Live Virtual Tour of Paris: The Marais and Bastille with Gil Soltz
Regular price $36.50 Save $-36.50
Join a local Parisian expert, live from the streets of the Marais and Bastille neighborhoods, as they allow participants to see firsthand the sites and sounds through this virtual tour. We’ll learn about the tale of two neighborhoods, through the dual lens of yesterday's revolution and today's urbanization. The video-camera-led virtual tour will weave and wind its way through the vibrant and offbeat quarters creating opportunities for reflection, dialogue, and an immersive visual experience.
This live look at the Bastille and Marais neighborhoods is intended to give a sense of history through the lens of the 1789 Revolution and an appreciation for the extensive urbanization which has seen a dramatic rise in commercial activity in the past two decades. Our path takes us through the vibrant and offbeat quarters of the most densely populated arrondissement where Parisian life typically pulses. We will virtually walk through the one-time homes and studios of artisans and laborers who put their lives on the line for the cause of liberty and equality. Then, we will transition from the site of the once Bastille prison to the former world of aristocrats and fineries. Both of these neighborhoods are now full of art and markets, boutiques and galleries, restaurants, and cafes, and we’ll see them in action in this live seminar.
Led by expert fiction writer, Gil Soltz, this virtual tour will give new cultural meaning to the French Revolution of 1789. Designed to inform curiosity as well as future travels, participants will come away with a sense of the life of two distinct districts in Paris which have a shared history and a vibrant place in the present-day city.
This virtual tour is part of an extended series by Gil Soltz. Each virtual tour can be joined independently and in any order.
A native of San Diego, Gil graduated in Politics and English from Brandeis University and later earned two Master's degrees: the first in Public Administration from New York University, and the second a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing. After earning his MFA and producing his first book, Gil moved to Paris for a Parisienne and hasn't looked back. For over a decade Gil has lived, written, worked, and led tours in Paris. His background in literature - both canonized and contemporary - combined with his understanding of the inner workings of cities have enabled Gil to tell his narratives as experiences and provide unique insights into Parisian life.
This conversation is suitable for all ages
90 minutes, including a 30 minute Q&A.
Thank you Gil for a fabulous afternoon walk in Le Marais! Loved seeing some streets and monuments, I have not seen before! Great way of starting my Sunday.
I have now taken 3 virtual “walks” through Paris with Gil. He masterfully blends history, culture, restaurants and nightlife all while walking live through the streets of Paris. No PowerPoint! He takes video while he walks so you feel like you are actually walking with him in Paris. Imagine spending 90 minutes on Sunday “walking” in Paris! Magnifique!
Gil’s virtual walking tours of the neighborhoods of Paris are a great way to see the sights and learn about the history of the area, on an informative and entertaining virtual walking tour. Gil’s tours are always very well done. The free form of the tours, as he walks and talks while aiming his camera at buildings, monuments, street signs, shops, cafes, and museums, belies the amount of planning that clearly has gone into each walk as Gil knows exactly how much ground he can cover in 90 minutes. Bravo!