Da Vinci Code Mania

Our Da Vinci Code tour was recently featured on Access Hollywood, a TV show carried on daytime cable TV in the USA. The interest in Da Vinci code tours is on the rise with the pending release of the new film starring Tom Hanks and Audrey Tautou (Amelie).

Though it may sound touristy, the book is an inspiration for rediscovering the history of the sites of Paris, on foot. Whether you choose to follow an organized walking tour of Da Vinci Code theme, or just read the book and visit on your own, there is a lot to learn. Paris is of course one of the greatest walking cities anywhere. When I lived in Paris, some days I would just take off walking careless about what street I turned on. I could walk for hours and see new sites and fantastic architecture in varying states of age. Sure, I usually got lost, but once I came across a metro, I was found again. That is the beauty of Paris, with a small and simple metro map, you will never get lost for more than a few minutes. Get out there and walk!

Here is an except from the French Government Tourist Office about the upcoming movies in Paris and region Ile de France:

"As well as the world famous Louvre and Champs-Elysées, the film (Da Vinci Code) is set in a variety of other sites that are slightly less well visited, but no less interesting.

The Eglise Saint-Sulpice is a beautifully preserved 17th-century church tucked away in the Latin Quarter and is well worth a visit.

On a fine day, the Bois de Boulogne offers Parisians and visitors a wonderful escape from the hustle and bustle of the city as well as a day at the races and the delightful Jardin d'Acclimatation. It is in this green space that the hero of the novel is chased at night.

The Gare St. Lazare is also a must for Da Vinci Code pilgrims and a visit to Le Ritz is advisable for any visitor, whether they have read the novel or not!

Paris and Ile-de-France have always been one of the world's favorite movie sets. Amélie and Moulin Rouge brought the magic of Paris to the movies, and the romance of the city is epitomized by French classics like 'A Bout de Souffle'.

The stunning Château de Vaux le Vicomte played host to Bond in Moonraker and Leonardo Di Caprio in The Man in The Iron Mask.

The next big thing in the region promises to be the lavish new movie Marie-Antoinette directed by Sofia Copolla. It is being filmed in and around the wonderful and dramatic Château de Versailles. "