"Our guide was charming, attentive, knowledgeable and
eager to assure each person on the tour had a wonderful day."
Joyce, united states
Bonjour and welcome to the most magical city in the world. I have loved Paris since first arriving here in 1995 and I hope you will feel the same after your visit. And during your visit I sincerely hope we will have the opportunity to show you the Paris that we know and love so much. On my very first tour 19 years ago I had the goal of being a bridge between the English-speaking traveler and Paris.
Today our tours still focus on giving each customer the fantastic private and personal experience they seek through our limited group size, unparalleled touring knowledge and outstanding reputation. I am very proud that we have evolved from a simple three-hour bike tour to offering multiple daily bicycle, Segway, walking and skip-the-line tours. While many others have tried to replicate our efforts, I hope you will choose to explore Paris with us and see for yourself why I believe we stand head and shoulders above the rest. I look forward to welcoming you on our tours and to creating the same memories for you and your friends and family that have made us world famous since 1999.
Bon Voyage,
David Mebane
Simon is a true yankee-frog (US & French citizen) having spent his childhood in New York, then adolescence in Paris, graduating from high-school ten minutes walking distance from our office! A qualified history teacher, Simon preferred the atmosphere of a tour group to a classroom, and became a guide with Fat Tire in 2008. After years of having a blast with his groups, he became Fat Tire's HR manager and hired Fat Tire's next generations of guides. The only thing more fulfilling than giving tours, is watching a new tour guide sink their teeth into their roles with as much gusto as Simon did when he was a guide.
Restaurants with very limited choice in the menu means they are specialists in what is on that bare bones menu. Deliciousness to be expected!
For those who like more spiced gastronomy: Little Africa in the 10th has the best food France's former colonies have to offer.
If weather permits, the Parisian thing to do is an "apéro dinatoire" on the quais of the Seine, or in a park. It is essentially a combination of Happy Hour and dinner, but in the form of an outdoor picnic.
Notre Dame is located in the dead center of town, and I believe it is the heart and soul of Paris. Staring up at the facade transports you back through 700 years of Parisian history. It has lived through more than any other of the main attractions the city has to offer. Plus, underneath the square in front of the cathedral is an ancient Roman crypt!
The Versailles Bike Tour takes you on a vacation within a vacation! You spend a good part of the day cycling around the grounds, which are beautifully manicured, serene, and devoid of vehicular traffic. The Versailles Market is one of the best food markets in the entire country, and is the first stop on the tour so you may pick and choose the myriad offerings of cheese, cured meats, fruit, desserts, etc for the picnic lunch. The French Revolution and the Absolute Monarchy are keys to understanding French culture, and these are the two main topics covered during this tour.
Sadie moved from Pennsylvania to Paris when she was 23. She became a bike & segway tour guide for a number of years before taking on more administrative tasks within the company. She now serves as our General Manager and has thoroughly enjoyed calling Paris home. She explains, "Paris may seem stuck in its ways sometimes, yet the shops, restaurants, events and trends are always changing. Within the Fat Tire family, there is always someone excited about trying something new with you in the city. And picnics in the park are an inevitable part of our social scene when the sun is shining. There is no better way to experience the best of France; food, wine, leisure, and great conversation."
Don't try to look so cute that you make yourself miserable. Heels are not necessary in this city!
Anytime you can sit along the river or canal, do it. You will attract fellow sitters and soon, the banks will be lined with food and drink.
Always have a corkscrew with you! You'll definitely need it for yourself, but it's also the best way to make friends.
Once in Strasbourg, I stopped a French person to ask the name of a cathedral. He replied, 'Mademoiselle, that's not a cathedral, that's a church! There is only one cathedral in this town.' Notre Dame is that cathedral for Parisiens. It's the heart and history of their city.
The 'wow' factor in the Versailles Bike Tour has never faded for me, even after having led a few hundred groups. There is something unexplainably simple yet amazing about getting out of the city to take in the fresh air, gardens, and grandeur of Versailles. The market is as authentically French as you can get, and immersing yourself in the story of Versailles makes everything about the city and chateau come to life.
Kelsey has lived here with her family for 8 years. A native of the northwest, she loves all the green spaces in the city and biking, walking or picnicking along the Seine. She loves making sure our guests make the most of their time in Paris.
A great way to get off the beaten path is to visit some of the parks outside the city center. The Coulee Verte is a nice green path on an old elevated train line on the east side of the city.
In the summer, everyone heads outside to relax at cafes or in parks in the evening. You can even catch an outdoor movie at Parc de La Villette.
Visiting a boulangerie is a definite must on any visit and I always make sure my friends try a Croissant Ispahan from Pierre Hermé while here, so unique and not to be missed!
I'm an outdoor girl at heart and love being near the water, if not a beach, then a river will have to do! We often meet up on summer nights to hang out along the river with a picnic and a bottle of wine and listen to music. All the the beautiful bridges and a lot of the best monuments can be best seen from the river and some great walks are along the paths beside the river as well. I've often ridden my bike along the bike paths by the river.
I love all of our tours, but the Monet's Gardens Bike Tour is so relaxed and such a fun ride. It's a great opportunity to get out of the city and see the beautiful Normandy countryside, while also experiencing the wonderful garden in Giverny as well. Impressionism is my favorite type of art and it was such a fun tour to learn more about that.