I Prefer Paris

Eye Prefer Paris Tours

 

 I want to thank everyone for watching my live Rue de Martyrs Food tour yesterday and also for your generous tips to my PayPal account. I'm sorry I couldn't thank all of you individually, but know I really appreciate it. CLICK HERE to watch the video and CLICK HERE if you would like to leave a tip in my PayPal account (you don’t have to have a PayPal account), which I would greatly appreciate, as I do these tours free of charge for France.fr  Enjoy! 

With the exception of a Parisian taking one of my tours in February 2021, I have not given a live Eye Prefer Paris tour since February 2020.

I was overjoyed when I read a few weeks ago that France is going to open its borders on June 9 to people who have been vaccinated.

This means that I can start giving live tours again, and I am very excited to do so. Many of you said that soon as the Covid restrictions in Paris were lifted, you would be coming to Paris and taking my tours. If it’s your first time taking an Eye Prefer Paris Tour, I welcome you, and if you have taken a tour previously, I can’t wait to see you again.

Below is a current list of my tours and CLICK HERE if you would like to book one or more. You can also email me at [email protected] if you have questions or need mire information. 

Le Marais Neighborhood Walking Tour

Come take an insiders stroll through the lovely Marais, one of the oldest and historical areas of Paris. Marais expert Richard Nahem (he has lived in the area since 2005) will share the breathtaking, historic buildings and private mansions dating back to the 1600s, beautiful manicured parks and gardens and some of the finest art galleries and small, jewel-like museums. Discover the city’s chicest designer clothing and accessory boutiques and food lovers can feast at some of the top food shops, patisseries, and chocolate shops. The tour also includes a visit to the Jewish Quarter exploring an Art Nouveau synagogue, the Shoah Memorial, and the tasty Jewish food shops. Enjoy this unforgettable tour of a truly magical part of Paris. Tour includes a stop at an award winning bakery for a pastry and a coffee. (Not included in price).

225€ for 1 to 3 people, 75€ for each additional person for a 3-hour tour. 500€for a full day/7 hour tour that includes a 1-hour lunch break. (Price of lunch not included). Each additional person 90€.

Tour time: 3 hours for half day, 7 hours for full day 

Morning tour 10:30AM-1:30PM

Afternoon tour 2:30PM-5:30PM

Full day tour 10:30AM-5:30PM

Emily In Paris Tour

This delightful tour will take you to many of the locations that Emily in Paris, the hit Netflix show, was filmed in. Locations include her apartment building in the Latin Quarter, the gardens of the Palais Royal, where she meets her friend Mindy, the Pont Alexandre, the bridge where the perfume commercial is filmed, La Maison Rose, the adorable pink restaurant in Montmartre, the Paris Opera house, Café de Flore, where she meets Thomas, and last but not least, the Boulangerie Moderne, where you get to taste the same pain au chocolat Emily swooned over. The tour will also include the history and insider tips about the locations and a few other surprises.

The three-hour tour is done in a late model sedan or van, with a guide and driver.

 Cost for two people is 375€

Cost for three to six people is 475€

Morning tour 10:30AM-1:30PM

Afternoon tour 2:30PM-5:30PM

St. Germain des Prés Tour 

St. Germain des Prés is one of the most beloved areas of Paris. As a former hub for writers and artists like Hemingway, Picasso, Jean-Paul Sartre, and F. Scott Fitzgerald, it still has a unique, carefree vibe that is unparalleled. From its lavish 19th-century Belle Époque–style buildings to its top antiques and contemporary art galleries, to its famous people-watching cafés Café de Flore and Les Deux Magots, St. Germain des Prés is the quintessential Paris experience. Tour also includes a visit to the magnificent Luxembourg Gardens, the 17^th century St. Sulpice Church, the second largest in Paris (also written about in The DaVinci Code), a bakery known for its scrumptious macaroons, and a visit to the incredible food halls of Le Grand Epicerie.

225€for 1 to 3 people, 75€ for each additional person

Tour time: 3 hours

Morning tour 10:30AM-1:30PM

Afternoon tour 2:30PM-5:30PM

Montmartre Tour

Scale the heights of Paris in Montmartre, 500 feet above the city, with breathtaking panoramic views. Discover the gems of this former little village originally outside of Paris: the beautiful Sacre Coeur church with its marble Byzantine-style domes, the former artist colony and studios where Picasso, Toulouse Lautrec, Van Gogh and Degas painted their masterpieces, the ancient windmills, the still operating vineyard that produces an annual wine, and a walk on one of the best gourmet food shop streets in Paris.

225€ for 1 to 3 people, 75€ for each additional person

Tour time: 2.5 hours

Morning tour 10:30AM-1PM

Afternoon tour 2:30PM-5 PM

 South Pigalle/SOPI Tour

A former rundown area known for seedy nightclubs and bars has recently been transformed into one of the trendiest and hip areas in Paris, generally not known by tourists.

South Pigalle will tantalize your taste buds on the rue des Martyrs, brought to life in the New York Times best selling book The Only Street in Paris by Elaine Scolino with over 20 gourmet food shops including fresh artisanal cheeses, the best baguette in Paris, a boutique specializing in salted butter caramels and a gourmet shop with over 15 varieties of patés. A visit to the Museum of the Romantic Life, a former 19^th century mansion with a lovely courtyard garden will bring out the romantic in you and a stop at a quirky confectionary shop selling the best chocolates and candies made in France will satisfy your sweet tooth. Your guide will also share the best restaurants, cafes, and boutiques in in Southern Pigalle.

 Tour time: 2.5 hours

Morning tour 10:30AM-1PM

Afternoon tour 2:30PM-5PM

 Cost: 210€ for 1 to 3 people, 70€ for each additional person

Paris Highlights Tour

Familiarize yourself with the wonders of Paris with this informative tour in the comfort of a private car or van.

Sites include:

Champs Elysees

Arche de Triomphe

*Eiffel Tower (not going to the top)

Louvre

*Montmartre/Sacre Coeur

 Opera house

*Place de la Concorde/Tuileries Garden

*Notre Dame

* Ile St. Louis.

* indicates places we will get out of car/van

Please note the first 3 hours of the tour is in a van or car and the last hour on foot, ending in the Marais.

Guests will be picked up at their hotel or apartment.

 Tour time: 4 hours.

Cost: Up to 3 people 425€

4 to 5 people 535€

6 people 560€

Sunset & Evening Paris Highlights Tour

Discover the splendor and drama of Paris starting at sunset and finishing with the evening lights with this special tour.

Sites include: 

Sacre Coeur Church/ Montmartre

Notre Dame

The Louvre

Arch de Triomphe

Champs Elysees

Place de la Concorde 

*Eiffel Tower (not going to the top)- we will time the tour so you will see the magical sparkle lights go off on the hour

Guests will be picked up and returned to their hotel or apartment.

Tour times will vary between 7PM and 10PM according to the month. 

Tour time: 2 hours

Cost: 350€ for up to 3 people

410€ for 4-6 people

 Chocolate and Macaron Tasting Tour

Come and taste the sweetest Parisian sweets on the ultimate fantasy tour for chocoholics and pastry lovers. We will visit  six of the top tastiest pastry and chocolate boutiques in Paris on the Right Bank and the tour will include five tastings. The tour also includes a stop for a cup of sinfully rich hot chocolate and an entertaining history of the origins of chocolate and macarons in France.

Your guide Richard Nahem, originally from New York, is a former pastry chef & chocolatier, and owned his own shop specializing in chocolate truffles. 

Tour time: 2.5 hours

210€ for 1 to 3 people, 70€ each additional person, plus 12€ per person for tastings at 5 shops. Price does not include hot chocolate.  

Gourmet Food Tour

Come take a delicious walk with former New York chef and caterer Richard Nahem and discover the bustling food and gourmet shops of Paris overflowing with the freshest fruits and vegetables, local seafood, meats, prepared dishes, and much more. Food shop visits include an award-winning cheese shop with over 50 varieties, a top foie gras boutique, and a sensational middle-eastern gourmet shop with unusual glazed and dried fruits, barrels of pickles and olives, and a vast selection of exotic spices from around the world. The tour will also include tastings of artisianal chocolates, a heavenly meringue and whipped cream confection, and a bakery which won a prize for their baguettes.

225€ for 1 to 3 people, 75€ each additional person plus 12€ per person for 6 tastings: cheese, chocolate, seasonal fruit, foie gras, pastry, and a baguette.

 Tour time: 2.5 hours

Morning tour 10:30AM-1PM

Afternoon tour 2:30PM-5PM

Tours are available everyday except Monday.

Jewish History Tour
This special tour traces the long and often arduous history of Jews in Paris and France. Tour includes
• History of Jewish population from150AD when the Romans settled Paris, to the Middle Ages when Jews were habitually persecuted, to the surprising freedom Napoleon granted Jews in the early 1800s, to the thriving late 1800s when Jews flourished in the arts, literature, and finance, to the Dreyfus affair, to the Holocaust and finally the present day culture and community of Jews living in France
• A visit to the Shoah Memorial Holocaust Museum, which lists the 72,000 names of Jews that died in the Holocaust, extensive coverage including photos, propaganda, artifacts and videos, and an eternal flame to commemorate those who died.
• A stroll on rue des Rosiers in the Marais area and the ancient streets of the former Pletzl, now a lively area filled with Jewish food shops, worldwide famous falafel stands, kosher restaurants, bakeries, and bookshops.
• An outside view of an Art Nouveau synagogue built by one of France’s most famous architects
• A traditional Jewish pastry at an authentic Kosher bakery. (Not included in the price of the tour)

Cost: 250€ for 1 to 3 people, 75€ for each additional person
Tour time: 2.5 hours

Tour not given on Saturdays

Morning tour: 10AM-12: 30 PM
Afternoon tour: 2:30PM-5PM

Private Cheese Tasting in Paris Apartment
Come taste the legendary cheeses of France in the comfort of a private Paris apartment. First, we visit an award-winning cheese shop and have a highly trained expert assist us in choosing a variety of five cheeses including sheep’s, cow and goat cheese. Next, we purchase freshly baked bread from a top boulangerie to accompany our cheese. Back in the apartment we will indulge in our cheeses and a specially selected wine.  Former chef and caterer Richard Nahem will share the history of cheese making, the different types of cheeses and how they are made and processed, and the specific etiquette of cheese tasting and serving in France.

Tasting includes five types of cheeses, a white or rosé wine, fresh bread and bottled water in between tastings.

Length of Tasting: 2-2.5 hours

Class not given on Mondays 

Times: 11AM to1-1:30PM, 3PM to 5-5:30PM

Cost: 260€ for up to 4 people
65€ for each additional person

Flea Market Tour

Les Puces de Paris St. Ouen is the largest antique and flea market in the world with over 2500 vendors, sprawling 17 acres on the edge of the city. We offer customized tours zeroing in on the specific collectibles you are interested in, making the sometimes overwhelming and intimidating market a pleasurable and rewarding experience. From antique armoires to vintage Hermés scarves to kitschy Paris paintings, we can help you find it and bargain for the lowest price.

225€ for 1 to 3 people, 75€ each additional person for a 2-hour tour, plus 60 minute travel time each way by metro or by Taxi/Uber accompanied by your guide from the center of the city. Each additional hour 75€. *Cost of transportation not included.

 Morning tour 10:30AM-1:30PM

Afternoon tour 2:30PM-5:30PM

Full day tour 10:30AM-5:30PM

 Tours are given only on Saturday and Sunday.

Paris Photo Op Tour

Paris is every  photographers dream destination. Award winning photographer Richard Nahem will share his favorite spots for capturing unusual angles of classic Paris monuments plus off beaten photo op places unknown to most visitors. A great tour to create lasting memories of Paris long after your visit.

Richard’s photography has been featured in international travel magazines and websites including Gala Magazine, Romantic Paris, Passport Magazine, About France and Travel Agent Central Magazine and website. He was awarded the Merit Award Prize for the International Fine Arts Photography Awards in 2013.

225€ for 1 to 3 people, 75€ for each additional person for a 3-hour tour. 500€ for a full day/7 hour tour that includes a 1-hour lunch break. (Price of lunch not included). Each additional person 90€.

Tour time: 3 hours for half day, 7 hours for full day

*Morning tour 10:30AM-1:30PM

*Afternoon tour 2:30PM-5:30PM

*Full day tour 10:30AM-5:30PM

* Note: Tour times are flexible and can be adjusted to the best time of day for light.

Shopping Tours

Paris is one of the world’s best shopping destinations and our shopping tours specialize in fashion and home boutiques.  The tour will be customized to your tastes and will include unknown, out of the way boutiques that are exclusive to Paris or France. We will visit chic boutiques with exquisite handmade hats, jewelry, clothing, shoes, handbags, and home furnishings and accessories. Tours can also include the city’s best resale shops with mint condition designer clothing, handbags, and accessories and discount designer outlet shops offering up to 70% off on the latest Paris fashions. Whether its that darling purse your friends back home will envy or that special hand-knitted sweater you will wear forever that reminds you of Paris every time you put it on, Eye Prefer Paris shopping tours will help you find a cherished Parisian keepsake.

225€ for 1 to 3 people, 75€ for each additional person for a 3-hour tour. 500€ for a full day/7 hour tour that includes a 1-hour lunch break. (Price of lunch not included).

 Tour times: 3 hours for half day, 7 hours for full day

Morning tour 11AM-2PM

Afternoon tour 3PM-6PM

Full day tour 11AM-6PM

Gay Tours

Richard Nahem of Eye Prefer Paris Tours is a savvy, gay ex-New Yorker and is happy to show you his neighborhood the Marais, the gay district of Paris. The tour includes historic architecture dating from the 1600s, the chicest clothing & home boutiques, great food shops and markets, and contemporary art galleries. Richard will also point out bars, cafes and clubs and share practical facts about gay life in the city and a sense of the community.

225€ for 1 to 3 people, 75€ each additional person.

 Tour time: 3 hours

Morning tour 10:30AM-1:30PM

Afternoon tour 2:30PM-5:30PM

Private Tours of the Louvre & D’Orsay Museum, and Versailles

Enjoy a relaxed, informative tour of the great art museums and palaces of Paris. Our highly experienced, specially trained guides can show you the highlights of the Louvre & D’Orsay Museums and Versailles in a streamlined and well organized tour.

Louvre tour-225€ for 2.5 hours Plus 17€ per person over 18 for tickets.

D’Orsay tour-225€ for 2.5 hours - Plus 15€ per person over 18 for tickets.

Versailles tour- 350€ for a half day/4 hour 600€ for full day/7 hours including 1 –hour lunch break. Plus 18-27€ per person over 18 for entrance tickets. A round trip transfer in luxury van or sedan- 220€. Going by train is 15€ per person.

Prices are for up to 4 people. Price upon request for groups larger than 6 .

 

Photo Session With Marichel and Ben S.

I was booked for a photo session on Tuesday night with a delightful, young couple Marichel and Ben S., who are from Orlando, Florida. They were on a whirlwind trip, first visiting London for four days, and then Paris for another four days. One of the most rewarding things about my job as a tour guide and photographer is that many of my clients are celebrating happy occasions such as birthdays, anniversaries, honeymoons, and graduations. It was Marichel’s and Ben’s 10^th anniversary and they wanted to mark the special with a photo session and to make it special, they wanted to do it at sunset.

It was threatening to rain all afternoon and the forecast kept changing hourly. Just as I was meeting them in the courtyard of the Louvre at 7:45, there was a huge rain deluge, along with intense thunder and lightning, the likes of we haven’t seen all summer. As the old saying goes, if you don’t like the weather in Paris, wait five minutes. It was more like 20 minutes, but after the storm there was the most beautiful light and sky. Luckily, we were both under the archways in the front and the sides of the Louvre, so we didn’t get wet.

Marichel and Ben were easy going subjects, and I photographed under the Arc du Caroussel, in front of the glass pyramid at sunset and at night, on the Pont du Caroussel facing the Seine, and in the Tuileries. Marichel wore an electric blue blazer and the color just popped in my lens and in the photos.

Below is a description and price list for my photo sessions.

Award winning photographer Richard Nahem is happy to take the perfect portrait photo of you and your loved ones

in Paris, a lasting memory you will cherish forever. Richard’s photos of Paris have appeared in The Guardian, Fodors, Passport Magazine, Travel Agent Central, Luxury Travel Advisor, France Today Magazine, Travel Awaits, and Bonjour Paris and he was awarded the Merit Award Prize at International Fine Arts Photography Awards in 2013.

The cost of the package is 350€ for a 90-minute photo session, which includes backgrounds, covering up to two areas of Paris, and 25 edited photos sent to the client within 72 hours.

Click links below to view past client photo portraits.

https://www.ipreferparis.net/2017/10/the-marriage-proposal-.html

https://www.ipreferparis.net/2017/06/wedding-photos-of-morgan-pulsifer-and-luke-tompkins.html

Two New Eye Prefer Paris Tours

I am happy to announce I’ve added two new tours to my tour list.

Private Cheese Tasting in Paris Apartment
Come taste the legendary cheeses of France in the comfort of a spacious Paris apartment. (Yes, you get to see my cool apartment!) We first visit an award-winning cheese shop and have a highly trained expert assist us in choosing a variety of five cheeses including sheep’s, cow and goat cheese. Next, we purchase freshly baked bread from a top boulangerie to accompany our cheese. Back in the apartment we will indulge in our fresh cheeses and match them with a red and white wine, while your host shares the history of cheese making, the different types of cheeses and how they are made and processed, and the specific etiquette of cheese tasting and serving in France.

Tasting includes five types of cheeses, a red and/or white or rosé, fresh bread and bottled water in between tastings.

Length of Tasting: 2-2.5 hours

Class not given on Mondays 

Times: 11AM to1-1:30PM, 3PM to 5-5:30PM

Cost: 260€ for up to 4 people
65€ for each additional person

Jewish History Tour
This special tour traces the long and often arduous history of Jews in Paris and France. Tour includes
• History of Jewish population from150AD when the Romans settled Paris, to the Middle Ages when Jews were habitually persecuted, to the surprising freedom Napoleon granted Jews in the early 1800s, to the thriving late 1800s when Jews flourished in the arts, literature, and finance, to the Dreyfus affair, to the Holocaust and finally the present day culture and community of Jews living in France
• A visit to the Shoah Memorial Holocaust Museum, which lists the 72,000 names of Jews that died in the Holocaust, extensive coverage including photos, propaganda, artifacts and videos, and an eternal flame to commemorate those who died.
• A stroll on rue des Rosiers in the Marais area and the ancient streets of the former Pletzl, now a lively area filled with Jewish food shops, worldwide famous falafel stands, kosher restaurants, bakeries, and bookshops.
• An outside view of an Art Nouveau synagogue built by one of France’s most famous architects
• A visit to Notre Dame, revealing an ancient connection to Judaism
• A traditional Jewish pastry at an authentic Kosher bakery, Kocarz. (Not included in the price of the tour)

Cost: 225 euros for 1 to 3 people, 75 euros for each additional person
Tour time: 2.5 hours

Tour not given on Saturdays

Morning tour: 10AM-12: 30 PM
Afternoon tour: 2:30PM-5PM

These tours are not listed on my website yet, so if you would like to book one, please email me at [email protected]

 

I am starting a new feature, Links Eye Prefer on the bottom of my blog posts. They are stories or articles regarding Paris and France.

The first link is from the NY Times about the 2018 winner of the Best Baguette in Paris.

https://nyti.ms/2rLeN5o

Please click here to watch my latest episode of A Bite of Paris with my guest Diane Pernet

Come experience Eye Prefer Paris live with Eye Prefer Paris Tours, which are 3-hour walking tours I personally lead. Eye Prefer Paris Tours include many of the places I have written about such as small museums & galleries, restaurants, cafes, food markets, secret addresses, fashion & home boutiques, parks and gardens and much more.  In addition to my specialty Marais Tour, I also lead tours of Montmartre, St. Germain, Latin Quarter, in addition to Shopping Tours, Gay Tours, Girlfriend Tours, Food Tours, Flea Market Tours, Paris Highlights Tours, and Chocolate & Pastry tours.

Tours start at 225 euros for up to 3 people, and 75 euros for each additional person. I look forward to meeting you on my tours and it will be my pleasure and delight to show you my insiders Paris.

 Check it out at www.eyepreferparistours.com 

 

Perfect Holiday Gift: Eye Prefer Paris Postcards and Eye Prefer Paris Tours

Season’s Greetings from Paris!

It’s holiday gift-giving season again and I am sure you are in the market for some unique gifts for family, friends, and colleagues. You can never go wrong with the gift of Paris and I have three very special offers.

Eye Prefer Paris Postcards are for purchase again this season and I have two options.

1. The first offer is a set of six hand-selected postcards packed in one envelope, a French Blue postcard holder with a custom designed seal.

Cost: $15 plus $5 shipping to anywhere in the U.S. or Europe. Click here to order.

2. I am still offering the monthly subscription service for either 6 months or 12 months, where the subscriber receives three physical postcards of my iconic Paris photos every month. Each month will have a specific theme, from architectural street scenes to romantic outdoor cafes to beautiful gardens to unique shots of iconic monuments. Mailings will include 3 postcards all carefully packaged in a special French Blue postcard holder with a custom designed seal.

Click here to order 6-month subscription- $60+$15 for shipping

Click here to order 12 month subscription-$110 +$30 shipping

3. You can gift one or more of my fun Eye Prefer Paris Tours and I would be happy to write a hand written note from Paris to send to your guest.

Click here to go to www.eyepreferparistours.com and to see a list of my tours.

Please place your orders soon, so they arrive on time.

 New Years in Paris-My Apartment for Rent December 27 to January 3(dates flexible)-Price Slashed

How would you like to spend a magical Christmas and festive New Years in Paris?

I am renting my apartment out from December 27 to January 3,  (dates are flexible) a total of 8 nights for $2000.

Centrally located in the heart of the Marais near the St. Paul metro station, it's a spacious one-bedroom 750 sq. ft. loft style apartment with 12 ft. ceilings, decorated in chic Mid-Century Modern furniture and sleeps one or two people in a Queen size bed. Amenities include A/C, washer/dryer, 16" flat screen TV, dishwasher, internet connection/Wifi and free long distance calls to the U.S.  The apartment is located on the second floor with an elevator.

Photos upon request. Please email me at [email protected] if you are interested.

Come experience Eye Prefer Paris live with Eye Prefer Paris Tours, which are 3-hour walking tours I personally lead. Eye Prefer Paris Tours include many of the places I have written about such as small museums & galleries, restaurants, cafes, food markets, secret addresses, fashion & home boutiques, parks and gardens and much more.  In addition to my specialty Marais Tour, I also lead tours of Montmartre, St. Germain, Latin Quarter, in addition to Shopping Tours, Gay Tours, Girlfriend Tours, Food Tours, Flea Market Tours, Paris Highlights Tours, and Chocolate & Pastry tours.

Tours start at 225 euros for up to 3 people, and 75 euros for each additional person. I look forward to meeting you on my tours and it will be my pleasure and delight to show

Air Bnb Marais Foodie Experience

Last year Air Bnb contacted me about a new service they were offering called Experiences, which offers experiences by locals connected with their rentals. Essentially they searched for people in their host cities, not necessarily tour guides, to give their guest(s) a unique experience that they possibly couldn’t do on their own and which also exemplified their city or area.

Paris is one of Air Bnb’s largest markets and I was flattered that they chose me. I decided to create a Marais food experience, giving their guests a tour of all the yummy food and gourmet shops in my area and introducing them to some the local shopkeepers, many who I have known for years.

The listing for my experience was first posted on Air Bnb in the middle of June and within the first week, I lead my first experience. My Eye Prefer Paris Tours are private but with the Air Bnb guests, it’s a mixed group, so it was a slight adjustment to have a mix of people, which I actually found to be fun. During the course of a typical experience we will taste eclairs, cheese from an award winning cheese shop, foie gras, a baguette from a boulangerie that won the prize for the second best baguette in Paris, macarons and samples from the Jewish food shops on the rue des Rosiers.

I’ve now lead about twelve experiences since then and I’ve already met such a wide variety of people from all over the world including Australia, Germany, the Philippines, England, Belgium, Norway and the United States.

A lovely lady Michelle is a well-known food blogger www.greedygourmet.com from England and she kindly wrote an excellent post on the experience with detailed information and photos. Click here to read.

Sometimes I receive inquiries from single travelers or people on a budget about my Eye Prefer Paris Tours about whether I can add them into one of my existing groups but I have to unfortunately tell them no; but now with the Air Bnb Marais Foodie Experience I can now accommodate them with a less expensive alternative.

The Air Bnb Marais Foodie costs 70€ per person and lasts 2.5 hours. It also includes food samples.

For more information or to book, go to this link

https://www.airbnb.com/experiences/45362

I look forward to sharing my yummy Marais with you!

Top photo courtesy of Michelle Minnaar.

Come experience Eye Prefer Paris live with Eye Prefer Paris Tours, which are 3-hour walking tours I personally lead. Eye Prefer Paris Tours include many of the places I have written about such as small museums & galleries, restaurants, cafes, food markets, secret addresses, fashion & home boutiques, parks and gardens and much more.  In addition to my specialty Marais Tour, I also lead tours of Montmartre, St. Germain, Latin Quarter, in addition to Shopping Tours, Gay Tours, Girlfriend Tours, Food Tours, Flea Market Tours, Paris Highlights Tours, and Chocolate & Pastry tours.

Tours start at 225 euros for up to 3 people, and 75 euros for each additional person. I look forward to meeting you on my tours and it will be my pleasure and delight to show you my insiders Paris.

 Check it out at www.eyepreferparistours.com 

  Click here to watch a video of our famous Marais tour

 

 

Eye Prefer Paris Night Tour with Wayne Hoover

I love doing night tours of Paris, where I get to dazzle clients and still to this day myself, with the wonders of Paris all lit up.

Wayne Hoover, from Lexington, Kentucky contacted me in early January about doing a night tour of Paris. Wayne is a photographer and was stopping in Paris for only two days after spending two weeks in the wilds of Africa, shooting the wildlife and animals in Tanzania. I immediately liked Wayne, even though I hadn’t met him yet, when he wrote in the email he was more excited about coming to Paris than he was shooting in Tanzania.

He sent me an ambitious list of all the places he wanted to shoot and I assisted him in navigating them. It helped that he said “Sleep is optional”.

We met at 7:20 at his hotel, which I recommended and located right across the street from me. I took a little extra time to acquaint and instruct him about the city before we started our tour with the driver at 7:30.

Wayne is quite the entrepreneur, running three businesses simultaneously: a home decorating business with his wife, custom cabinetry, and photography business specializing in landscape and travel photos. Wayne, like myself, only recently started to become a serious photographer in 2012. He studied with photographers to learn his craft and traveled to Istanbul, Thailand, Hong Kong, Tanzania, Zanzibar, France, Mexico, and extensively throughout the United States, soaking up everything he could about photography, along with taking online photography courses.

We started at the courtyard of the Louvre, where Wayne setup his tripod to photograph the I. M. Pei glass pyramid and surrounding buildings of the Louvre. He was as happy as a clam and kept pinching himself saying he still couldn’t believe he was actually in Paris and in front of the Louvre.

After the Louvre we went to Place de la Concorde and then the piece de resistance, a birds eye view of the Eiffel Tower from the plaza on Palais de Chaillot on Place Trocadero. I timed it so Wayne had enough time to set up his equipment so he can shoot the tower when the sparkle lights went off on the hour. There were some passing clouds that gave the photos a little extra moodiness and depth.

I was quite impressed with Wayne’s technical expertise and his extensive collection of lenses and accessories. At one point he asked to help him with his equipment bag and I almost threw out by back trying to lift it for just a brief moment.

Our last stop was the Arch de Triomphe and it was Wayne’s lucky shot. The French flag is only flown for holidays or special occasions and luckily it was hanging that night and flapping wildly from the wind.

After we finished our tour at 10PM, Wayne went to Notre Dame, shooting till 1AM.

Below are the fruits of his labor.

http://www.waynehooverphotography.com

Eye Prefer Paris Postcards

I am thrilled to announce the launch of Eye Prefer Paris Postcards, a 6 or 12-month subscription service where the subscriber receives three physical postcards of my iconic Paris photos every month. Each month will have a specific theme, from architectural street scenes to romantic outdoor cafes to beautiful gardens to unique shots of iconic monuments. Each mailing will include two postcards in color and one in black & white or sepia, beautifully packaged in a special French Blue postcard holder with a custom designed seal.

Each 6” X 4.25” traditional size postcard is printed on thick matte coated card stock, similar to traditional vintage postcard stock that enhances the vibrancy of every image.

Only $60 for a 6 month subscription (plus shipping)or

$110 for a 12-month subscription (plus shipping)

My offer of a 12-month subscription with an extra month free is good until January  31, so remember to order now before the offer ends.

Click here to order a 12-month subscription from my Etsy store

Click here to order a 6-month subscription from my Etsy store

Come experience Eye Prefer Paris live with Eye Prefer Paris Tours, which are 3-hour walking tours I personally lead. Eye Prefer Paris Tours include many of the places I have written about such as small museums & galleries, restaurants, cafes, food markets, secret addresses, fashion & home boutiques, parks and gardens and much more.  In addition to my specialty Marais Tour, I also lead tours of Montmartre, St. Germain, Latin Quarter, in addition to Shopping Tours, Gay Tours, Girlfriend Tours, Food Tours, Flea Market Tours, Paris Highlights Tours, and Chocolate & Pastry tours.

Tours start at 225 euros for up to 3 people, and 75 euros for each additional person. I look forward to meeting you on my tours and it will be my pleasure and delight to show you my insiders Paris.

 Check it out at www.eyepreferparistours.com 

  Click here to watch a video of our famous Marais tour

New! Eye Prefer Paris Cooking Classes
I am happy to announce the launch of Eye Prefer Paris Cooking Classes. Come take an ethnic culinary journey with me and chef and caterer Charlotte Puckette, co-author of the bestseller The Ethnic Paris Cookbook (with Olivia Kiang-Snaije). First we will shop at a Paris green-market for the freshest ingredients and then return to Charlotte's professional kitchen near the Eiffel Tower to cook a three-course lunch. After, we will indulge in the delicious feast we prepared along with hand-selected wines.

Cost: 195 euros per person (about $210)
Time: 9:30AM- 2PM (approximately 4 1/2 hours)
Location: We will meet by a metro station close to the market
Class days: Tuesday,Wednesday, Thursday,Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
Minimum of 2 students, maximum 6 students.

Click here to sign up for the next class or for more info.

Eye Prefer Paris Evening Cooking Classes

Back in April I announced Eye Prefer Paris Evening Cooking Classes, a dinner version of our daytime lunch classes.

Up till two weeks ago, I hadn’t attended one of the classes because I would send the students directly to Charlotte since we don’t go to the market first, so I finally decided to participate in one of the evening classes.

We all met by the Ecole Militaire metro station at 6PM around the corner from Charlotte’s kitchen. It was a full group that night, six people; two retired couples, one from New York and the other from Tulsa, a retired school teacher from Chapel Hill, and a chef from New Orleans.

Our first stop was Grifon cheese shop, which Charlotte claimed to be the best cheese shop in the neighborhood. Charlotte did a thorough explanation of the different varieties of cheeses, how they were made and the regions they were from. One of the things that made the cheese shop superior to other cheese shops was they were affineur, which means they age their own cheeses. We tasted samples of some of the cheeses before we made our final choices. Next we went to the rue Cler, where Charlotte pointed out some of her favorite food shops.

We arrived at Charlotte’s at about 6:45 and everyone settled around the butcher-block counter, donning their aprons, ready to cook up a storm.

Our first preparation was dessert,  chocolate fondant, a chocolate cake with a soft center that’s simple to make with only five ingredients. Once the cake was in the oven we broke out the Champagne to celebrate finishing the first dish. (That’s what I love about France, you open a bottle of Champagne for the most mundane reasons).

The next course was my favorite, a sauté of wild mushrooms with fresh ricotta cheese. Charlotte bought beautiful cepe mushrooms from the market earlier in the day and the students diligently cleaned the dirt off of them. I’m not sure I ever had homemade ricotta before and the thought of it was quite exotic to me. Charlotte showed us how simple it was to prepare, just taking milk and a few other ingredients, letting it almost come to a boil, then letting it cool off and thicken. The final step is pushing it through some cheesecloth.

The main course was magret de canard (duck breast) sliced thin with a fig and raspberry sweet and sour sauce, another easy to prepare recipe. We roasted baby potatoes in olive oil and sea salt to accompany the duck.

After our fun time of preparing all the courses, we opened a few bottles of red and sat down to enjoy our feast. The star of the meal was the mushrooms and fresh ricotta and most of us agreed we couldn’t go back to eating store bought ricotta after the fresh taste of homemade. We shared stories and anecdotes about cooking, food, travel, and life. The young chef had a fascinating past and had just moved from New York to New Orleans to become a chef in a Cajun restaurant.

It was a delightful and delicious evening.

Click here to find out more about Eye Prefer Paris Evening Cooking Classes.

Eye Prefer Paris Postcards
I am thrilled to announce the launch of Eye Prefer Paris Postcards, a 6 or 12-month subscription service where the subscriber receives three physical postcards of my iconic Paris photos every month. Each month will have a specific theme, from architectural street scenes to romantic outdoor cafes to beautiful gardens to unique shots of iconic monuments. Each mailing will include two postcards in color and one in black & white or sepia, beautifully packaged in a special French Blue postcard holder with a custom designed seal.

Each 6” X 4.25” traditional size postcard is printed on thick matte coated card stock, similar to traditional vintage postcard stock that enhances the vibrancy of every image.

Only $60 for a 6 month subscription (plus shipping)or

$110 for a 12-month subscription (plus shipping)

My offer of a 12-month subscription with an extra month free is good until October 11, so remember to order now before the offer ends.

Click here to order a 12-month subscription from my Etsy store

Click here to order a 6-month subscription from my Etsy store

 

Come experience Eye Prefer Paris live with Eye Prefer Paris Tours, which are 3-hour walking tours I personally lead. Eye Prefer Paris Tours include many of the places I have written about such as small museums & galleries, restaurants, cafes, food markets, secret addresses, fashion & home boutiques, parks and gardens and much more.  In addition to my specialty Marais Tour, I also lead tours of Montmartre, St. Germain, Latin Quarter, in addition to Shopping Tours, Gay Tours, Girlfriend Tours, Food Tours, Flea Market Tours, Paris Highlights Tours, and Chocolate & Pastry tours.

Tours start at 225 euros for up to 3 people, and 75 euros for each additional person. I look forward to meeting you on my tours and it will be my pleasure and delight to show you my insiders Paris.

 Check it out at www.eyepreferparistours.com 

  Click here to watch a video of our famous Marais tour

New! Eye Prefer Paris Cooking Classes
I am happy to announce the launch of Eye Prefer Paris Cooking Classes. Come take an ethnic culinary journey with me and chef and caterer Charlotte Puckette, co-author of the bestseller The Ethnic Paris Cookbook (with Olivia Kiang-Snaije). First we will shop at a Paris green-market for the freshest ingredients and then return to Charlotte's professional kitchen near the Eiffel Tower to cook a three-course lunch. After, we will indulge in the delicious feast we prepared along with hand-selected wines.

Cost: 195 euros per person (about $210)
Time: 9:30AM- 2PM (approximately 4 1/2 hours)
Location: We will meet by a metro station close to the market
Class days: Tuesday,Wednesday, Thursday,Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
Minimum of 2 students, maximum 6 students.

Click here to sign up for the next class or for more info.

 

Viking 1914

As I mentioned before one of the things I like most about giving my tours is the diverse and interesting people I meet from around the world. I’ve run the gamut in the last eight years with clients from all five clients, from families traveling by private jet to teenage Girls Scouts scrimping and saving for two years to come to Paris to make their travel dream come true.

Last month I had a gay male couple from a small town in rural Denmark. They were staying in the Marais but wanted to explore the area more and get the inside scoop. When I asked them what they did for a living, they said they owned a pencil and stationery company. Jens, the owner told me that he bought a pencil company from 1914 a few years ago and was rebranding it.

At the end of the tour we exchanged pleasantries and business cards. Jens said he would send a sampler of some of his stationery products from his company Viking, which I thought that was such a kind gesture. He said he and Daniel liked the tour so much they wanted to do another one next time they returned.

The following week I received a large box in the mail, thinking why did they send such a large box, considering I was expecting a few pencil samples.

The first thing I discovered in the box was a handsome red leather journal embossed with my name. That was the first WOW! Along side it was a black cardboard portfolio. I undid the elastic and inside was a wonderful array of beautiful pencils, colored pencils, erasers, markers, and pencil cases, including a leather one with my name embossed on it. An even bigger WOW! I used to get so excited when I was a kid going shopping for my back to school supplies and it was like experiencing it all over again except the products were much more sophisticated than Bic and Crayola. Getting tactile, I gently caressed my notebook and then smelled the wood from the pencils. I especially loved the adorable box of mini colored pencils.

Throughout the 20th century the Viking #29 yellow pencil was the preferred pencil in Denmark and used in offices and homes and in almost every Danish school.  

Thanks so much Jens and Daniel for giving me such a wonderful Back to School gift way before September.

Here is the website but for now it’s only in Danish but the English version will be live next year.

http://www.creas.com/produkter/brands-og-leverandoerer/viking.aspx

Come experience Eye Prefer Paris live with Eye Prefer Paris Tours, which are 3-hour walking tours I personally lead. Eye Prefer Paris Tours include many of the places I have written about such as small museums & galleries, restaurants, cafes, food markets, secret addresses, fashion & home boutiques, parks and gardens and much more.  In addition to my specialty Marais Tour, I also lead tours of Montmartre, St. Germain, Latin Quarter, in addition to Shopping Tours, Gay Tours, Girlfriend Tours, Food Tours, Flea Market Tours, Paris Highlights Tours, and Chocolate & Pastry tours.

Tours start at 225 euros for up to 3 people, and 75 euros for each additional person. I look forward to meeting you on my tours and it will be my pleasure and delight to show you my insiders Paris.

 Check it out at www.eyepreferparistours.com 

  Click here to watch a video of our famous Marais tour

New! Eye Prefer Paris Cooking Classes
I am happy to announce the launch of Eye Prefer Paris Cooking Classes. Come take an ethnic culinary journey with me and chef and caterer Charlotte Puckette, co-author of the bestseller The Ethnic Paris Cookbook (with Olivia Kiang-Snaije). First we will shop at a Paris green-market for the freshest ingredients and then return to Charlotte's professional kitchen near the Eiffel Tower to cook a three-course lunch. After, we will indulge in the delicious feast we prepared along with hand-selected wines.

Cost: 195 euros per person (about $210)
Time: 9:30AM- 2PM (approximately 4 1/2 hours)
Location: We will meet by a metro station close to the market
Class days: Tuesday,Wednesday, Thursday,Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
Minimum of 2 students, maximum 6 students.

Click here to sign up for the next class or for more info.

Eye Prefer Paris Tours Sale & Tripadvisor Certificate of Excellence 2015

I received a notice from Tripadvisor last month that I won the Certificate of Excellence Award for the third year in a row. To celebrate my exciting news I am offering a sale on Eye Prefer Paris Tours. For any tour booked for July I am giving a 25€ discount (except museum tours). Tours start at 225€ for up to three people and with the sale it will be 200€.

To receive the discount, email me at [email protected] and put Eye Prefer Paris Tours July Sale in the subject line.

Click here to see a full list of tours including the Marais, Montmartre, St. Germain, Latin Quarter, Shopping Tours, Gay Tours, Girlfriend Tours, Food Tours, Flea Market Tours, Paris Highlights Tours, and Chocolate & Pastry tours.

Please help spread the word by forwarding this post and on your Facebook and Twitter accounts. 

http://eyepreferparistours.com/

New! Eye Prefer Paris Cooking Classes
I am happy to announce the launch of Eye Prefer Paris Cooking Classes. Come take an ethnic culinary journey with me and chef and caterer Charlotte Puckette, co-author of the bestseller The Ethnic Paris Cookbook (with Olivia Kiang-Snaije). First we will shop at a Paris green-market for the freshest ingredients and then return to Charlotte's professional kitchen near the Eiffel Tower to cook a three-course lunch. After, we will indulge in the delicious feast we prepared along with hand-selected wines.

Cost: 195 euros per person (about $210)
Time: 9:30AM- 2PM (approximately 4 1/2 hours)
Location: We will meet by a metro station close to the market
Class days: Tuesday,Wednesday, Thursday,Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
Minimum of 2 students, maximum 6 students.

Click here to sign up for the next class or for more info.

New Eye Prefer Paris Tours: Evening Highlights Tour and Evening Cooking Classes

I am happy to announce a new Eye Prefer Paris Tour and Cooking Class.

Evening Paris Highlights Tour
Come and discover the splendor and drama of Paris all lit up at night with this magical tour.

Sites include:  
Sacre Coeur Church
Notre Dame
The Louvre
Arch de Triomphe
Champs Elysees
Place de la Concorde
Hotel de Ville
*Eiffel Tower (not going to the top)- we will time the tour so you will see the magical sparkle lights go off on the hour

The tour lasts 2.5 hours and guests will be picked up and returned to their hotel or apartment.

Tour times will vary between 6PM and 10PM according to the month.  

Tour time: 2.5 hours

Cost: 360 euros for up to 3 people
410 euros for 4-6 people

Eye Prefer Paris Evening Cooking Classes
Eye Prefer Paris teams up with Charlotte Puckette to give you an insider’s culinary tour of Paris. Charlotte, co-author of the bestseller The Ethnic Paris Cookbook, will teach students how to make classic French food, sometimes with an ethnic twist. Classes will start at 6PM with a visit to rue Cler, one of the top food shop streets in Paris, where we will shop for a selection of cheeses and select a wine especially tailored for the meal. After visiting rue Cler, we will go to Charlotte’s private townhouse minutes from the Eiffel Tower. She will discuss the menu over a festive glass of Champagne and you will assist in preparing a three-course feast. The class finishes with the delicious dinner you cooked accompanied by a cheese course and wine. Classes will end at approximately 10:00p.m.

Cost: 210 euros per person (about $240)
Time: 6PM-10PM (approximately 4 hours)
Class evenings: Tuesday and Thursday, other nights by special request
Location: We will meet by a metro station close to Charlotte’s home
Minimum of 2 students, maximum 6 students.

http://eyepreferparistours.com

New! Eye Prefer Paris Cooking Classes
I am happy to announce the launch of Eye Prefer Paris Cooking Classes. Come take an ethnic culinary journey with me and chef and caterer Charlotte Puckette, co-author of the bestseller The Ethnic Paris Cookbook (with Olivia Kiang-Snaije). First we will shop at a Paris green-market for the freshest ingredients and then return to Charlotte's professional kitchen near the Eiffel Tower to cook a three-course lunch. After, we will indulge in the delicious feast we prepared along with hand-selected wines.

Cost: 195 euros per person (about $240)
Time: 9:30AM- 2PM (approximately 4 1/2 hours)
Location: We will meet by a metro station close to the market
Class days: Tuesday,Wednesday, Thursday,Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
Minimum of 2 students, maximum 6 students.

Click here to sign up for the next class or for more info.
 

Come experience Eye Prefer Paris live with Eye Prefer Paris Tours, which are 3-hour walking tours I personally lead. Eye Prefer Paris Tours include many of the places I have written about such as small museums & galleries, restaurants, cafes, food markets, secret addresses, fashion & home boutiques, parks and gardens and much more.  In addition to my specialty Marais Tour, I also lead tours of Montmartre, St. Germain, Latin Quarter, in addition to Shopping Tours, Gay Tours, Girlfriend Tours, Food Tours, Flea Market Tours, Paris Highlights Tours, and Chocolate & Pastry tours.

Tours start at 225 euros for up to 3 people, and 75 euros for each additional person. I look forward to meeting you on my tours and it will be my pleasure and delight to show you my insiders Paris.

 Check it out at www.eyepreferparistours.com 

Click here to watch a video of our famous Marais tour

 

 

 

Special Paris Christmas Tours

Paris is magical during the holidays and I am happy to announce a special Christmas/Holiday Tour of Paris for 2014. Clients will experience the marvelous shop windows, gleaming outdoor lights, beautifully decorated trees, and festive Christmas markets. The tour includes a visit to Galeries Lafayette and Printemps department stores, the Champs Elysees Holiday market, the yummy gourmet shops Fauchon and Hediard on Place Madeleine overflowing with delicious holiday goodies, and the rue St. Honoré, with designer shops Hermes and Lanvin. To warm up, we stop for an authentic hot chocolate at one of the top Paris chocolate shops.

Tour times 10AM-1PM or 2PM-5PM
Cost: 225 euros for 1-3 people, 75 euros each additional person. Hot chocolate is not included in price. Click here to book the tour or for more information. to book the tour or for more information.

Tours will be conducted everyday from December 20, 2014 to January 5, 2015 except on Christmas and New Years Day.

I may even dress up in a Santa Claus suit for the tour.

New Venue for My Photos
I have been invited by a café to display my photos, so if you missed seeing them at my show last month they will be up till November 12.

Café Petit Luxe
29 rue Vaugirard, 75006
Metro: St. Sulpice
Open Monday-Friday 8:30AM-9:30PM,Saturday 8:30AM-6PM

   New! Eye Prefer Paris Cooking Classes
I am happy to announce the launch of Eye Prefer Paris Cooking Classes. Come take an ethnic culinary journey with me and chef and caterer Charlotte Puckette, co-author of the bestseller The Ethnic Paris Cookbook (with Olivia Kiang-Snaije). First we will shop at a Paris green-market for the freshest ingredients and then return to Charlotte's professional kitchen near the Eiffel Tower to cook a three-course lunch. After, we will indulge in the delicious feast we prepared along with hand-selected wines.

Cost: 185 euros per person (about $240)
Time: 9:30AM- 2PM (approximately 4 1/2 hours)
Location: We will meet by a metro station close to the market
Class days: Tuesday,Wednesday, Thursday,Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
Minimum of 2 students, maximum 6 students.

Click here to sign up for the next class or for more info.
 

I am pleased as punch to announce the launch of Eye Prefer Paris Tours, which are 3-hour walking tours I will personally be leading. The Eye Prefer Paris Tour includes many of the places I have written about such as small museums & galleries, restaurants, cafes & food markets, secret addresses, fashion & home boutiques, parks, and much more.

Tours cost 210 euros for up to 3 people, and 70 euros for each additional person. I look forward to meeting you on my tours and it will be my pleasure and delight to show you my insiders Paris.
 Check it out at www.eyepreferparistours.com 

Click here to watch a video of our famous Marais tour