Paris WW2 The German Occupation Small group or Private tour

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!

The Germans quickly took over the best hotels for their private use for headquarters and leisure. Here is Rue de Rivoli looking towards the Hotel Meurice . The French flag was banned from being flown

Every day the Germans would parade down the Champs Elysee

Gothic script German signposts were quickly put up starting the day the Germans arrived 14th June 1940, they were well prepared and immediately took over strategic points and buildings in Paris

A velo taxi, one of the more popular ways of getting around due to the petrol shortages France received ponly 10% of its pre war oil supplies and the Germans only issued permits for 3500 cars

The Germans were quick to remind Parisians of just who had won the war! The sign reads "Germany is victorious on every front" Parisians were constantly bombarded for 4 years with Nazi propaganda!

Which tourist doesn`t take the same photo? Hitler only visited Paris once in his life, 23rd June 1940 But made sure he did so with Albert Speer and Arno Breker, his favourite Architect and Sculptor!

Germany took up to 80% of Frances food By 1942 official rations only gave 1200 calories a day and by 1944 below 1000! Ration Tickets became worthless if there was no food to actually buy!

Armed resistance to the Germans didn`t begin until August 1941 Hitler ordered 100 hostages to be executed for every German soldier killed Many took place at Mont Valerien in the suburb of Suresnes

The Senate in the Luxembourg Gardens was the final German strong point to surrender around 6pm on 25th Aug 1944 Liberation day Here is one of the 4 destroyed Panther tanks that protected it

This is the "Panther of the Tuileries" which pulled out of the main gates and fired several rounds straight up the Champs Elysee at units of the French 2nd DB but instead hit the Arc de Triomphe!

Palais Royal Metro Exit 5 Place Collette Meeting place Known as the " Kiosque des Noctambules"

Women made up 30% of the resistance but these Communist heroines were overlooked by DeGaulle after the war

Duration3h - 4h

Free cancellationFull refund up to 24 hours before

TicketMobile or paper ticket accepted

LanguagesEnglish

Group sizeUp to 10 travelers

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

Options

Small Group Tour

Privatesed tour just for you!

Fully privatised tour : A flexible private tour with one of Paris's top guides in this subject who has expert knowledge just for you or your group
Duration: 4 hours: Up to 4 hrs possible Having that extra time allows us to discuss in greater depth and personalise your tour seeing even more
Rest break included : Our tour will include a chance to sit down and chat together and allow me a chance to answer any questions in greater detail
Flexible Itinerary: Whilst there are some must see sites we will communicate in advance to tailor the tour to best meet any specific interests

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

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

What to expect

Palais-Royal
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!
Louvre / Palais-Royal
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
Rue De Rivoli
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
Place de la Concorde
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
Memorial De La Shoah
Pass by

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 and pickup

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

End point

Again this ia an optional ending point for Private tours or group tours on request Again I try to offer some flexibillity for people in line with any particular intersts they may express within practical reason of time available AgainThis will be diiscussed before the tour

End point

For Private tours of the Marais or some group tours on request of the ENTIRE group BEFORE the tour we may end the tour here IF they express a particular interest in the Shoah I try to be flexible but I must be made aware of this BEFORE the tour by the all the guests on the tour contacting me

End point

This is the usual ending area unless otherwise mentioned However I try to be flexible According to the groups interests or for a Private tour the guests own request we may end the tour in a different location but this will all be discussed before of course

Additional information

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.

Reviews

4.7 (147)