France · private tours
Best Private Tours in Paris — Trip Planner
Planning private touring in Paris? Here’s how to decide what’s worth your time. Private, guide-to-yourself tours of Paris — your pace, your interests, skip the crowds. All bookable on demand.
Powered by GetYourGuide
Top experiences in Paris
Bookable through GetYourGuide. Skip-the-line, verified guides.
What's actually worth your time in Paris
Notre-Dame reopened in December 2024 and entry to the nave is still free, though the timed-slot queue is long, so reserve the free slot through the cathedral app. The Eiffel Tower summit is the upgrade actually worth buying, while the second floor satisfies most people. Sacre-Coeur's dome climb beats the basilica interior. The Champs-Elysees is a shopping street, but the Arc de Triomphe roof earns its fee.
Paris's museums, and which one to pick
The Louvre closes Tuesdays and, since January 2026, charges 22 euros for EEA residents against 32 euros for everyone else, its first nationality-based pricing. Free entry falls on the first Friday of each month after 18:00, excluding July and August. The Musee d'Orsay is free on first Sundays, but since March 2026 every visitor, free entries included, must hold a booked timed slot. Orsay closes Mondays; the Pompidou is shut for a multi-year renovation.
What things cost in Paris
Budget 2.55 euros per Metro ride and 14 euros for the airport ticket. An espresso taken standing at the counter costs 1.50 to 2.50 and roughly double at a terrace table, with both prices legally displayed. A boulangerie sandwich runs 5 to 7 euros and a prix-fixe lunch 18 to 25. Louvre entry is 22 euros for EEA residents and 32 euros otherwise.
What first-timers get wrong in Paris
A single Metro ticket costs 2.55 euros and, since the fare reform, reaches any station in the network with zones abolished for visitors. Metro and bus tickets are no longer interchangeable, so switching between them requires a second ticket. Airport journeys use a separate 14-euro flat fare. Say bonjour on entering any shop. Service is included in restaurant prices, and rounding up suffices.
What to eat in Paris
Paris rewards the specialist over the brasserie. Buy bread from a Grand Prix de la Baguette winner, a list published annually, with the winner supplying the Elysee for a year. Rue Montorgueil, rue des Martyrs and the Marche d'Aligre are the food streets residents actually use. Falafel on rue des Rosiers, Breton galettes near Montparnasse, and a jambon-beurre from any decent boulangerie beat most tourist menus.
When to go to Paris
| Best months for private tours | Avg daily high | Rain days |
|---|---|---|
| July | 25°C / 77°F | 9 days |
| September | 22°C / 72°F | 10 days |
| August | 25°C / 77°F | 11 days |
The month to avoid is December — around 9°C (48°F) with roughly 15 rain days. Prices and crowds track the weather here: July is the sweet spot, December the month most people skip.
Pack for peak season: Summer clothes, plus one light layer for air-con and evenings, A packable rain shell or compact umbrella earns its space, Comfortable walking shoes — every guide on this site assumes you'll use them.
Where to base yourself in Paris
- Le Marais — Boutique shops, falafel, cafés, queer-friendly.
- Saint-Germain-des-Prés — Literary cafés, antiquaires, the publishing-world quarter.
- Montmartre — Sacré-Cœur, narrow stairs, the artsy hill.
- Belleville — Multicultural, street art, panoramic views.