Eiffel Tower and Saint-Germain-des-Pres Walking Tour with Hotel Pickup
Discover the literary cafes, olive oil tastings, and iconic iron landmark of Paris in a single half-day outing.
This Paris walking tour with Eiffel Tower access combines a guided stroll through the historic Saint-Germain-des-Pres neighborhood with a visit to the second floor of the Eiffel Tower. The experience begins with convenient hotel pickup, removing the usual stress of navigating a new city on your own.
Saint-Germain-des-Pres sits on the left bank of the Seine and carries centuries of intellectual and culinary history. The neighborhood takes its name from one of the oldest churches in Paris, founded in the 6th century, and its streets were once frequented by figures such as Ernest Hemingway, Albert Camus, Pablo Picasso, and James Joyce.
The walking portion of the tour includes a food experience centered on olive oil tasting, drawing parallels to the structured approach of a wine tasting. Your guide introduces you to local restaurants and explains the distinct flavor profiles that different olive varieties produce.
After the neighborhood walk, the tour continues to the Eiffel Tower. Built by Gustave Eiffel for the 1889 Exposition Universelle to mark the centennial of the French Revolution, the tower was completed in just over two years and remains the most visited paid monument in the world, welcoming close to seven million people annually.
Tour Highlights
Visit the second floor of the Eiffel Tower with included tickets, avoiding the ticket queue on arrival.
Walk through Saint-Germain-des-Pres with a knowledgeable guide who covers both the history and the daily life of the neighborhood.
Participate in a structured olive oil tasting that highlights the variety of flavors produced by different olive types.
See the legendary cafes Les Deux Magots and Cafe de Flore, which served as gathering places for prominent 20th-century writers and artists.
Pass by the church of Saint-Germain-des-Pres, one of the oldest surviving religious buildings in Paris, dating to the 6th century.
Benefit from direct hotel pickup in Paris, so the tour begins at your accommodation without requiring you to find a meeting point independently.
Itinerary
Your guide collects you directly from your hotel in Paris. Approximately 30 minutes is allocated for pickup logistics and travel between the two main stops on the itinerary.
The guided walk begins in this left-bank neighborhood, covering its layered history from its medieval church origins to its 20th-century role as a hub for intellectuals and artists. The route passes the church of Saint-Germain-des-Pres and the famous terrace cafes along Boulevard Saint-Germain.
During the neighborhood walk, you take part in an olive oil tasting session. Your guide explains how to evaluate different varieties by their aroma, texture, and finish, drawing on the same principles used in wine tasting.
The guide points out and introduces selected local restaurants in the Saint-Germain-des-Pres area. This gives you practical recommendations for dining independently during the rest of your stay in Paris.
The group transfers to the Eiffel Tower, where tickets for the second floor are included in the tour. From this level, visitors have an expansive view over central Paris and can appreciate the scale of the iron structure at close range.
What Is Included
Included
- Hotel pickup in Paris
- Professional guide for the full 4-hour tour
- Guided walking tour of Saint-Germain-des-Pres
- Olive oil tasting session
- Eiffel Tower second floor entry tickets
- Transportation between Saint-Germain-des-Pres and the Eiffel Tower
Not Included
- Food and beverages beyond the included tasting
- Gratuities for the guide
- Personal expenses
- Access to levels above the second floor of the Eiffel Tower
Important Information
This tour is rated Easy and is suitable for most fitness levels. The walking sections cover a moderate distance on flat urban streets, and no strenuous activity is required at any point during the outing.
Reserve Your Spot on This Paris Tour
Spaces on this small-group tour are limited. Secure your place to enjoy hotel pickup, a guided walk through Saint-Germain-des-Pres, an olive oil tasting, and entry to the second floor of the Eiffel Tower, all in a single four-hour outing.
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