Overall this was exactly what we booked it for as first-time leisure travelers to Paris…see major sites, get a feel for the city and where things are, and develop a sense of what you might want to go back and spend more time on.
No major issues with the tour. But we would offer a few constructive suggestions:
- tour guides do better if they are more fluent in English. Our guide, Juanito, was helpful and friendly and knew his way around. But his English and ability to answer many questions was a bit limited. I would encourage Walks to look for or develop better English speakers. This was a new issue on tours we took on this trip to both Rome and Paris that we have not had with Walks in the past.
- the late cancellation of the Eiffel Tower viewing deck was a major disappointment. By the time we were notified 2 days ahead, it was too late to re-do the rest of our travel plans or book ourselves. This was a selling point of the package and I would encourage Walks to figure out how to avoid no ticket situations. If it were due to weather, ok. But couldn’t get the passes when we booked two months ahead isn't reasonable. You need to be more reliable on major tour elements like this. As a result we had to wait in line for two hours instead.
- our guide spent far too much time on obscure items in Mont Martre in morning. Standing on sidewalks in front of a statue or of stores, houses, or statues and talking for 10-15 minutes about who used to live there was just a little much…we spent 15-20 minutes each on bust of the chanteuse, the obscure fiction writer, etc…everyone on the tour was getting restless and our guid didn’t really seem to pick up on that. I’m sure there is some narrow appeal to a fan of one of these obscure people, but 15 minutes outside an apartment Picasso lived in for a couple years was a bit too slow…
- more time at Orsay would be wise choice.
- we were rushed through lunch because we were running late for Orsay. Reason we were running late was all the time spent talking about poets and writers on sidewalks in Mont Martre. Nothing wrong with some of that. But it’s a matter of emphasis. I would shorten the Mont Martre segment and make more time for lunch, Norte Dame, Latin Qurter and Orsay. And I would make sure that you have tickets for Eiffel Tower before selling the tour to include it? Getting my money back two days before the tour isn’t what I wanted.
Despite these suggestions, it was a good tour overall. I’m simply offering these comments, because it could have been great with a little less Mont Martre, a little less rush at lunch, more time at Orsay, and a ticket to Eiffel.
Verified · Timothy · Sep 29, 2023 · USA · Male · 55 to 64 years