Girl Guides: London and Paris

Join a licensed local guide for an in-depth tour of London. See Buckingham Palace, where you may catch the Changing of the Guard, and stroll through Hyde Park, home to the famous Speakers’ Corner. View Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament, then step inside Westminster Abbey, the coronation site of English monarchs. Continue to St. Paul’s Cathedral, Christopher Wren’s masterpiece, and admire the iconic Tower Bridge spanning the Thames.

Make your London visit extra special with a stop at Pax Lodge, the Scouts’ third World Center in northwest London. Located next to the international headquarters of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts, Pax Lodge offers self-guided tours and regularly hosts global events, celebrations, and Scout challenges, ensuring each visit is unique.

Take part in a special pinning ceremony at Pax Lodge, where each participant receives an official pin symbolizing global friendship.

Take a stroll along London’s lively South Bank, where art, history, and riverside views come together. Admire the Tate Modern’s striking architecture, cross the sleek Millennium Bridge, and soak in panoramic views of the Thames. Wander through Borough Market to sample local and international flavors, and spot landmarks like the London Eye and Shakespeare’s Globe along the way.

Vendors selling sandwiches, open-air seating, and boisterous crowds—it sounds more like a ballgame than a Shakespeare play. In Elizabethan England, the Globe Theatre was a lively, noisy gathering place where audiences laughed, heckled, and cheered. This faithful 1990s reconstruction brings that experience to life. Learn how actors perform in natural daylight, interacting with the “groundlings” just as in Shakespeare’s time, and how costumers hand-stitch garments from antique fabrics. Discover how minimal scenery challenges directors to rely on language, imagination, and audience connection. Please note: Workshops are limited to students and a small number of accompanying adults; others will enjoy a guided tour of the Globe.

Hop aboard a riverboat on the Thames for a journey through London’s rich history. Glide past the grand Houses of Parliament, where Big Ben marks the hour, and float beneath the London Bridge, Tower Bridge, and Millennium Bridge. Take in close-up views of the iconic Tower of London, then rise 443 feet above the city on the London Eye for a breathtaking 360-degree panorama.

You're so close, why not continue to Paris? Take the Eurostar under the English Channel and, faster than you can say anything in French, you will zip through the tunnel and arrive in Paris.

Take in Paris on foot, strolling wide boulevards, manicured parks, and lively streets filled with cafés and flower stalls. Cross to the Île de la Cité to view the storied Notre-Dame Cathedral, centrepiece of French history, then wander the charming Île St. Louis and the vibrant Latin Quarter, rich with student life and culture.

Take interactive learning to another level with a Tour Director-led scavenger hunt of the Ile de la Cité, home of Notre-Dame Cathedral! Enjoy an after-dinner adventure, complete exciting activities and solve fun clues. Each clue and every activity is built to maximize on-tour experiential learning.

Explore Paris with a licensed local guide on a sightseeing tour of the city’s most iconic landmarks. Admire the Arc de Triomphe at the top of the Champs-Élysées, stroll the grand boulevard lined with shops and cafés, and see the ornate 19th-century Opera House. Look up at the Eiffel Tower, built for the 1889 World’s Fair, and visit Les Invalides, Napoleon’s military refuge, along with other historic sites.

The ultimate palace, Versailles was begun by Louis XIII and transformed by Louis XIV into the seat of royal power until the French Revolution. Inside, admire the 250-foot Hall of Mirrors, flanked by the salons of War and Peace, and the State Apartments where lavish ceremonies unfolded. Step into the magnificent Gardens of Versailles, a masterpiece of fountains, sculptures, and sweeping vistas. Be sure to visit Marie Antoinette’s rustic hamlet, where she escaped court life by tending sheep and playing at village life. Please note: Versailles is closed on Mondays.

The world’s largest art museum, the Louvre, is housed in a former medieval fortress and entered through I.M. Pei’s striking glass pyramid. Inside, discover masterpieces like the Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo, and Winged Victory, along with vast collections of Egyptian antiquities, Greek ceramics, and works spanning seven departments. Please note: The Louvre is closed on Tuesdays.

Learn to play pétanque with local players and experience one of France’s favourite pastimes. Try your hand at this game of boules, similar to bocce, as you mix and mingle with locals. The lesson, held in French with translation by your Tour Director if needed, lasts one to two hours and ends with a refreshing beverage to celebrate the match.

See the city from the water on an hour-long cruise along the River Seine. The Seine cuts right through Paris, dividing the city in half. Spot the Eiffel tower rising up on the Left Bank, the walls of the Louvre on the Right Bank. A guide will point out other monuments and architectural marvels as you pass, many of which are illuminated by clear white light at night.