Booked Guests
City Guide – Paris, France
Tour Highlights
Highlights Covered in the Brand g Tours
On the evening of September 6th we will have a scenic welcome dinner cruise on the Seine river, departing near the Eiffel Tower.
While in Paris, on September the 7th, you’ll have your choice of two half-day guided excursions, the price of which are included in the total trip cost:
Excursion A *
Versailles: You have probably heard about Versailles, read about it, and have seen Sophia Ford Coppola’s movie “Marie-Antoinette” that was shot in the Versailles Palace and gardens. The palace is just a 40-minute drive from central Paris, during which our guides will regale you with tales of its construction, the traditions, King Louis XIV (also called the Sun King), his wife, Marie-Antoinette, and the fascinating 17th century royal life.
Excursion B *
Hidden Passages of Paris with Wine Tasting: Built from the late 18th to mid-19th century, the covered passages are truly hidden gems, not much known even by Parisians, full of picturesque discoveries: small bookshops, old toy stores, stamp collectors, tea rooms, etc. Quiet and off the touristic track, they offer an alternate vision of Paris, a more intimate image of how the city looked 150 years ago. A wine tasting will be offered to conclude the tour.
Paris Highlights To Explore on Your Own
Montmartre and the Sacré-Coeur,
Located on the highest hill in northern Paris and boasts a magnificent, panoramic view of Paris. With its narrow, winding streets peppered with steep stairways and charming lampposts and its cobbled squares filled with watercolor painters and sketch artists, Montmartre is the picture-postcard idea of Paris. Stroll through the sinuous streets of the tallest hill of the capital with your guide, just like artists such as Picasso, Renoir, Toulouse-Lautrec and Utrillo have done since the end of the 19th century.
Eiffel Tower
Designed and constructed for the 1889 the World’s Fair, the Eiffel Tower today stands as one of the most visited tourist attractions in the world. Visitors can walk up to the first floor of the Eiffel Tower or take the elevator all the way up to the top, where they’ll be treated with vast panoramic views of the city.
Notre Dame
Even if you cannot visit the Notre Dame Cathedral while it undergoes renovations, you can still visit the banks of the River Seine to view it from a distance.
Arc de Triomphe
Commissioned by Napoléon to honor the Grande Armee during the Napoleonic Wars, l’Arc de Triomphe, is the largest of its kind in the world and is adorned with several intricately carved sculptures. Underneath the Arch you will find the tomb of The Unknown Soldier. The unknown soldier currently buried there is meant to represent all the unidentified or unaccounted for soldiers who lost their lives during World War I.
Louvre
If you only have time to visit one museum in Paris, it should undoubtedly be the Musée du Louvre. That’s because the Louvre is not only widely considered to be one of the best art museums in Paris, but one of the best in the world!
Musée d’Orsay
Musée d’Orsay is regarded for its rich collection of impressionist works. You’ll see paintings by French artists like Degas, Monet, Cezanne, and Van Gogh, among many, many others.
Centre Pompidou
While The Louvre is the largest art collection in Paris (and the world), the Pompidou museum shouldn’t be left off your radar while visiting Paris. The museum has an impressive collection of modern and contemporary art.
Les Mots à la Bouche
Paris is famously a town for writers, poets, and artists, and it seems so many famous creatives throughout history have called Paris home at some point. Les Mots a la Bouche is a legendary bookstore in the Marais neighborhood which specializes in LGBT+ literature.
Restaurant Recommendations
Please contact the hotel concierge for restaurant recommendations but here are a few suggestions.
CLOSE TO THE HILTON OPERA HOTEL
The Hotel is located in a very busy area and is surrounded by lots of cafés !
Hippopotamus €
Address : 12-14 rue de Rome 75008 Paris. (5 Mins walk)
No Reservations required
Cuisine: Meat/Beef. Hippopotamus is a popular casual Steakhouse chain.
231 East Street €
Address 2 rue de la Pépinière 75008 Paris.
No Reservations required
Cuisine: Classy Burgers
Restaurant Mollard €€
Address : Opposite Hilton hotel .
No reservations required
Cuisine: traditional French Brasserie. Mollard is a historical monument c1989, featuring Art Deco décor.
Coco OPERA €€€
Address : 1 Place Jacques Rouché, Opera House. (8 Mins walk)
Reservations required * mandatory as if weather is nice, terrace gets full very quickly.
This Restaurant is something special – It is part of the Paris Opera House and features a large popular terrasse
Café de la Paix: Traditional. €€€
Address : 5 Place de l’Opera (8 Mins walk)
Reservations required
Cuisine: Traditional French restaurant, great food.
WITHIN 30 MINUTES WALK OR QUICK CAB/UBER DRIVE
Loulou €€€
Address : 107 rue de Rivoli (Louvre Museum)
Reservations required
Cuisine: French/Italian
Trendy setting in large terraced gardens between Louvre and Tuileries gardens
La Girafe €€€
Address : 1 Place du Trocadero
Reservations required
Cuisine: French
Trendy, big terrace with Incredible view on Eiffel Tower.
Mimosa €€€€
Address : 1 Place du Trocadero
Reservations required
Cuisine: French
Deluxe Terrace dining with Incredible view on Eiffel Tower.
LE MARAIS / Cab or UBER drive.
Grand Coeur €€€
Address : 41 rue du Temple 75003
Reservations required
Cuisine: French
Quite courtyard / excellent food ! Facing Eiffel Tower
Carette €€
Address : 25 Place des vosges 75004
Cuisine: French
No reservations required
Facing the famous Place des Vosges. Terrace dining
Le Beef Restaurant Steakhouse €€
Address : 33 Rue des Rosiers, 75004
Cuisine: French
No reservations required
Facing the famous Place des Vosges. Terrace dining
LGBT + Nightlife
Paris has many LGBT+ bars and gay cafes. The gay scene and gay nightlife center around Le Marais and Les Halles districts, particularly along Rue des Lombards, Rue du Temple and Rue des Archives. This is where you’ll find several of the best gay clubs Paris has to offer, and the majority of them are ideal for bar hopping and dancing on the weekend. There are also several gay cafes that are perfect for a mid-week cruising.
Open Café – 17 Rue des Archives, 75004
Open Café is arguably one of the best gay bars in Paris. A staple for the local gay community, it’s a great option to dip your feet in the gayborhood and perfect for a coffee, beer or snack while watching the boys go by!
Duplex -25 rue Michel-Le Comte, 75003
One of the oldest gay bars in Paris. The crowd is artsy and intellectual and the crew are super friendly. Le Duplex welcomes all ages and is attitude-free.
Cox – 15 Rue des Archives, 75004
If you’re into bears, hairy fellas and down-to-earth guys, this is your place to be. The Cox’s crowd is nonetheless varied and lively, sprawling onto the sidewalk just outside the bar. Happy hour every day.
Raidd Bar – 23 rue du Temple, 75004
The Raidd Bar is one of the essential places of Le Marais. Raidd Bar, in known for “the shower” and gorgeous topless bartenders. Place is busy and noisy on weekends.
Freedj – 35 rue Sainte Croix de la Bretonnerie, 75004
Freedj is a good place to get some drinks and get started for a night of clubbing. The ground floor has a bar and pool table, and the basement has a tiny dancefloor.
La Champmesle – 4 rue Chabannais, 75002
An iconic lesbian bar.