Adding a few days in Paris in June at the end of "Best of Europe in 14 days" tour.

If your tour hotel meets your needs and is available you could stay there. Otherwise I suggest you find something in the 4th, 5th or 6th arrondisment, as close to the river as possible to be the most central. I don’t think Versailles and Giverny are possible in one day, unless you could find a tour. I imagine both places would be shortchanged because it would be so rushed. If you don’t have 2 days to do them separately I would choose just one, depending on your interests.

Andrea's advice is excellent, both on staying centrally in the 4th, 5th or 6th if possible and the idea not to do both Versailles and Giverny in a day. I think if I tried to push them both together into one day, I wouldn't enjoy either one !

Hope you have a great time on your trip, I like your idea of giving yourself some post-tour Paris free time. However, a lot of people advise being in your tour start city at least a day ahead - so that if you have any delays in your arrival travel, you don't miss the first of your tour. Two of my last three trips from the U.S. back to France, I have arrived in France the day after I bought my ticket for. So it definitely does happen that either the airline cancels a flight, or they do something else that makes you miss a connection and thus your overnight flight. I would really recommend building in an "extra" day in Rome to be sure you are there at the start, and to start getting over jet lag.

Oh, thank you both so much! These suggestions are so incredibly helpful! I was wondering about the idea of all-in-one day for Versailles and Giverny (I did see some tours offering that but as you said likely very rushed). I particularly don't want to feel rushed at Giverny so that is good to know. And I really appreciate the insight about the different areas. Our tour hotel is the Hotel Tilsitt Etoile and I believe it is in the 17th.

Yes, I keep going back and forth on the day early or not for start of the tour in Rome. In glancing at other places on this forum most people agree with your advice to arrive at least one extra day before day one of the tour. The tour hotel doesn't have availability the night before at this point, but I'm sure I can find something.

Again, I sincerely thank you for your advice and suggestions!

Have you emailed the hotel in Rome and advised them that you will be on the Rick Steves tour? If not, try that. We’ve usually had good luck.
I’d definitely recommend arriving a day early or more. Now that we’re retired we try for at least 3 days—arrival day, 1-2 full days, then the day the tour starts. Sleep schedules can be thrown off as we fly from San Francisco and it’s 9 hours difference.
Have a wonderful trip.

The tour hotel seems well located for sightseeing, close to Metro line 1 and the Arc de Triomphe, and is certainly in a safe area. If you can stay there it will be more convenient than having to move. Otherwise I agree with the advice above. I look for a hotel close to a Metro station, preferably where two lines intersect (like Etoile, where three intersect), making it easy to go anywhere. If you were staying on for a week or more, you might want to change locations just to experience a different neighborhood, but that doesn't seem worth the trouble for just a few days.

I agree that Versailles and Giverny is a lot for one day, and the only practical way to see both in a day would be a tour that drives you directly to each. I suggest you pick one place or the other. "Assume you will return."

If you can't make it up the Eiffel Tower, consider the much easier-to-access Tour Montparnasse, a comparable view that includes the ET (and excludes the not so attractive TM). Many consider it an inadequate substitute, but I like it better.

Absolutely try to get to Rome a day or more ahead of the tour start date if you can. You'll be jetlagged on arrival, and Rome has much more to see and do than the tour could possibly cover. Even with the hassle of changing hotels, you'll appreciate the chance to get a good night's sleep and acclimate to the city before the tour starts.

Safety in Paris is not an issue -- don't worry about that. Pick a hotel that is convenient to what you want to do and well located for public transport. Versailles and Giverny cannot be done on one day unless there is some sort of tour that does that. Each takes a substantial part of a day and each is easily done on your own. Great idea to extend your time.

I am so happy I decided to post to the forum! You all are amazing and I can’t thank you enough! I’m a little late to the game in my planning and this has helped me hone in on things I was second guessing myself about. Such great info and clarification! Oh and Patty, yes I contacted the Rome tour hotel and they said even though they are fully booked they do have a dependant location across the street.

I definitely have an extra day and night on the front end now. You all have convinced me!

I’m working on the lodging for Paris and even if my tour hotel can’t accommodate all extra nights I now have a better idea of good areas to look.

Thank you all so much!

I’m so glad this has been helpful and that you are firming up your ideas for your trip. Don’t hesitate to ask more ! I’m really glad you’ll get to Rome a day or two early. You will be so glad you have done that when your tour starts!

Book your extra nights in Paris very soon!! Like now! I just canceled due to illness , a great hotel in the 6th, Hotel Madison.

THe Paris subway and train stations are extensive, so easy access is important. We stayed (and are returning this September) to Hotel Victoria Chatelet, modest but perfect. It is one block of the river and in the 1st ( I think) arrondissement. We too are great walkers but Paris is a very large city! We walked to all the sites except Montmartre and Eiffel Tower. Right outside your hotel door is the metro Station Les Halles, a major hub for connecting different lines. I would also suggest taking Paris Walks, 4 years ago they were $15 and you just showed up, we took 2 wanted 3!

Here are some good resources for food tours in Paris:

https://www.secretfoodtours.com/paris/

https://www.lefoodist.com/paris-food-tours

https://lacuisineparis.com/paris-food-tours#

Go a day early !! Engine trouble ( twice ! ), English traffic controllers strike, plane late arriving from Europe, bomb scare have all happened to me.