. I can also do this on the spot if unforeseen circumstances require changes in the itinerary (strikes, rain, etc.).
I accompany you to places that most guides won't. For example, if you need to buy groceries to take back to the hotel or apartment, or you need to find aspirin, or you need a hair dryer or a laundromat, I can help you with these things. Most other guides won't do this. I can also accompany you as you shop (handy for translation and getting around), which many guides are unwilling to do.
If you like to spend hours shopping, I can accompany you for the entire time, to help translate or to help you get around as you shop from place to place. I do not become tired or irritable watching other people shop and will cheerfully stand and wait while you do so, even if you spend the whole day on it. Additionally, I don't receive kickbacks from anyone, so you don't have to worry about me directing you to specific stores just because they secretly pay me under the table. (A lot of guides receive kickbacks or commissions for bringing tourists into certain stores, which I've only discovered indirectly when stores and restaurants have offered to cut similar deals with me.)
With my services, I facilitate your visit rather than control your visit. The itinerary is up to you, if you know which places you want to see. If you don't know Paris, I can take you to visit the major sights, based on your interests. Since the tour is personalized, we can stop for as much or as little time at any point that you wish. If you decide to go to the Eiffel Tower one morning and then change your mind in favor of Notre-Dame, no problem. If you want to sit on the Left Bank and sketch the boats for three hours, no problem, either. Whatever fits your preferences is fine with me. I act mostly as the “local friend” who shows you how to use transportation, how to find and buy your meals, how to locate the sights that interest you, how to shop, and so on.
With groups, my role is very much like that of a tour director, except that a tour director worries about the logistics of the group, whereas I worry about the logistics of the venue (meaning Paris, in this case). In large groups, I normally work with the existing tour director and (for the largest groups) one or more tour staff. The tour director sets out his or her plan for the visit; I offer options on what is physically possible in the time available, how much it may cost, what the pros and cons are, etc.; and the tour director chooses the options that suit the group and makes the final decision on where to go and what to do. I then guide the group around based on the tour director's choices. This process repeats throughout the visit in order to adapt to changing circumstances.
I see tourists spending hours just trying to locate and reach the monuments they want to see, and squandering mountains of euro on overpriced taxis or other transportation, when they could be zooming from place to place cheaply and quickly with a bit of assistance. I see them struggling to communicate in shops (especially when they are trying to shop off the touristy path). I see them trying to decide where to go and in what order, and sometimes they spend so much time trying to decide that they have none left to actually visit anything. There are also all sorts of minor problems that can come up on a trip, and together they can waste a huge amount of time, effort, and (sometimes) money, if you don't have someone to help you with these things. And that's where I come in.
In general, my guide services are especially suited to (in no particular order):
Groups of friends/associates: This means groups of about 2-6 friends or associates (sometimes more), traveling together. This type of group works well with personal tours, because all the group members already know each other and often have similar interests.
Families: Meaning individual families with children, or even several families with children travelling as a group. Since I give personal tours, the various logistic issues of children don't present a problem, as we can stop, start, or modify activities at any time. For example, pausing for a two-hour nap time is fine, and so is spending three hours at a playground, if that's what you want to do. I have no age limits on the kids, so you can bring any ages from infants to teens. Note that I don't normally babysit the kids (although I have occasionally done so for short periods, such as while Mom and Dad are looking at things in a shop); you still have to accompany them around the city with me.
Large groups: For large groups, I work with the tour director and his or her staff to optimize the logistics of the visit, by helping to decide what to visit and the sequence of visits, the best method of transportation, and so on. Large groups usually have an itinerary prepared in advance, of course, but there are still a great many details that must be worked out on the spot, and I'm useful for that. This is especially true if unforeseen circumstances require a change in the itinerary. Most of my experience with large groups has been with teenagers (high-school or junior-high students on tours, summer tours, etc.), although I can just as easily work with adult groups or groups of children. As long as the tour director and his or her staff know how to handle their group, I can help them to handle Paris, even if none of them is familiar with the city. I can provide informative commentary during coach rides from place to place and at various sights, although I don't give long historical lectures (which most of my clients don't want, anyway). I can explain the Métro and guide groups through it (the Métro is by far the fastest way to get from place to place in Paris, and is a kind of tourist sight in itself).
Newlyweds: I can show honeymooners around the city. I don't dress in tie and tails or anything, but presumably you're more interested in each other than you are in me, so you just need to see the city.
Women on their own: I mention this because I've noticed that I've had a significant number of clients who were women travelling alone, and apparently many such travellers are anxious about finding a guide who isn't a serial murderer or Casanova. I'm as safe as they come, and I can provide references. I'm not a bodyguard—and Paris is not at all a dangerous city in any case—but if walking around in a foreign city by yourself makes you nervous, that might be one more reason to consider hiring me. It is true that Parisian men will sometimes approach women alone—not in a dangerous way, but sometimes in an annoying and persistent way—and if you don't want this type of attention, just walking around with someone else can prevent it.
Everything I do is highly negotiable, since each arrangement is personalized. The only exception is my fee, which I don't negotiate for smaller groups of ten or fewer people (for large groups, some negotiation is possible).
It's vitally important that you dress comfortably for a tour around the city. There is a lot of walking involved, and even in excellent weather it is potentially tiring (in warm weather it can be even more so). I can adjust our walking to fit visitors who have trouble walking long distances, but it's impossible to eliminate walking completely. Additionally, taking the Métro requires walking up and down lots of stairs (buses are an alternative for people with significant mobility problems, but they tend to be slow and crowded, which requires adjustments in the itinerary). Above all, make sure you wear good walking shoes that will not give you blisters after walking for a few kilometres. On more than one occasion, clients have had to cut the day short because they wore dress shoes and were in too much agony from blisters to finish the day.
I personally wear a standard "uniform" consisting of hiking boots and shorts (hiking trousers in very chilly weather), with a well-stocked reporter's vest that contains all sorts things things that one often needs on a tour. I suggest that clients dress just as casually. Visiting Paris is not a fashion show, and everyone is going to know you're a tourist, anyway, and you'll never see the people around you again, so why not dress for comfort and enjoy it?
My experience is that for most tours we end up walking a minimum of 6-10 miles (10-16 km). This can be adjusted up or down a little by varying the extent to which we use transportation, but there is considerable walking involved no matter how things are arranged—it's unavoidable in a city like Paris, if you really wish to see anything.
If you're coming to Paris between roughly April and October, be advised that the temperatures in Paris have increased enormously in the past decade due to global warming; the temperatures in your guide books probably are no longer accurate. Summers in Paris can be extremely hot these days, so dress to stay cool. And, just to be on the safe side, bring something warm you can throw on if it gets a bit chilly, as Paris weather is very unpredictable at times, especially in spring and fall.
To book a tour, just contact me. It is important to book as far in advance as possible, especially during high season (roughly April to September) and for large groups. I sometimes have free days even right up to the current week, and if I do I can still accommodate you (so feel free to ask even on very short notice, as I might be able to fit you in); but in most cases I'm booked weeks in advance, so the earlier you inquire, the better.
In some cases, if I have multiple booking requests for the same dates, or if you've reserved for a large number of days and/or a large group, I may ask for a non-refundable deposit in advance to secure the booking. Otherwise, I don't normally require a deposit. If I don't ask for a deposit but another potential client asks for the same time period later, I may ask you to make a deposit in order to secure your own booking. The deposit, when required, is normally half the daily rate on the day of the desposit; that way, if you cancel, we both lose the same amount of money.
If you've made a booking with a deposit and I have to cancel—only for things like sickness, acts of god, etc.—I'll refund the deposit. If you cancel, I keep the deposit, because it compensates me for the money I lost by turning down other bookings after you made yours. If you haven't made a deposit, either of us may cancel at will.
I periodically adjust my prices. If I adjust them after you've paid a deposit but before the tour, then the total price you pay is the price you were quoted at the time of deposit; otherwise it's the price on the day of the tour.
I charge a single daily fee, based on the total number of people in the group (one fee for the whole group, not a per-person fee), as follows:
| Number of people in group |
Daily rate in euro |
| 1-2 | 200 |
| 3-4 | 250 |
| 5-6 | 300 |
| 7-8 | 350 |
| 9-10 | 400 |
| Over 10 | Ask for quote |
The fees are the same no matter what blend of guide or photography services I provide. Feel free to shop around; I think you'll find my prices very reasonable.
These prices include French VAT (sales tax), but do not include expenses. Expenses are:
Meals: If I eat with you, you must pay for my meal. (If you prefer that I leave and come back after your meal, that's fine.) If I buy snacks or drinks for myself on my own initiative during the day, you don't have to pay for those.
Transportation: I pay for my own public transportation within Paris and out to transit zone 5 (which includes Versailles and Disneyland, but not Chartres). For all other transportation costs, you must pay my way. Normally public transportation is adequate for everything, and it is dramatically faster and more efficient than any other means of transportation for getting around within Paris.
Admissions: If I accompany you into museums or other places that charge admission, you must pay my admission (except for Disneyland, which I pay for myself). Note that some museums are free, others are free for kids, and if you're in a group, there are sometimes group discounts and free admission for tour leaders (although this last part may require reservations).
I accept payment in euro, in cash or by check only (checks must in euro and drawn on a French bank). I can invoice you for tax or business purposes, but I still require payment at the end of each day for which you've hired me. For payment in currencies other than euro (which I must authorize in advance), there's a 60% surcharge (to cover all the ruinous bank and exchange fees I have to pay to convert everything to euro). I don't currently accept plastic (credit cards). If circumstances beyond my control (illness, strikes, etc.) make the personal tour impossible, I'll refund any money you've already paid for services not yet rendered.
I do not expect tips and I'm not at all offended if I don't receive them, but obviously I won't turn them down if you really wish to tip me. And if you are running a large tour, you can make it clear to group members that no tips are expected, as I will not solicit tips.
I don't provide transportation for tours. I'll show you how to use public transportation (the best way to get around on Paris, besides walking), but you still must pay for it. I don't make advance arrangements for tour buses, taxis, or shuttles in advance; that's normally done by a travel agent (or by you, if you're a tour company).
I don't do "night life" tours of bars or nightclubs or other night spots in Paris, mainly because I'm simply not much of a nightclub person and I couldn't provide much added value in that capacity. This does not mean that I necessarily abandon you at dusk, as there are still sights to see even in the evening (depending on the season); but if you're interested specifically in cabarets, dance clubs, singles bars, etc., I'm not much help with that, although I can help you find your way to the better-known ones if you wish.
I can't help you find drugs or sex or anything illegal in Paris; sorry. I cannot help minors (under 18, or under 21 if they are American) find alcohol or tobacco. (Incidentally, I don't drink, smoke, or do drugs myself, on duty or off, so you don't have to worry about me lighting up in front of the kids or anything like that.)
In general, I don't provide services that involve accepting money in advance for a third party, such as ticket arrangements, hotel arrangements, museum reservations and so on. Those services are provided by travel agents and tour companies, not guides themselves, and they are really two different types of business.
I have no secret deals with shops, restaurants, or other businesses, and I don't receive kickbacks or commissions from such places, because I consider that unethical (although it is unfortunately very common in this business). If you ask me to recommend a place to eat or shop I do that on the basis of whether or not I've been there (if I've been there, I know what to expect) and/or how well it fits the logistics of your tour (time required to eat, distance out of the way, etc.).
As I've said, just about everything is negotiable, and each tour is personalized, so please feel free to address any and all questions you might have to me by contacting me. (Note that if you are accessing the Internet from certain ISPs, I may not be able to reply to you; click here for more details.) And you can ask me questions about Paris even if you don't plan to hire me, which I will answer for free as time and resources permit.
Finally, all of these terms and conditions are subject to change without notice.
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Last modified on July 17, 2008
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