I take individuals or small groups on a walking tour of literary and historical sites in either Odeon or Montparnasse. The tour takes about 2 1/2 hours and concludes with a light lunch in our apartment, in the building where Sylvia Beach lived when she ran Shakespeare and Company, and where she was visited by all the significant literary figures of her day, including Hemingway, Fitzgerald, Stein a
nd Toklas, Joyce etc. Some comments from recent clients.
“Barbara and I have such wonderful memories of the day we spent with you in Montparnasse and in your flat. An unforgettable day.”
Howard and Barbara Gradet, Baltimore, Maryland.
“John, a very wonderful experience/day. The lunch chef deserves extra credit for the best quiche we had during the stay!”
Steve Kozey, Carmel, Indiana.
“Our visit to Paris has been enriched so much from your knowledge and wit.”
Terry and Kay Black, Perth, Western Australia.
“John Baxter's walking tour was the unqualified highlight of my recent trip to Paris. I thought I was old friends with the Sixth arrondissement, but John re-introduced me and made me fall in love with it all over again. He brings the history and sidelights to life in such style that the time goes by wonderfully but too fast. I am looking forward to doing it again - and Montparnasse here I come!”
Patrick McGilligan, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
“I just want to thank you again one more time for letting us spend the afternoon with you. Your hospitality and the autographed book at the end were something that was just wonderful, icing on the cake.”
David Glick, San Francisco, California.
“Thanks again for the tour - you make Paris come alive in a way that I couldn't have experienced on my own. I have had so much to share with my friends. Again thank you so much.”
Paula DeMoss, Dublin, Ohio.
“Thank you so much for both the tour and your hospitality on Sunday. As we were going to be in Paris for Christmas, I purchased the tour for Helen as a Christmas gift, and crossed my fingers that she would enjoy it. On the way back to the hotel she kept telling me how much she enjoyed the day and what a great speaker you are." Sandra Nicholson, Melbourne, Australia. "Looking for travel books about Paris, my wife Monica and I chanced upon John Baxter's book, The Most Beautiful Walk in the World: . A wonderful volume among his many books about Paris (we've read all of them), his stories painted a series of 'mind pictures' of our upcoming trip to Paris, and ultimately led us to meet John in person. Upon learning about his Paris walks, we contacted John and scheduled a walk in the Left Bank area. We were delighted! John led us down 'off-tourist' paths, to little cafes for espresso and lattes, and to the literary side of Paris. John's encyclopedic knowledge of topics uniquely Parisian and little- or unknown, is amazing. Our walk with John was singularly the most enjoyable part of our trip to Paris-- beyond the museums, Versailles, Notre Dame and the Eiffel Tower. We strongly recommend spending time with John, hearing his entertaining stories of Paris, the film industry, the many personalities he's met and written about, and seeing parts of Paris you will NEVER uncover in any guide book. John is a unique treasure for visitors. The walk is an absolute 'must' and will remain on our itinerary for our future visits; and his other books about Paris and French life are a necessity for the well-rounded traveler. We can hardly wait to return to Paris and walk again with John!"
Walt Duddington, Beaverton, Oregon.
“We spent an afternoon together, walking narrow cobblestoned streets in Saint-Germain-des-Prés. John has a wealth of knowledge – about social and cultural mobility, writers, publishers, bookshops. “
Joan Elliott, St Louis, Missouri.
“After reading a few of John’s books in Australia , my husband turned to me and said “Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could do a walk with John in Paris?”
I immediately hopped on the web, found John and posed the question. To our delight, John suggested not one walk but two that would encompass our interest areas (art, architecture, history, archaeology). Waiting for John at our chosen meeting destination was like waiting for Paris to come to us. And it did – and how it unfolded. The beauty of Paris is of course unsurpassed but with John ambling by our side it truly opened up to us in ways I never knew were possible. Walking the backstreets of Paris with John can never be boring. No matter what you may or may not know – John has more to tell. In between the sights and history and smells - we stopped for mulled wine or coffee, tried and bought comté and fromage blanc cheese, blueberry cured sausage (marvelling at food market displays while John explained various foods and ingredients), discussed wine and life as we meandered our way through Montparnasse or Odeon. John’s knowledge and his generosity of sharing it in unsurpassed. Our walks were the highlight of our trip to Paris as we felt enveloped in what Paris has to reveal. It is a city John loves, breathes and lives – and through him we also felt his passion. Our walks were indeed The Most Beautiful Walks in the World – and we will definitely be joining John for many more walks (and glasses of wine) on future trips. He is the Cocteau of Paris walks.”
Ally and Jim Fitzpatrick, Cairns, Australia.
