Private Tour: Discover Paris with Local, 3 hours on a Segway

Reviewed · 3-HOUR EXPERIENCES

Private Tour: Discover Paris with Local, 3 hours on a Segway

★ 5.0 · 71 reviews 3 hours (approx.) From $138 Operated by Go Go Tours - Privat Segway Tours In Paris · Bookable on Viator
Book on Viator →

A Segway makes Paris landmark-hopping easy. This private 3-hour ride lines up classic sights in central Paris with photo breaks and local context, ending where you’ll finally feel the scale of the city. It’s a fun way to get your bearings fast without turning the whole day into a walking test.

I like the private guide angle a lot: you get that one-on-one feel, plus practical suggestions on what to do next in Paris. I also like the weather support included with the helmets—raincoats, gloves, and warm clothing when conditions are bad—so you spend more time out and less time hunting for gear.

One possible drawback: the timing is built for seeing a lot, not lingering. Most of the major stops are short (about 10 minutes), and admission tickets are not included for the museums—so this is best for photos and on-the-spot stories, not deep indoor museum time.

Key highlights you can count on

Private Tour: Discover Paris with Local, 3 hours on a Segway - Key highlights you can count on

  • Private, small-group attention from a guide (not a crowd-management situation)
  • Planned photo pauses at top landmarks across central Paris
  • Segway + helmet provided, with extra rain gear if the weather turns
  • Morning or afternoon departures, so you can match it to your trip rhythm
  • Photo-and-context pacing: exterior sights, quick history, then move on

Price and what you’re really paying for

Private Tour: Discover Paris with Local, 3 hours on a Segway - Price and what you’re really paying for
At $138.78 per person for about 3 hours, this tour isn’t the cheapest way to see Paris. But you’re paying for two things that matter in the city: private guiding and efficient movement on a Segway.

A walking tour can be great, but it usually means slower sight coverage, more time trapped in pedestrian bottlenecks, and less flexibility when you want a detour for a view. Here, the Segway helps you cover a wide swath of central Paris in one go, while your guide keeps you pointed at what’s worth your time.

Also, the included gear is more than a checkbox. A helmet plus raincoats, gloves, and warm clothes mean you’re not stuck deciding whether the weather is worth it. If you’ve ever done outdoor sightseeing in Paris rain, you know that can make-or-break the day.

If you’re planning around a tight itinerary, know that this tour is often booked about 56 days in advance. I’d treat it like a “lock it in early” experience, especially in busier months.

Meeting point, timing, and how the tour runs

You’ll start at 101 Av. de la Bourdonnais, 75007 Paris, and the tour ends back at the same place. It’s also described as being near public transportation, which helps if you’re combining it with other activities later.

This is a private tour/activity, so it’s designed for your group only. That’s a real quality upgrade in Paris, where small decisions matter: where you stop, how long you pause, and whether you want your guide to answer questions about what you’re seeing right now.

The tour is offered in English, with confirmation received at booking. You’ll also get a mobile ticket, which is practical in a city where you may bounce between apps, email confirmations, and quick entry lines.

On the ground, the whole rhythm is built around short stops, explanations, and photo time. Think: quick orientation, then move.

Is a Segway worth it here?

Private Tour: Discover Paris with Local, 3 hours on a Segway - Is a Segway worth it here?
If your goal is to hit major landmarks in a single session, a Segway makes sense in central Paris. It’s maneuverable and fast enough to connect distant-feeling points without draining your energy.

Your guide also matters. In example tours, guides like Boris, Sebastian, and Ziggy were praised for safety and for keeping the pace feeling natural. One guide, Eli, was noted for customizing the experience for a couple, with stories and recommendations beyond just the monuments.

There are also some clear rules listed for participation: it’s not allowed for drunk people and not allowed for people under drugs. If you’re unsure about whether you can handle the basics, your best move is to be honest with the operator and focus on safety and balance.

Stop 1: Les Invalides, Napoleon’s tomb area

Private Tour: Discover Paris with Local, 3 hours on a Segway - Stop 1: Les Invalides, Napoleon’s tomb area
The first stop is Musée de l’Armée des Invalides (Les Invalides), famous for military history and the Tomb of Napoleon area. The Hôtel des Invalides was commissioned in 1670 by Louis XIV to house wounded soldiers, so even before you go anywhere, you’re standing in a building with a serious purpose.

What I like about this opening: it gives you a historical backbone for the rest of the route. Many of the landmarks ahead connect to power, national pride, and major turning points in French history. This start helps it all make sense.

What to watch for: since admission tickets are not included, plan on short viewing and photos rather than a long museum visit. If you want more time inside, you’ll need a separate plan.

Stop 2: Pont Alexandre III and that Eiffel Tower angle

Private Tour: Discover Paris with Local, 3 hours on a Segway - Stop 2: Pont Alexandre III and that Eiffel Tower angle
Next comes Pont Alexandre III, one of those bridges you remember even if you’ve only seen it in photos. The key moment here is the Eiffel Tower view from the outside, plus quick explanation so the scene isn’t just a pretty backdrop.

This is a clever stop because it acts like a warm-up for the Eiffel Tower itself. You get the dramatic silhouette in your field of view while the city is still fresh around you.

One practical note: the stop is short (about 10 minutes). If you’re traveling with a camera setup or you want multiple angles, tell your guide right away so you don’t spend your time figuring it out on the spot.

Stops 3 and 4: Grand Palais and Petit Palais

Private Tour: Discover Paris with Local, 3 hours on a Segway - Stops 3 and 4: Grand Palais and Petit Palais
From Pont Alexandre III, you roll into the area of the big exhibition-era landmarks: Grand Palais and Petit Palais.

  • Grand Palais: built for the Universal Exhibition in 1900, dedicated to the glory of French art.
  • Petit Palais: built for the same 1900 Universal Exhibition, later becoming a museum in 1902.

What makes these stops valuable is that they connect architecture to the idea of Paris as a “showplace” city. You’re not just seeing old stone; you’re seeing a design built to impress on an international stage.

Drawback to be aware of: these are mostly quick photo stops. Admission tickets aren’t included, so don’t plan this tour as your museum entry day for these buildings.

Worth weighing up next to this Paris pick

Stop 5: Place de la Concorde

Private Tour: Discover Paris with Local, 3 hours on a Segway - Stop 5: Place de la Concorde
Now you’re in Place de la Concorde, one of Paris’s most evocative public squares. It sits between the Champs-Élysées and the Tuileries Gardens, and it’s described as the largest square in Paris (after Place de Quinconces in Bordeaux).

This is a good stop for two reasons:

  1. It helps you picture central Paris as a connected system of streets and sightlines.
  2. It gives you the kind of setting that makes later monuments feel more intentional.

As always with the tour pacing, it’s brief. If you want to read plaques closely or linger with a coffee, you’ll need extra time beyond the Segway loop.

Stop 6: Louvre area, but keep expectations realistic

Private Tour: Discover Paris with Local, 3 hours on a Segway - Stop 6: Louvre area, but keep expectations realistic
The route includes a stop at the Louvre Museum area. The Louvre’s story here is classic Paris: originally built as a fortress in 1190, later reconstructed as a royal palace, then rebuilt over time.

This is the kind of fact your guide will share while you’re looking at the massive building from the outside. It’s a fast way to add meaning to a view you’ll probably see anyway, whether you’re planning to enter or not.

Again: admission tickets are not included, so this is about seeing and understanding the building, not doing a full museum run. If you want to go inside, schedule a separate Louvre visit with a ticket and a plan.

Stop 7: Musée d’Orsay—former station to museum

Next is Musée d’Orsay. Here’s what’s useful for you: it wasn’t built as a museum at first. It was originally a train station created to bring visitors for the 1900 World’s Fair, and the architect Victor Laloux designed it with modern features for the era.

This stop is great if you want variety. The tour shifts from imperial and exhibition-era landmarks into a building that once belonged to everyday movement. It also sets you up for a museum-style experience later, even if you don’t go in during this ride.

Admission isn’t included, so consider this stop a “get oriented” moment. If you want to spend serious time inside the museum, plan that separately.

Stop 8: Champs-Élysées passing views

You’ll pass by Champs-Élysées, including context about how the avenue’s construction links back to Louis XIV and then later to Napoleon ordering the Arc de Triomphe after military conquests.

This stop works because it’s a moving explanation. You’re not stuck standing in one spot; you’re getting the storyline while the avenue stretches around you.

Tip for you: take the photos where the guide tells you. With the Segway, the best angles depend on the exact moment and your position relative to traffic and viewpoints.

Stop 9: Arc de Triomphe history in the open air

Then comes Arc de Triomphe, built to preserve memory of French army victories. The first stone was laid August 15, 1806, and the monument was finished 30 years later.

This stop is one of those times when a short explanation makes the structure feel more alive. Even if you’ve seen the arc in pictures, it hits different when you’re standing close enough to feel its scale.

As with the other monuments: it’s short. You’ll get the overview, not a long contemplative stop.

Stop 10: Eiffel Tower and the “temporary” idea

Finally, you’re at the Tour Eiffel / Invalides area, with the Eiffel tower stop noted as free for this particular tour moment. The tour shares an important detail: when Gustave Eiffel achieved the construction in 1889, the tower was meant to be temporary and wasn’t initially loved by the Parisians.

That fact changes how you look at it. You stop seeing it as a permanent fixture and start seeing it as a bold experiment that won people over over time. And it fits the whole tour theme: Paris landmarks you think you already know, made fresh by context.

This is a perfect end point because by now you’ve already clocked the architecture and major squares. The Eiffel Tower becomes a culmination rather than just another photo stop.

Guides, customization, and that one-on-one feel

This is where the experience gets its strongest praise. The private format is meant to turn the tour from sightseeing into conversation.

In example tours, guides included Eli, Boris, Sebastian, and Ziggy. A common thread in the best notes: guides checking in and customizing the experience. One guide even helped a family handle road changes tied to major events around Olympic stadium areas, so the group still enjoyed the route rather than fighting closures.

If you’re celebrating something, that matters too. One tour was described as a surprise birthday gift for a granddaughter, with the whole family involved and smiling throughout.

You might also see additional staff in training on some departures. In one described tour, two guides in training joined the group and were friendly and engaging. So if you notice extra people with the guide, it’s not necessarily a problem; it can be part of their setup.

The main tradeoffs: time vs. depth

This isn’t a “stay all day at museums” experience. The structure is built on:

  • quick history
  • photo stops
  • moving on fast enough to see a lot

That’s smart if it’s your first day in Paris or if you’re trying to cover central highlights without burning your legs. It’s not ideal if your dream day is slow, museum-focused, and highly detailed.

Also, admissions for several major stops are not included. So if you’re hoping to do Louvre or Orsay inside content during this ride, you’ll need separate tickets and time.

Who should book this Segway tour?

You’ll likely love this tour if:

  • You want a first-day orientation around famous central landmarks
  • You’d rather ride between sights than walk them all
  • You want private guide attention for questions and suggestions
  • You’re traveling with a group that benefits from a structured route and quick photo breaks

You might think twice if:

  • You plan to spend long hours inside museums during the same session
  • Your schedule is so tight that a delay or cancellation would wreck your day
  • You’re not comfortable with the basic idea of following safety instructions while riding

Should you book it?

If your priority is to connect classic Paris landmarks into one smooth, efficient afternoon or morning, I think this is a strong choice. The value comes from the combo of private guiding, Segway mobility, and included weather gear, all wrapped into a route that hits major monuments without wasting your day.

If you have limited time and want a plan that keeps you from second-guessing where to go next, this tour can be a great starter. Just remember: it’s built for seeing and learning on the move, not for museum marathons.

FAQ

How long is the Segway tour?

It lasts about 3 hours.

How much does the tour cost?

The price is $138.78 per person.

Is the tour private?

Yes. It’s a private tour, so only your group participates.

What language is offered?

The tour is offered in English.

Where do we meet, and where does it end?

You meet at 101 Av. de la Bourdonnais, 75007 Paris, and the activity ends back at the same meeting point.

What’s included with the tour?

Included are Segway use, helmet, a private guide, and raincoats, gloves, and warm clothes if conditions are bad.

Are museum or attraction tickets included?

For the stops at Invalides, Grand Palais, Petit Palais, Concorde area, Louvre, and Musée d’Orsay, admission tickets are noted as not included. The Eiffel Tower stop is marked as free for this tour moment.

Are there departure options in the day?

Yes. There are multiple morning and afternoon tour departures.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

Yes. You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.

Is it suitable for most people?

It says most travelers can participate, but it also notes it’s not allowed for drunk people and not allowed for people under drugs.

More Tour Reviews in Paris