Paris WW2 Occupation Tour: Small Group & Private

Walking Through Four Years of Occupation: Why Paris Remembers the Dark Years

You walk through the streets and squares where occupation, collaboration, and resistance unfolded, guided by an expert who asks why people behaved as they did rather than just listing landmarks. The tour includes flexible stops at sites like the Gestapo headquarters, the Ritz, the Jeu de Paume, and Place de la Concorde, with time to ask questions and linger where you're interested. Small groups (max 10 people) mean you're talking with the guide, not listening from the back of a crowd. Book at least two weeks ahead if your group is smaller than four people. Closer to the date, the tour runs only if the minimum is already met.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Place de la Concorde20m
2. 4th Arrondissementpassing by

Explore Paris WW2 Occupation sites

• Meet at Palais Royal Metro Exit 5
• Visit area between Louvre and Place de La Concorde
• See first secret Gestapo HQ in Paris
• View HQ of largest collaborationist group PPF
• Observe exterior of the Louvre
• Visit Hotel Meurice German Army HQ
• Explore Place Vendome and Ritz Hotel site
• See Societe Maurice Duclos spy network site
• Pass Continental Hotel German Army controlled hotel
• Walk Rue Rouget de L'isle French Resistance origin
• Visit Jeu de Paume Nazi art looting site
• End tour at Place de La Concorde
• View Liberation scars and historic landmarks

The experience

You turn out of Palais Royal Metro, Exit 5, and step onto Place Colette opposite the Comédie Française. From here, the tour moves through the streets between the Louvre and Place de la Concorde: a compact grid of ordinary-looking buildings and squares that held the machinery of occupation, resistance, and liberation all at once. Your guide, an expert in this period, doesn't lead you through a museum timeline. Instead, you're walking past the kind of door people pass every day without knowing what happened behind it, then turning a corner to face the Hotel Meurice or the Place Vendôme, where the Ritz held German officers and where the Final Solution was first introduced to France. The tour asks why, not just where and when.

The itinerary stays flexible. You might spend longer at a site that catches your interest, or your guide might shift the route based on what questions come up. Among the stops you may visit are the first secret Gestapo headquarters in Paris, the headquarters of the PPF (France's largest collaborationist group), the Jeu de Paume (where Nazis stored looted art), Rue Rouget de L'Isle (where the organic French Resistance began in October 1940), and the Continental Hotel. At Place de la Concorde, you'll see the bullet holes and hidden scars left by the fighting for liberation, the twin Naval Ministry buildings that served as German command centers, and the Grand Palais: the only large freestanding building actually destroyed during the occupation. This is a small-group tour, capped at 8–10 people across no more than four separate bookings, so you're not competing for the guide's attention or rushing through sites.

The tour runs 3 to 3.5 hours and covers collaboration, resistance, and the stories of ordinary people who risked their lives to fight back or save others. It breaks down the stereotypes that have stood for over 70 years and tells what the guide calls the real story: the context that shaped how French, German, and foreign actors behaved during those years. If you want to go deeper into the Holocaust specifically, private tours with a personalized itinerary are available. On the general group tour, the subject is discussed but not at the depth it deserves on its own.

What’s included

• Your tour includes the expert guide, a flexible 3–3.5 hour walk through the 4th Arrondissement and surrounding streets, and access to exterior sites including the Louvre, Place de la Concorde, the Hotel Meurice, the Ritz, and other occupation-era landmarks.
• Entry fees to museums or interiors are not included.
• Small groups are capped at 8–10 people to allow time for discussion and questions with the guide.

Options for this experience

2 options

Small Group TourUp to 8 people · Guide in English · 10:00, 14:00 and 15:00

A private tour made just for you.Up to 10 people · Guide in English · 7 departure times: the first at 09:30, the last at 15:00A fully private tour with one of Paris's leading experts on this subject, who has in-depth knowledge and will focus entirely on you or your group. Duration: 4 hours, with the option to extend up to 4 hours. That extra time lets us explore topics in greater depth and personalise your tour so we can see even more. A rest break is included, giving us a chance to sit down, chat together, and for me to answer any questions in more detail. The itinerary is flexible: while there are some must-see sites, we will get in touch in advance to tailor the tour to your specific interests.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day7 departure times: the first at 09:30, the last at 15:00

Book up to16h before

AgesAdult (18 to 65 years) · Youth (13 to 17 years) · Child (7 to 12 years): free · Under 7: can't be booked

GroupUp to 10

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends at a different place from where it starts.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

ConfirmationConfirmation within 48 h

Prices and times updated 8 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleStroller-friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Chris Pollard

Is this one for you?This tour suits anyone who wants to understand the occupation beyond dates and names: the why behind how people acted, the stories of resistance and collaboration, and the hidden marks of liberation still visible in Paris's streets. The small-group format and flexible itinerary mean you're not rushed, and the guide answers your questions in depth rather than delivering a scripted speech to a crowd.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (13 to 17 years); Child (7 to 12 years): free. Children under 7 can't be included in the booking.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

Where do we meet?

Palais Royal Metro, Exit 5, on Place Colette opposite the Comédie Française Theatre.

How long is the tour?

3 to 3.5 hours, depending on questions and how long you spend at each site.

What's the maximum group size?

8–10 people per tour, across no more than four separate bookings to keep quality high.

Is the itinerary fixed?

No. The guide adjusts based on your interests and questions. You may visit sites like the Gestapo headquarters, the Ritz, the Jeu de Paume, and Place de la Concorde, but the exact stops vary.

Do you cover the Holocaust on the general tour?

Yes, but briefly. The guide discusses the conditions for Jewish people in Paris and their role in the resistance, but recommends a private tour if you want to go deeper into this subject.

What's the minimum group size?

Four people. If you book fewer than two weeks ahead with fewer than four people, the tour runs only if the minimum is already met or if more people join.

Is the tour wheelchair accessible?

Yes. Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller, and service animals are allowed.

Can I book a private tour instead?

Yes. Private tours are available with a personalized itinerary, flexible start times, and custom meeting points.