Planning a dream trip to France and want it tailored to you? Private guided tours are an excellent way to personalize your vacation while eliminating all the worries of scheduling and timekeeping.
From Parisian urban tours to rural vineyard tours, there are many different private guided tour options to explore depending on where in the country you want to go and the type of travel you want to experience. But just which tour operator should you choose? Below are 10 of the top picks that could be worth considering.
1. Luxury France Tours
Luxury France Tours live up to their name by offering some of the most refined exclusive tours of France. They pair you up with expert tour guides and are able to arrange skip-the-line access to many major monuments and high-end experiences including private boating cruises and food & wine tastings with specialist chefs.
If you’re looking for a completely bespoke VIP tour, then this is the company to go with. An excellent choice for honeymoons and once-in-a-lifetime luxury trips.
2. A La Française
A La Francaise provides tours of select regions including Paris, Bordeaux, Loire Valley, Champagne, Bourgogne, Provence and Cote d’Azur. These include active bike tours or more leisurely private tours in an air-conditioned van.
A La Francaise is a popular choice for wine lovers – they entered the market as a relaxed option to some of the more formal wine tour operators. Their guides are all friendly English-speaking locals who can help arrange vineyard visits, food pairing and other activities on your behalf.
3. With Locals
With Locals is not a conventional tour company, but instead a platform that can link you up with freelance private tour guides around the world. France isn’t the only country you can explore using their services – they can connect you with tour guides in cities ranging from Hong Kong to Milan.
They excel when it comes to arranging custom half-day tours including neighborhood strolls and street food tours. You get to compare reviews of thousands of hosts and can chat to each one before you book anything, helping you to find the perfect tour guide for your trip.
4. My Private Paris
My Private Paris is a good choice if you’re visiting the capital. They have a boutique team of scholarly guides that includes history and art experts. But don’t expect boring lectures – My Private Paris’s team are specially curated to provide lively and engaging tours for those that want to be educated but also entertained.
The company also offers fast-track access to museums like the Louvre, so that you don’t waste time queuing. While most of their tours are restricted to Paris, they can also organize Versailles day trips.
5. Normandy Private Tours
Normandy Private Tours is a favorite for those wanting to explore WW2 sites such as the D-Day landing beaches, American and Allied cemeteries and Band of Brothers routes. History buffs can experience highly informative and emotionally poignant tours led by WW2 experts.
You can also arrange tours of other local attractions including Mont Saint Michel, Honfleur and Rouen where you can taste locally made cheese and cider or visit centuries-old cathedrals and chateaus.
6. Riviera Come True
Rivera Come True provides intimate adventures around the glamorous French Riviera. Think cities like Nice, Cannes and Monaco. Their tours are uniquely catered to specialist types of travelers including foodies, film buffs, photography enthusiasts and sports fans, offering the opportunity to access unique viewpoints and restricted areas where not even the locals go.
Naturally, expect to pay higher prices for some of these tours, although more budget-friendly tours may be possible to arrange for those who aren’t interested in exploring exclusive spots.
7. France Private Guided Tours
France Private Guided Tours offer a range of tour packages from across the country. This includes everything from Saint Malo private bike tours to private Champagne tours from Paris. Bespoke tours are available, plus they can help you arrange accommodation. Couples and families may appreciate this service the most – take the time to explore some of their different tours on their site and fill in their reservation form.
8. Smooth Red
Smooth Red is a British-owned company that organizes private wine tasting tours all across Europe and beyond. France is one of their top destinations – you can choose from an array of packages across various regions from Alsace to the Rhone Valley, which you can further customize to meet your needs.
All these tours are centered around wine, but include stops at castles and other local attractions to provide some diversity. Each tour is led by a local wine expert, with the option to choose tours in various different languages in some instances.
9. Ophorus Tours
Ophorus Tours offers tours to numerous locations around France including private and public tours. They are a good all-rounder offering everything from river cruises to walking tours. You can also book cross-country multi-regional trips through them. At the same time, they also offer city day trips that include Christmas market tours and museum tours. Explore their broad menu of tour options via their website.
10. Paris And Beyond Tours
Paris And Beyond Tours specializes in family tours throughout Paris and its neighboring areas. Exclusive tours that you can book through their company include Louvre scavenger hunts and Vaux-le-Vicomte Christmas tours. Their tours get great ratings and are good value. Families looking to visit the capital – or make excursions to Champagne or Versailles – should consider using this tour operator.
Which guided tour company should you choose?
Start by considering where exactly in France you want to go and the type of tour you are interested in. From here, you can narrow down the most suitable companies. The above are all popular options with good ratings and plenty of experience.
Pricing can vary a lot depending on the exclusivity of the activities that you want to book – expect fast-track access and access to restricted locations to push the cost up. In some cases, packages may save you money, but will offer more restrictions as to which activities you partake in.
