Founder

Stu

British Stu’s adventurous spirit and passion for travel has seen him travel around the world. Following years as a historian, teacher and guide he founded Boutique Bike Tours to offer something unique to those visiting Paris.

Known for his delivery style and local knowledge, Stu claims to not be a tour person despite being a licensed professional guide able to guide you inside all monuments, museums, as well as skip the lines. Having lost patience with lines and large crowds many years ago all our tours are designed to avoid them!

In the winter he continues to live the dream as a ski coach in Europe, America & Japan.

Top Tip: Do not spend your vacation standing in lines, following the crowds. There is always a better way!

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Founder

Niki

Office Manager, Kiwi & Food Lover

Niki, the adventurous Kiwi is the engine that keeps Boutique Bike Tours running, if you are lucky you may see her leading a tour with us now and again, otherwise she is the voice on the other end of the phone.

Between seven years of back to back winter seasons as a snowboard instructor in Japan, the United States and New Zealand, Niki studied paramedicine. She has been working as a paramedic in London and now Boutique Tours has an experienced, Paris-based paramedic of its own.

Top Tip: ‘Flâner’ – the word that encapsulates frenchness.

To truly discover Paris you must become a flàneur- to wander aimlessly through a city, to be at once part of a place and on the outside– is a concept so French that the word has no English equivalent.

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Manager & Licensed Guide

Lola

Masters in Literature, History of Art & History

Lola was born in the heart of Paris, on Ile de la Cité, in the same room as both her mother & grandmother. Growing up with a French mother & American dad cultivated her curiosity for the world & led her to pursue her undergraduate in California, studying literature,  history of art, history, and cinema before returning to Paris.

You will often find Lola at one of the cafés along the Canal Saint Martin, sipping on a glass of white wine, either book in hand, or chatting away her partner in crime Pascal.

Top Tip : Whenever you see an open door, make sure to peek inside. Paris is filled with secret gardens and courtyards, and you never know what gem you might uncover with just a little bit of curiosity.

I have probably tasted every croissant in Paris (my favourite right now is from Boulangerie Utopie), so if you need any advice for your next food-driven adventure, I’d be happy to help!

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Head Guide & Product Development

Nicolas

Licensed Guide, Quintessential Frenchie

Nicolas is originally from Lyon, the home of true French gastronomy as he proudly reminds us. Having travelled throughout the world,  learnt English in Australia & led tours all over France he now calls Paris home. Combining his passion for guiding and cycling Nicolas is an expert in all things Versailles and the ultimate entertainer.

Top Tip: Visit Lyon ‘the home of French gastronomy’

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Office Manager

Claire

Licensed Guide

Clara

Always on the road between Paris, Versailles and Normandy, Clara is a Grand Paris expert that likes to wander off the beaten path to capture the charm and poetry of urban life in the historical “Paname”. When she is not thrift-shopping, she will be found reading the news on the terrace of a café on La Butte aux Cailles or sunbathing on the banks of the Seine, glass of rosé nearby!

If you get to explore Versailles with Clara, you may be lucky enough to come across both her mother & her grandmother! Versailles is home to Clara’s grandmother & is where her mother has spent much time as a guide herself – no doubt proud of her daughter following her passion too!

Top Tip: Have a break from your new parisian routine join us to explore Versailles or Giverny (where Monet lived and painted the waterlilies), both easily reachable by train. To have a taste of country life without leaving Paris, go explore village – such as Butte aux Cailles and the Cité Florale in the 13th arrondissement !

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Guide

Nick

Licensed Guide

Agathe

Agathe was born and raised 10km from Versailles, and when she was young, she used to ride with her dad from her their house to Versailles.They rode bikes in the petit parc and all around the grand canal. It was here that she fell in love with the Château and surroundings. After studying graphic design, she travelled for two years in Australia. There, she learned English, and discovered the country, whilst meeting beautiful people. When she returned to France, she had the opportunity to become a tour guide. She loves having the opportunity to teach guests about her country everyday. 

During the pandemic, Agathe validated my achievements and my experience of three years of guidance and got her guide-conferencier qualification. 

Paris tip: Feel free to explore Montmartre and let yourself be surprised by the cafes and restaurants on the other side. Go in search of the villa Léandre change of scenery assured!

Guide & King of Paris

Krizan

Guide

Eleanor

Originally from the UK, Eleanor came to France as a teenager to undertake a degree in “French Studies” at the University of London Institute in Paris. It was here that she fell in love with all that the city has to offer. After graduation, Eleanor worked in various art museums, refining her knowledge of art and culture, before eventually ending up at Boutique Bike Tours, where she gives tours in both Paris and Versailles.

When she’s not guiding, Eleanor enjoys exploring the French countryside, taking part in pub quizzes and visiting unusual museums.

Guide

Naffiseh

Licensed Guide

Fiona

Originally from Savoie, at the heart of the French Alps, home of the best cheeses in the world. Fiona studied translation and was a digital project manager for two years before realizing that budget planning wasn’t as much fun as telling stories about the kings and queens of France.

After traveling around the world, studying in London and Philadelphia, living in Strasbourg for five years, Fiona now settled in Paris.

When she’s not guiding, you can find Fiona visiting the Musée Guimet, the Musée de Cluny, or playing board games at one of the many game bars in Paris.

If you need any advice for your next cheese buying spree, she would be happy to help.

Top Tip: when you’re visiting a new city, hop on a city bike and go for a ride without planning ahead. The best way to visit a new place is to let it surprise you.

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Licensed Guide

Joachim

After studying dramatic art at the Conservatoire National, and working in the theatre and cinema world for over 15 years, Joachim turned to tourism. He loves meeting people from across the world, and enjoys storytelling and for sharing his knowledge of art and history, so combining these two passions made guiding an obvious choice!

Joe is the kind of guide who thinks a good visit is when the guests get a memorable experience. “May they leave with loads of images, while enjoying having learned something. Memories that I hope will follow them well beyond the day spent together.”

To do so, he does his best “to let the full force of the settings express themselves”, to involve his audience and to make his comments lively and relevant. 

He has a degree in history and art history, and he speaks fantastic English, given that his mother is British. He has a great sense of humor and understands France and the French people in a way only someone that has lived there all of their life will. 
“The greatest journeys are always undertaken in and by the mind.” Well, that is what Joe strives to deliver: a great journey.

Top tip: Paris is a city where you should at least spend one day getting lost in its center. Especially if the weather is nice. Who knows? you might be surprised!

Licensed Guide

Amélie

Born in the Loire Valley, surrounded by castles and wine, Amélie was always destined to be a lover of history. Since she was a child, she always wanted to be a history teacher, and it wasn’t until college that she discovered guiding. With a deep love for people and socialising, Amélie decided that guiding was the perfect way to mix her extroverted nature and fondness for French
history.

She has guided all across France, working in Troyes and Châlons-en-Champagne for 3 years. She is well read and loves discovering new things about different cultures, and so she studied Latin, Ancient Greek, Chinese, Japanese, Spanish and…. English!). She is a lover of travel and adventure, and has found her place in Parisian society. She enjoys exploring the city with her friends, visiting new exhibitions and hanging around Opéra in the “Little Japan” area.

When Amélie visited Versailles as a child, she felt a sense of belonging and a feeling that she was at home. With a true passion for guiding, Amélie still feels this way every time she steps into the beautiful Château gardens. For the rest of her life, Amélie hopes to continue visiting Versailles, because quite frankly, she cannot live without it! 

Top Tip: Paris is a city that is beautiful when accompanied with music – take your headphones and walk
the streets nearby to Saint-Michel – it won’t disappoint!

Licensed Guide

Noëma

Noëma was born in Paris but grew up in the countryside in Northern France. Her family comes from the Cher region of France and when she was growing up, she spent her summers at her great-grandmothers place. It was here that she first heard stories about how her family helped Jews and resistance cross to unoccupied France during the Second World War. History played such an important part of her early life, and so this experience shaped her passion for the past.

During her education, Noëma studied History in Reims, the city where the kings were crowned in the Champagne region. She realised that although she wanted to share her passion, she didn’t want to be stuck in a classroom. After a year of improving her English in Dublin, Ireland; Noëma became a tour guide.

She has experience working in Second World War memorials, but she dearly missed her favourite subject: the monarchy of France! Noëma loves touring in Versailles because it is an opportunity for her to teach others about the opulence of kings and queens. Noëma has lived in Paris for years, and she spends a lot of time reading books and visiting new historical and cultural places in Paris, and France in general. In her spare time, Noëma loves discovering new restaurants in Paris. Asian cuisine is her personal favourite, and she recently went on a two-month food trip in South Korea.

Guide

Min

Guide

Miguel

Guide

Eléonore

Meet Eléonore, the vivacious tour guide of Versailles. With a name as majestic as the palace she explores, Eléonore brings history to life with a sprinkle of humour. When not guiding tourists through the grandeur of Versailles, Eléonore is an outdoor enthusiast, turning every nature walk into a lively adventure filled with picnics and debates about the local flora and fauna. Her love for the great outdoors is only rivalled by her passion for cinema, with Sofia Coppola’s “Marie Antoinette” topping her list of favourite films.

She can dissect every scene, costume, and historical nuance with the fervour of a true cinephile. Eléonore seamlessly weaves her love for nature, cinema, and history into her unique tours. Whether you seek royal history or an outdoor escapade, Eléonore is your ticket to an enchanting experience in Versailles.

Guide

Eliana

Guide

Amy

Guide

Zuzanna

Zuzanna moved to France after studying French Political Philosophy in Sweden. She dearly missed the sun and good food, and since France is the first place you think of for good food, it was an obvious choice.

She quickly fell in love with the city, and so she wanted to become a guide so that she could share it with others. She loves exploring new places around the city, especially the areas République and Sorbonne. She enjoys spending her nights finding new cosy pubs and cheap eats in both locations. Having lived in

Montmartre for over a year, she knows this popular destination like the back of her hand, so make sure
you ask her about it when you meet her!

Top tip: Checking out the second-hand shops around le Marais and the weekly flea market at Montmartre.

Guide & Guardian Angel

Marine

Between comings and goings, Marine has spent half her life in France and the other half in her native Buenos Aires. The result is a young woman that can’t stay still, has a passion for french history and a very deep love of good food. Back in Paris for a few years now, she’s studied history and tourism in order to become a guide, but her main mission at Boutique Bike Tours is of a slightly different nature.
Marine is at the same time a food fairy, tickets provider, Grandma helper, bike repairer, picnic savior, lates reuniter … and much more! She’s the one that zooms around Versailles making sure both our guests and guides have nice, smooth days and that any unexpected situation finds a swift solution.

Top Tip: If like me you are a bit of a bookworm, the Latin Quarter is the place for you. Begin at Saint Michel with the eternal Shakespeare and Co and the almighty Gibert Joseph, but then just allow yourself to wander through the little medieval streets of the quarter and let a dozen small, hidden bookstores surprise you. Not only will you see and breathe Paris’ oldest history at every turn, but you will also come across books and book lovers of every imaginable kind.

Licensed Guide

Iryna

Linguist Extraordinaire

If you wanted to hear the story of Versailles in nine different languages, Iryna could do that in her sleep. There’s always one person over qualified for the job and our Belarussian linguistic and licensed guide fits the bill. Born in Belarus, Iryna spent her first years in France in Arras, delving into and sharing the military history of France.

Now based in Paris, Iryna is passionate about music, travel, literature, dance and has an insatiable appetite for learning. Her endless knowledge coupled with humour and a smile are the perfect mix for discovering the rich history of France.

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