Escorted BusTravel

Has anyone traveled Essential Europe with Globus.

Paris is one city they highlight in catalog and when I say this

I mean it literally. We leave Switzerland at 7:30am drive all day

arrive in Paris at 5:30. The Louvre closed at 5pm. Tuesday

we see Eifel Tower remainder of day is ours------Louvre is closed on Tuesday. Wednesday am we travel to London. Very expensive drive to spend 2 nites in Paris. Lets rephrase this. Very costly to

see Eifel Tower. If you wish to see more you must take optional excursion at inflated cost or come back next year. When I come back I will on another tour company......

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It does not sound good if you want to see Paris.

If you want to ride on a bus it could be a good idea.

Do you have any restrictions that keep you for planning your own trip (mobility for example).

This board is full of resources and being your own boss is the best way to go, again if you have no limitations. Good luck.

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Tiger-

There are many wonderful things to see in Paris and I wouldn%26#39;t let the closing of the Louvre affect your enjoyment of this magical city.

Do a little research before you get there so you can plan your day. City transportation is great. There is also a city system of buses called the %26quot;L%26#39;open tour %26quot; which has different buses that pick you up and let you off all over close to the major sights. It is not expensive. And dont forget Notre Dame, St. Chapelle, a night cruise on the Seine, Montmartre, the Latin Quarter, ---there is a wealth of things to see and do in Paris [and eat!!]. A pity your time is so short but then you will have to come back-- you will have that to look forward to.

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Are you taking this tour? or just commenting on its itinerary..?

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Nevermind, I just saw your -other- post.

We took a bus tour in 1996 for our first trip to Europe.

We stopped in Paris one afternoon, had the next day (also May 1), then flew out the day after that.

Our tour took us (including some optionals):

- daytime coach %26quot;overview%26quot; tour

- up the Eiffel

- guided tour of Notre Dame

- Seine cruise

- cabaret show (Nouvelle Eve)

- %26quot;illuminations%26quot; evening drive around all the monuments

I thought that was a pretty fair deal for about a day and a half visit.

In 1997, my husband and I returned to Paris on our own and stayed 12 days.

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Hey travelnutty,

Was the illuminations tour worth the time? I am taking a bus tour of Paris and Provance in Sept. This will be my second trip to Paris and I will be spending most of the Paris time on my own, but an illuminations tour of the city is included with the tour and I did not do that last time I was in Paris -- Is it worth the time, or woudl I be better off walking around the Latin Quarter for instance.

The other thing included with the tour that I may do is a Seine cruise - it is a daytime one. Again worth the time?

I will be in Paris for three days, have a Saturday and Monday on my own. The Sunday is when the activities are planned - I know last year it seemed like everything was closed on the Sunday. If I ditch the tour what would be good to do? Loved Paris, here are some of the places i have been walked the Champs, done the Eifel both during the day and at night, and been to Sacre Coure (sorry getting tired the spelling is going) Walked around the Marais, and the area around Notre Dame. Spent some time in the Louver (not enough). Loved the Rodin Muse. Can%26#39;t remember is the D%26#39;orsay open on Sundays? I did not get there last year.

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ladytonia-

Day or night you can’t go wrong with a cruise on the Seine. However, taking the boat ride at night with Paris all aglow makes everything seem much more magical! Check out the topic “Your most memorable experiences in Paris” and see the many comments on how wonderful a nighttime cruse on the Seine is. The illuminations bus tour is also worthwhile. You will see many sights from the bus that you won’t see from the river. Do both and have a great time!

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I agree that if the illuminations tour and the cruise are included, and you otherwise have plenty of free time, then you should take them. The illuminations is usually a %26#39;drive by%26#39; of all the monuments, but they might stop at Trocadero to let you get out and take pictures, and maybe one other stop. It%26#39;s fun and relaxing to sit back and just enjoy sometimes...

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