After running tours here for years and exploring the city ourselves, we’ve put together a guide to help you choose the right Paris tours for 2025—based on real experience, not guesswork. Yes, it’s slightly biased because we run a tour company, but you can take this practical advice and purchase tours from us or another operator.
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Should You Take a Tour in Paris?
In our experience, there’s no better way to truly understand Paris than with a guided tour. Having led and taken countless tours ourselves, we know firsthand that a great guide can transform a simple visit into a rich, memorable experience. Plus, skip-the-line access saves valuable time (and sanity) in this busy city.
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Not ready to book a tour? Find out if Paris tours are worth it.
Types of Paris Tours Available in/near Paris
🎨 Museum Tours
In our opinion, museums like the Louvre and Musée d’Orsay are too overwhelming without a guide who knows their way around. The guide also provides a ton of context and makes things more memorable. I recommend popular museums like the Louvre and Orsay, but lesser-visited museums like Jacquemart, Carnavalet, etc, are all great options if you want a great experience. In these situations, you might want to overlook the quantity of reviews and lean into a bespoke experience.
🗼 Iconic Monument Tours
Having battled the lines ourselves, we can promise you: a guided Eiffel Tower or Catacombs tour with privileged access is worth every penny. These monuments would be #1 in any other city, but take a back seat to the Louvre and Versailles.
📷 Sightseeing & Driving Tours
Paris is very spread out. Luckily there is a comprehensive metro system. That said, when the weather is nice and the sun is out it’s great to see the city from the streets itself. Good news is there are a lot of local operators who have great options. Here are some of our favorite sightseeing tours by foot, bike, segway, and more!
🍷 Food and Wine Tours
Every city in Europe has its own food culture as well as its own rules to dining. It could be something small, like “No milk-based coffee drinks after 11 am in Italy,” or something more important. Did you know that Parisians will get offended often if you show up at their restaurant without a reservation? A food tour in Paris can serve as an orientation to what foods to eat, this always varies city-by-city, as well as the cultural norms. Best done on day one!
🏰 Palace and Castle Tours
From my experience, a day trip to Versailles is an absolute must, as it’s economical to do and close to Paris. Beyond that, the Loire Valley is one of the best ways to experience France’s royal history beyond Paris.
Factors to Consider When Choosing a Paris Tour
Based on our years of helping travelers navigate Paris, here are some factors we always recommend considering:
- Tour Duration – Do you want a half-day, full-day, or multi-day experience?
- Crowd Size – Prefer small-group intimacy or don’t mind a crowd?
- Skip-the-Line Access – Absolutely essential at places like the Louvre, Eiffel Tower, and Catacombs.
- Tour Themes – Pick what excites you—history, food, art, wine, or all of the above.
- Physical Activity – Some tours (like climbing the Eiffel Tower) are more active than others.
Tour Comparison Chart
| Tour Name | Duration | Skip-the-Line? | Best For | Highlights | Avg Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Louvre Museum Tour w/ Mona Lisa | 3 hrs | ✅ Yes | First-time visitors | Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo, Crown Jewels | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4.9/5) |
| Eiffel Tower Tour + Seine Cruise | 2.5 hrs | ✅ Yes | Romance seekers | Sparkling tower views, Champagne, Boat ride | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4.8/5) |
| Versailles Palace Tour from Paris | 4.5 hrs | ✅ Yes | First-time visitors | Hall of Mirrors, Garden stroll, Train from Paris | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4.7/5) |
| Paris Catacombs Tour w/ Secret Rooms | 1.5 hrs | ✅ Yes | Adventurous travelers | Exclusive access to restricted chambers | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4.9/5) |
| Food Tour in Le Marais | 3 hrs | N/A | Food lovers | Oysters, Champagne, Falafel, Hidden bistros | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5.0/5) |
| Montmartre Food Tour | 3 hrs | N/A | Return visitors | 3-course meal, Wine tasting, Moulin Rouge views | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4.6/5) |
| Private Musée d’Orsay Tour | 2.5 hrs | ✅ Yes | Art aficionados | Impressionist masterpieces, Private guide | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4.8/5) |
| Champagne Day Trip from Paris | Full day | ✅ Yes | Wine lovers | Dom Perignon cellars, Épernay & Reims tastings | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4.9/5) |
| Normandy D-Day Tour + Cider Tasting | Full day | ✅ Yes | History-focused travelers | Omaha Beach, Pointe du Hoc, Local cider farm | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4.8/5) |
🏆 Employee Favorite Picks by Attraction
Here’s our short list of the tours we’ve seen guests absolutely love over the years—and why we stand behind them.
1. Palace of Versailles
- Palace of Versailles and Gardens Tour from Paris – Our go-to for a full experience of the palace and gardens. Includes transport and definitely our most popular tour in Paris.
- Private Versailles Palace and Gardens Tour – Have deeper pockets and want a bespoke experience? This is for you!
📝 How to See the Palace of Versailles
2. The Louvre
- Secrets of the Louvre Museum Tour with Mona Lisa – Our top recommendation if you want to go beyond the obvious.
- Louvre at Closing Time Tour – Fewer crowds, richer stories—one of our favorite Louvre experiences.
- Private Louvre Tour with Expert Guide – Great for travelers who want to tailor the experience.
- Semi-Private Louvre Tour with Mona Lisa – Small-group magic without the full private price.
📝 How to Visit the Louvre Museum
3. Eiffel Tower
- Privileged Access Eiffel Tower Night Tour + River Cruise – Watching the Tower sparkle from the Seine never gets old.
- Eiffel Tower Climbing Tour with Summit Access – A unique, active way to experience the landmark.
📝 Find the Perfect Eiffel Tower Tour
4. Catacombs of Paris
- Paris Catacombs Tour with Secret Rooms – In our opinion, the only way to truly experience the Catacombs.
5. Food & Wine Tours
- Paris Food Tour in Le Marais – In our experience, this tour gives you a full taste of Parisian life.
- Montmartre Paris Food Tour – A feast for the senses—and your camera roll.
6. Musée d’Orsay
- Private Musée d’Orsay Tour with Skip-the-Line Tickets – Impressionism explained the way it should be: with passion and insider knowledge.
7. Day Trips
- Loire Valley Castles and Wine Day Trip – One of our favorite countryside escapes.
- Normandy D-Day Beaches Tour – Sobering and unforgettable—truly powerful.
- Semi-Private Champagne Day Trip from Paris – Raise a glass (or three) to the French countryside.
📝 See All Day Trips from Paris
How to Decide What’s Best for You
After guiding tens of thousands of travelers, our advice is simple:
- Are you short on time? Prioritize “skip the line” tours.
- Want to avoid crowds? Semi-private tours are your friend.
- Foodie at heart? Trust us—a food tour will blow you away.
- Love history? Versailles, Louvre, and Normandy are non-negotiables.
- Like flexibility? Go for a private guide to shape your own day.
Final Thoughts
Paris isn’t just a place—it’s an experience. After years of running tours here and countless personal visits, we can confidently say: the right tour doesn’t just show you Paris—it makes you feel Paris. Choose wisely, and this city will capture your heart the way it did ours.
Related Resources
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With a city as magnificent as Paris, it can be hard to find the perfect hotel at the perfect price. Explore the best hotels and places to stay in these incredible neighborhoods in Paris.
Paris is Paris is Paris, no other city can compare .
Paris is Paris is Paris, no other city can compare .I love Paris,love France but dislike the French…..And Iwas born and raise there………….
Is it worth it to get a tour guide, though?
We might be biased, but it really is. You can either wander these amazing locations or monuments and not really know what’s so significant (or that you just passed the first painting by a world-famous painter), or you can learn so many incredible details and stories about these places and art. Tour guides truly do elevate your experience and make it more memorable.
Hello Brie, yeah, that makes sense. I also hate getting lost 😀 I have been looking around on your tours, and it seems that they are not customizable? Something like this https://gowithguide.com/france/paris
Our private tours can be customized within the museum or locations it already includes. So for instance, if you want more time in the Greek sculptures than in a room of impressionism, just let your guide know.