Compare Paris Getaway by TripMasters vs Paris and Versailles by Eskapas
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| Trip |
3.5 | Average
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5 | Excellent
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| Duration | 9 days | 5 days |
| Price From | $ 675 | $ 1,190 |
| Price Per Day | $ 75 | $ 238 |
| Highlights |
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| Trip Style | Retreats | Group tour |
| Lodging Level | Standard | Standard |
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| Flights & Transport | Ground transport included | Internal airfare and ground transport included |
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| Meals Included | N/A |
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| Description |
Paris is regarded as one of the most dynamic cities in Europe, and for good reason: the city assaults the senses; demanding to be seen, heard, touched, tasted and smelled. Gaze at impressive monuments and savor its gourmet cheeses, chocolates, wines, and seafood. Paris is relatively small as capitals go, with many of its major sights and museums within walking distance of each other. Stroll the Champs-Elysees for the chic, larger-than-life experience or wander the Rue Cler for a more intimate snapshot of Parisian living. Everyone from the artist, to the romantic, to the jaded world-traveler, will find inspiration here in the City of Lights. We recommend at least 6 nights in this amazing city to enjoy its full scope! The Must See`s include: the Eiffel Tower, Louvre Museum, Arc de Triomphe, Notre Dame Cathedral, Jardin des Tuileries, Latin Quater, Avenue des Champs Elysees and so much more! |
A city that simply oozes romance – the original city of love! Paris is the city of a thousand walks and is as close to perfection as is possible for a fabulous city break holiday. Paris’ monument-lined boulevards, museums, nightlife, its romantic Seine river, colorful lives, classical bistros, boutiques and much more. Paris is one of the world’s best places for food and drink. Our selection of 3*** city centered hotels and guided visits of iconic areas such as Versailles Palace, Louvre Museum, Eiffel Tower, Seine Cruise etc. during this full 5 days visited journey will make your trip unforgettable. Paris can be anything you want, but as a romantic city break it is just unmissable. In fact, for business or pleasure, Paris is a city beyond compare. “Once seen, never forgotten” Join our small group tour in Paris |
Day 1 in Paris
Welcome to Paris! Upon arrival, you will go through customs and immigration. Should you opt to purchase a transfer to your hotel; a representative will be waiting for you as you exit immigration. Arrive at your hotel, check in and do not give in to jet lag! There is so much for you to see and do!
Begin the afternoon with a pleasant lunch in any of the charming streetside cafes to be found throughout Paris. Afterwards, we recommend that you get acquainted with the city by choosing an optional tour such as Hop-on Hop-off Tour, showcasing the main sights of the French capital.
As night falls, enjoy the Trocadéro scene and a twilight ride up the Eiffel Tower as it glitters with lights to mark the change from one hour to the next; or dine on the Avenue des Champs-Élysées, one of the most famous avenues in the world, followed by a romantic cruise on the Seine River. Either way you're sure to fall in love with the `City of Light.`
Day 2 in Paris
Wake up early today and head for the Ile de la Cité to visit 13th-century Sainte-Chapelle. This is a relatively small chapel that is not too far from Notre Dame, but the interior, which consists of almost floor to ceiling stained glass, is absolutely breathtaking.
No more than ten minutes walk from Sainte Chapelle is Paris`s most famous religious building, Notre-Dame Cathedral, the major Catholic cathedral in Paris.*
*Note that on April 15th 2019 a devastating fire seriously damaged Notre Dame. We believe the cathedral will be closed for the foreseeable future as a result of this tragic incident.
A midday visit to the Luxembourg Gardens and lunch at `Cafe de Flore` on Boulevard Saint-Germain will revive you for an afternoon tour of the Louvre Museum. You may want to purchase an optional guided tour which will allow you to avoid the lengthy queues and visit the main works including the `Venus de Milo`, the `Winged Victory of Samothrace` and the `Mona Lisa`. You will then be free to explore other sections of the museum at your leisure.
After a busy day of sightseeing, board a relaxing river cruise from Pont Neuf. Then grab a bite to eat before heading back to the Latin Quarter for drinks and dancing at the famous `Le `Caveau de la Huchette` jazz club. The dance floor is located in an underground cave and the atmosphere is intoxicating. It`s sure to be a night you won`t forget!
Day 3 in Paris
Begin your day at the Arc de Triomphe, commissioned by Emperor Napoléon I to commemorate the victories of his Grande Armée. Continue with a stroll down the grandiose Avenue des Champs-Elysées - don`t forget to stop for coffee and macarons at Ladurée - before visiting the Jardin des Tuileries, a classic example of intricate and typical Parisian landscaping.
Cross the pedestrian bridge from the Tuileries Garden and tour the Orsay Museum, housing the world`s most important collection of impressionist and post-impressionist paintings, including works by Van Gogh, Monet, Manet, Degas, Gaugin and Delacroix. This afternoon, tour the Rodin Museum and the Hôtel des Invalides or take the train from Orsay directly to Versailles.
On your final night in Paris, make your way to Odéon metro station, which will lead you straight to the Montmartre hill (or take the funicular up with a metro ticket) where you can enjoy an exceptional panorama over the city and its monuments illuminated at night. Stop at Sacre Coeur before exploring the winding, village-like streets of Montmartre then enjoy dinner at one of the charming cafes in Place du Tertre or consider a traditional Parisian cabaret at the legendary Moulin Rouge.
Additional Days in Paris
Should you be able to spend additional days in Paris be sure to visit the Marais district, including the Centre Georges Pompidou, a modern art museum, considered by Parisians to be the cultural pulse of the city. While in the area it is also worth visiting the Musée Picasso, Musée Carnavalet and Place des Voges, Paris`s oldest public square and a charming place to stop for lunch. Strangely obscure for such a renowned building, the remnats of the Bastille, the famous prison, lie almost forgotten at the edge of a tiny park. Marked only by a small plaque and usually missed by visitors to Paris, this is one gem worth seeing!
For sights from the modern to the macabre, we suggest Montparnasse Tower, an office skyscraper constructed from 1969 to 1973. The top floor terrace is open to the public and offers panoramic views of the city. In contrast, descent deep into the tunnels of Paris with a walking tour of the Catacombs. You will descend deep into the tunnels to explore over 1025 miles of Catacombs, dating back to 2 BC, that are decorated with human skulls and bones. You will discover the extraordinary history of the Catacombs and listen to the haunting stories and legends that embody these galleries of skeletons. If the catacombs are too creepy then you may want to visit the peaceful and park-like Père Lachaise cemetery - famous as the final resting place of The Doors lead singer, Jim Morrison, and French playwright Molière as well as composer Frédéric Chopin, author Oscar Wilde, Gertrude Stein, Edith Piaf and many more.
Day trips from Paris are also popular and we offer a wide selection from Versailles Palace and Gardens Walking Tour and Mont-Saint-Michel Day Trip to Normandy D-Day Battlefields and Beaches Day Trip. Fontainebleau, Vaux-le-Vicomte and Giverny are also great choices so be sure to check our sightseeing tours for availability and prices.
Your Last Day in Paris
Depart your hotel for the airport for your return home. We recommend that you purchase a private transfer, if so a representative will meet you at the hotel, in time to take you to the airport for your flight out.
Day 1: Arrive in Paris, France
Arrival to Paris, “Bienvenue a Paris”, meet and greet and transfer to your city centered hotel in Paris.
Overnight: Paris Meals: N/A
Day 2: Paris Highlights
Spend a day exploring Paris in a very unusual way. This excursion on foot and riverboat will show you the highlights of Paris: visit the Louvre Museum and the Eiffel Tower with our professional guide.
After breakfast, meet with our guide in the center of Paris at 08:15 am. (Arc de Triumph of the Carrousel facing the Louvre pyramid)
He/she will take you straight to the famous Louvre Museum, through this must-see museum and tell you about the main artworks: the Venus of Milo statue representing the goddess Aphrodite, the impressive painting of The Wedding at Cana the Coronation of Napoleon illustrating the emperor’s crowning in the Notre-Dame Cathedral, and Leonardo da Vinci’s famous Mona Lisa which is the most visited work in the Museum.
After your tour of the Louvre Museum which takes about 2.30 hours, your guide will take you to the riverbank, before the Pont du Carrousel, to board a Batobus boat. This short cruise will show you Paris from a different angle. You will see some of the superb bridges over the Seine and Paris monuments along the banks. The boat moors at the Quai de la Bourdonnais at the foot of the Trocadéro, right opposite the Iron Lady
You will have time then for lunch on your own before going up to the Eiffel Tower
Your guide will let you disembark to go to the iconic monument of Paris. He/she will lead you up to the second floor where the secrets of the Eiffel Tower will be revealed. After hearing remarkable commentaries, you can enjoy the beautiful panorama of Paris and see the top Parisian landmarks. Keep on visiting the Tower on the second level and get down to the first one to experience the incredible glass floor.
The services of our professional guide will end on the second level of the Eiffel Tower and you will have free time at leisure (End approx 04:30 pm)
Day 3: Paris – Versailles
After breakfast, randez-vous at 08:15 am.
Departure from the center of Paris to the Palace of Versailles. Make the most of the 45-minute journey by luxury air-conditioned coach and listen to your guide’s introduction to the history of the palace.
The Palace of Versailles covers an area of over 721,000 square feet and has more than 700 rooms.
Follow your guide straight to the front of the line to see the palaces most beautiful rooms: the Kings Grand Apartments, with seven rooms each dedicated to a different god (Apollo, Mars, Mercy, Venus, etc.) and the Queens Grand Apartments, mirroring those of the king, including the Coronation Room and the Queens Bedroom, once occupied by Marie Antoinette, among others. Also, admire the spectacular Hall of Mirrors, a unique room in which guests were received and impressed, designed by the famous architect Jules Hardouin-Mansart. Almost 240 feet-long, it was created to dazzle visitors to the Sun King, Louis XIV; it is lit by 17 windows and some 350 mirrors, and overlooks the palace’s breath-taking gardens, the second part of your visit.</span></div>
Return to Paris at 12:30 pm
After noon free time at leisure
Overnight: Paris Meals: Breakfast</span></div>
Please note:
We strongly advise against high-heeled shoes (parquet flooring in the rooms and cobblestones in the courtyard)
Strollers are not permitted inside the palace
Access to the palace is challenging for those with reduced mobility
Photography without flash is permitted inside the palace
The skip-the-line access is subject to the Versailles Palace procedures: The Vigipirate plan, the security control or an unforeseen crowd can slow down the entrance.
Day 4: Paris
Breakfast and free day at leisure. Overnight: Paris Meals: Breakfast
Optional Tours:
Disneyland® Paris: 1 Day 2 Parks with round trip transport:
1 entrance ticket 1 day / 2 Parks
We begin our day by crossing Paris as far as the Porte de Bercy to join the A4 motorway leading to Disneyland ® Paris. (average journey : 1 hour). Our driver will leave you at the group parking area close to the park entrances. Take advantage of a nice day with your family at Disneyland ® Paris. Both adults and children will enjoy discovering the magic world of Disneyland Paris. You will be able to enter both parks:
Disneyland ® Park: Magic world where you will meet all the Disney characters who live in an endless fairy tale.
Walt Disney Studios ® Park: Go behind the scenes of the movies, cartoons and tv shows.
The group will re-join the coach at the same spot at the end of the day at 7.15 PM
Come back to Paris around 08.00 PM. Departure at 7.00 PM in winter 200€ per person Children Mont Saint-Michel Tour with lunch: (Only Friday – 14 Hour Experience) An exceptional day at Mont-Saint-Michel in the company of a professional guide. Discover the history and the riches of this Wonder of the West; through the enthusiastic commentary of our guide. 250€ per person
Loire Valley Castles: (Only Mondays - 13 Hours) Come and live an exceptional day in the heart of the Loire Valley in France. You will visit the Chateau de Chenonceau and the Chateau de Chambord with our guide, two of the greatest castles of the Loire Valley. This dive into French history will be completed by a visit to the Clos Lucé castle, the emblematic place of the famous Leonardo da Vinci. Take a seat in an air-conditioned vehicle, departure from the center of Paris at 7:15 am! 250€ per person
Normandy D-Day Beaches: (Only Saturdays - 13 Hours) Enjoy a full day excursion from Paris to the D-Day Beaches in Normandy in the company of an official guide, who will bring these historic sites to life. 250€ per person.
Day 5: Paris Departure
After breakfast, free time until your flight time. Transfer to the airport and end of ou services.
Au Revoir!
