Picking day tours

First of all, I would say relax. Sometimes the posts here make it sound as though Europe is a nest of pickpockets, thieves and scam artists. I think that most posters are only trying to alert others to possible problems. I am a 79-year-old widow who travels to Europe usually about three times a year and have never experienced any problems of any kind. I would think that tour companies that have operated in Paris for some years must be reputable and reliable, otherwise, they'd be out of business.
Trust the French, they are wise, friendly, and experienced. Enjoy your trip!

TA is my 'go to' website for checking reviews of most everything related to travel. But as a double check you can google "xyz company reviews" and that sometimes gets you reviews other than TA. For most Paris walking tours you don't have to book way in advance, when you get there just ask your hotel for recommendations. Same goes for most day trips - although popular tours like the Fat Tire bike tours do usually require advance reservations. It's most likely that if a tour is so popular that they require advance reservations they are reputable. You can also post a question here about the tours you are thinking about and see what responses you get.

Becca for Paris I know that Parisvision/Cityrama ( they have merged ) and Paris Tourisme are reputable big bus tour companies. ( whether they are worth it is up to personal taste and expectations) As is Bikeabout and Fat Tire bike tours.
Paris Walks and Paris Greeters for various walking type tours. I would simply post which tours /tour companies interest you and see if anyone has done them.

Thanks, ladies! FWIW, when I mentioned that safety is a concern to me, I'm just trying to be cautious. If I were truly worried, I wouldn't be going, I assure you. :-) And I know Paris is safe; I spent a semester there with a group from my university, and I've traveled there with my husband. I'm really just trying to be smart. Also, I think I used the wrong word: day tours. I'm looking at very small group stuff (private photo walk, etc) and/or private guides/walks. And thank you for reassuring me that I am doing my due diligence, so to speak. I'll post more questions about the tour groups I'm interested in over in the To the West section soon. Some of the "tours" I'm looking into do need to be booked in advance, because I'm particularly interested in cooking classes and, like I mentioned, small group stuff. I don't do big buses... :-) Thanks again!

You'll be perfectly safe; just keep the same awareness you'd have in any major American city. For walking tours, I can highly recommend Context Paris. I've done a number of their tours and they're always great. Groups limited to 6, sometimes less. For example, I did a tour of the Italian Renaissance collection at the Louvre with only 3 in the group, and a guide with a PhD in art history who worked as a collection manager at the Louvre. Because their groups are so small, they can adapt them to your interests.

Thanks! Darcy, thanks for another vote for Context Tours. I checked the schedule today, and I will have a hard time picking one I think! They look really interesting. Did you feel like it was too academic? I am academic (I have an MA in English literature) but I'm certainly not a scholar so to speak. Pamela, I have tried several guidebooks, but like Jo mentioned, some of the specialty stuff just isn't in there. And my library is woefully void of Paris guides (or travel guides in general). I picked up a LP France to supplement my RS current France and outdated Paris, but it was slim pickings otherwise. They had some for specialty lodging that were published in the 90s. I just laughed...I have gone to Barnes and Noble in the past to read travel guides, I'll have to do that again, particularly the specialty guides. Jo, thanks for the tip on messaging reviewers! I didn't know you could do that, and I didn't even think about the destination experts. I've never been to the Fodor's message board, I'll look into that. Thanks again. I was nervous to post this question because I felt like it should really be common sense type stuff, but thanks for humoring me and giving me some really good direction!

One other thing you can do, if possible, is call the tour guide. That'll give you a good indication of whether you'll be able to understand the tour guide's English. I've found that usually you can only do this when hiring a tour guide for a private tour, and not necessarily for joining up with group tours. When reading reviews on TA, be sure to check out how many other reviews the person has written and whether they only give everyone 5 stars. I've learned that you need to watch out for "one hit wonders" who only ever write one, glowing review on something. If a tour guide/company receives reviews only from those types of reviewers, I tend to stay away.

Great tip, Dina! That makes a lot of sense to check on the reviewers. One walk I'm really excited about is Decadence Gourmet (they take you behind the scenes at Michel Chaudun's chocolate shop!). There are only about 15 reviews, but they are all glowing 5 stars. I'll go look at the reviewers. Thanks for the tip on Context Tours, Sherry. I haven't checked their schedule yet, but I will right now.

Becca, I've never taken a Paris tour but only a Vatican tour with contexttravel.com but we were absolutely amazed at the quality of the tour. Since I had already been on a Vatican tour 6 years before, I had something to compare it to. Their tours are not cheap, I think ours in 2011 was 85E per person for our 4 person private tour but as I said, it was absolutely outstanding.
Have a grand time!

No one has mentioned guide books as a way of checking the reputation of a tour. Rick Steves does a pretty good job of describing tours and I've not gone wrong following his and other guide books' advice. Of course, you can double check on TA if you remember all the caveats about single post wonders. And remember different guidebooks appeal to different audiences, so look at the ones that share your style, taste and approach to travel. And you don't need to buy them. Your local library probably has them. And if you find one you like, get the ebook. :) Pam

You know on Trip Advisor you can write to the person who wrote the review and ask them questions. I have done this many times, plus I ask the destination experts what their opinion might be, as they may also know what the reputation of the various tour companies are. Rick doesn't list any specialty tours, like Becca is looking for, so it won't do her much good to look up his listings. I think I would also go to Fodors travel forum, and post your question there for these kind of specific tours.

Becca another good group is Paris Walks (google them and you'll see their regular schedule of walks, plus special ones that are scheduled each month). Most are about 12€ and you just meet the group at the appointed time; some are by reservation (Chocolate Walk,a couple of others) and cost more. They have great guides and lots of walks to choose from. They really enhance your appreciation of the places you're seeing, and I think taking a walk or two is a great investment for your trip.

No, Becca, the tour wasn't too academic; it just seemed like friends visiting together and one of them had a lot more information than the rest of us!

Thanks, Kim! I've looked into Paris Walks and love that they are really affordable and you can drop in. And they have some interesting looking routes. And thanks, Darcy! I figured they wouldn't be popular like they are if they were too academic, but I was worried that I wouldn't know enough to really enjoy it. I think the Hemingway one looks fascinating, but I haven't read much of Hemingway at all, and not for many years. Thanks, everyone! I've nearly decided. I'll do a bike tour (I'm leaning towards the Blue Bike Hidden Paris Tour), and a Better Paris Photo Tour, and I'm trying to decide on a Decadent Gourmet Market Tour or a croissant baking class at La Cuisine Paris. I'm also planning on trying to squeeze in a Paris Walk somewhere along the way. I might spring for a Context Tour, but with the photo tour, I'm feeling strapped. :) Thanks again for your comments!