The Travelling Celts

Hopping Around Paris

by Michael Cameron

We do enjoy the bus tours many big cities provide. Most times we don't do any hopping, at least not initially, we tend to stay on the bus for the duration, listen to the audio and then decide what places look the most interesting. Then on our second loop, we hop off at the places we liked the look of, and then hop on again to the next stop. It seems to work for us

Paris has two major hop-on-hop-off bus tour companies: L’Open and Les Cars Rouges (Big Bus Tours), but there is also a company called Foxity. These bus tours are the most popular in the city. On these tours, large double-decker, open-top buses drive around the city on a set route with multiple stops. Visitors can choose which attractions they want to stop at and visit whenever they wish, knowing that they can hop back on once they are finished at their current location.

Formerly called Les Cars Rouges (Red Buses), Big Bus Tours has been in business since 1991. They are probably the most notable “hop-on-hop-off” tour bus in Paris. This is an international company that provides services all over the world, and they are generally well-liked. In total, there are 10 significant stops on their classic route. No matter what attractions you want to visit, chances are that Big Bus will take you there.

Although popular and extremely busy we enjoyed looking around Notre-Dame little knowing that within five years (15 April 2019), a fire would start beneath the roof of the cathedral. By the time the fire was extinguished, the building's spire had collapsed, most of its roof had been destroyed, and its upper walls were severely damaged. Extensive damage to the interior was prevented by its stone vaulted ceiling, which largely contained the burning roof as it collapsed. The French President promised full restoration by 2024, we do hope so.

Click the links below for the Louvre photos and/or videos