Frequently Asked Questions:
(Please click here if you want to head over to the Terms and Conditions)
Where do we meet? Where do the tours start ?
Our e-bike tour meets in Central Paris at the Place Vendôme, at the granite block labeled "ACCESS LOUVRE" which is in front of the jewelry shop "Chaumet". Find your guide with an e-bike 5min before the scheduled departure time, in front of the granite block.
What if it rains or if it is cold ?
Paris Charms & Secrets tour runs rain or shine. Best is to dress according to the weather.
In case of cold weather, we have a few pairs of gloves that we can lend you.
In case of rain, Paris is still charming in the rain and our e-bikes have no problem handling a few puddles! We will provide you with a rain poncho (especially designed for our bikes) that will allow you to enjoy the tour without getting wet!
How many people are in a group ?
All of our Paris bike tours are limited to about 12 cyclists to ensure safety and higher quality time with your guide.
How long does the tour last ? Can I stop before the end ?
The morning and the afternoon tours last approximately 4 hours.
The night tour lasts approximately 3.5 hours.
It is impossible for one of the participants to stop before the end as we cannot leave the bike in the street and we cannot carry them. If you are interested in a shorter tour, please do not hesitate to contact us and ask for a private tour.
What if I do not know how to ride a bike ?
In order to participate in one of our tours, you must be able to ride a bike with confidence. Please note that refunds will not be given for those who cannot ride a bike.
Do I need to be fit ?
Riding an e-bike is easy and fun no matter how fit you are. Old, young, round, or thin, we all ride at the same speed through Paris and we will be able to see and cover a lot of ground.
Do I need to wear a helmet ?
French law does not require a cyclist to wear a helmet. We strongy recommend that any child wears a helmet. Paris Charms & Secrets provides multiple sized helmets for any rider who would like to wear one.
Does my guide speak english ?
Yes, of course we do! Everyone at Paris Charms & Secrets speaks at least English and French. Some of our guides also speak Spanish, Italian, German, Russian, Japanase, Portuguese, Chinese, ... Please do not hesitate to ask if you are willing to take a tour in one of those languages.
Are reservations required ?
Reservations are required for all our tours.
Click here to open the reservation form.
Are children welcomed ? What is the required height ?
Anybody who is taller than 1.45m (4 feet 7 inches) and who is comfortable and knows how to ride a bicycle is welcome.
As for children smaller than 1.50m (4 feet 11 inches) and lighter than 35 kilos (80 pounds), we can provide you with a child seat (for 12€).
What is the best way to get to the meeting point ?
The Paris metro system is safe, inexpensive and by far the best way to ensure you will be at the meeting point on time. We strongly suggest you avoid taking taxis as they are very expensive in Paris and that the traffic in Paris is both slow and unpredictable.
Click here to plan your metro journey
You should stop at: Opera or Tuileries
-If you are coming from Opera station (Line 3, 7 and 8):
Take the exit 2 (Sortie2: r. de la Paix). When you go out from the metro, there is the Opera house in front of you but DO NOT look at it. Put the Opera house on your back, then you will see a huge column in bronze on your right. That's the Place Vendome so take the street "Rue de la Paix" and keep to the left side of the road.
When you arrive at the Place Vendôme, the jewelry shop "Chaumet" is on your left side (diagonally opposite side of Hotel Ritz).
-If you are coming from Tuileries station (Line 1):
There is only one exit of metro. When you go out from the metro, there is a big garden (Tuileries garden) on your right. Go straight in the direction of the traffic and turn to the right at the 3rd street (Rue de Castiglione, keep to the right side of the road). Then you will see a huge column in bronze in front of you and that's the Place Vendôme. When you arrive at the Place Vendome, the jewelry shop "Chaumet" is on your right side (diagonally opposite side of Hotel Ritz).
How far ahead do I need to book a tour ?
Groups fill up very quickly so we recommend that you book well in advance for all of our tours. If you have a party of 4 or more then we recommend that you book at least 2 weeks in advance in order to have your first choice of tour dates and times.
What is your cancellation policy?
We understand that unexpected things can change your plans. Paris Charms & Secrets offers a full refund if you cancel more than 72 hours in advance before your scheduled tour.
No refunds are given for any reasons once within 72 hours prior to the start of your scheduled tour.
Please also note that our meeting times are absolute and that if you are late and miss the Meeting Time on your reservation we might not be there waiting for you. Therefore it is very important that you arrive on time if you intend to take our tour!
How can I pay ? Do you accept credit cards ?
You can pay cash, in euros (€), at the end of the visit, directly to your guide.
We also accept Visa and Mastercard but please let us know in advance, before you take the tour.
Can I store my luggages in your office?
You may store small bags in a locked room before we take the bikes, please tell us before hand to make sure :)
Terms and Conditions:
(Please click here if you want to head over to the Frequently Asked Questions)
PLEASE CAREFULLY READ THESE TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND THE FAQ's BEFORE BOOKING A PARIS CHARMS & SECRETS TOUR THROUGH WWW.PARISCHARMSSECRETS.COM
These are the Terms and Conditions that apply to any tour run by PARIS CHARMS & SECRETS SARL in France. In this document, PARIS CHARMS & SECRETS might be abbreviated as PCS.
Taking part of a PARIS CHARMS & SECRETS tour, or booking a PARIS CHARMS & SECRETS tour implies full acceptance of the following terms and conditions.
PARIS CHARMS & SECRETS is a registered SARL (Société à Responsabilité Limitée) at the Paris Chamber of Commerce under the number : RCS PARIS 390 322 328. The social headquarters are based at 106, rue Vieille du Temple - 75003 PARIS.
Because PARIS CHARMS & SECRETS is a registered French company and all of our tours are taking place in France, only the French Law will apply in case of conflict.
Confidentiality
Paris Charms & Secrets has provided years of research to build this tour. The following clause is in respect for all the work, the agreements made with the visited locations, and all the historians Paris Charms & Secrets has worked with.
It is forbidden to use, record or repreduce by any means Paris Charms & Secrets tour in whole or in part without Paris Charms & Secrets' prior written consent. Any commercial, professionnal, promotionnal or other use of Paris Charms & Secrets tour's content in whole or in part is purely and simply prohibited. This includes the anecdotes told by the guide, the route and the locations.
Also, at the guide's request, taking pictures can be forbidden.
Cancellation policy
Tours run Rain or Shine. Paris Charms & Secrets reserves the right to cancel any of its tours in case of an Act of God. In such instances full refunds will be given to anyone who was not able to take their tour.
Paris Charms & Secrets offers a 100% refund if a reservation is cancelled more than 72 hours before the scheduled start of the tour. No refunds are given for ANY reason once within the 72 hrs prior to the scheduled tour.
Please note this is a bicycle tour and that no refunds will be given for those who cannot ride a bike.
Payment policy
A valid credit card is required to secure your booking. We accept Visa and Mastercard. None of your personal credit card and billing informations will be retained by Paris Charms & Secrets.
Child policy
All reservations made for children under the age of 18 years old must be made by an adult.
All reservations made for a child under the age of 18 years old must also include the reservation for an adult who will be 100% solely responsible for the safety and well being of the child while on any Paris Charms & Secrets.
We strongly recommend any child wears a helmet.
The adult who accompanies the child(ren) agrees to the responsibility of choosing (a) properly sized helmet(s), adjusting the helmet(s), and keeping the helmet(s) on head(s) of the child(ren). Paris Charms & Secrets has helmets in multiple sizes for you to choose from.
Don't forget: Children who will be riding in a child or baby seat attached to their parents bike MUST have had their seat reserved before hand! And if the seat has not been reserved, it will be according to our availability, according to the size and the weight of the chlid.
Damages to Paris Charms & Secrets Property
If you or anyone in your party damages or looses one of our e-bikes, a helmet, a child seat, a lock or any attachments, in such a way that it becomes badly disfigured, broken, or unusable, then Paris Charms & Secrets reserves the right to claim a fee of up to the price of the damaged or lost e-bike, helmet, child seat, lock and any attachments.
Miscellaneous
You and everyone in your party may be subject to a very short trial demonstration before the tour starts in which they will be expected to demonstrate: that they are well suited for the bike size and settings, that they know how to brake properly and that they are, in general, a good cyclist who can be trusted to follow their Paris Charms & Secrets Guide.
If the Paris Charms & Secrets guide finds that you or anyone in your party is not, for any reason, a good cyclist then the guide, or manager, has the right to refuse to let you or anyone in your party follow the tour. Please note that we suppose that anyone that books a bicycle tour knows how to ride a bike and therefore no refund will be accorded for anyone not being able to ride a bike.
You and everyone in your party will be kind and respectful to your guide.
You and everyone in your party will do their best to follow the safety instructions given orally by the guide before the start of the tour. You agree that everyone in your party including yourself will do their best to follow the verbal directions, hand signals, and the physical example of your Guide during the whole tour and always look both ways when crossing a street.
You and everyone in your party will fully respect the rules of the French traffic. You will be solely responsible if you are caught by an authority breaking any rules or law.
You and everyone else in your party agree that any accident which occurs while your party is on a Paris Charms & Secrets Tour, which injures or harms you or anyone in your party ( in any way, including physically, emotionally, or mentally) is not in any way the responsibility of Paris Charms & Secrets.
You accept all responsibility for any accidents that you or anyone else in your party might experience while on a Paris Charms & Secrets Tour.
Paris Charms & Secrets is not to be held responsible for any loss or damage to any personal belongings. You are responsible for all of your belongings.
