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Paris WW2 The German Occupation Small group or Private tour

4.7 · 144 reviews on Viator & Tripadvisor ⏱ 3h – 4h ✓ Free cancellation
Standing in endless Que`s searching for food and a rumbling stomach is most Parisians main memory of the occupation You could even pay someone to que for you for 7 francs an hour!

At a glance

Paris WW2 The German Occupation Small group or Private tour is a 3h – 4h small-group experience in Paris, France, operated by Chris Pollard. Travellers rate it 4.7 out of 5 across 144 reviews on Viator and Tripadvisor. Prices start from $103.07 per person, and free cancellation is available. Included: Semi Private Bookings limited to 4 separate groups per tour 8-10 people max to maintain high quality, Fully Private tours available with personalised itenerary , flexible start times and meeting pointss.

Highlights

  • Rated 4.7/5 by 144 travellers
  • Small group of up to 10 people for a more personal experience
  • Free cancellation for flexible planning
  • 5 stops in one well-planned itinerary
  • Wheelchair accessible

Quick facts

Duration
3h – 4h
Group
Small group, up to 10 travellers
Languages
English
Pickup
Meet at the start point
Confirmation
Confirmed within 48 hours
Ticket
Mobile or paper ticket accepted
Cancellation
Free cancellation (see policy)

Overview

Led by one of the top guides in Paris who is an expert in this field, this is a premium small group tour with limited numbers to maintain high quality
You WILL be able Interact and discuss the subjects with your guide at all times unlike generic large group tours that most companies run !
A tour for people who want to gain a broader and deeper understanding of the Occupation of Paris that exposes and breaks stereotypes and idea`s that stood for over 70 years after it`s end and tells them the TRUE story!
From Collaboration, to resistance, to Liberation. This is the REAL story
On this tour we ask WHY not just where and when?!
Learn why for the French this period is often referred to as 'les annees noir' or the dark years but also hear stories of incredible bravery as ordinary people risked their lives to fight back and save those of others
This tour Itinerary remains flexible

What's included

What's included

  • Semi Private Bookings limited to 4 separate groups per tour 8-10 people max to maintain high quality
  • Fully Private tours available with personalised itenerary , flexible start times and meeting pointss

Not included

  • All small group tours require a minimum of 4 people in total to run

Itinerary

  1. Stop 1 · 15m

    IMPORTANT The Information written above under "WHAT TO EXPECT " is NOT written by me and is INCORRECT
    It is written by VIATOR using what seems to be AI and It just makes things up we don't even do ! WE DO NOT MEET AT THE TUILERIES METRO nor do we visit any cinemas or Maxims usually or go to the SHOAH MEMROIAL on the GENERAL GROUP tour or finish the tour in the Marais UNLESS this has been REQUESTED as part of a Private Shoah tour
    We actually meet at the Palais Royal Metro Exit 5 on Place Collette opposite the Comedie Francaise Theatre
    We then proceed to visit the surrounding area between the Louvre to the and Place de La Concorde to the West and the streets around which includes a collection of Important sites linked to all aspects of the Occcupation
    ThIs Information can be found under "MEETING POINT " and the CORRECT overview information under the numbered points below this so PLEASE IGNORE "WHAT TO EXPECT" and make sure to read all these instead
    Thanks everyone!

  2. Stop 2 · 10m

    There is no totally fixed Generic Itinerary on this tour It focuses on QUALITY so the number of sites we visit may vary from tour to tour as I allow people to ask questions in more depth and spend longer at certain sites if they particularly interest them
    I will list selection of the sites in the area we do usually visit below though
    This Is not like visiting a museum where everything Is laid out chronologically or a set of landmarks telling the story of one area of Paris
    Its a story that took place all over a large City In a unique 4yr period
    As we have only a few hours I try to give you the best snapshot I can In the time we have of WHY people behaved thé way they did and the context directing their behaviour French and German and Foreign

    Its more about people than places , with the places being the stage for the actors
    So we çan go from looking at a Innocuous door that people walk past every day to a grand hôtel liké thé Meurice or Ritz
    All are part of the story equally

  3. Stop 3 · 2h 15m

    It Is around this area and Its streets that we will find many significant sites I let people have some flexibility , ask questions and don't rush them

    Amongst the sites we MAY visit are

    The first secret HQ of the Gestapo in Paris

    The HQ of Frances largest collaborationist group the PPF and their leader

    The Louvre (Exterior)

    The Hotel Meurice German Army HQ for Paris

    The Place Vendome - Site of the Ritz hotel (Chanel lved here the Anti-Nazis in the German forces met here and where the Final Solution was first introduced to France)

    The Societe Maurice Duclos- the secret site of the very first Allied Spy network in France and radio

    The Continental Hotel - Important German Army controlled hotel

    Rue Rouget de L'isle -Where the organic French Reisistance really began in October 1940

    Jeu de Paume - where the Nazis stored, processed and looted art before being sent to Germany

    Place de La Concorde- Many secret and visible scars from the fighting for the Liberation of Paris

  4. Stop 4 · 20m

    It is around this area that our tour will end
    The tour time can be between 3-3.5 hrs
    As mentioned above on this monumental square, origianlly Place Louis XV when it was completed in the 18th Century just years before the French Revolution , we will see many monumental buildings and landmarks of Paris's history as well as the occupation
    Louis XVI and Marie Antionette both faced the Guillotine here
    The huge twin Naval Ministry and Hotel Crillon both Important German HQs during the war
    The Grand Palais the largest freestanding building in Paris and only one actually destroyed during the occupation and Liberation
    The bullet holes and hidden scars of the Liberation
    The famous Obelisk from Luxor
    I am happy to chat and answer all your questions
    My tours are all SMALL groups or Private ,high quality and personable where everyone gets to talk with me and be Involved and I also ask you questions too !

    Please see the window below for more information on Holocaust specific tours

  5. Stop 5

    The Shoah/ Holocaust is the subject I most often find people may have a more specific interest In
    On the General tour we do talk about it of course but there Is not the time to delve so deeply. In my view and experIence it is a subject that requires a whole tour devoted solely to it to come near to giving it the justice It deserves To claim to be able to do this on a General tour where there are multiple other subjects I need to discuss would be misleading so I do not
    On the Genral tour I will discuss the overall currents during the occupation that lead to Implemtation in France of the "Final solution" and the conditons for Jewish people in Paris and occupied France during the 2 years leading up to this and also their role in the resistance But If you want to specifically go deeper I reccomend contact me about a private tour But I am also happy to answer other questions on the Shoah on the General tour In greater depth if you wish but this may take time away from other subjects

Meeting point

We meet outside exit 5 ,Place Collette , of the Palais Royal Metro station which is on lignes 1 and lignes 7
It's the MOST unique metro entrance in Paris consisting of 2 domes made of multi coloured Murano glass beads
Its opposite the Comedie Francaise Theatre on Place Collete

Good to know

  • Wheelchair accessible
  • Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
  • Service animals allowed
  • Public transportation options are available nearby
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels
  • IMPORTANT ALL TOURS REQUIRE A MINIMUM OF 4 PEOPLE TO RUN
  • For this reason bookings made less than 2 weeks before the requested date will usually only be accepted if they meet the minimum required number of people OR the tour already has the minimum required number of people already booked
  • Booking requests made 2 weeks or more before a tour may be accepted still even if at the time the tour deosn't have enough people to run This Is because there is still reasonable time for more people to join the tour
  • The guide resrves the right to cancel any tour up to 24 hours before if the numbers on the tour fall below the required minimum number Including owing to LATE CANCELLATIONS by people ThIs is unfortunate but does occur and is Inconvinient to both myself and the other remaining people who may now be effected I am NOT a large tour company who provides LARGE group generic Impersonal tours and to whom even multiple late cancellations have no effect as their tours are so large , I am an Individual expert guide who ONLY works with small groups providing higher quality tours So this means I have a very small margin between having and not having enough people on a tour to run It so please be considerate and AVOID cancelling within 72 hours of a tour unless due to an emergency or medical reason even though a refund Is still available up to 24 hrs before of course
  • The right to cancel a tour that falls below the minimum number of people is exclusive of cancellations due to so called "Acts of God," Force Majeur and Medical or health related reasons for which a tour may be cancelled at any point Obviously this does NOT occur very often
  • All cancellations made for whatever reason by the guide themself ,even within 24 hours of a tour are of course subject to a FULL refund
  • The guide does not take cancelling tours lightly , especially at short notice and will only do so for the reasons listed above However they wil also propose an alternative date when doing so or see if there is a solution to enable the tour to still run if possible
  • If a booking request has been accepted and by 3-5 days before the minimum number of people has still not been met the guide will contact the guests to notify them and discuss possible solutions If the tour remains below ther minimum number required

Cancellation policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Frequently asked questions

How long does the Paris WW2 The German Occupation Small group or Private tour take?

The experience lasts about 3h – 4h.

How much does it cost?

Prices start from $103.07 per person. The final price depends on the date, time and number of travellers, and is confirmed on Viator before you pay.

What's included?

Semi Private Bookings limited to 4 separate groups per tour 8-10 people max to maintain high quality; Fully Private tours available with personalised itenerary , flexible start times and meeting pointss.

Where does it start?

We meet outside exit 5 ,Place Collette , of the Palais Royal Metro station which is on lignes 1 and lignes 7 It's the MOST unique metro entrance in Paris consisting of 2 domes made of multi coloured Murano glass beads Its opposite the Comedie Francaise Theatre on Place Collete

Can I cancel?

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Which languages is it offered in?

It is guided in English.

Is it worth it?

Travellers rate it 4.7 out of 5 across 144 reviews on Viator and Tripadvisor, which places it among the top-rated experiences in Paris.

From $103.07 · Check availability