Escorted & Package Tours

Package for the Independent Traveler

Package tours are simply a way to buy the airfare, accommodations, and other elements of your trip (such as car rentals, airport transfers, and sometimes even activities) at the same time and often at discounted prices.

One good source of package deals is the airlines themselves. Most major airlines offer air/land packages, including American Airlines Vacations (tel. 800/321-2121; www.aavacations.com), Delta Vacations (tel. 800/654-6559; www.deltavacations.com), Continental Airlines Vacations (tel. 800/301-3800; www.covacations.com), and United Vacations (tel. 888/854-3899; www.unitedvacations.com). Several big online travel agencies -- Expedia, Travelocity, Orbitz, Site59, and Lastminute.com -- also do a brisk business in packages.

The French Experience, 370 Lexington Ave., Room 511, New York, NY 10017 (tel. 800/283-7262 or 212/986-3800; fax 646/349-3276; www.frenchexperience.com), offers inexpensive tickets to Paris on most major airlines and arranges tours and stays in various types and categories of country inns, hotels, private châteaux, and B&Bs. In addition, it takes reservations for about 38 small hotels in Paris and arranges short-term apartment rentals in the city or farmhouse rentals in the countryside. It also offers all-inclusive packages in Paris and prearranged package tours of various regions in France. Tours can be adapted to suit individual needs.

Travel packages are also listed in the travel section of your local Sunday newspaper. Or check ads in the national travel magazines, such as Arthur Frommer's Budget Travel, Travel + Leisure, National Geographic Traveler, and Condé Nast Traveler.

Escorted General Interest Tours

Escorted tours are structured group tours, with a group leader. The price usually includes everything from airfare to hotels, meals, tours, admission costs, and local transportation. The two largest tour operators conducting escorted tours of France and Europe are Globus/Cosmos (tel. 866/755-8581; www.globusandcosmos.com) and Trafalgar (tel. 800/854-0103; www.trafalgartours.com). Both companies have first-class tours that run about $100 a day and budget tours for even less. The differences are mainly in hotel location and the number of activities. There's little difference in the companies' services, so choose your tour based on the itinerary and preferred date of departure. Brochures are available at travel agencies, and all tours must be booked through travel agents.

Despite the fact that escorted tours require big deposits and predetermine hotels, restaurants, and itineraries, many people derive security and peace of mind from the structure they offer. Escorted tours -- whether they're navigated by bus, motor coach, train, or boat -- let travelers sit back and enjoy the trip without having to drive or worry about details. They take you to the maximum number of sights in the minimum amount of time with the least amount of hassle. They're particularly convenient for people with limited mobility and they can be a great way to make new friends.

On the downside, you'll have little opportunity for serendipitous interactions with locals. The tours can be jam-packed with activities, leaving little room for individual sightseeing, whim, or adventure -- plus they often focus on the heavily touristed sites, so you miss out on many a lesser-known gem.

Finding a Specialty Package -- What about special-interest tours? For a city as diverse and popular as Paris, there are only a few specialty tours.

One outfit that coordinates hotel stays with major musical events, usually within at least one (and often both) of the city's opera houses, is Dailey-Thorp Travel, P.O. Box 670, Big Horn, WY 82833 (tel. 800/998-4677 or 307/673-1555; fax 307/674-7474; www.daileythorp.com). Stays in Paris last between 3 and 7 days and, in many cases, are tied in with opera performances in other cities (usually London, Berlin, or Milan) as well. Expect accommodations in deluxe hotels such as the Grand, the Louvre, or the Scribe, and a staff that has made arrangements for all the nuts and bolts of your arrival in, and artistic exposure to, Paris.

Die-hard tennis fans set their calendars by the events that transpire each year in Paris's Roland-Garros stadium at the French Open. If you're unsure about how to match the dates of your visit with tennis tournaments that will be watched around the world, consider the California-based company that specializes in this issue: Advantage Tennis Tours, 33 White Sail Drive, Suite 100, Laguna Niguel, CA 92677 (tel. 800/341-8687; www.advantagetennistours.com).

Packages usually include either 5 or 6 nights of hotel accommodations in Paris, 2 or 3 days on Center Court, the organizational skills of a bilingual hostess, and a chance to meet and mingle with tennis fans of many different nationalities during at least one catered lunch. There will even be an opportunity to grab a racquet and play some tennis on your own, in between bouts of sightseeing. Rates, per person, without airfare, begin at $2,775, double occupancy, depending on your choice of hotel and the duration of your visit.