NOVEMBER 2007
December programme will soon be available by e-mail on request
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GENERALINFORMATION All tours cost 10 euros per adult unless specified. (Children under 15, 5 euros; students under 21, 8 euros). The tours last about two hours, and unless stated in the description, there is no need to reserve. Tours run rain or shine. We meet above ground at the metro exit. The guides wear Paris Walks badges.
OUR GUIDES are are a select team who are knowledgeable, professional and qualified. They all have many years experience as guides. They are mostly native English speakers, but have lived in France for years, speak excellent French and know French culture well. They enjoy showing their city to visitors and sharing their expertise and enthusiasm. The tours are very informative but also enjoyable.
PARIS WALKS GIFT VOUCHER for an unusual Christmas present . A voucher for a few walks, or for a private tour, which could be for a family with one of our family guides. Call us or e-mail us for more details.
THE PROGRAMME IS IN TWO PARTS
Part 1: weekly programme of walks this month. Walks continue all year but with a reduced schedule in the winter season
Part 2: the complete calendar of tours day by day for this month.
CUSTOMER SATISFACTION:
We enjoyed learning about Paris with your excellent guides and great company. The walk in Le Marais was terrific... fun, informative and interesting. Patricia McBrearty. USA 2007
We all agreed that the tours we took really made our trip to Paris perfect. We will be recommending you. Jill Lasser. USA 2007
We just got back from Paris and I'm happy to say that your tours were the highlight of our trip. Andre Lyver. Montreal. 2007
WEEKLY PROGRAMME OF REGULAR TOURS in November
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Every Monday Ile de la Cité and Notre Dame 10.30am This tour will show you the superb medieval architecture and the stories illustrated in the lively sculptures of Notre Dame Cathedral. Hear how this Gothic marvel was built. Ile de la Cité is where the first Celtic inhabitants founded their settlement in ancient times so you will also discover the history and varied styles of architecture as we explore old streets, gardens, hidden courtyards, the flower market and the poignant memorial to those deported during the Occupation. Meet at metro Cité.
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Every Friday Hemingway's Paris 10.30am Explore this charming neighbourhood in the Latin Quarter with the old houses of the lively Mouffetard market street, an impressive fragment of the medieval city wall, and the beautiful church of St Etienne-du-Mont. Many writers are associated with this quarter. We see where James Joyce put the finishing touches to Ulysses, George Orwell lived in a boarding house, the poet Verlaine, author of 'Clair de Lune' which inspired Debussy, died in seedy lodgings and where Balzac set the chilling story 'Old Goriot '. Hemingway immortalised the streets and local characters in his two novels 'A Moveable Feast' and the 'Sun Also Rises'. Meet at metro Cardinal Lemoine.
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Every Tuesday The Marais Circuit 1 10.30 am Saints and Sinners. (See description for Saturday) Meet at metro St Paul. (Line 1) Price 10 euros.
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Every Saturday The Marais Circuit 1 10.30 am Saints and Sinners. The Marais is the most beautifully preserved quarter of the city. Discover medieval houses, atmospheric old streets, beautiful classical architecture, two lovely churches, the antiques shops in the Village St Paul, and the royal place des Vosges, Paris' oldest square. A host of colourful characters lived here including dissolute duchesses and aristocratic poisoners and Mme de Sevigné who wrote about them in her witty letters. Meet at metro St Paul. (Line 1) Price 10 euros. There is always a walk on Saturday afternoon, check the daily walks list below for this month. |
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Every Wednesday The Village of Montmartre 10.30 am A picturesque route to enjoy the charm of the old village. You will see the vineyard, old cobbled streets, artists' studios, where Renoir, Lautrec and Van Gogh painted, quiet gardens, the oldest cabaret in Paris (the Lapin Agile) the lively place-du-Tertre with its outdoor artists, the famous Sacré Coeur basilica and a wonderful view over the city. Meet at metro Abbesses (line 12). Price 10 euros. Take the elevator, the station is quite deep.
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Every Sunday The Village of Montmartre 10.30 am meet at metro Abbesses. (Line 12) See description for Wednesday. Price 10 euros. Take the elevator, the station is quite deep. The Marais Circuit II 2.30 pm In this beautiful historic neighbourhood we hear tales of famous inhabitants and enjoy elegant classical architecture and charming old streets. We see some splendid mansions: the beautiful Soubise Palace, the Hotel Sale, now the Picasso Museum and the Hotel Carnavalet, where Mme de Sevigné lived, famous for her witty letters telling of life at the time of the Sun King. We walk through the Jewish quarter and finish at the lovely place des Vosges, the city's oldest square. Meet at metro St Paul. (Line 1) Price 10 euros. There is always another walk on Sundays, check the daily walks list below for this month. |
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Every Thursday Saint Germain-des-Prés 10.30am This tour captures the essence of the Left Bank: the ancient abbey church of St Germain, charming streets lined with bookstores and literary cafés, old squares, artists' studios, the famous Paris Fine Arts School, and the hotel where Oscar Wilde died. The walk includes the beautiful church of St Sulpice, its mysterious gnomon, and the Rose Line, all mentioned in the Da Vinci Code. Meet in front of St Sulpice Church, nearest metro St Sulpice or Mabillon
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E-mail: paris@paris-walks.com
PARIS WALKS GIFT VOUCHER for an unusual Christmas present A voucher for a few walks, or for a private tour, which could be for a family with one of our family guides. Call us or e-mail us for more details.
November 1st is a Holiday
Thurs 1 10.30am St Germain-des-Prés
Thurs 1 2.30pm PARIS OF THE 19THC (Park Monceau and neighbourhood) This elegant park surrounded by sumptuous town houses was the chic new quarter of Napoleon III's Paris. We hear of Baron Haussmann's plans for Paris, the first parachutist, the construction of the Statue of Liberty, personalities of the era: industrialists, philanthopists, art collectors and the Russian church with its golden onion domes. Meet at metro Monceau.
Fri 2 10.30am Hemingway's Paris
Sat 3 10.30am The Marais Circuit 1
Sat 3 2.30pm THE OLD LES HALLES MARKET DISTRICT A fascinating walk to explore the history of the old market district with stories of marketeers, and old fashioned bistrots serving onion soup; Paris' oldest patisserie, stores selling traditional foods, cooking equipment and tableware, and beautiful St Eustache church. The tour will introduce you to some good addresses for culinary treats. Meet at metro Etienne Marcel.
Sun 4 10.30am Village Montmartre
Sun 4 2.30pm The Marais: Circuit 2
Sun 4 11am PARIS DURING THE OCCUPATION and Liberation Hear how the Parisians survived the difficult years of the Occupation from 1940-44 in this walk in the area of the Champs Elysées, with stories of daily life, the Gestapo, the Resistance and the Liberation. Meet at metro Tuileries.
Sun 4 2.30pm PERE LACHAISE CEMETERY This is Paris' most famous and historic cemetery, an atmospheric mixture of cobbled pathways and shady avenues. Hear the stories of the many celebrities who are commemorated here by beautiful elaborate tombs: Chopin, Balzac, Oscar Wilde, Edith Piaf, Maria Callas, Jim Morrison and the ill-fated lovers Abelard and Héloise. Meet at metro Père Lachaise
Mon 5 10.30am Cité Island & Notre Dame
Tues 6 10.30am The Marais Circuit 1
Wed 7 10.30am Village Montmartre
Thurs 8 10.30am St Germain-des-Prés
SPECIAL VISIT
Thurs 8 10.30am THE JEWISH QUARTER This tour explores the history of the Jewish community in Paris from the middle ages to the present day in the picturesque streets of the old Marais quarter. We see the area once nicknamed the Pletzel, the specialist shops of the rue des Rosiers, we see inside a synagogue and and finish at the wall commemorating 'the Righteous', at the memorial to the Shoah, which you can visit after the tour. Meet at metro Hotel de Ville, exit rue Lobau. Price 12euros
Fri 9 10.30am Hemingway's Paris
Sat 10 10.30am The Marais Circuit 1
Sat 10 2.30pm THE MEDIEVAL LATIN QUARTER A walk through this atmospheric district, to see highlights and hidden details. Roman remains, charming old streets, two ancient churches, a wonderful example of flamboyant gothic, the story of medieval scholars and the famous Sorbonne University. See how unspoilt the Latin quarter still is. Meet at metro Maubert-Mutualité, by café 'Le Métro'.
November 11th is a Holiday
Sun 11 10.30am Village Montmartre
Sun 11 2.30pm The Marais Circuit 2
Sun 11 11am THE FRENCH REVOLUTION (LEFT BANK) In the historic Latin Quarter, see where the revolutionaries lived and met, the oldest café in Paris, and the hall where Danton and the radical Cordeliers' club held their debates. Understand the background to the chilling stories: Dr Guillotin's sinister 'razor', Marat stabbed in his bath by Charlotte Corday. Meet at metro Odeon at the statue.
Sun 11 2.30pm JEFFERSON'S PARIS A walk in the Latin Quarter in the footsteps of Thomas Jefferson who spent several influential years in Paris. Hear how he and his friends, Lafayette and Franklin, lived through the political turmoil in Paris on the eve of the French Revolution. The tour includes the new statue of Jefferson and the Hotel de Salm, the architecture of which he admired. Meet at elephant statue outside the Musée d'Orsay. Nearest metro Solferino or RER Musée d'Orsay.
Mon 12 10.30am Cité Island & Notre Dame
Tues 13 10.30am The Marais Circuit 1
Wed 14 10.30am Village Montmartre
Thurs 15 10.30am St Germain-des-Prés
SPECIAL VISIT
Thurs 15 10.30am THE OLD LES HALLES MARKET DISTRICT A fascinating walk to explore the history of the old market district with stories of marketeers, and old fashioned bistrots serving onion soup; Paris' oldest patisserie, stores selling traditional foods, cooking equipment and tableware, and beautiful St Eustache church. The tour will introduce you to some good addresses for culinary treats. Meet at metro Etienne Marcel.
Fri 16 10.30am Hemingway's Paris
Sat 17 10.30am The Marais Circuit 1
Sat 17 2.30pm THE FRENCH REVOLUTION (RIGHT BANK) Palais Royal to place de la Concorde: the Palais Royal, once a hotbed of revolutionary ideas, the site of the radical Jacobin club and the ill-fated Tuileries palace. Hear of Marie Antoinette, Equality Philip, Robespierre, and Charlotte Corday, finishing at the place de la Concorde where the guillotine stood. Meet at metro Palais Royal, at the main exit on the square, place du Palais Royal, beside the rue de Rivoli.
Sun 18 10.30am Village Montmartre
Sun 18 2.30pm The Marais Circuit 2
Sun 18 11am THE PARIS OPERA HOUSE See the sumptuous interior decoration of Opera Garnier, the newly restored ballroom, the fabulous grand stairway, and Chagall's ceiling in the auditorium (sometimes closed). Find out the real story of the underground water and why this extravagant theatre inspired The Phantom. Meet inside entrance lobby, at statue of Lully, with entrance ticket (8euros). Nearest metro Opera.
Sun 18 2.30pm PARIS DURING THE OCCUPATION and Liberation Hear how the Parisians survived the dark years of the Occupation from 1940-44 in this walk in the area of the Champs Elysées, with stories of daily life, the Gestapo, the Resistance and the Liberation. Meet at metro Tuileries.
Mon 19 10.30am Cité Island & Notre Dame
Tues 20 10.30am The Marais Circuit 1
SPECIAL VISIT
Tues 20 10.30am THE PARIS CHOCOLATE TOUR Find out about the history of chocolate, and how Paris is the capital of dark Chocolate. We visit a variety of superb chocolatiers on this enjoyable walk which mixes history and architecture with chocolate tastings. The tour will give you some good ideas and introduce you to some secret addresses. Meet at metro Louvre-Rivoli. Reservation and prepayment essential. Price 25euros (Includes tasting)
Wed 21 10.30am Village Montmartre
Thurs 22 10.30am St Germain-des-Prés
Fri 23 10.30am Hemingway's Paris
SPECIAL VISIT
Fri 23 10.30am THE PARIS CHOCOLATE TOUR See Nov 20. Meet at metro Louvre-Rivoli. Reservation and prepayment essential. Price 25euros
Sat 24 10.30am The Marais Circuit 1
Sat 24 2.30pm THE TWO ISLANDS A walk to enjoy the essence of Paris on the two islands. The magical Ile St Louis, elegant architecture and aristocratic inhabitants, a favourite with the lost generation of the 1920s who savoured its old world charm. The history of Ile de la Cité, where Paris was first founded and the architecture and sculptures of Notre Dame Cathedral. Meet at metro Pont Marie.
Sun 25 10.30am Village Montmartre
Sun 25 2.30pm The Marais Circuit 2
Sun 25 11am Underground tour of THE SEWERS and the story of the River Seine Walk below ground and see how the Paris sewers function. An unusual but fascinating view of the under-side of the city. Children welcome. (Ent 4euros) Meet at metro Alma-Marceau, beside the golden Liberty flame.
Sun 25 2.30pm ART NOUVEAU ARCHITECTURE The elegant 16th district is famous for its variety of attractive and imaginatively designed houses: by Hector Guimard, (author of the distinctive plant-like Paris metro exits dating from 1900), and by Le Corbusier and Mallet Stevens, who built beautiful avant garde villas. Meet at metro Ranelagh.
Mon 26 10.30am Cité Island & Notre Dame
Tues 27 10.30am The Marais Circuit 1
Wed 28 10.30am Village Montmartre
Thurs 29 10.30am St Germain-des-Prés
SPECIAL VISIT
Thurs 29 10.30am THE ARCADES OF OLD PARIS. An architectural walk to explore the picturesque arcades of 19thC Paris. This atmospheric circuit through old arcades, and the elegant Palais Royal, will reveal an unusual and charming side of the city. and you will discover a wealth of attractive tea rooms, restaurants, design shops, and boutiques selling both fashions and old style curios. Meet at metro Louvre-Rivoli.
Fri 30 10.30am Hemingway's Paris
PARIS WALKS GIFT VOUCHER for an unusual Christmas present. A voucher for a few walks, or for a private tour, which could be for a family with one of our family guides. Call us or e-mail us for more details.
OUR BOOKS
Peter and Oriel Caine are authors of PARIS THEN AND NOW Thunder Bay Press 23 euros
By Peter Caine: The Definitive Guide to DA VINCI CODE PARIS In English or French. This fully illustrated pocket guide book has a fascinating chapter on symbols. 12E Published by Avalon in the States and by Orion in the UK. Selected by the Mail on Sunday as travel book of the week and on the best seller list in France.
BOOKSTORES
Our brochures are available at the following bookshops in Paris:
The Red Wheelbarrow, 22 rue St Paul, Paris 75004. Nearest metro St Paul.
Village Voice, 6 rue Princesse, Paris 75006. Nearest metro Mabillon.
San Francisco Book Co, 17 rue Monsieur le Prince, Paris 75006. Metro Odeon. (2nd hand)
Tea and Tattered Pages, 24 rue Mayet, Paris 75006. Metro Duroc. (Tea Room and bookshop)
Les Alizés, 74 rue Cardinal Lemoine, Paris 75005. Metro Cardinal Lemoine. New and second hand books in French and English. Specialises in Hemingway, next to where he lived.
Pick up your free copy of Paris Voice magazine and browse amongst the books in a friendly atmosphere. Buy a copy of Hemingway's "A Moveable Feast" to enjoy before or after our Hemingway tour.
WHAT GUIDE BOOKS SAY:
The Rough Guide: The best walking tours of Paris are those offered by Paris Walks.
Sunday Mail: 9 out of 10 and the best value in Paris. Our guide was unflagging in her enthusiasm. Customer comment: even in the rain this was great!
Rick Steves: Paris Walks are the best. Excellent walks, informative and fun. Thoughtfully prepared, humorous and relaxing walking tours.
The Economist Magazine: enthusiastic guides who educate visitors about the architecture and history of Paris.
Where Magazine: Paris Walks offers fresh insights on traditional tourist itineraries. Our guide had encyclopedic knowledge, well chosen anecdotes and plenty of British wit.