Guided Tour: Montmartre, Left Bank or D'Orsay?

I would probably do the Paris Walks of Montmartre. I have done a number of Paris Walks including Montmartre and several themed Left Bank walks (Revolution, Hemingway, writers, WWII plus parts of others that had some Left Bank time). I also would not book this real far ahead. I’d wait until you are there and see how things go. Last time I looked they were booking up to the evening before a walk, is that still the case?

We enjoyed a great walking tour of Montmartre with Sight Seekers Delight. Our guide was knowledgeable and engaging. We also took their excellent Jewish Walking tour of Le Marais with Karen the owner. www.sightseekersdelight.com

I also really enjoyed the Paris Walks - Montmartre tour. Our guide was very informative and pointed out things that I would have just walked by otherwise.

One thing to note - I see you have Pompidou on your schedule for Tuesday, Dec. 27th. Tuesdays are the one day that the Pompidou Center is closed.

I have not been to Paris during the holidays, but I imagine it will be magical! Make sure to try some vin chaud (mulled wine) - it tastes wonderful as you're strolling through the Tuileries and Luxembourg Gardens!

Thank you very much for the tips. Dawn - so great to hear you had a good experience with Paris Walks. Yes, definitely want to try mulled wine, chestnuts, hot chocolate and other holiday treats :). It sounds to me like we should book the tour for the Montmartre and do the left bank and the D'Orsay on our own (without a guide)...

There is an RS audio tour of the Orsay of that is of interest. Everyone would need to download the RS Audio Europe app to their phones and have headphones with them.

https://www.ricksteves.com/watch-read-listen

I'm also "voting" for a tour of Montmartre : Montmartre is much harder to navigate than anywhere else in Paris really, and a tour will help you find its most charming corners. On the Left Bank you don't need as much help, and it is easier to self-educate before, during or just after a museum visit, especially since the highlights of Musée d'Orsay are so famous already.

Two points:

Lafayette and Printemps are going to be bat-stuff crazy, so be prepared. Last December my wife need last minute shoes so we jumped into those blenders. It's like Fifth Avenue NYC or Michigan Blvd Chicago level packed. If you're not actively shopping, head straight for the roof for the views. There's a capacity limit so you may have to wait in line.

At the Orsay, follow Rick's suggested routes. It's not obvious from how the museum is laid out where you're going or what you will see. Look for all the Rodin sculptures, almost as many as at his museum (which is also a good visit but mainly the outside part). The Impressionists are way way upstairs, and since they are the star attraction you may wish to start up there and work down. Very nice restaurant (not the fancy one) which has ICED TEA and a patio for viewing across the Seine.

I agree with others, you'll get the best guide value with Montmartre. I did that walk years ago and it was excellent. Montmartre can be confusing to navigate and it's easy to miss things you later wish you'd seen, so that's the one I'd want to see with a guide.

The Left Bank covers a lot of ground and you'll see parts of it on other days. A guide would enhance your time in the Orsay, but you can see what you want to with the help of a museum map, a little research, and the RS audio tour if that helps. (I got thoroughly messed up in the Louvre trying to follow his directions after various pieces had been moved elsewhere.)

speaking of museums, in the London book Rick says to expect 80% of the stuff he mentions to be where he says it is, 10% to have moved and 10% to be on the road or in storage. at least that's how I remember his percentages.

We loved our tour of Montmartre with Paris Walks and the little side streets we walked up. I never would have found them on my own.

following as planning a June 23 trip to France

Montmartre is best for a tour. Corey Frye with French Frye in Paris is very good. Look at his YouTube channel as he walks or bikes through many areas. I have done several of his tours and have followed him online for a long time. Contact him through his website.