We have 4 evenings, and 3 full days there, flying out the morning of the 4th day. I do want to do a tour, and had planned to do the open bus tour, but after reading many of the posts, I am wondering if I will feel that I am wasting time waiting for the next bus to come %26#39;round? I know we won%26#39;t want to just stay on the bus for the entire 2-hour trip - we WILL want to get off and explore a few stops, at least I imagine we will. But I don%26#39;t want to wind up spending an entire day on the bus tour either. Would we be better off with a walking tour? Or perhaps the bike tour? I guess my question really is, how long did you wind up spending on the bus tour, and did you find that you did, or did not, have enough time to see what you wanted to see?
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We almost always spend our last two days riding around on l%26#39;Opentour, the last day just for another look around before we have to go home.
The buses seem to come by more frequently on the main route than the other three, and more frequently when the weather is nice. The longest we%26#39;ve waited for the next bus is 30 minutes. But, we usually %26quot;skip%26quot; parts of the routes (such as the Champs Elysees) with city buses.
There is no question that l%26#39;Opentour covers a LOT more territory. And, views from seats on the open air upper deck are fantastic. You see a lot more than by walking around or bicycling in a pack.
We no longer go on walking tours because you have to plan your day around them, and often there%26#39;s more standing than walking. There are so many terrific self-guided walking tour guides, pamphlets, even the Access Guide...for going on your own.
Our favorite %26quot;tour%26quot; is the Segway Tour. The Segways are great fun to ride, the groups are small (8 people maximum), and the scenery is wonderful, of course. With the Segways, you%26#39;re breezing around on your own with panoramic views as you go. We like the night tour the best, because you leave in the daylight and return after dark, when the lights have been turned on all over.
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Yes the Segway tour does sound wonderful, I had looked into it earlier. Unfortunately my budget won%26#39;t allow for it. But thanks for your insight. I%26#39;m just having a hard time trying to determine what to see, when. There is so MUCH to see in Paris...and you only can see but a little in 3 days! I don%26#39;t want the boys to feel dragged around - but I DO want them to see things that they will remember. :-)
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The only drawback ot the Segway tour is it%26#39;s very expensive, think 70 euros. Fine if you just have to pay for yourself, but if you have to pay for a family it gets quite $$$. We really wanted to do it but just could not justify that. The bike tours are cheaper. Fat Tire has a Web site you can look at. We did not do a tour of any kind, just plotted out by day the areas we wanted to see and walked, walked, walked, or used the Metro. But you miss a lot underground!
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Yes I am almost considering not doing a tour at all, except for the better view that I could get from the bus - for pictures. We are all in excellent health - all runners, with very comfortable shoes, so walking all day will not be a problem at all.
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Here is an earlier thread about free walking tours that get good reviews:
tripadvisor.com/…9144482
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Depending on the age of the kids (older than 10 go for it) I would go for the bike tour. I don%26#39;t know if you see as much as the bus, but you get a much more personal feel for the city. You also get to see how close everything is and how walkable the city is from a bike. On my first visit I traveled on the metro and never got a feel for where everything was. On my second trip I took a bike tour, it was super fun and it made me realize how close everything is.
I think your kids, who sound like they are active, would love it.
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Just returned from our week in Paris. Took the bike tour with our three kids and had a great time. It gives you a feel for where everything is (many places are very close to each other). I can%26#39;t imagine doing this by bus. Walking or bike riding is the way to see this city up close. So take the bike tour, then pick a few places that interest you and walk around!
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I am a big segway fan too. I understand that isn%26#39;t an option for everyone. I think the next best option would be a bike tour. The walking tours usually just cover one small area of Paris and you would have to do many tours to get a real feel for the city.
I don%26#39;t think it is as important for you to see the entire city as it is for you to experience intimately the part you see. I think a bike tour followed by walking, walking, walking is best. If you organize your itinerary, you can start in a different section of town each day (bus or Metro to that area--and by the way I love, love, love the Metro. It is an important part of experiencing Paris as far as I am concerned.) and walk around that area.
I hope you are planning to see the Opera Garnier--my favorite building in Paris (inside and outside).
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Yes, Opera Garnier is on my itinerary! :-)
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