The 20 best tours in Paris

Luckily for independent explorers, Paris has its own brand of easy-to-use Boris Bikes. Here, the cycle network is known as the Vélib, and you’ll find these two-wheelers scattered all over the city. Switching your bike as you move from station to station gives you the chance to explore the city on foot. Perfect for those who don’t appreciate being shepherded around too much. 

Sure, Paris is full of calorific cheese, pastries and wine, but who’s counting when you’ve got to walk to get to them? In three hours your guide will have you trekking through the capital on the lookout for French fancies. Visit a bakery, a patisserie, a cheese and wine bar, and a fresh produce market.

See the City of Light in the best way possible – from above. On this tour to Versailles you’ll soar over the Seine, the Bois de Boulogne and the royal palace before landing near Versailles where you can enjoy a complimentary drink and take photos in front of your helicopter. On your return flight to Paris, enjoy bird’s-eye views of Trocadéro, Montparnasse, La Défense and the Eiffel Tower.

The Louvre is massive – there’s no avoiding that fact, but this tour boils it down to the very best bits. And you get to jump the line! You should allow a couple of hours for this excursion around the museum’s most renowned artworks. Get up close to the Venus de Milo, the Winged Victory of Samothrace, Géricault’s The Raft of the Medusa and, of course, da Vinci’s Mona Lisa – all with an informative commentary courtesy of your guide.

There’s no messing about on this one – it’s all sights, sights, sights. The two-hour tour takes in all the landmarks, including Notre-Dame, the Louvre, the Arc de Triomphe and the Eiffel Tower, and is led by a guide who’ll share lots of fascinating titbits along the way.

This 60-minute tour takes you through the wine cellers of the King of France where you'll have the chance to learn all about French grapes and the various wine regions of France. After all, what’s a trip to France without sampling a few glasses of top-notch vino?

France is famous for many things, but let’s be honest – the food must be top. If your mouth is watering at the thought of la cuisine parisienne, you’re not alone – and this boulangerie tour is waiting. Prepare to have your senses astounded, because as soon as you enter this behind-the-scenes tour (at an authentic Parisian patisserie), you’ll be revelling in an array of delicious sights, smells and tastes. Uncover the secrets of French baking, mosey around the kitchens and witness first-hand exactly how those delectable French breads, pastries and cakes are crafted. Once you’ve feasted your eyes, you’ll be allowed take home a freshly made croissant and baguette. 

This bike tour takes you out of the chaos of Paris proper, and into the quaint and picturesque villages of Vernon and Giverny on its outskirts. And yes, it should be every bit as idyllic as it sounds. 

Paris is synonymous with cheese and wine – a duo that’ll taste beautiful together if selected artfully. If you join the pro cheesemonger on this tasting session in a Parisian cellar – where else? – you too can learn all the secrets behind a perfect pairing. Enjoy artisan cheeses and bread baskets while sipping on five French wines (including a glass of Champagne). 

A chance to see the City of Light live up to its nickname – this tour whisks you along the Seine, then loops around the courtyard of the Louvre, before taking you to some hidden-away gems you may not have even heard of.

This guided tour takes in various city sights including the Louvre, the winding streets of Montmartre and a queue-jumping trip up the Eiffel Tower.

We all know there are few cities as enchanting and beautiful as Paris – and that it really comes into its own come nightfall. This bus/coach tour passes various floodlit monuments before taking you to the second floor of the Eiffel Tower. And for that extra little bit of magic, also includes an hour-long cruise along the Seine. Parfait!

This one’s essential for those who love a spot of retail therapy. On this tour you’ll be led by a genuine Parisian stylist and fashion expert – she’ll take you on a stroll through major Parisian shopping locations and delve into the city’s rich sartorial history. It’s not often we suggest wearing your smartest heels for a tour – but maybe you should in this case!

This tour takes a look at one of the 20th century’s most famous Parisians, fashion designer and clothes magnate Coco Chanel. Tour guide Alex will take you on a walk around the Place Vendôme, known for its fashion houses and boutiques, and a regular haunt of Madame Chanel. 

Fancy seeing Paris from a bird’s-eye view? Then take to the skies on the Ballon de Paris, a gargantuan hot-air balloon that sets off from Parc André Citroën Park in the 15th arrondissement and floats over the city’s rooftops. Take note: tours can be cancelled in bad weather. 

Not only does this tour take you around the largest opera house in Europe, the Palais Garnier, but you'll also be invited to climb aboard a Parisian boat before sailing down the Seine River past monuments such as the Louvre Museum, the Orsay Museum, and the Notre Dame Cathedral.

Got Paris’s museums and galleries on your to-see list? The Paris Museum Pass is essential: it gets you entry to more than 60 of the city’s institutions as many times as you like over a consecutive two-day period. It’ll let you culture-binge to your heart’s content at the likes of the Musée d’Orsay, the Pompidou Centre and the Arc de Triomphe. 

And if you don’t fancy being led by actors through Montmartre, then how about in the passenger seat of that Frenchest of French vehicles, a Citroën 2CV? You’ll be chauffeured past sights including the Sacré-Coeur and the red light district in north Pigalle.

This tour for the sweet-toothed takes you around bougie Saint-Germain-des-Prés, which brims with artisanal pastry and chocolate shops. Needless to say, there’ll be the opportunity to get your chops sticky along the way – at an insulin-raising eight different establishments. 

Want to visit the land of Mickey, Minnie, Donald et al – but baulking at the thought of all those queues? The Fastpass option lets you skip the line at various rides and attractions at Disneyland Paris, including ‘Star Wars: Hyperspace Mountain’ and ‘Peter Pan’s Flight’.