Welcome to Paris and to everything the "Ile de France" area has to offer. My museum visits and guided tours are designed to be intimate and interactive, giving a sense of orientation in a city offering several lifetimes of cultural experiences. A private walking tour is a delightful introduction to the city’s history and its central neighborhoods.The tours can be arranged  at your convenience.

Please scroll down to see the selection of Museum and neighborhood visits:

GUIDED MUSEUM VISITS/ 3 hours

 









LOUVRE - ORSAY - RODIN - POMPIDOU - MARMOTTAN - ORANGERIE -PICASSO - ART DECORATIFS - JACQUEMART ANDRÉ - NISSIM CAMODO

LOUVRE   The museum shows over 35,000 works of art. Explore the works on display and follow  an orientation tour. Visitors who have been to the Louvre before, could be more interested in following one if the themed tours...

*1/ "ORIENTATION TOUR": If it's your first visit to the world's biggest museum it is important to get a sense of orientation and see the most famous masterpieces. We will  discover these and other major works.

*2/ "IT'S ALL ABOUT PAINTING" TOUR  is a great way to explore the encyclopaedic scope of the Museum, encompassing different European Painting Schools from the 13th to 19th century.

*3/ The " PALACE TO MUSEUM" TOUR   is about the history and  architecture of the building. For seven hundred years the Louvre constituted one of the principal residences of the Kings of France. The tour will take us to all the different parts of the palace, from the medieval basements to the Renaissance and Baroque ceiling paintings to the 20th century Pyramid.
*4/ FRENCH MASTERS  TOUR
*5/ ITALIAN MASTERS  TOUR
*6/ DUTCH AND FLEMISH MASTERS TOUR

Tour * 7
 MUSÉE D'ORSAY One of the most important museums in Paris is housed in the former Orsay train station redesigned by italien architect Gay Aulenti.

French paintings, sculptures and furniture dating back to the years 1848 to 1914 are shown. Works by the leading Impressionists, Cézanne, Dégas, Monet, Morisot, Manet, Renoir and paintings by Van Gogh, Gauguin are a few of the attractions that make this museum one of the top must-sees in Paris.

Tour * 8
 The MUSÉE RODIN, located in the beautiful Mansion "Hôtel Biron" shows Auguste Rodin's major works. His most famous sculptures in marble, The kiss, Danaïd..., the bronzes, the Gates of Hell, The Thinker... the Monument to the Burghers of Calais...but also lesser known drawings, engravings and paintings by the artist.

Tour * 9
The CENTRE POMPIDOU houses artworks from the XX and XXI century. It's one of the most important collections of modern art in Europe The centre's architects, Renzo Piano, Richard Rogers and Gianfranco Franchini designed the building which was inaugurated in 1972 on the lines of an "evolving spatial diagram". Colour-coded ducts are attached to the outside of the building: blue for air; green for fluids; yellow for electricity cables; and red for movement and flow (elevators) and safety (fire extinguishers).

The priority was to maximise functional movement and flow, freeing up internal space by building the ducts and conveyance systems (stairs, elevators etc.) on the outside. The Pompidou “revolutionized" museums, transforming what had once been elite monuments into popular places of social and cultural exchange, woven into the heart of the city.

Tour * 10
MUSÉE MARMOTTAN The splendid 19th century Residence in the elegant 16th Quarter of Paris, features a collection of a hundred Impressionist works by Monet, Morisot, Degas, Manet and Renoir, as well as the Wildenstein collection of illuminated manuscripts.

Tour * 11
The ORANGERIE was recently described as "unique in its genre". The Museum was chosen and arranged by Claude Monet himself to showcase his masterpieces.

Along with the huge "Nymphéas"- a haven of peaceful meditation, the Orangerie offers a fabulous concentration of masterpieces. The Walter/Guillaume Collection is a highly original insight into modern art featuring Cézanne, Renoir, Picasso, Rousseau, Mattisse, Modigliani, Soutine, Utrillo, Laurencin.

Tour * 12 
 A DETAILED STUDY OF MONET: (a combined visit of the Marmottan and Orangerie Museums) 
Claude Monet (1840-1926), is the archetypal Impressionist. Monet was a leader in his own right. His artwork reflects radical ideas and styles, and thusly influenced his fellow artists, and those to follow.
This in-depth look at Monet's paintings will first take us to the Marmottan Museum, then to the Orangerie Museum. We'll also enjoy a number of works of Monet's collection, paintings from friends and contemporaries, such as Renoir, Pissarro, Sisley, Morisot...To continue our study of Monet we'll then see his famous grandes waterlilies paintings, commissioned by the state and housed in the Orangerie since 1926. The museum shows these works in two monumental oval rooms giving us time and space to meditate on their timeless beauty.The walk concludes with a visit of the collection of Paul Guillaume, located also at the Orangerie museum. Here we'll be able to discuss the influence of Monet on many of his successors, by looking at works by Picasso, Matisse, Utrillo and Derain

Tour * 13
The MUSÉE PICASSO is located in the Hôtel Salé in the Marais district. The Mansion was built in 1656. It is considered to be one of the finest historic renaissance buildings in the Marais district. It houses a large fine collection of Picasso paintings and sculptures.

Tour * 14
MUSÉE DES ARTS DÉCORATIFS Boasting some 150.000 objects, the collection offers a privileged view on to the french art of living and their "savoir-faire". Classic and themed tours can be arranged.

Tour * 15
The JACQUEMART-ANDRÉ, a splendid 19th century residence, built and decorated in the 19th century by Mr. and Mrs. Jacquemart-André. Their art collection includes Italian Renaissance works (Boticelli, Uccello, Bellini...) as well as 17th and 18th century works from the Flemish (Rembrandt, Van Dyck...) and French Schools. The collection also includes valuable furniture, tapestries and 18th century paintings from the English School.

Tour * 16
MUSÉE NISSIM CAMODO A most sumptuous private home. It houses the finest 18th century collection of French furniture and art objects in Paris. Antique woodwork serves as a backdrop to furniture by cabinet makers working for the royal furniture repository. Sculptures and paintings reflect the collectors taste with bustes by Houdon, portraits by Elisabeth Vigée-Lebrun, landscapes by Guardi and hunting scenes by Oudry.

A GOURMET WALK

Tour * 17 
OYSTERS OR TRUFFLES? 
There is no need to consider calories when you combine fine French food with a good walk! This walk explores Parisian food markets  and fine grocery stores . You will learn about French culinary habits, seasonal events taking place at the time of your tour and get an introduction to selected specialities. How those french specialities are produced, how to choose and store the produce, and how to prepare your own gourment recipes. We will taste wines, cheeses and pastries and depending on your taste and the season, either oysters, truffle or foie-gras specialities. 
(Please check the price list)

WALKINGTOURS/ 3 hours

- ORIENTATION WALK

- QUARTIER-LATIN

- ISLE DE LA CITÉ

- MONTMARTRE

- MARAIS

- SAINT GERMAIN

- MONTPARNASSE

 Tour * 18
"ORIENTATION WALK" is the classic walk to start with. It offers a complete overview of Paris. The major sites in citycenter are covered and you leave with a great sense of orientation . Starting at Notre Dame, the cathedral's history, architecture - St. Chapelle - Louvre Museum - Musée d'Orsay - Place de la Concorde, grandest square in France - Champs Elysée, the most famous avenue and seat of beautiful 18th century mansions - Pont Alexander III -- the beautiful baroque complex of the "Hôtel des Invalides" topped wit a golden dome over the Napoleons Tomb. And last not least a glance at the Eiffel Tower.

 Tour * 19
QUARTIER LATIN AND ILE DE LA CITÉ The Walk takes us through 2000 years of Parisian history and touches on everything from Roman ruins to student nightlife... Notre Dame, St. Chapelle, Sorbonne University,the beautiful Luxembourg gardens and the renaissance Luxembourg Palace, Pantheon, Conciergerie, Cluny Museum, the "village" with some of the oldest buildings in town and Place St. Michel the heartbeat of the student area.

 Tour * 20
MONTMARTRE The outing explores the rich artistic history of the area. Sacré Coeur Basilica, which dominates the Parisian skyline, the original romain church of Montmartre: St. Pierre, Place du Tertre - the charming artists square where works are painted and sold on the spot - Moulin Rouge, famed cabaret immortalized by the works of Toulouse Lautrec - Van Gogh's House - Picasso's Studio - The Dali Museum, home to over 300 of his original works - the Montmartre Vineyards. The Montmartre Cemetery, final resting place of many famous people - "Le Lapin Agile" well known haunt of the resident artists who lived in Montmartre in the early 1900's - the Windmills, painted many times by impressionist painters - the secret Montmartre, its picturesque alleys, hidden gardens...

 Tour * 21
MARAIS This district preserves the narrow streets and architectural styles of Medieval and Renaissance-era Paris. Most of Paris was overhauled in the mid-19th century under the direction of Napoleon III and architect Baron Georges Eugène Haussmann, but the Marais was preserved. Marais means Swamp which it was once. It went from being a royal favorite under Henri IV, to ruin after the Revolution of 1789. Since it’s revival in the 1970's, it has become a center of artistic and cultural life. The Hôtel de Sens, a former royal residence, the remnants of a medieval fortress, the saint Paul village, St. Paul church, Hôtel de Sully- a Renaissance residence, the Place des Voges which is quite arguably Paris' most beautiful square. Rue des Rosiers - the main thoroughfare of the Marais' historic Jewish quarter.

Tour * 22
FROM ST. GERMAIN TO MONTPARNASSE On the footsteps of Oscar Wilde and other writers... here on the le Left Bank, you will discover it's charming streets and cafes. Many writers and painters live in this area now as they did in the past. Some of the favorite haunts of Oscar Wilde and the generation of writers he inspired seem to be unchanged. The hotel where Wilde ended his days is still there. The "Deux Magots" and the "Flore", probably the best known cafes in town became the meeting place of Faulkner, Picasso, Joyce, Gide and Apollinaire. "Procope" is the oldest cafe in the world and was a favourite of Benjamin Franklin, Danton, Robespierre, Marat, Napoleon... Moving towards Montparnasse one passes by the house where Gertrud Stein lived and where many artists spent endless evenings. The Boulevard Montparnasse used to be the artists quarter in the 1920's. The famous la Coupole Brasserie still looks the same.

GOING AWAY FOR THE DAY- EXCURSIONS

CHATEAU DE VERSAILLES/ CHATEAU DE FONTAINEBLEAU/ CHATEAU DE CHANTILLY/ MONET'S GARDEN IN GIVERNY/ VAN GOGH IN AUVERS SUR OISE

Tour * 23

CHATEAU DE VERSAILLES The château and the gardens are absolute must-sees beyond Paris. Skip to the front of the general admission line at Versailles! Begin your day with a guided visit of the Great Royal Apartements, Hall of Mirrors and the Queen's Bedroom. Take a leisurely stroll around the Palace Park through some of the "Groves"... After a lunch break we will continue with a guided visit of the Trianon mansions which are vast lodges where the Sun King and Louis XVI liked to work and retire from court life. Take a discovery tour of the Queen's Hamlet where from 1783 Marie-Antoinette played as a shepherdess.

17 km away from Paris , Versailles is easy to reach by train or bus.
Half or full day (see price list)

Tour * 24

CHATEAU DE FONTAINEBLEAU is the castle where all sovereigns since the Middle Ages lived, cherished by Kings, Queens, Emperors and Empresses who all left their trace. Today, the chateau offers visitors its architectural treasures, paintings and the thousands of fascinating and precious objects that it has preserved.

60 km south of Paris - about one hour by train.
Full day (see price list)

Tour * 25

CHATEAU DE CHANTILLY While the Louvre and Versailles are household names, many visitors to Paris are surprised to learn that just one hour north of Paris, you can find one of the most enchanting sites in France, the magnificent castle and stables of Chantilly. The monumental stables were commissioned in 1719 and once accommodated 240 horses. Now known as "Le Musée Vivant du Cheval", it is the most important museum ever devoted to the history of horses.

The Chantilly castle's history is long and impressive. The last owner collected one of the most extraordinary private collections of paintings, drawings, and illuminated manuscripts outside the Louvre. There are 1,000 Old Masters paintings, including works by Raphael, Ingres, Poussin and the largest single collection of 16th century royal portraits. Bibliophiles will want to linger in the castle's private library, which hosts fine illuminated manuscripts. The most celebrated of these are "The Very Rich Hours of the Duc de Berry- a parchement almanac that was commissioned in the 15th century.

50 km north of Paris - about one hour by train.
Full day (see price list)

Tour * 26
GIVERNY 

The garden of the great painter Claude Monet is a place of memory, a  place of creation. Seing the garden one remembers his research for transparence, his quest to capture colours on different backrounds, in the shade, or in full sun-light ... The Giverny watergarden is a place  of stunning beauty where all  shadows are calculated : in the center, infinite variations of the sky, on the borders, the thickness of the reflexion of vegetation... 

In spring, crocuses are near to the ground. In May, the irises rise a little higher. The roses and clematis in June are majestic. And in Automn, the magnificent dahlias mingle with masses of velveted asters.

An additional visit to the  Museum of Impressionism is advisable.

By train it will take about one hour from Paris to  Giverny.
(Half or full day outing)

Tour * 27 
VAN GOGH IN AUVERS SUR OISE