ÉPOQUE'S
Private Day-Tours in France
Take a private tour with an art historian and explore French art and history from an insider's point-of-view. Discover a combination of classic highlights and hidden treasures, carefully curated to give you an in-depth look into the culture that few people get to see.
Discover French art & history
with an expert
· Classic Tour Destinations
in France ·
Paris
Versailles
Giverny
Loire Valley
· Tour Destinations
in the French countryside ·
Fontainebleau
Barbizon
Vaux-le-vicomte
Chantilly
· Private Day-Tours in Paris ·
Discover the City of Lights as only the locals know it
Visit the must-see highlights in the City of Lights, and wander off the beaten path with your art history expert, who will take you to see places that most visitors never see and only the locals know about. Browse through our suggestions and choose the sights that appeal to you most.
What to See in Paris - The Must-See's
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The Louvre & the Tuileries
See the Louvre with an art expert and unveil the secrets behind the greatest works of art in the world. See the classic highlights and your favourite works of art of your own choosing, for a perfectly customized art visit.
The Musée d'Orsay & the Orangerie
The Musée d'Orsay holds one of the world's most exhaustive collections of Impressionist art work. See the highlights by Monet, Renoir, Degas and so many more, and choose the mssterpieces and artists that interest you most.
The Orangerie
Visit Monet's last masterpiece, the Water Lilies, and artwork by other great artists including Picasso, Matisse, or Rousseau. Stroll through the beautiful Tuileries gardens, an iconic French garden just behind the Louvre and the Musée d'Orsay.
Notre-Dame Cathedral
&Ile-de-la-cité
Rediscover Notre-Dame's magnificent Gothic architecture after its recent restauration. Hear the story of how the relics were saved from the rubble, and explore the Ile-de-la-cité, the island upon which it stands, where Paris was founded over 2000 years ago.
Musée de Cluny
The Musée de Cluny has just recently been restored and is well worth a visit to admire the famous Medieval unicorn tapestries and the sculptures torn from the façade of Notre Dame Cathedral during the Revolution.
Sainte Chapelle
The Sainte-Chapelle houses the most magnificent 13th century stained-glass windows and is a wonder to behold. It was built to house the Crown of Thorns brought to France by King Louis IXth, which is now held at Notre-Dame.
The Marais , Jewish Quarter & Ile Saint-Louis
The Marais is quaint and charming in a quintessentially Parisian way. Discover the elegant old mansions of the elite and the storefronts of the original Jewish quarter from decades ago. At the Ile Saint-Louis, built entirely by Louis XIVth's architect in the 1600s, explore quaint shops and centuries-old façades looking over the Seine.
Saint-Germain & Luxembourg Gardens
Saint-Germain-des-prés is one of Paris' most charming neighbourhoods, and has that distinct "left-bank" feel. Visit the Luxembourg Gardens, a gorgeous garden, and the Queen's 16th century palace, now home to the French Senate.
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The Pantheon & La Sorbonne
Originally built as a church inthe 1700s, the Pantheon was repurposed as a mausoleum at the Revolution, and has housed the tombs of French's great intellectuals (such as Vitor Hugo and Voltaire) ever since. Right next door is the famous La Sorbonne university, France's ivy league institution since the 15th century.
Secret Montmartre & Artists' Quarter
Discover the quiet, pedestrian streets that most travelers miss and the 400-year-old buildings that used to be home to Paris' bohemian intellectuals. See Picasso's studio, Van Gogh's blue door, and the terrace where Renoir painted his famous work "Danse at Moulin de la Galette".
Sacré-Coeur Basilica
The Sacré-Coeur can be seen from most vantage points in Paris, and was built to atone for the horrors the Parisians endured during the siege of 1871. From the steps of the church, you'll see a gorgeous view of the entire city down below, including the Louvre, Notre-Dame and the Opéra Garnier.
Opéra Garnier
The Opéra Garnier was built in an overly flamboyant style for Napoleon III, as part of his urban planning project to entirely remodel Paris into a new, modern city. The opera was the inspiration for the 1909 novel Phantom of the Opera, that inspired the musical theatre production of the same name.
Eiffel Tower
& Trocadéro Viewpoint
The Eiffel Tower, as Paris' most famous landmark, has a charm of its own that is best admired from across the Seine, on the terrace of the Trocadéro. While it is one of the city's more touristy spots, the view is uncomparable and can be deemed well worth the visit, at least once.
Arc de Triomphe & Champs-Élysées
The Arc de Triomphe was built by Napoleon to celebrate his military victories, and is right at the top of the world's most famous avenue, the Chamsps-Élysées. Lined with modern shops, the avenue is still as iconic as when it was first traced as King Louis XIVth's monumental entrance to the Louvre.
The Seine : Left Bank, Right Bank
On either side of the Seine, Paris is like two different "cities" : the bohemian, intellectual left bank with its bookstores and universities ; and the chic right bank with its fancy designer shops and elegant façades. Discover the spirit of these two sides to the city on an iconic walk along the Seine.
· Paris Off-the-beaten-path ·
Discover the City of Lights as only the locals know it
Paris holds many secrets that usually only the locals have time to discover. Join us on this intimate discovery of some of the lesser-known museums and monuments, to discover the secret side to the City of Lights.
Discover Paris' hidden museums
The Musée Rodin
The Musée Rodin is exquisite, and yet most visitors never see it. A tiny Parisian palace in a gorgeous French garden, the collection houses Rodin's most famous masterpieces, including the Thinker and the Kiss, among many others.
Hotel des Invalides
The Hotel des Invalides was built in the 1600s by the Sun King Louis as a hospice for war veterans, and houses a series of war-themed museums. But it's worth a visit mostly for Napoleon's gigantic tomb, set in the very centre of the impressive Baroque church.
Hotel de la Marine
The Hotel de la Marine was the ministry of naval affairs in the 1700s and is the most opulent and lavish French palace you could possibly imagine. It's reminiscent of Versailles, and well worth a visit for those who have already seen the main sights.
Musée Carnavalet
The Musée Carnavalet is a local favourite. Housed in a beautiful 16th century mansion in the Marais, it has an impressive collection of Baroque sculptures, objects and even entire living rooms transferred here from Paris' most extravagant 17th century households.
Maison Eugène Delacroix
The Maison Eugène Delacroix is worth a visit for anyone wanting a quiet afternoon in the company of the famous 19th-century painter. Take a fascinating look at Delacroix's Parisian home and his studio, where he painted many of the masterpieces now hanging at the Louvre.
~ Paris for Art Lovers ~
Temporary Exhibitions at Museums Off-the-Beaten Path
For those who have been to Paris before, love art or want to see something different when they come. Explore the temporary exhibitions at smaller, out-of-the-way museums - and see the side of Paris that only the locals have time for.
Musée Jacquemart-André
The Jacquemart-André is a little gem - from the gorgeous Baroque-style mansion to the artwork it holds. Discover rhe astonishing apartments, the winter garden, the collection of 18th-century art work, or the temporary exhibitions that it welcomes twice a year on iconic Old Master painters.
Musée Picasso
Many galleries around the world display Picasso's work, but the Musée Picasso is one of the largest (over 5000 pieces). To showcase them all, the museum rotates its display every 6 months - so that no two visits are ever the same. It's all housed in a gorgeous (and very Parisian) 18th-century mansion.
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Musée Galliera -
History & Fashion
An absolute favourite with the locals, the Musée Galliera rotates its (huge) collection of historical costumes in temporary exhibitions all year long. The exhibits display brilliantly how modern designers find inspiration in French fashion from the 1600s until the present day.
Grand Palais & Petit Palais
The Grand Palais and Petit Palais were both built during the Belle Epoque, with impressive glass ceilings and ironwork characteristic of the age. They now house exhibitions on artists from different eras, including Matisse, Cézanne or Raphael.
Musée des arts décoratifs
The Musée des arts décoratifs is housed in the palace of the Louvre - but few aside from the locals ever visit it. It's a huge complex, with collections featuring the history of jewellery, of furniture and the decorative arts, and fashion, from the 1600s to the present.
· Expert's Pick ·
Sandra's Favourite Hidden Haunts
In Paris, locals and visitors alike love to wander the streets and just take the atmosphere in. There's actually a word for it - "flâner" - and it's a quintessentially Parisian experience. Below are some of Sandra's favourite places to wander or spend long afternoons contemplating the art.
Favourite Parisian places to wander
Place des Victoires &
Gallerie Vivienne
The Place des Victoires is a gorgeous square surrounded by Baroque façades tucked away in a quiet corner of the city centre. Not far down the road is the Gallerie Vivienne, built in the Belle Epoque as a covered passage for shopping. There are still shops here today, where you can find everything from old magazines and manuscripts, to luxury custom-made fountain pens.
Jardin du Palais-Royal
The Palais-Royal is a local favourite, where Parisians come to spend a sunny afternoon reading a book by the fountain. It has gorgeous architecture, from the 1700s, a covered passage with luxury shops and restaurants, and a distinct lazy Parisian Sunday feel. You'll also see the tiny canon that fires everyday at noon, since the 18th century.
Musée Marmottan-Monet
The Marmottan-Monet is full of Monet's works, and a good alternative if you've already seen the Orangerie and the d'Orsay. You'll see the iconic Impressions of a Sunrise, that gave Impressionism its name, and many other works by Monet, Renoir, and others, housed in a private mansion - like so many other small Parisian museums.
· What to See in Paris ·
· Private Excursions to Versailles·
Visit the Home of the Sun King with
a history expert
The Palace of Versailles is the world's most magnificent royal palace, and was the inspiration to many others across Europe and beyond in the centuries following its construction. Dive behind-the-scenes at Versailles with an expert and discover the secrets to the Kings and Queens that lived there and the outrageous court etiquette.
Main Palace, Gardens & Hall of Mirrors
The Versailles estate houses no less than 3 royal palaces, plus a hamlet and the garden grounds. The main palace, built by the Sun King, is where most of the court life happened during his lifetime. Here you'll see the Hall of Mirrors, and the gardens designed by the famous landscapist André Le Nôtre.
Grand Trianon, Petit Trianon & Queen's Hamlet
Trianon is the name of the two other palaces also on the estate at Versailles. The Grand Trianon was built in gorgeous French marble for Louis XIVth's mistress Mme de Montespan, and the Petit Trianon was built by Louis XV for his mistress, but became Marie-Antoinette's favourite escape from the main palace. She also built the hamlet on the grounds of the Petit Trianon, as a summer get-away from the harsh life at court.
King's Secret Apartments, Opera House & Royal Chapel
Go behind the scenes with your licensed art expert at the private apartments and Royal Chapel, normally closed to the public. Discover the secret apartments where King Louis XV liked to hide from courtly duties, the Chapel where Marie-Antoinette was married and the Opera where the royal family attended performances.
· Private Excursion to Giverny·
Uncover the behind-the-scenes life of Monet at his home in Giverny
Dive into the world of Claude Monet at his last home in the village of Giverny. Here, your expert will decode Monet's life and artwork, and give you a full zoom in on the great Impressionist's personal life, dreams, regrets and adventures.
~ Life of an Impressionist ~
Monet's House & Gardens at Giverny
Claude Monet moved to Giverny in 1883 - and would spend the next 40 years of his life, until his death in 1926, tending and painting his garden. Visit the lush gardens designed by Monet and immortalized in his most famous paintings, including the Japanese Bridge and the Water Lilies (at the Orangerie) and dozens of others. Your art expert will decode the works of art for you, show you where they were painted, and how they fit into the larger picture of Monet's life, as an Impressionist, a painter and a visionary.
· Private Excursions to the
Loire Valley Castles ·
Unveil French architecture and art de vivre with your personal expert
The castles in the Loire Valley are gems of French architecture and art, and hold the most fascinating secrets connected with the kings, queens and nobles that lived there. Your expert will tell you the hidden stories and weave the art and architecture into a tale of impossible intrigue, fame, fortune and downfall.
Which Castles to Visit
Chambord
Chambord is the epitome of majestic French castles, built from scratch by King Francis I, who wanted to emulate the cultural superiority he had encountered in Italy. Visit the great castle, and see how he incorporated both French and Italian style into the design, and possibly had his illustrious guest Leonardo da Vinci design the staircase
Chenonceau
If Chambord is the most majestic, Chenonceau is the most iconic castle of the Loire, with its gallery crossing the river Cher. Visit the gorgeous castle interiors, the garden grounds, and the gallery built by French Queen Catherine de' Medici to remind her of the Ponte Vecchio in her native hometown Florence.
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Amboise & Clos-Lucé
The Castle of Amboise, in the city of the same name, is where King Francis I spent the early years of his reign and invited Master Leonardo da Vinci to be a guest at his court. Discover the secrets of both castles with your history expert, who will unveil the behind-the-scenes life of the great Italian master and his patron king.
Villandry
The Château of Villandry is famous for its beautiful French gardens, tended with care since the Renaissance. With your guide, you'll visit the castle interior and explore the French flower garden, leisure garden and kitchen garden, all carefully curated in the spirit of olden times.
Cheverny
Cheverny is a privately-owned castle, and the noble family that owns it still lives here part of the time. The interiors are incredibly well-preserved, in teh spirit of the 1700s, and the whole castle has a personal touch. Cheverny was the inspiration for the castle in the European comic books, Tintin.
Langeais
The castle of Langeais can't seem to decide whether it wants to be Medieval or Renaissance. Built on the cusp of both eras, it has distinct features of both styles. Your art expert will help you decode how, and tell you the story of Anne of Brittany secret night-time wedding to the King of France in 1491.
Two options for the private excursion to the Loire Valley Castles :
Option nº 1 - Day-trip from Paris (Extended Full-Day Tour - 10 to 12 hrs)
Option nº 2 - Multi-Day Excursion (2 to 3 Extended Full-Day Tours - with overnight hotel stay)
Includes a car and chauffeur service (additional cost).
Contact us to request an optional hotel booking (additional cost).
· Expert's Pick & Hidden Destinations ·
Discover Sandra's favourite castles and country destinations - that most visitors never see
Visit our favourite hidden destinations in the countryside near Paris, and discover even more history and art from the eyes of an expert. Travelers do not typically visit these palces, but they are full of iconic works of art, architecture and history and are great alternatives for anyone who has already seen the classics.
Fontainebleau
The Château of Fontainebleau is as vast as the Louvre, in terms of architecture, art and historical significance. Explore the castle built by Renaissance King Francis I and hear your art expert decode the meaning behind the frescoe Gallery and other art treasures hiding inside.
Barbizon
Barbizon is a French village on the edge of the Fontainebleau Forest, where artists used to convene inthe 19th century. These artists created the "Barbizon School" and would be a great inspiration to the Impressionists decades later. See where the artists lived and painted, in the company of other artistic visionaries.
Vaux-le-vicomte
The Château of Vaux-le-vicomte is a well-kept secret and another great alternative to Versailles. Built by the King's finance minister, who fell to his demise, it then became the inspiration for the King's much bigger, grander Versailles - your expert guide will explain how & why.
Chantilly
The Château of Chantilly is a gorgeous Renaissance castle refurbished by one of the last members of the French Royal family in the 19th century. It has beautiful garden grounds, a moat, and an unbelievable art collection, including the world's most famous (and sumptuously decorated) Medieval manuscript.
