Want to see Paris in a really special way? I recommend the ultimate in summer touring—via a Citroën Deux Chevaux, or 2CV. Engineered by Pierre-Jules Boulanger, and first produced in 1949 but last manufactured in the 1990s, these beloved cars are mythic. The enterprising company 4 Roues sous 1 parapluie (Four Wheels under an Umbrella) takes its title from the car’s nickname. Seven years ago owner Florent Dargnies restored a raft of them to offer tailor-made tours with multilingual driver-guides. Most are young, all are good drivers and each will happily tell you much you’d never guess about Paris. Tip: Drivers for 4 Roues are chatty yet authoritative. They’ll make you feel like you’re in an old French film, plus you’re free to look up at architecture, foliage, steeples, etc. You’re also in the hands of a company that has won, two years in a row, the French Tourist Authority’s Most Welcoming prize. 4 Roues offers a huge selection of tours, some based on themes—bucolic Paris, Paris by night, the Da Vinci Code, “insider” specials—others designed by arrondissement or for children. You can also have one customized. At 54 euros for three passengers (158 euros for just one person), the Paris Eternel tour covers the city’s great landmarks in one and a half hours.
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