The Hidden Paris Behind the Bastille and its Revolutions

This was my first time using "Tours By Locals" and I found the communication between myself and my guide (Frederic B.) to be very smooth and easy so I booked the tour before leaving for my trip to Paris. I told him that my wife and I were interested in the history and vibe of the specific neighborhood we were staying in Paris and he customized the tour to meet our needs. We started our tour in Bastille and he told us the history of the French Revolution, he then toured us through secret neighborhood alleys, courtyards, and parks that were full on interesting history, but many of these places were "off the beaten path" so we would have never known of them on our own. He ended the tour at the Aligre Market which was right were our AirBnB was! We walked us through the market as he told us it's history, talked to vendors and local shop keepers. It was a great tour experience tailored to exactly what we were wanting. I would highly recommend Frederic B to anyone visiting Paris and looking to an authentic experience. One tip, plan the tour during the first part of your visit because Frederic B. gave us many recommendations to do during the rest of our time in Paris. He gave great restaurant recommendations, other neighborhoods and sites to visit. He even gave us recommendations for Belgium (that's where he's from) which was where we were headed to after we left Paris.

Very interesting tour by Frédéric. We learned a lot! We will follow his Paris by Belgians tour as soon as possible! He showed us nice places, interesting facts!

My family and I (kids aged 16 & 13) had an amazing time with Frederic, who personalized the tour based on my introductory email. He came prepared with a binder of historical photos and a wealth of knowledge about the Bastille. The tour was well-paced, and he accommodated our need to stop or slow down where needed. We left with a much better appreciation of the district's history. Highly recommend him to anybody looking for a history tour with a personal touch.

Kathy G.United States

There were four of us who privately toured "The Hidden Paris" with Frederic and it was a truly wonderful experience! We learned so much about the history of the Bastille district and how it shaped the French revolution and eras to come (and learned you should not count on Hollywood for your historical facts...). Frederic was an amazing guide- of course he was extremely knowledgable but he was able to convey everything in an interesting and entertaining manner- it never felt like a lecture. The hidden courtyards and gardens he shared were the loveliest surprise, but also brought into play the reality of a people that initially used them as a way of evading capture. Frederic's tour will give you an understanding and appreciation of this part of history that could never be experienced by doing it on your own!

If I could give more than 5 stars, I would! Frederic was amazing. I took this tour with 13 college-age students, and he kept them engaged throughout the entire walk. I have been to Paris multiple times, and Frederic took me to new spots I had never discovered--some of which I have walked past numerous times. My students do posts for their tours, and this one--by far--has been the most commented on by them. Highly recommend.

We very much enjoyed our tour with Frederick exploring the Bastille and surrounding sites. He was incredibly informative and well versed in the history and evolution of the area. He had a delightful manner that was very engaging and easy to listen to. We'd love to do another tour with him since he covers so many interesting topics.