Top 10 gastronomic tours in Paris

Paris is home to some of the best restaurants in the world, many of them awarded with Michelin stars. Before visiting some of the best restaurants in Paris, I recommend that you take a gastronomic tour to get an insight into the gastronomic culture of Paris. On this tour you can choose between two tour options, in the morning the Latin Quarter or in the afternoon Montmartre.

Your guide specialised in gastronomy will organise this tour in small groups and will take you to the best places. He will tell you the history behind the culinary habits of France and also the secrets of how to preserve products.

This tour includes tastings in the price. The tour can be extended according to the interests of the group. Take the opportunity to ask all the questions you want to know, your guide will be happy to answer in English!

Interesting details of this tour

• Price: around 104 euros per person
• Duration: 3 hours
• Means of transport: the tour is on foot.
• Advantages of this option: it is in English and tastings are included.
• Disadvantages of this option: it can be tiring if you are not used to walking a lot.

If you've always dreamed of tasting real tapenade from Provence or macarons made by Parisian professionals, this is the ideal tour for you. You will be able to taste 10 ex libris of French gastronomy. 10 tastings are included in the price!

This tour is private, only you and your group will participate, so you will have the guide only for you, so you can make the most of the visits. The guide speaks Spanish, so you will be very comfortable.

Interesting details of this tour

• Price: around 125 euros per person
• Duration: 3 hours
• Means of transport: it is a walking tour
• Advantages of this option: all 10 tastings are included, it is in Spanish and there are vegetarian options.
• Disadvantages of this option: if you don't like walking, three hours can be exhausting.

This tour starts next to the oldest church in Paris, the Church of Saint-Germain-Des-Prés. On this tour, meticulously planned by your guide, you will taste the best dishes of French cuisine and taste an excellent wine in the cellar owned by one of the most famous French chefs.

On this tour you will meet the artisans behind each dish and you will be able to ask all the questions you want and you will be taken to a secret place where the best cheeses come from, which you can only access with this tour. From the appetizers, to the wine, to the food, to the dessert, everything is designed to give you a taste of the best of French cuisine.

Interesting details of this tour

• Price: around 94 euros per person
• Duration: 3 hours
• Means of transport: walking tour
• Advantages of this option: tastings are included in the price, it is in Spanish and you get access to exclusive places available only on this tour.
• Disadvantages of this option: the length of the walk can be tiring.

This gastronomic tour takes place at the famous Marché d'Aligre in the 12th arrondissement of Paris. You'll get to see this vibrant market live and talk to the vendors while sampling local delicacies. You will taste 5 types of cheese, 5 kinds of chocolate and two varieties of wine, all included in the price.

You can reach the Market by bus, metro, car or taxi, from anywhere in Paris, as the Place d'Aligre (where the market takes place) is a stop or has stops close to different bus or metro lines. Just choose the lines or combinations that have the Place d'Aligre as a stop.

You will also be able to buy products to take back home, such as spice mixes and handmade chocolates that can only be found at this market.

Interesting details of this tour

• Price: around 70 euros per person
• Duration: 2 hours
• Means of transport: walking tour
• Advantages of this option: cheese, chocolate and wine tastings are included in the price. It is in Spanish.
• Disadvantages of this option: it is done only inside the market.

On this tour, after booking, you will be sent a questionnaire about your preferences in order to assign you a guide with similar tastes and organise the tour according to your personal tastes. It is a totally personalised and private tour, just for you and your group.

You will walk through the Marais district of Paris, one of the most historic areas of the city and currently linked to the gay culture of Paris. You will taste products selected by your host based on your preference and enjoy 6 to 8 meals and 2 drinks which are included in the price.

Interesting details of this tour

• Price: around 190 euros per person
• Duration: 3 hours
• Means of transport: it is a walking tour.
• Advantages of this option: the tastings are selected based on your preference.
• Disadvantages of this option: based on your preferences you do not have the opportunity to try new and unknown things.

This gastronomic tour takes place in one of Paris' most iconic neighbourhoods Montmartre. You will learn about the history behind Parisian cafés and taste local delicacies. This tour is dedicated to the Parisian culture of Bistrology. If you don't know what it's all about, then this tour is the one for you, so you can discover all about Parisian bistros.

You will walk through some traditional bars of Montmartre, while your passionate guide will answer all your questions. You will have the possibility to taste wines and delicious meals in a small group. I recommend a tour of Montmartre, even if it is not a gastronomic tour, because this is a must-visit neighbourhood if you are in Paris.

Interesting details of this tour

• Price: around 120 euros per person
• Duration: 2 hours and a half to 3 hours
• Means of transport: it is a walking tour.
• Advantages of this option: the tour takes place in Montmartre so you can get to know the neighbourhood while you walk through the cafés.
• Disadvantages of this option: it is not an English speaking tour.

This tour is for those with a sweet tooth. You will tour the Saint-Germain area, home of the famous French football team Paris Saint-Germain, visiting patisseries and chocolate shops. This is a private tour for you and your group, with a local guide with a passion for chocolate.

Paris is also a world reference point for pastry and chocolate, so you can't miss this tour if you have a sweet tooth. The Saint-Germain area is world-renowned for the quality of its pastry chefs and chocolatiers, so take advantage and ask all the questions you want. If you have any special requests, your guide will be happy to oblige.

Interesting details of this tour

• Price: around 160 euros per person
• Duration: 3 hours
• Means of transport: walking tour.
• Advantages of this option: chocolate and pastry tastings are included in the price.
• Disadvantages of this option: the tour is not available in English.

This is also a tour for those with a sweet tooth and you can choose between two different neighbourhoods for the tour, Saint-Germain or Le Marais. This kind of tour, where chocolate is the protagonist, is an excellent option to do with the family, the kids will love tasting all those sweet delicacies. I suggest you add all the chocolate tours to your list of activities to do with kids in Paris, your little ones will thank you for it.

On this tour, besides delighting your taste buds, you will learn about Parisian culture and history from a local guide. You can choose the time of the tour, there are two frequencies available, in the morning and in the afternoon. Tastings of chocolates, desserts and bread are included in the price.

Interesting details of this tour

• Price: around 115 euros per person
• Duration: 3 hours
• Means of transport: it is a walking tour.
• Advantages of this option: the chocolate and pastry tastings are included in the price, it is in Spanish and you have flexibility of time.
• Disadvantages of this option: only chocolates and desserts are included in the tour, not savoury dishes.

If your trip to Paris is all about getting to know the best of the city's gastronomy, you've probably already visited the best creperies in Paris and the best restaurants in Paris, it's time to delve into the wonderful world of chocolate. This walking tour will take you from Place de la Concorde to the Opera Garnier visiting the best chocolate shops in the city.

Your local guide, along the way, will also show you historical events of the city and give you tips on the highlights of Paris to visit. Tastings of the best Parisian chocolates are included in the price.

Interesting details of this tour

• Price: around 80 euros per person
• Duration: approximately 2 hours
• Means of transport: it is a walking tour.
• Advantages of this option: chocolate tasting is included in the price.
• Disadvantages of this option: only chocolates are included and the tour is not in English.

This tour is not in Paris, but in the Normandy region, but the transfer from Paris is included in the price and you are picked up at your hotel. It is a very complete tour and the Normandy region has a very distinct gastronomy, being home to some of the most famous French cheeses, such as camembert.

Breakfast, lunch, cheese tasting, crepes and cider are included in the price of the tour. The transfer is done in a minivan in groups of maximum 8 people. Tours and visits to the cider cellar and local cheese dairies are also included. If after this tour you would like to explore the Normandy region in more depth, you can book one of the Normandy excursions from Paris.

Interesting details of this tour

• Price: around 330 euros per person
• Duration: approximately 10 to 12 hours
• Means of transport: the transfer is by air-conditioned minivan and part of the tour in Normandy is on foot.
• Advantages of this option: breakfast, lunch and tastings are included, plus walks in the Normandy region.
• Disadvantages of this option: the tour is not in English.

The best way to book a food tour in Paris is to book online through a company that specialises in selling package tours. While you can book directly with the tour organiser when you arrive in Paris, this is not the best option because you risk not being able to find availability for the date you intend to do the tour. It is always better to book in advance, when you are organising your itinerary to avoid having to alter your plans because of unavailability.

Another important advantage of booking online is the price, the vast majority of the time, tours are cheaper if booked through tour companies because there are many promotions. In some cases you can find discounts of several euros that make you save a lot during your trip. In addition to the price, you have the advantage of being able to pay by credit or debit card when booking packages or tours through specialised online companies. However, if you go directly to the tour organiser, you often have to pay in cash.

Another of the most important advantages is that by contracting online, you can see the comments and opinions of previous customers that give you a general idea about the quality of the product you are buying, if you contract directly with the organiser, you will be buying blindly, without knowing whether or not it is a good service and you may have a bad experience without the possibility of getting your money back.

If this is your first visit to Paris, the best thing to do is to book a guided tour. By opting for this type of tour, you will be able to benefit from the knowledge of your guide and you will get very interesting and useful information that only locals know.

This advice applies to all tours in general, be they gastronomic tours, shopping tours, historical tours, etc. Once you have had an overview from a specialised local guide, you can set off on the adventure of exploring Paris on your own.