Belle Époque Paris Tour

Travel to Paris (Friday)

Drive to Dover and take the ferry across to Calais and drive on to Paris for the next 3 nights.  Before checking into the hotel, make a short orientation/discovery tour of the city with a stop, if time allows, at Avenue Rapp to wonder at the extraordinary, flamboyant and eccentric architecture of the renowned architect Jules Lavirotte.  After check-in the rest of the day and evening is at leisure.

Galeries Lafayette or Printemps, Palais Garnier and historic arcades (Saturday)

Depart after breakfast, by coach, for a private heritage tour of either Galeries Lafayette or Printemps where you will discover and explore one of these amazing department stores.  After the visit, continue to the 19^th century Opera Garnier, the world-famous opera house and marvel at the building’s spectacular structure and ornate stonework.

Lunch is included at Les Noces de Jeannette, a restaurant with more than a century of history. Inside, the décor evokes the story of Opéra Comique and Paris’s iconic Grands Boulevards.

In the afternoon, enjoy a guided walk through the historic Parisian arcades. Galerie Vivenne, a covered mall built in 1823 to plans by architect François-Jean Delanno. The Passage des Panoramas built in 1799, is considered to be the first covered walkway in Paris and has retained its old-fashioned charm. Passage Jouffery built in 1836, is one of the most visited covered arcades in the capital. Passage-Choiseul an iconic passage in the Opéra district, here you can admire the recently restored glorious glass roof.

Your tour ends at La Samaritaine where you have free time. This is one of the original department stores in Paris and one of the most impressive buildings in the 1st arrondissement of Paris. Newly re-opened to the public for the first time in several decades. La Samaritaine features plenty of Art Nouveau architecture, as well as several restaurants and plenty of concept shopping opportunities.

The rest of the day and evening will be at leisure.

Museum D’Orsay and the chic 16^th district

This morning we visit the Museum D’Orsay, located on the Left Bank of the Seine. It is housed in the former Gare d’Orsay, a Beaux-Arts railway station built between 1898 and 1900. The Museum holds mainly French art dating from 1848 to 1914, including paintings, sculptures, furniture, and photography.

Optional lunch at the Musee d’ Orsay before meeting up with a local guide for a walking tour around Paris’ 16th arrondissement, notable for its art nouveau buildings and public structures. Visit neighbourhood townhouses, hotels, and see the many iconic metro entrances built by Hector Guimard, a leading figure of the art nouveau movement.

The rest of the day and evening will be at leisure.

Return to the UK

Depart after breakfast and drive back to Calais for the ferry across to Dover.