Tour Guide: Paris Greeters

Posted by Intelligent Travel on January 6, 2009
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Paris Greeters.JPGNG News Editor Christine Dell’Amore is just back from a holiday in Paris, and she got to see the city with the help of one helpful local…

Anyone who’s visited France has heard about the country’s legendary rudeness – even the Mona Lisa only cracks a half-smile. That’s why Paris Greeters, a volunteer group of enthusiastic locals-turned-tour-guides, has made its raison d’etre to shatter the snotty stereotype once and for all.

These multilingual welcomers lead free, private tours of the city to make you feel like “a Parisian for a day.” The tours, as I learned in December, show you behind-the-scenes neighborhood gems that you probably wouldn’t find on your own.

My one-and-a-half-hour walk with greeter Christiane Perrin – a longtime Parisian who wore, of course, a green beret – took us through the morning bustle of Rue Mouffetard in the fifth arrondissement, one of the oldest parts of Paris. Perrin pointed out interesting scenes, such as a lively open-air market selling still-writhing lobsters and a hidden square with a rare, historic fountain.

It’s such insider’s knowledge that really make these tours worthwhile. Perrin, for instance, has a weathered Sorbonne ID that sometimes allows her visitors a peek inside the halls of the prestigious university.

For Perrin, the tours also give her an opportunity to learn more about the city she loves. Inevitably, she said, someone asks her a question about Paris she doesn’t know. (I inquired about the burial place of famous French queen Marie Antoinette. Within a minute, Perrin had found the answer – Basilica of Saint-Denis – and whipped out her map to show me exactly how to get there.)

If the concept of becoming a local for a day sounds just your speed, you can find similar groups popping up in the U.S., including ones in Chicago, New York, and Washington, D.C.

Sure beats looking like a tourist.

To sign up for a tour, submit a request on the Paris Greeters’ website at least two weeks before your trip.

Photo: Christine Dell’Amore

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Comments

  1. hauteroute
    January 7, 2009, 6:46 pm

    Our goal at NileGuide is to be your own personal travel agent, combining personalized recommendations, planning and booking tools, and a free downloadable customized guidebook to take with you. Check out our Paris guide at http://www.nileguide.com/destination/paris and let us know what you think!

  2. Susan Raisch
    January 10, 2009, 9:55 am

    What a great idea, we have been to Paris a couple times. When it was just my husband and me, we thought most Parisians were polite and helpful. A few years later we returned with our 2 young daughters and both sets of grandparents–it was a completely different experience. People stared at our group on the metro trains, pushed the stroller out of their way(with our toddler in it,) we were ignored in french bakeries unless just one or two of us entered. Despite this experience, I still love Paris, its sounds, sights and culture. This sounds lake a great program!

  3. Jenny
    January 19, 2009, 9:15 pm

    It’s a great idea what you did, when it’s our turn to travel in and around Paris I’m sure we’ll try out the local food and tours!

  4. Shailendra
    May 3, 2009, 3:28 pm

    It is obvious that no one can know the city better then a local. If any how you can manage the company of local in any city that can make your trip just wonderful.
    Shail
    Agra India

  5. jumi
    August 20, 2009, 7:46 am

    Paris is a great place to visit; Paris’ culinary reputation has its base in the diverse origins of its inhabitants. In its beginnings, it owed much to the 19th-century organization of a railway system that had Paris as a centre, making the capital a focal point for immigration from France’s many different regions and gastronomical cultures. This reputation continues through today in a cultural diversity that has since spread to an worldwide level thanks to Paris’ continued reputation for culinary finesse and further immigration from increasingly distant climes. Paris’ museums and monuments are among its highest-esteemed attractions; tourism has motivated both the city and national governments to create new ones. The city’s most prized museum, the Louvre, welcomes over 8 million visitors a year, being by far the world’s most-visited art museum.
    Thank You.
    Kerala Tour Packages

  6. luggage
    October 27, 2009, 11:41 am

    Great article, I have always wanted to visit Paris and this article helps a lot.

  7. noahethan
    November 4, 2009, 6:43 am

    I think we can find more information at paris-trip.com or virtourist.com/europe/paris/index.html .
    Thanks
    Kerala Tourism