Hop On Hop Off Tour Bus in Paris

There is a good description of these types of tours in RS Paris Guide Book that we used last month. We decided to use public transportation instead. If you do not have a RS Paris Guide book you can purchase one elsewhere on this web site if you are planning on going to Paris. Otherwise, I would check out your local library or book store to read that one section.

The advantage is being able to see and do more in a short visit, like one or two days. The bus shows you the major sights from the outside, and lets you spend more time at those you want to explore. It takes you through the streets, a "sight" in themselves, providing a narration as you go. If you're staying longer, the HOHO bus can give you an introduction to the city and where things are before you explore on your own. But that's a pretty expensive way just to get oriented, when the Metro and regular buses are so easy.

RS recommends L'Open Tour and Les Cars Rouges. I haven't used them but I'm sure they're reputable, you'll get what you pay for. I have used HOHO buses in other cities and found them enjoyable and helpful. If the weather's good, try to sit up top.

If you wanted to utilise HOHO (Green line) http://www.paris.opentour.com/en/lines
And also BatoBus for the Seine http://www.batobus.com/en/timetables.html
I would suggest something like this from a hotel near St Michel ...
0900 Start at Notre Dame
1000 BatoBus Full loop from Notre Dame stop
1200 HOHO from Notre Dame (Stop 6) to Concorde (Stop 9) for Tuileries/Orangerie
1330 Lunch
1500 HOHO to Charles de Gaule-Etoile (Stop 13) for Arc de Triomphe
1600 HOHO to Trocadero (Stop 14) for Eiffel Tower
1700 HOHO to Louvre (Stop 4)
2000 Dinner at a brasserie in St Germain

I am a fan of the L' Open tour hohos, the buses are bright green and yellow. Buy your ticket when you board not in advance as huge plus for these tours is enjoying the view from top decks , which would not be fun on bad weather . The red buses have fewer stops and fewer routes. Get two day ticket, only a few euros more and its hard to do all four routes in one day.