Here is the tentative itinerary for our tour to Paris! Hope it looks good to you.
A few notes before you start reading it. First, this is tentative. I am continuously trying to improve it. So there might be changes to this. If there are, it will only be to make it better for you.
Secondly, I want to stress that there is too much to see and do in Paris in just one week. Rushing around trying to do everything is a sure way to make yourself unhappy. A big part of experiencing Paris is lingering in cafes and just watching the people. It may seem odd to you now, but relaxing is part of this adventure. That said, time permitting, we may add a few things to this itinerary, but I don’t want to overschedule us.
Finally, this is your trip. Our tours strive for – and I dare say excel at – letting you do exactly what you want to do. I have built in a few free times for those that have the hearts set on something not on our itinerary. But I’m also happy to work with you and let you deviate from what I have planned to make sure we hit everything you want to see. We’ll do it your way.
Sunday, May 21 (Get to Know Paris)
Bonus Day!
While the tour officially starts tomorrow (the 22nd), most of us will be arriving early. Why not have an extra day?
While you are certainly free to use this day to get over any jet lag or to do your own thing, for those that would like, we will be doing on overview tour of Paris this day. We’ll meet up at 9:00 am in the hotel lobby and set out from there.
We’ll also have a pre-tour get together that evening. Stay tuned for more details on that.
Monday, May 22 (Louvre, Arc de Triomphe, and Champs Elysees)
Today we start the tour with a bang and head straight to the Louvre. Bring your walking shoes, because we’ll do a quick walking tour to get to the Louvre (it is a little over a mile from our hotel). Along the way we’ll check out Place Vendome and the Tuileries. After that we’ll spend the morning touring the Louvre.
From there, we’ll head across to the Tuileries to an outdoor cafe and have a quick lunch. After that, we’ll head to the Arc de Triomphe and go to the top. The Arc de Tromphe sits at the head of the Champs Elysees so we will take a stroll down that famous boulevard while we are there.
Additional Photography Opportunities:
- Sunrise shoot along the Seine
- Night shoot at the Louvre
We’ll have dinner that night in the Place Dauphine, an outdoor area on Ile de la Cite.
Tuesday, May 23 - Orsay and La Tour Eiffel
We’ll start this day by hitting the second major Paris museum, the Musee d’Orsay, where you’ll see perhaps the most famous French artists – the Impressionists.
In the afternoon and evening, we will get to know the Eiffel Tower, the pre-eminent symbol of Paris. I’ll show you a few different views of it, for both photographers and for quick poses in front of it. After that, we’ll go up in it and take in the views. We’ll reconvene in the Champ de Mars, the park just below it. From there, we will move on the Bir Hakeim bridge for sunset views and pictures.
Additional Photography Opportunities:
- Sunrise shoot along the Seine
- Sunset shoot from Bir Hakeim
Wednesday, May 24 - Versailles
Today we take in Versailles. We’ll take an early morning train so we can be there before the crowds. We’ll start by touring the inside, staying ahead of the crowd. After that, we’ll explore the magnificent gardens.
When we are done we will head back to Paris. We will give you a free afternoon to do whatever you want in Paris. If you would like to put something special together, like a French cooking or baking class, or a special tour, let me know and we can arrange it!
Additional Photography Opportunities:
- Afternoon photo editing session with Jim and Roben
- Image critique after dinner
- Night shoot
Thursday, May 25 - Montmartre
We’ll take in two amazing places today. We’ll start in the morning in Montmartre. This is a great neighborhood overlooking Paris with many artists. It is also the home of Sacre Couer, the cathedral you will have seen from afar on this tour many times.
In the afternoon, we’ll move on to explore more the Left Bank. A highlight will be a tour of the Catacombs, with immense amounts of bones and skulls lining the corridors.
The evening will feature a visit to Montparnasse Tower. From here, we will take in perhaps the best view of Paris.
Additional Photography Opportunities:
- Sunrise shoot in Montmartre
- Night shoot at Montparnasse Tower
Friday, May 26 - Mont Saint Michel
This is the day some of you will have been waiting for. We head out to Mont Saint Michel. We have a private coach picking us up at the hotel at 9:00 am (we must have breakfast first).
We will arrive at Mont Saint Michel in the afternoon and check in to our new digs on the Mont. We can spend the afternoon touring the Abbey at the top.
The tourists all leave late in the afternoon, so we will have the place to ourselves that evening. Spend some time walking through town and on the beach about the island. You will be glad you did.
Additional Photography Opportunities:
- Sunrise shoot in Montmartre
- Night shoot at Montparnasse Tower
Saturday, May 27 - Return to Paris
We’ll head back to Paris to our new hotel. We’ll leave you some free time in the afternoon to pick up any last minute gifts and souvenirs. If you are feeling ambitious, we can also arrange any final tours you’d like.
After that we’ll enjoy our final evening in Paris with a dinner cruise on the Seine.
Sunday, May 28 - Final Day, Moving Onward
Final tour day. We’ll spend the morning taking some additional pictures of Paris. After that, we’ll get you wherever you need to go. For some, that will be to the airport to head home. For others, that will be a train station to continue your trip to other parts of France.
I will be staying in Paris a few extra days, so if anyone is lingering in Paris, let me know. We can join forces or I can at least point you in the right direction for great additional things to do.