Private tour guides in Paris?

Any suggestions? Thanks for the help. We want to see as much as possible!

Before the inevitable plugs from the HoHo aficionados.... (I think they're a cult!:rolleyes:)

We opted to enlist Christophe Burtaire in Paris: http://www.driverguidefrance.com/

Other private guide considerations included:

• Arnaud Servignat http://www.arnaud-servignat.com/
  
• Paris by Design http://www.parisbydesign.com/page07a.php?menu=7
  
• Paris My Way http://www.parismyway.com/
  
  
• Private Tours Paris http://www.private-tours-paris.com/

Note that most private guides will not rendezvous at the port in Le Havre. It's simply not worthwhile for them to waste 2.5 - 3 hours on the road each way.

We used www.britishtours.com

Their guide picked us up at Disneyland Paris where we were staying and spent a day with us in Paris. Everything went very well :)

Thanks for the suggestions! We used a private guide in Rome and accomplished SO much more than an excursion could have and it was nice to not have to wait for that one person who has to keep everyone waiting!

Before the inevitable plugs from the HoHo aficionados.... (I think they're a cult!:rolleyes:)

 

Nope, not a cult, just a poor broke American wanting to see a bit of Europe, not buy it. And I am a strong advocate of HoHo buses anywhere/everywhere. Plan to do them in Rome, Naples, Pisa, and Athens.

But for Paris, I've actually discovered the Batobus (at 12 EUR pp a lot more reasonable than 275 EUR) and plan to utilize that from Gare de Lyon to Eiffel Tower and back covering the major sights of Notre Dame, Louvre, Arc de Triumph and 4 other stops. It actually sounds like a HoHo bus on the River Seine. Only have about 6 hours before flying on to Rome but want to at least see Paris. To each their own. I have traveled all over the world and don't hire private guides. If I can't research and find my own way, then I wouldn't go.

What great information on guides! We will be coming from a cruise ship in April and won't have alot of time to HOHO, and would much rather have a guide who can take us around. We also have done this in many countries including Russia and have seen so much more than most in a short time. Wish we had a longer stay! Any reasons you chose the tour guides you did?

This was the most recent set of guide recommendations I was able to find. Can anybody comment recently on any of the above guides or others? I would especially be interested to know of guides who are good with kids and one of my relatives who borders on being an "ugly american" (its his first trip out of the country, I am trying to break him of this attitude). Thanks!

Before the inevitable plugs from the HoHo aficionados.... (I think they're a cult!:rolleyes:)

 

Nope, not a cult, just a poor broke American wanting to see a bit of Europe, not buy it. And I am a strong advocate of HoHo buses anywhere/everywhere. Plan to do them in Rome, Naples, Pisa, and Athens.

But for Paris, I've actually discovered the Batobus (at 12 EUR pp a lot more reasonable than 275 EUR) and plan to utilize that from Gare de Lyon to Eiffel Tower and back covering the major sights of Notre Dame, Louvre, Arc de Triumph and 4 other stops. It actually sounds like a HoHo bus on the River Seine. Only have about 6 hours before flying on to Rome but want to at least see Paris. To each their own. I have traveled all over the world and don't hire private guides. If I can't research and find my own way, then I wouldn't go.

 

I heard the Batobus has a combination special with the HOHO, trains and Air France coach tranfer to and from the airport for about 55 Euros. We have a 23 hour layover and don't know which one to do. I heard that the Batobus has lots of steps to climb to get to street level and slower, but I could be mistaking it with the canal boat in Amsterdam. :p