What to do and see in Paris, Ile-de-France: The Best Literary, Art & Music Tours

March 23, 2022 Ying Subia

Lingering over pain au chocolat in a sidewalk café, relaxing after a day of strolling along the Seine and marveling at icons like the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe… the perfect Paris experience combines leisure and liveliness with enough time to savor both an exquisite meal and exhibits at the Louvre. Awaken your spirit at Notre Dame, bargain hunt at the Marché aux Puces de Montreuil or for goodies at the Marché Biologique Raspail, then cap it all off with a risqué show at the Moulin Rouge.
Restaurants in Paris

1. Musée d'Orsay Impressionists Semi-Private Guided Tour

Musée d'Orsay, 75007 Paris, France Memories France
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5.0 based on 1 reviews

The gorgeous Musée d’Orsay is home to a stunning array of world-famous Impressionist masterpieces. Considered the favourite museum of both Parisians and visitors alike, this spectacular museum should not be missed!  Enjoy a 2 hour small group guided tour, with 6 people or fewer, and experience the museum in the best conditions possible.

Inclusions: Guided visit of the Musée d’Orsay, Expert, fully accredited English-speaking tour guide, Small groups of 6 people or fewer, Skip the line entrance to the Musee d'Orsay, Access to stay in the museum as long as you like after your tour

Exclusions: Gratuities, Hotel pick-up/drop-off

Reviewed By sharonvnj

We had an excellent experience with out Memories France guide Caroline at the Musee D'Orsay. We met for a two hour tour on a Saturday morning - there were 6 of us in the small group. Caroline was very knowledgeable and provided background on many paintings to give us a depth of understanding we would never have had otherwise. Who would have known that the face in a painting of a funeral procession was the face of the Emperor of France, and what was being buried under the funeral pall was liberty? Many insight such as these made for an educational and informative tour. Highly recommend.

2. Giverny Monet's House & Versailles Palace Private Day Trip from Paris

Normandy Melody
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5.0 based on 9 reviews

Private and exclusive experience to discover Giverny & Versailles with a private professional guide. Two of the most popular day trip destinations outside the French capital – Louis XIV's Palace of Versailles and Monet's gardens and house in Giverny. > Private Tour - 9 hours > Exclusive services > Licensed Professional Driver Guide > Skip the line entrances > Admission to Monet's house & gardens > Admission to Versailles Palace and Gardens even when Musical Fountains Show or Musical Gardens > Headsets if necessary > Hotel pick up & drop off

Inclusions: Private Tour, Exclusive services, Licensed Professional Driver Guide, Pick up and drop off from your accommodation / hotels in Paris, Transport by air-conditioned minibus, Skip-the-Line access & Priority admission., Guided visit: Monet's house and gardens & Versailles's palace and gardens

Exclusions: Lunch, Gratuities

Reviewed By twokids246

I booked a full day tour of Versailles with my daughter and it was just perfect. I had many questions through email prior to our outing and they were always answered in a timely manner. They were always there to help. Our morning started out with a very nice Mercedes van picking us up and taking us to Versailles to meet our wonderful guide, Anna. Anna was very knowledgeable on every aspect of Versailles. My daughter and I learned so much and had the most magnificent time with Anna. If we had done this tour alone we would have been amazed still, but doing it with a guide makes a world of difference. There were so many details and things we would have never known if we didn’t have Anna. When the day was over our driver was right there ready to take us back to our hotel. It was a wonderful experience. I highly recommend this company, they were top notch and did everything with ease and class. What an incredible experience!!!

3. Louvre under the Stars After Hours Museum Small Group Guided Tour

10 Place du Carrousel, 75001 Paris, France The Tour Guy
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5.0 based on 7 reviews

Skip the lines, avoid the crowds and beat the heat! Visit the Louvre during the evening hours to get an alternative experience. This special small group Louvre tour provides a fresh way to see the museum's amazing collections even if you aren’t an early bird. If you simply want fewer distractions as you enjoy incredible artwork, this is the best Louvre tour for you.

Inclusions: Expert art historian tour guide, Small group size to guarantee a personal experience

Exclusions: Food and drinks, Gratuities, Hotel pickup and drop-off

Reviewed By Deirdre D

We did the sculpture tour with Abbie McLean. This is really more of a slide show with commentary. Abbie showed us slides of about 8 sculptures and provided commentary about each. I learned a lot and enjoyed the time but would have enjoyed it more if the 'tour' had a faster pace and was pitched at a higher level. Abbie was very enthusiastic and engaging. I did wonder if any of the money from these tours goes to the Louvre?

4. Louvre Museum Skip-the-Line Tour with French Breakfast Overlooking the Pyramid

36 Quai du Louvre, 75001 Paris, France Memories France
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5.0 based on 5 reviews

Join in a relaxing visit to one of the world’s greatest museums. Start your day in style by enjoying a typical French breakfast in a spectacular café overlooking the pyramid of the Louvre. Then skip the long lines and embark on a 1.5 hour journey through the highlights of the world’s largest museum in the company of an expert and fully accredited local guide, who will lead you through the corridors and share their passion and knowledge of this awe-inspiring museum and the masterpieces it contains.

Inclusions: Continental breakfast at a café overlooking the pyramid of the Louvre, Coffee and/or Tea, 1.5 hour guided tour of the Louvre Museum, Skip the line entrance to the Louvre Museum, Expert, English speaking tour guide, Limited groups of 20 people or fewer, Headsets where necessary so you can always hear your guide

Exclusions: Hotel pickup and drop-off, Gratuities

Reviewed By sharonvnj

We had an excellent experience with out Memories France guide Caroline at the Musee D'Orsay. We met for a two hour tour on a Saturday morning - there were 6 of us in the small group. Caroline was very knowledgeable and provided background on many paintings to give us a depth of understanding we would never have had otherwise. Who would have known that the face in a painting of a funeral procession was the face of the Emperor of France, and what was being buried under the funeral pall was liberty? Many insight such as these made for an educational and informative tour. Highly recommend.

5. Belleville Street Art Tour with an Artist

62 Rue Villiers de l'Isle Adam, 75020 Paris, France Street Art Tour Paris
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5.0 based on 14 reviews

Belleville is the most famous Street Art neighbourhood of Paris. It has been an artists’ destination since the early ’80s. They where living in numerous squats that over the years turned into art galleries, art-studios and art communities. It is a favourite place for many French artists, like Nemo, Jérôme Mesnager or Philippe Herard. And associations, like Art Azoi or Le M.U.R., often bring international artists to the scene. Artists community makes this area the most vibrant and constantly changing, inviting the locals to participate in many local activities, including art-making, poetry or gardening. During the tour, an artist, who has more than six years of experience in the topic, would share with you an intimate history of how the neighbourhood and its street art came to be as they are today. You would not only learn about the history of street art in Paris but hopefully you will start to recognise some of the most active street artists. Combined group can have up to 15 guests.

Inclusions: Artist guide

Exclusions: Gratitudes for the guide

Reviewed By Charly252326

Kasia is a wonderful guide, she has a lot of art knowledge and organizes her tour with great passion. We had a great time and learned a lot. Thank you !

6. Paris Street Art, smartphone audioguided tour

Town hall of the 13th arrondissement of Paris, 1 Place d'Italie, 75013 Paris, France REWIND
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5.0 based on 8 reviews

Discover magnificent frescoes from world famous artists, on your smartphone with a guide in your pocket! Now possible thanks to Rewind's App. Paris, street art capital of the world? No doubt ! Walk through an open air museum and discover magnificent frescoes from world famous artists! The 13th district of Paris is full of street art frescoes, each more impressive than the next. D*Face, C215, Obey or Invader...This tour is a beautiful introduction to street art, highlighting both the artists and their works, and its paradoxes in the open-air museum of Paris. The visit also helps understand why street art took root in the 13th arrondissement as well as the economic model behind it! Visit with your smartphone in your pocket and follow your professional and passionate guide’s commentaries as you stroll through the streets and squares, by the way he happens to run a café in Montmartre !. The audio commentaries trigger automatically, right where they happened!” The result? A fun and authentic experience with that Rewind spirit and twist ! A short stop at a terrace or a shop, a small craving? Resume the visit when you want, right where you paused. Impossible to get lost. The guide provides clear audio directions and a map indicates clear directions to follow in real time. And if you take a wrong turn, the integrated geo-localization feature will get you back on track in no time! customize your itinerary as you wish, relax and enjoy a fun and authentic Street Art walking tour, at your own pace.

Inclusions: A unque experience on your smartphone, with a guide in your pocket!, Following your purchase, you will receive an email including your audio-guided tour activation code

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Reviewed By Sas30069

Super interesting and explored parts of the area that I didn’t even know existed !! Only reason I didn’t give 5 stars is purely because I had a few technical problems - the voice gave different instructions to what showed on my phone screen, which at times, got confusing!!

7. Louvre Museum Skip-the-line Access Semi-Private Guided Tour

Louvre Pyramid, 75001 Paris, France Babylon Tours Paris
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5.0 based on 147 reviews

This 2 to 2.5 hour semi-private (8 Guest Maximum) guided tour of the Louvre museum allows you to skip the line and head directly into its galleries with our knowledgeable guides. This tour includes a visit to some of the most iconic pieces while also exploring the history behind the building that, today, is larger than the palace at Versailles. We’ll give you a ticket valid all day so you can return, and you even have the option to book an evening tour on Wednesday or Friday with us to avoid the crowds if possible. 

Inclusions: SKIP-THE-LINE SEMI-PRIVATE MUSEUM TOUR, SEMI-PRIVATE" MEANS GROUP SIZE IS NEVER MORE THAN 8 GUESTS MAXIMUM, PROFESSIONAL TOUR GUIDE, DURATION 2 - 2.5 HOURS, ALL ENTRANCE FEES

Exclusions: Tour Price Does NOT Include Hotel Pickup or Drop-Off (We Recommend UBER or Taxi), Tour Does NOT Include Gratuities (OPTIONAL), Temporary exhibitions NOT included , Tour is NOT available for those with walking disabilities or using a wheelchair

Reviewed By laurajm50

Our tour guide, Lucia, was fantastic. She was keen to understand what we wanted to see and provided hugely helpful suggestions. She was exceptionally knowledgeable and a magnificent and thorough guide through the fabulous Louvre. I would highly recommend the tour with Lucia!!

8. Louvre Museum Skip-the-line Access Private Guided Tour

Louvre Pyramid, 75001 Paris, France Babylon Tours Paris
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5.0 based on 274 reviews

Beat the entrance lines to one of France’s top attractions and explore with ease on this private 2 to 2.5 hour skip-the-line guided Louvre Museum tour in Paris. The Louvre Museum is very popular among Paris’ locals and visitors alike, and queues can be long. Follow a private guide through the hallowed hallways and gain insight into thousands of years of art history. Discover famous works such as the ‘Mona Lisa’ or the ‘Venus de Milo’, and enjoy free time to explore further at the end of this guided tour.

Inclusions: SKIP-THE-LINE GUIDED MUSEUM TOUR, TOUR GUIDE EXCLUSIVELY FOR YOU (Does NOT apply if you choose "SAVE! BOOK SEMI-PRIVATE" option), DURATION 2 - 2.5 HOURS, WHEELCHAIR FRIENDLY (Does NOT apply if you choose "SAVE! BOOK SEMI-PRIVATE" option), TOUR INCLUDES ALL ENTRANCE FEES (Louvre Tickets: Adult Tickets 17€, guests ages 0-17 enter for free)

Exclusions: Tour Price Does NOT Include Hotel Pickup or Drop-Off (We Recommend UBER or Taxi), Tour Does NOT Include Gratuities (OPTIONAL), Temporary exhibitions NOT included

Reviewed By 454maggied

A great tour! Very personalized and informative! Our guide was an intelligent historian who gave the details we needed to understand Paris and it's formation better.

9. Versailles Skip-the-Line & Giverny Small Group Day Trip from Paris

La Flamme, 6 Avenue de Wagram, 75008 Paris, France Blue Fox Travel - Blue Bike Tours
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5.0 based on 34 reviews

Discover two of the most iconic homes and gardens in French culture on this small group day trip from Paris! You’ll explore King Louis the 14th Palace and outstanding French Gardens in Versailles and also discover the inspiration Claude Monet found in his colorful home and Clos Normand gardens in Giverny.

Inclusions: Small Group Tour of 8 people maximum, Guaranteed to skip the long lines, Transport by air-conditioned minivan, Driver/guide

Exclusions: Gratuities, Food

Reviewed By Pjrour995

the guide very well known as locals, we walked to the village of Marie Antoinette, we saw the lyon I absolutely enjoyed my time.

10. Skip-the-line Musée d’Orsay Orsay Museum Guided Tour - Private Tour

Musee D'Orsay, 75007 Paris, France Babylon Tours Paris
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5.0 based on 60 reviews

On this 2 to 2.5-hour skip-the-line private guided tour of the Musée d’Orsay, you'll discover the must-see works hanging in this Parisian museum dedicated to 19th-century art and the Impressionists. With skip-the-line access, your expert private guide ensures that you spend your time admiring the paintings and sculptures rather than waiting in the lines. Select a departure time when booking.

Inclusions: SKIP-THE-LINE PRIVATE MUSEUM TOUR (NOT Private if you choose "SAVE! BOOK SEMI-PRIVATE" option), TOUR GUIDE EXCLUSIVELY FOR YOU (Does NOT apply if you choose "SAVE! BOOK SEMI-PRIVATE" option), DURATION 2 - 2.5 HOURS, WHEELCHAIR FRIENDLY (Does NOT apply if you choose "SAVE! BOOK SEMI-PRIVATE" option), ALL ENTRANCE FEES

Exclusions: Tour Price Does NOT Include Hotel Pickup or Drop-Off (We Recommend UBER or Taxi), Tour Does NOT Include Gratuities (OPTIONAL), Temporary exhibitions NOT included

Reviewed By laurajm50

Our tour guide, Lucia, was fantastic. She was keen to understand what we wanted to see and provided hugely helpful suggestions. She was exceptionally knowledgeable and a magnificent and thorough guide through the fabulous Louvre. I would highly recommend the tour with Lucia!!

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