A Classic 2CV Tour of Paris

There are times when mingling with the masses is fun, and there are times when it’s not. If you fancy some breathing room to take in the capital’s best sights, then may we suggest this private 2CV tour, hosted by Paris Authentic? A two-hour spin in a vintage convertible Citroen 2CV car shows off all of Paris’s illustrious monuments and neighbourhoods, and your driver-guide shares a knowledge of the city that only a local who has spent many, many hours negotiating Paris traffic can. Across two hours, they’ll fill you in on the City of Love: it’s monuments, culture, and the beloved vintage car that still turns heads and wins hearts, 70 years on.

About your guide

Everyone has their thing. For the team at Paris Authentic, it’s vintage 2CVs. Guided 2CV drives are the only kind of tours this company runs and considering their epic TripAdvisor ratings, it seems a wise move. Hey, if it ain’t broke…

Here’s the plan…

Step outside your Paris accommodation at the tour’s start time and look out for a charming vintage 2CV (you can’t miss it) with an equally endearing driver-guide at the wheel. Make your introductions and buckle up – you’ve got a lot of ground to cover.

Over the next two hours, you’ll be chauffeured around town in France’s most iconic old-school car. The 2CV rose to popularity in the 40s as a cheap and cheerful alternative to the horse and cart for workers in the countryside. Despite the passing decades, the car has kept cultural merit in France, and still today draws smiles from locals and enviable glances from tourists (usually those on foot).

The 2CV’s route centers around the City of Love’s most iconic monuments, but on your journey you’ll also swing by historic neighbourhoods and tootle through some interesting little side streets too. The 2CV is, let’s say, cosy, by today’s standards (there’s still legroom, don’t worry), and can weave its way through the narrowest roads with ease. On these roads, you’ll see a side of the city that is lost on bus tours.

Across two hours you’ll see the Eiffel Tower, Avenue des Champs Elysées, Arc de Triomphe, the Louvre, the Notre Dame cathedral, Trocadéro, Les Invalides, Pont Alexandre 3, Petit et Grand Palais, Place de la Concorde, Opéra Garnier, Place Vendôme, Pyramide du Louvre and the Musée d'Orsay. Along the way, your guide will run you through the history of the monuments and the key design features.

The tour ends right back where it started – you’ll wave goodbye to your driver outside your Paris accommodation. Then, it’s back to pounding the pavement like everyone else, sorry.