Heart of France Bike and Barge: Paris - Montargis​

Begin your adventure with a visit to Paris and see for yourself why the City of Light has inspired poets, lovers, emperors and artists for centuries. Visit Montmartre and its charming cafés and artists’ colony. Here, too, is the Moulin Rouge, made famous by Toulouse-Lautrec in his vivid and colorful artworks. Or venture to the top of Notre Dame Cathedral on the Île de la Cité for a gargoyle’s view of the city. You have plenty of time to stop at the Eiffel Tower or the magnificent museums, like Musee Picasso or the Musee d’Orsay. Take a stroll through the Tuileries Gardens on your way to the Louvre. You can walk to many of the major sights from your centrally located, 4-star hotel.

 

Depart from the U.S. for France. The particulars of your arrival overseas are detailed with your flight itinerary and airline tickets.

Upon arrival at Paris Charles-de-Gaulle (CDG) Airport, claim your luggage and clear customs. If your luggage is lost, fill in a PIR form before leaving the customs area - VBT representatives are not allowed into the customs area. Please note: Make sure that your VBT luggage tags are attached to your bags. This helps the representative identify you.

After exiting customs, enter the arrival hall and look for your VBT representative or driver, who will be holding a VBT sign. Your representative will welcome you to France and arrange for your transfer via taxi or van (approximately 60 minutes depending upon traffic) to your Paris hotel. If you are delayed in meeting your VBT representative at the CDG Airport, please call 06 72 07 59 24 or 06 15 15 15 25 from within France. Outside of France, call +33 672 07 59 24 or +33 615 15 15 25.

Please note that the hotel check in time is 3:00 pm but hotel staff will do their best to get you to your rooms as soon as possible. VBT provides you with City Information in your Final Travel Booklet that includes recommendations on what to see and do in Paris.  Use the rest of the day to relax or to begin exploring Paris.

Today, see for yourself why the City of Light has inspired poets, lovers, emperors and artists for centuries. Visit Montmartre and its charming cafés and artists' colony. Here, too, is the Moulin Rouge, made famous by Toulouse-Lautrec in his vivid and colorful artworks and the Sacré-Coeur Basilica. Or venture to the top of Notre Dame Cathedral on the Île de la Cité for a gargoyle's view of the city. You have plenty of time to stop at the Eiffel Tower or the magnificent museums, like Musee Picasso or the Musee d'Orsay. You can walk to many of the major sights from your centrally located, 4-star hotel.

Explore Paris!  Perhaps you’ll stroll to the Palais Garnier, the 13^th theatre to host the Paris Opera since Louis XIV founded it in 1669. Its beauty is unparalleled even in this city, thanks to the talents of its architect Charles Garnier. Built between 1860 and 1875, its most impressive feature just may be the multi-hued, marble grand staircase that leads from the foyer to the auditorium, certainly one of the most opulent stairways in existence.

After lunch in a city café, continue to the Louvre, Europe’s foremost repository of the world’s art treasures. Countless classic and modern masterpieces are on display here and it leaves no question why the French are so proud to call it their own. Gaze back at the Mona Lisa or admire the Venus de Milo. You’ll want to allow a few hours to take in the exhibits that interest you most.

 

A stroll through Tuileries Gardens will help you appreciate the city’s vast outdoor spaces. And at the Place de la Concorde, take some time to admire Cleopatra's Needle, a giant obelisk gifted to France by Egypt in 1833.