The Citroën 2CV is the car that saved France. After the war, when the country needed affordable transport for farmers who’d been using horses, Citroën built a vehicle that could carry four people, 50 kilos of potatoes, and a basket of eggs across a ploughed field without breaking any of them. It cost almost nothing. It ran forever. And it became the most beloved car in French history — a symbol of post-war optimism that’s now a symbol of vintage Paris charm. Riding through the city in one feels like time-travelling to the 1960s, except the driver knows where the best croissants are.
Paris 2CV tours and vintage sidecar tours are among the highest-rated experiences in the city. The 2CV tours put you in the back of a convertible Citroën with a private driver-guide who navigates the narrow streets and grand boulevards while telling stories. The sidecar tours do the same thing on a vintage motorcycle with a passenger sidecar — faster, louder, and with significantly more wind in your hair. Both are private, personalised, and feel nothing like a standard tour.
Best sidecar: Private Sidecar Guided Tour — $120/person, flexible duration. Perfect 5.0, 776 reviews.
Best short sidecar: 1.5-Hour Sidecar City Tour — $172/person, 90 min. Also 5.0, 417 reviews.
The 2CV Experience
The 2CV tour is private — just you, your companions (up to 3 passengers), and a driver-guide who owns or co-owns the car. The route is flexible: you tell the driver what you want to see, or let them design an itinerary based on what you haven’t yet visited. Most tours cover the Eiffel Tower, Champs-Élysées, Montmartre, the Marais, and the Seine bridges, but the driver knows hidden squares, quiet courtyards, and viewpoints that don’t appear in any guidebook.
At $345 per group (up to 3 people), the 2CV tour works out to about $115 per person for a couple or $86 per person for three — comparable to many guided walking tours but covering far more ground and with the added novelty of the vintage car. The 2-hour format is the sweet spot: enough time to see the highlights without rushing, short enough to fit into a busy day.
The Sidecar Experience
The vintage sidecar tours use Ural motorcycles — Russian-designed bikes based on a WWII German BMW design, with a passenger sidecar attached. You sit in the sidecar wearing a vintage helmet and goggles while the driver-guide navigates Paris on two wheels (well, three). It’s more adventurous than the 2CV — you’re lower to the ground, closer to the traffic, and the wind and noise are part of the experience.
The sidecar tours are the higher-rated option — both operators hold perfect 5.0 ratings across 776 and 417 reviews respectively, which is extraordinary at that volume. The personal, one-on-one nature of the experience (it’s just you and the driver) creates a connection that group tours can’t match. The driver adjusts speed, route, and commentary in real time based on your reactions.
Two options: the flexible-duration tour ($120/person, 1-7 hours — you choose the length) and the fixed 1.5-hour city tour ($172/person). The flexible option is unique — you start riding and stop when you want, paying by the hour. The 1.5-hour option covers the main landmarks at a set pace.
Best Tours to Book
1. Vintage 2CV Paris Secrets Tour — $345/group
Two hours in a convertible 2CV with a private driver-guide. The route covers the main Paris landmarks plus hidden spots that the driver has collected over years of daily touring. The price ($345) is per group, not per person — for two or three passengers, it’s excellent value. The convertible roof means unobstructed views and photos. Our review covers the typical route, the car quality, and what makes this different from a standard city tour.
2. Private Sidecar Guided Tour — $120/person
The flexible-duration format is the unique selling point. You start riding and stop when you’ve had enough — no fixed itinerary, no clock-watching. The driver adjusts based on your energy, the traffic, and what catches your eye. The Ural sidecar motorcycle is an experience in itself — the vintage engineering, the wind, and the reactions from pedestrians (everyone waves at a sidecar) make the journey as memorable as the destination. Our review covers the motorcycle, the helmet situation, and whether the sidecar is comfortable for longer rides.
3. 1.5-Hour Sidecar City Tour — $172/person
The structured version of the sidecar experience. 90 minutes covering the Eiffel Tower, Champs-Élysées, Invalides, Montmartre, and the Seine bridges at a pace that allows for photo stops and commentary. The fixed duration means the driver has a polished route rather than improvising — some visitors prefer this certainty. The 5.0 rating across 417 reviews confirms the experience delivers regardless of format. Our review compares the fixed and flexible sidecar options.
Practical Tips
Weather: The 2CV has a convertible roof that goes up in rain. The sidecar has a windshield but you’re exposed to weather. Both run in light rain but cancel in heavy storms. Summer and early autumn are the best seasons. Winter tours run but you’ll need serious warm clothing for the sidecar.
What to wear: Casual and comfortable. The 2CV is like a car — wear whatever you’d wear walking around Paris. The sidecar requires closed-toe shoes and the driver provides helmets and goggles. Scarves, loose hats, and anything that could blow off should be left at the hotel.
Booking: Book at least 3-4 days ahead, especially for weekend slots. Sunset and sunrise tours book out fastest. Both operators allow free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.
Children: The 2CV works for families — kids sit in the back and love the convertible. The sidecar is usually one passenger per sidecar, so children need their own booking. Minimum age varies by operator — check when booking.
Photography: The drivers actively encourage photos and stop at the best spots. The 2CV’s open roof and the sidecar’s low angle both produce distinctive perspectives that you can’t get from any other tour format. The vintage vehicle in the foreground with a Parisian landmark behind is the shot that makes this worth the price.
More Ways to See Paris
The 2CV and sidecar tours sit at the premium end of Paris touring. For other approaches to seeing the city, the Segway tours offer similar ground coverage at a lower price point. The bike tours add exercise to the sightseeing. The night walking tours explore the city on foot after dark. And the Montparnasse Tower gives you the aerial perspective that the street-level tours can’t. Between these options, you can see Paris from every angle — above, below, on wheels, on foot, and through the windshield of a car that was designed to carry eggs across a field.