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***image6***Most Americans are cautioned not to drive into the city when visiting Paris, and to take some form of public transportation instead. But after arriving via airplane, train, bus or taxi, more adventurous visitors may choose to hop on a bicycle and navigate the Parisian streets for an up-close-and-personal look at one of the world’s great cities.
Fat Tire Bike Tours offers English-speaking visitors a chance to see much of the city in just a few hours. Knowledgeable guides, mostly recent college graduates, lead small groups through gardens, bike paths and even the busy streets of Paris to help tourists get the most out of their visit. The tours stop at significant landmarks for the tour guide to give quick facts and historical background.
The bikes used are three-speed beach-cruisers; for active travelers, this is the perfect way to give tired feet a break from walking, while seeing more of the city than they would on foot.
Two bike tours are offered in Paris – a four-hour daytime tour and a four-and-a-half hour evening tour. The daytime tour gives a nice overview of major landmarks including the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, Napoleon’s Tomb, the Arc de Triomphe, Les Invalides and Le Ecole Militaire. Seeing so many sights on the first day of a vacation helps visitors decide where best to spend their time during the rest of their stay.
***image5***Finishing with a lunch break in the Tuileries Gardens, the daytime tour proves to be an informative, but relaxing, afternoon.
The evening tour gives a peek into local culture and nightlife and takes participants on a completely different route than the earlier tour. Bikers will enjoy seeing the Notre Dame, Latin Quarter, Champs Elysées and Place de la Concorde, along with the Louvre pyramids after the crowds have dwindled. A stop is made at an outdoor ice cream shop and the tour concludes with a boat cruise along the Seine
River, giving bikers a chance to see the ‘City of Light’ at its best.
The well-trained and energetic guides provide a wealth of interesting and useful information, including “secret” entrances to the Louvre, tales of the French Revolution and insight into the local culture. The pace is comfortable, even on a hot summer day, but riding the busy streets and narrow paths requires a decent level of cycling experience.
***image4***Until Oct. 31, the City Day Bike Tour is offered at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. daily; the City Night Bike Tour is available at 7 p.m. The rest of the year, the daytime tour is once a day at 11 a.m. and the evening tour is at 6 p.m. Both bike tours meet at the south leg of the Eiffel Tower and reservations are not necessary.
The cost for the daytime tour is €24 (€22 for students) and the night tour is €28 (€26 for students). A discount is given to visitors who participate in both tours during their stay – €48 (€44 for students).
Fat Tire Bike Tours offers tours in three other exciting cities – Barcelona, Berlin and London. For more information about Fat Tire Bike Tours, visit the Web site at www.FatTireBikeTours.com.
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