old paris walking tour

Old Paris Walking Tour: Self Guided Tour, Vintage Paris + Map

By: Author Sophie Nadeau

Posted on Last updated: 11th September 2023

Categories Paris , walking tour

Last Updated on 11th September 2023 by Sophie Nadeau

Paris is a city steeped in history. In certain areas of the city, almost every corner holds a tantalizing secret. Here’s the very best of Old Paris Walking Tour .

Along the way, learn about the fascinating history of Paris, as well as finding some hidden gems and seeing some more of the city’s iconic locations. This self-guided walking tour will take you through the historic areas and arrondissements of the Latin Quarter, Île de la Cité and Le Marais.

Old Paris Walking Tour: Practical Advice, Tricks & Tips

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There’s nothing quite like seeing Paris by foot. The sights, the smells, the sounds; none can be replicated by bus, or indeed by a film.  Many of the areas highlighted in this guide contain cobbled, uneven roads and are unsuitable for flip flops/ high heels. As such, I highly recommend walking strong, sturdy shoes to walk in.

If you’re looking to purchase coffee/ snacks along the route, please bear in mind that many of the cafés restaurants have a minimum card spend, and so make sure to bring cash with you. Paris can be enjoyed any time of the year.

With that being said, my favourite seasons to see the city are the shoulder seasons. For, there are fewer tourists, but the weather is much warmer than the winter months. If you visit Paris in the Spring , then you’ll be sure to see some of the best spring blooms that the city is so famous for.

Walking Time: 56 minutes

Distance Covered: 4.4km

Suggested walking route

The Paris Panthéon sits in the Latin Quater ( so called because in the middle ages students of the nearby Sorbonne University were taught in, and almost exclusively conversed in Latin ). It’s a great place to start this tour as going up the dome will allow you to enjoy a bird’s eye view of the city, including an iconic viewpoint of the Eiffel Tower.

The Paris Panthéon started life as a church built to honour Saint Genevieve (patron saint of Paris). Today, the Panthéon is a mausoleum, housing the remains of some of France’s greatest writers, scientists and engineers.

Indeed, one of the highest honours a French citizen can achieve post-mortem is to be interred in the Panthéon. Purchase your Paris Panthéon ticket here in advance.

The Sorbonne University is one of the oldest in the World and lies in the very heart of the Latin Quarter. Access to the central courtyard (pictured below) is for students only. However, if you ask nicely, you may be allowed in to take photos!

The university was founded as early as 1150 and is considered one of the oldest universities in Europe, if not the World. Second, only to the University of Bologna in Italy, it was officially recognized by Pope Innocent III in 1215.

Nearby, you’ll find former accommodation for some church members of the student body in the form of Collège des Bernardins . If you fancy stopping for a coffee or other drink and partaking in a favourite Parisian pastime (ie watching the world go by), then

The bookshop of Shakespeare and Company is easily the most famous Anglophone bookstore in the city. However, little known is that this is actually  the second  Shakespeare and Company to have existed in Paris.

The first Shakespeare and Co. was opened in 1919 . Sadly it was closed during the German occupation of Paris and never reopened. The current bookstore was opened in 1951 as an ode to the former store, and as a place for writers and book lovers to congregate.

Today, you can wander the shelves, and imagine what it must have been like decades ago. There’s even a quiet library upstairs where you can sit and read.

In recent years, Shakespeare and Company have expanded and now have their very own café next door to the bookstore. Though the coffee shop can get pretty busy, it sells delicious speciality coffees, as well as sweet and savoury snacks.

Nearby, you’ll find Square René Viviani, a beautiful and secluded spot built on a former cemetery where there’s also the oldest tree in Paris to be seen. If you’re looking for a quiet place to sit and read amidst the hustle and bustle of busy city life, then Square René-Viviani is the place to head.

Located in the very middle of the Seine, on Île de la Cité sits what may well be the most famous cathedral in the world. A walk inside the cathedral itself is free, and there are free guided tours in various languages throughout the day.

If you see a queue on the Parvis de Notre Dame to visit the cathedral, don’t worry too much… it often takes no longer twenty minutes wait to enter the cathedral. While you’re waiting to enter Notre Dame , keep your eyes peeled for Paris Point Zero , the marker from which all points in France are measured.

Sadly, due to a terrible fire in April of 2019, the Cathedral is undergoing immense renovation works and so is closed to the public until further notice. However, the Parvis de Notre Dame directly in front of the ecclesiastical building remains open to enjoy the fantastic façade of Notre Dame up close. During the renovation works to save the cathedral, there’s also temporary displays on the scaffolding explaining the nature of the works to restore the Gothic building.

On the Parvis de Notre Dame, set into the cobbled floor, you’ll find Paris Point Zero . Often overlooked by tourists and locals alike, few of whom know it’s there, this is the very middle point of Paris. It is from here that all roads in Paris, and indeed France, are measured. Urban myth suggests that if you leave a coin here, you’ll be granted good luck.

A few minutes walk from the Parvis de Notre Dame, you’ll find an ancient road. This is Rue Chanoinesse. Once home to an order of Monks, today it is like stepping right back into the heart of medieval Paris.

Much of the road escaped the large renovations undertaken by Haussmann in the 19th-century (in part thanks to the aforementioned Brothers). Right next to Au Vieux Paris d’Arcole, you’ll find a large maroon door.

Behind it lies the gravestone courtyard of Paris . The café itself is one of my favourites in the city. Decorated with nativity sets in the winter months, it’s covered in wisteria come springtime. The café is one of the cutest coffee shops in Paris and is a great place to grab a coffee (or a quick glass of wine). 

Home to some of the most impressive medieval stained glass still in existence, Sainte Chapelle is a must-see for any history lovers of the city. Located next door to the courts of Justice, you’ll find that Sainte Chapell e is actually two churches.

One was originally built for the King and his Courtiers, while the other was built for his servants. Both are rather impressive and well worth a visit!

Head to the churches earlier in the day for the shortest queues. If you’re looking to visit for yourself, then you may well want to book a ticket in advanace. Check here to purchase your Sainte-Chapelle ticket in advance and benefit from a skip-the-line ticket.

Once a Merovingian Palace, during the French Revolution, the Conciergerie was used as a prison. It even once held Marie Antoinette (yes, the French Royal who may or may not have said ‘ let them eat cake’ ), before her execution.

Today you can visit and see the cell where Marie Antoinette once ate, slept and lived. The Conciergerie also contains the largest Gothic Hall in Europe. If you’re thinking about visiting both Sainte Chapelle and the Conciergerie, then you can save time and money by purchasing a combination ticket like this one.

Of all places on this Old Paris Walking Tour, this may well be the most hidden. As you head out of the Conciergerie and turn left, make sure to look up! For, it’s here you’ll find the Oldest Clock in Paris . You may notice that it’s still pretty shiny, and glows golden in the sunlight. Well, you’re not wrong- the clock was extensively renovated in 2012!

All that remains of a once impressive church Gothic Flamboyant 16th-century ecclesiastical building is its tower. High above the cafés and shops that surround the square, you’ll find the tall tower of Saint-Jacques . In the summer months, it’s possible to book guided tours up the tower.

The town hall of Paris sits impressive and proud in the middle of Le Marais. Right beside the Seine, the square in front is often filled with people going about their daily lives, as well as music performances etc.

Although the interior of the town hall is sadly closed to the public, the neo-renaissance architecture is lovely to look at. Just outside the Hôtel de Ville, you’ll find one of the prettiest carousels in Paris .

One of the most famous department stores in the city is that of BHV Le Marais. This department store is located not far from Hôtel de Ville (on the very same square) and is well worth a peek inside… If only to say you’ve been! Here, you can find international designers, as well as local French brands.

During the winter months, BHV hosts a large number of vitrines (shop windows) just in time for the festive period. Each year the theme is different and going to look at the illuminations is easily one of the best free Christmas activities on offer in Paris .

The Church of Saint-Paul-Saint-Louis was commissioned by Louis XIII himself. Constructed in 1641, the king even went so far as to lay the first stone for the Jesuit church. Apart from its stunning architecture, throughout the years, it has undergone major changes in function.

From its roots as a religious place of worship throughout the 17th Century, during the French revolution, it was utilised by the Cult of Reason, an atheist organisation. When the organisation was banned in 1803, the church was returned to its Catholic origins.

There is no better place to finish an Old Paris Walking Tour than in Place des Vosges . Filled with small boutiques, quirky eateries and plenty more, it’s the oldest planned square in Paris.

Once home to notable residents such as Cardinal Richelieu (you know, that guy from the Three Musketeers)  and Victor Hugo before he was sent into exile, today it’s where Parisians hang out to see their friends and enjoy their lunch.

Sophie Nadeau loves dogs, books, travel, pizza, and history. A Francophile at heart, she runs solosophie.com when she’s not chasing after the next sunset shot or consuming something sweet. She splits her time between Paris and London and travels as much as she can! Subscribe to Sophie’s YouTube Channel.

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Meghan | SparklingPenny

Thursday 19th of March 2020

I love walking in cities. All you need is a comfy pair of shoes and a camera. Thank you so much for the ideas, I now have a plan!

Sunday 5th of January 2020

Hi sophie, i’ve been going in and out of paris for thecpast 8 years and just like you i’m a certified francophile. This walking tours seems so interested , though i’ve been to some places mentioned but the route is really practically to cover. I will be back again this April with the whole family this time and i will suggest to talk this walking tour and hopefully to meet you as well my fellow francophile.

Carol Hicks

Wednesday 16th of October 2019

Thank you for this walking tour. I was planning to see the Sorbonne but now can plan my route with this walk. Paris is my favourite city and I love exploring new places there. I will never get bored with Paris, so many things to see and do.

Claudine Scheer

Tuesday 30th of July 2019

I'm leaving in 2 days for my first trip to Paris. I have been reading all of your ideas about Paris. You are my favorite! Thank you for your wonderful insight!

Saturday 2nd of June 2018

I've been to Paris 3 times already and haven't heard about a lot of these places, definitely a city that keeps surprising you! Great post :)

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19 Best Paris Walking Tours

By Melissa Liebling-Goldberg

From ancient Roman times to the medieval period to the French Revolution to the 20th century World Wars, history has stacked on top of itself in key locations all over Paris. Find out exactly where to retrace the steps of the famous—and infamous—throughout the City of Lights, from royal gardens to market streets and grand boulevards. On these walks, which range from short and scenic to long and layered, you'll do it all: go canal-side, where the guillotine fell, find out where famous painters lived and died, and much more. Our list of Paris' best historic walks has something for ever level of history-lover.

Jardin des Tuileries Arrow

This sprawling, spectacular park is the beating heart of Paris' public spaces. Standing proudly between the Louvre and Place de la Concorde, and along much of the Seine's Right Bank in the 1st Arrondissement, Tuileries Garden ("Jardin des Tuileries") has a history as long and distinguished as it is impressive, from its inception as an aristocratic playground in the 16th century, to becoming a public space in the 17th century, to serving as the site of numerous French Revolution skirmishes in the 18th century. With more than 55 acres, the park offers plenty of room to stroll and lots of photo ops. Keep an eye out for Auguste Rodin's iconic "Le Baiser" ("The Kiss") on the West Terrace. If you have anywhere to go in this part of Paris, skip the taxi or the metro and walk there on foot through the Tuileries. You'll see something different every time.

Place de la Concorde Arrow

Place de la Concorde is the largest public square in Paris, originally created in honor of Louis IV but probably best known for being the spot of the French Revolution's guillotine executions, including his successor Louis XVI. This majestic spot connects the end of the Tuileries Gardens and the beginning of the Champs-Élysées. The Luxor Obelisk, an ancient Egyptian obelisk mounted in the place in the 1830s, anchors the open space. It's a busy intersection of multiple streets, so expect traffic on your way to cross to see the obelisk and the gorgeous lateral views.

Place de la Bastille Arrow

The Place de Bastille is an open square where the infamous Bastille prison once stood—and fell, igniting the French Revolution. The Colonne de Juillet in the center commemorates the revolution of 1830, as well. This is a spot that is heavily trafficked by Parisians, whether heading out for dinner, shopping, or home. You'll see a broad cross-section of the city there, which is a nice counter-balance to the weighty historical events that have unfolded there.

Jessica Puckett

Caitlin Morton

Olivia Morelli

Île Saint-Louis Arrow

Île Saint-Louis is known for the elegance and grandeur of its hôtel particuliers, developed by builder Christophe Marie and designed by Louis Vau (the architect of Versailles). Built over a 30 year period in the 17th century, the houses on the island diverged from the typical wealthy homes of the time by focusing on the views outward over the Seine, rather than into an interior courtyard. The island, which was originally two natural islands that were combined in a feat of engineering, remain pristine examples of architecture from the 17th and 18th centuries. Architecture and design buffs will love the island for its historical importance, but also for the quality of the buildings like the famed Hotel Lambert. And of course, the views are unparalleled.

Jardin des Plantes Arrow

The Jardins des Plantes, or Botanical Gardens, is a popular park for families (members of all ages!) to visit. Not only are the trees and plants gorgeous to explore, but the garden is part of the National Museum of Natural History (Muséum Nationale d'Histoire Naturelle) so there are multiple exhibition spaces throughout, as well as a zoo. Built in 1898 for the World's Fair, the structure housing the Galerie de Paléontologie et d’Anatomie is also worth seeing for the historic architecture, and the kids will enjoy seeing the dinosaur skeletons inside!

Pont Alexandre III Arrow

This ornate and elaborate bridge was inaugurated in 1900 to time with the Exposition Universelle in 1900, echoing the Beaux-Arts style of the Grand Palais and the Petit Palais it leads to. The name of the bridge commemorates the signing of the Franco-Russian Alliance of 1892, signed by Tsar Alexander III. During the day, the bridge is a major crossing between the Left and Right banks. On the Rive Droite, you alight at the Grand Palais and the Petit Palais, leading to the Champs-Élysees. On the Rive Gauche, you arrive at the grassy expanse of the Invalides. That means you'll pass a mix of tourists and locals day and night, many of whom stop and take photos.

Canal Saint-Martin Arrow

Canal Saint-Martin runs through one of the hippest neighborhoods in Paris. While the canal itself was commissioned in 1802 by Napoleon I to bring fresh water into the city, the vibe is distinctly contemporary with some of Paris's hottest restaurants, cafés and bars scattered alongside it. The contrast of the urban (think graffiti) with the placid (think canal tour boats) is one of the distinct charms of the walk.

Place de Furstenberg Arrow

Built in the 6th century, Place de Furstenberg (technically a road, not a plaza) was originally attached to the Saint-Germain-des-Prés Abbey. It owes its current name and form to Cardinal Guillaume-Egon de Furstenberg, who initiated a renovation and extension to the Abbatial Palace in 1586. The main reason most tourists will find themselves in the Place de Furstenberg is if they are visiting the Musée National Eugène Delacroix. The famous French painter lived on the Rue de Furstenberg and his former home has been converted into a popular museum dedicated to his work.

Place des Vosges Arrow

Nestled in the side streets of the charming and hip Marais, the Place de Vosges is the oldest square in Paris (it was originally part of Henri II and Catherine de Medici's palace before being opened up to the public by Henri IV). Ringed on all sides by arched walkways and red brick buildings, the square has a symmetrical layout of trees leading into a central garden. You'll often find students picnicking or studying while small children run through the dusty paths. It's a perfect landmark to orient yourself around in the popular neighborhood.

Place de la République Arrow

The Place de la République is now the largest public plaza in Paris, following a renovation that was finished in 2013. Originally known as the Place du Château d’Eau, the plaza took on its current rectangular shape under Haussmann. At 918 feet by 394 feet, the plaza is a large gathering place for Parisians thanks to family-friendly activities and a café with outdoor seating. While you walk to see the famous statue of Marianne (the female embodiment of the French Republic) in the center of the plaza, you'll see a mix of Parisians and tourists utilizing the space.

Quai Voltaire Arrow

Walking along the Seine is always magical, but the Quai Voltaire on the Left Bank offers the extra-charming addition of les bouquinistes, the beloved booksellers that have wooden stands along the elevated sidewalk. Catch long views over the Seine towards the Louvre to the west and Notre Dame on the east, or turn away from the river to gaze at the buildings on the south side of the street, which include the art shop Sennelier, frequented by artists from Cézanne to Picasso.

Marché Président Wilson Arrow

The Marché Président Wilson (a.k.a. Marché d'Alma) is the largest of the open air food markets in Paris, popping up in the 16th Arrondissement every Wednesday and Saturday. You'll find a mostly local crowd strolling through the stalls packed with every cheese, meat, fruit and vegetable to choose from, with many vendors having been at the market for years. Running alongside the market are several top museums if you want to combine art and food—spot cutting-edge art at the Palais de Tokyo and fashion at the Palais Galliera.

Parc des Buttes-Chaumont Arrow

Unlike most of the rest of the major parks in Paris, this is a natural space without any rigid formality. The 62-acre park, opened in 1867 as part of the Paris Universal Exposition, is built on a former quarry; there are rocky elevations to traipse up with amazing views of the city, including Sacre Couer in nearby Montmartre. And seeing as it's in the 19th arrondissement, you can expect an authentic Parisian experience, off the beaten tourist path—you'll likely need to take a quick metro or taxi ride to get there.

Place du Trocadéro Arrow

This is Paris on a grand scale. The Place du Trocadéro sits in the midst of the curving wings of the Palais de Chaillot, before giving way to the sloping Jardins du Trocadéro below. With perhaps the best view of the Eiffel Tower in the city (you are elevated directly across the Seine from it), you are constantly experiencing multiple historical eras at once. Stroll easily across the open place or take a meandering walk through the garden (more exercise if you reverse the order and work your way up.)

Rue Saint-Jacques Arrow

One of the oldest (if not the very oldest) street in Paris dates back to when it was a major artery of the Roman city Lutetia, well-traveled in medieval time by those making the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, which housed the remains of the apostle Saint James. Nowadays, Rue Saint-Jacques cuts through the Sorbonne, offering up plenty of student foot traffic throughout the day. You'll be excused for your own intellectual curiosity in looking at the buildings where many of France's first printing presses were located, a claim to fame for the street.

Galerie Vivienne Arrow

Galerie Vivienne is a covered shopping arcade, originally built in 1823 and designed by architect François-Jean Delannoy. It remains open to the public for shopping in a mix of high-end boutiques (Jean-Paul Gaultier opened his first flagship in the arcade in 1986, for example). The glass and steel roof lets in sunlight down to the mosaic floors, making this a uniquely beautiful way to shop and stroll on your way to the nearby Palais-Royal .

Rue des Rosiers Arrow

Rue des Rosiers was the main street of the Jewish portion of Paris (known in Yiddish as "Pletzl"). While the Marais is no longer a Jewish neighborhood, traces of the original inhabitants remain on this pedestrian street, now filled with chic boutiques sitting alongside traditional bakeries. Young Parisians flock to the stores for shopping outings, while tourists often come for strudel and bagels at longtime establishments like Sacha Finkelsztajn.

Square René-Viviani Arrow

Square René-Viviani is a charming and intimate garden (named for a former Prime Minister of France), offering spectacular views of the nearby Notre Dame Cathedral. The star of the square is the oldest living tree in Paris, a black locust, said to have been planted in 1601 by Jean Robin, who was the herbalist and gardener to Henri III, Henri IV, and Louis XII. There is also a fountain, created by artist Georges Jeanclos, that tells the story of St. Julien but also stands to commemorate the Jewish children killed during the Vichy regime.

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Historic Heart of Paris Walk

Tour details.

10 Person Max

Availability

Our walking tours take place rain or shine, and are available every day of the week.

Tour Description

This walk is a delightful introduction to Paris. It is ideal for the first-time visitor, but can also be enjoyed by anyone looking for a meaningful look at the city’s architecture and epic history.

You and your private guide will explore the central neighborhoods—the Île de la Cité, the Latin Quarter, Odéon, and the Louvre district. This is the historic heart of Paris. Old and new mix in a visibly fascinating way here, telling the story of the periods and peoples,  from ancient Roman settlers to Résistance fighters, who helped shape how the city looks today.

Although the 2.5-hour walk includes major landmarks such as Notre-Dame cathedral, the Sorbonne, the medieval Hôtel de Cluny, and the Palais du Louvre, you will also see things not highlighted in the typical tourist trails. Quiet, tree-lined plazas and tucked-away courtyards, filled with meaningful details, capture the spirit and history of Paris just as well.

More than 10 in your party?   Contact us!

Traveling with teens?   We have a  teen-friendly version  of this program, designed for families with kids ages 12 and up.

Our cancellation and change policies are  here .

Accessibility

This tour is wheelchair and stroller accessible. Please tell us about your mobility needs when booking online.

We Didn’t Want the Tour to End

My husband and I took a private Historic Heart of Paris Walking Tour with Peter. His knowledge of the city and the history of its architecture and times was endless. He is a great story teller and kept us so interested. We didn’t want the tour to end. We highly recommend Paris Muse, and Peter.

Wonderful Historic Heart of Paris Tour!!

For our recent trip to Paris, we reached out to friends with Paris connections and travel experience for recommendations, and Paris Muse Private Tours was high on their list. We are so glad we took their advice to book a tour! We chose the "Historic Heart of Paris" tour and were so pleased with our incredibly knowledgeable and friendly tour guide, Jason. The information and insight he provided during our several hour tour was an absolute highlight of our trip and worth every penny! His knowledge of and interest in the city, its history, architecture, culture, etc. was truly limitless! He also provided great recommendations for museums and restaurants that we utilized for the remainder of our stay. Would highly recommend it for first time visitors and more seasoned travelers as well.

Megan P Chicago, IL

Enchanting Historic Heart of Paris walking tour

I thoroughly enjoyed my Historic Heart of Paris walk with Laure. She is knowledgeable and interesting, an excellent storyteller. In addition to the major landmarks, she pointed out hidden gems like small artworks with tiny working music boxes on buildings, and the magnificent interior of Saint-Etienne-du Mont. I would happily book another Paris Muse tour on my next visit to Paris.

Not_time_enough

Guides Who Lead This Tour

Asja Nastasijevic

Christina Von Koehler

Hannah Hamill

Jessica Pinnock Garrett

Karen Ralph

Laure Nermel

Randa Akhras

Stephanie Nadalo

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Walking Tour with Breakfast: Legends of Old Paris

• Wander Paris in the morning, before the crowds are at a maximum
• A great introduction to the city for first-time visitors
• See more than you would if traveling by traditional tour vehicle
• Explore the city without having to worry about navigating
• See itinerary
• Additional food and drinks
• Alcoholic beverages (available to purchase)
• Hotel pickup and drop-off
• 133 Rue Saint-Antoine, 75004 Paris, France I am really looking forward to meeting you just outside the metro station Saint Paul (line 1, yellow)
• Wheelchair accessible
• Stroller accessible
• Near public transportation
• Transportation is wheelchair accessible
• Surfaces are wheelchair accessible
• Confirmation will be received at time of booking
• Minimum age is 18 years
• A current valid passport is required on the day of travel
• Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
• This tour/activity will have a maximum of 6 travelers
• For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.
• You'll start at 133 Rue Saint-Antoine 133 Rue Saint-Antoine, 75004 Paris, France I am really looking forward to meeting you just outside the metro station Saint Paul (line 1, yellow) See address & details
• 1 133 Rue Saint-Antoine Stop: 2 minutes Olga, the enthusiastic Delicious Paris founder, will meet you and just a few others (maximum 6) outside the Metro: St Paul. She will be waiting for you near the Merry-Go-Round. Delicious Paris caters for small numbers at a time. In this way, the organisation is much lighter and it also creates a particularly pleasant, convivial atmosphere. From here on, it will be action as Olga will be raring to go and to take you on the unforgettable Delicious Paris experience. Read more
• You'll return to the starting point

• M1450NRpaulw 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Our best day in Paris This is our second tour with Olga and each tour has been absolutely fantastic. This time we took in the Musse d’Orsay and an exhibition of some of the grand masters, Olga’s knowledge of each artist was exceptional, we learned so much. Following the Musse we walked Saint Germain where Olga took us to a small French restaurant for lunch, the food was delicious then a short walk to the best coffee we have had in Paris and finally feasting our eyes on beautiful patisserie’s and chocolates through the area. This was one of the best days that we have experienced in Paris, thank you so much Olga. Read more Written May 15, 2023
• devot60 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles 3 Day private guided walking tour of Paris. Musee Dorsee, Saint- Germain-des-Pres, Marais & Montmartre. I have just spent 3 of the most magical days of my life on a private guided tour of Paris with Olga from Delicious Paris. Day 1 we visited a special exhibition of Manet & Degas at Musee Dorsee, followed by a walking tour of Saint-Germain-des- Pres. Day 2 was a walking tour of the Marais, and Day 3 a walking tour of the islands and Montmartre. As we strolled slowly through the streets and galleries, she imparted her extensive knowledge of modern European history, Impressionist art and French architecture. Suddenly it all made sense, whereas it never did before!! Olga is highly personable, speaks excellent English (amongst other languages), and has this uncanny ability to instantly become your friend. It was more like we were chatting amiably than a history lesson. She took me to her secret spots, fantastic bakeries, magnificent restaurants, and sunny courtyards for coffee. I can't recommend her tours highly enough. There is no better way to discover Paris. I've done those group tours before, but never again. If I could give higher than 5 stars for this experience, I would. Read more Written April 18, 2023
• _P5471XX 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Magic Paris It was a wonderful, unforgettable and "delicious" tour. Olga has a fine knowledge of history , architecture and cooking . We walked through the most delicious places in Paris, looked into Catherine Deneuve's favorite confectionery (by the way, we were lucky to see her there). We saw Paris from an unusual side, non-tourist routes, excellent mood that Olga creates, left the most pleasant memories. Read more Written April 17, 2023
• FranComiskey 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Fun French with Olga My sister and I began our one month stay in Paris by taking Olga’s tour “Parisian breakfast & French lesson”. We had fun and learned some French and some French etiquette for restaurant visits. Olga added in history of Paris’ many multigenerational family businesses. Olga is a very professional and personable. Read more Written January 13, 2019
• ewellis 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Fantastic! We see not newcomers to Paris and wanted to go something a little different. So, we set out looking for a walking tour just off the usual tourist path, and Olga exceeded our expectations. Our group of four included my 27 yo son, his uni buddy, my 12 yo niece and myself. Olga successfully organized a day that appealed to everyone. Her interest in food and her knowledge of the city made her the perfect guide. She’s warm and kind, so that by noon we thought of her as our old friend.... I recommend Olga to you without reservation. Read more Written July 22, 2018
• Kes G 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Coffee & conversation It was a privilege to have an enjoyable coffee/breakfast with Olga the day after I arrived to help get my beginner+ French brain going. We met in a cafe off the beaten track not too far from the Opera. As well as some gentle conversation practice, Olga provided a selection of useful ideas, a couple of which I've already started to use, to speed up my improvement. Read more Written June 28, 2018
• CJ M 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Welcome tour for first visit to Paris, so glad we did Olga was a great choice for our first visit to Paris. My mom and I met her at the hotel in Marais and she was just wonderful. She showed us the best places for bread, wine, groceries, etc close to us. We went for a drink and then lunch so she could help us with etiquette and ordering. She was very pleasant and comfortable with us. My mom mentioned several times during our week there that she was so pleased with Olga's tour. I would recommend her to you first timers or for foodies. Read more Written May 19, 2018
• 68lindsayg 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Delicious Paris Our walk around the Marais with Olga was leisurely and memorable - her knowledge of both local food culture and the history of Paris slickly told and detailed. It was a wonderful morning, and Olga must particularly be commended on keeping a slow and relaxed pace with the two tortoises she was showing around! Read more Written May 3, 2018
• Nichole M 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Tour of Le Marais We had a fantastic tour with Olga. She was knowledgeable, showed us very interesting places and stores and kept the kids interested. The speed was just right and allowed us to meander, snack and enjoy the scenery. Thank you Olga! Read more Written April 1, 2018
• TimBarton4 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles A Fantastic Afternoon Olga provides a truly unique experience on her tours. Of course the food is wonderful, but the stories and insights she provides on many of the Marias’ hidden treasures brought our family together and was an incredibly educational experience. She made sure to find something of interest for every member of my family, and I highly recommend spending time with her! Read more Written October 15, 2017
• wanderwonder322 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Wonderful! This was an absolutely wonderful tour! Olga is very knowledge and the tour was joy. It felt like spending the morning with a very knowledgeable friend. The tour was a great balance of history (i learned so much!), food, and a little bit of shopping. Olga even helped us pick out the perfect lunch spot for when the tour was over. This was one of the best tours we have been on, and highlight of our trip to Paris. Thank you, Olga for an amazing morning. Read more Written October 15, 2017
• Kscopeval 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles 30 Year Frienship I recently traveled to Paris with 4 friends to celebrate our 30 yr anniversary as friends. Olga did our tour of the Marais, and we also hired her photographer to chronicle the event. They are some of the only shots we have of the five of us. Olga's love for the Marais, and the mood and feel of the area are very obvious. It was a wonderful tour, and the photo's they got really captured the area and our joy at being there and being on her tour. Read more Written October 8, 2017
• Leslie H 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles We loved the tour Olga took us on a leisurely and very informative tour of the Marais district. Her passion for the history and culture of the area was infectious, and we found her insights fascinating. We tasted delicious dishes and got some inside scoop on places to eat and shop. Olga puts a personal touch on each tour and tailors the day to appeal to the particular interests of her clients. I recommend her highly! Read more Written July 19, 2017
• samanthalopez01 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Best experience in Paris! I travelled to Paris with my mum with only 3 days in Paris. One of these days we spent with Olga and without her we would of not seen half of beautiful Paris. My absolute favourite part was where she took us for croissants and baguettes- the best!! The three of us had a fantastic time; we also had a very friendly and talented photographer who came along and took amazing photos of mum and I which we will cherish these memories forever! Read more Written November 6, 2016
• Jacquie W 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Excellent walking tour We enjoyed an informative and relaxed tour of La Marais. Olga shared her knowledge and love of the area, begining with delicious coffee and baguette from an award winning boulangerie. We then strolled the streets as the history of the district was revealed, all at a very relaxed pace. Together we enjoyed a light lunch before exchanging our au revoirs. Well done Olga. Read more Written September 29, 2016

More to explore in Paris

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Walking Tour with Breakfast: Legends of Old Paris provided by Delicious Paris

Self-Guided Walking Tour of the Marais Neighborhood

 Francisco García Collado / EyeEm / Getty Images

The  Marais  is one of Paris’ oldest and most visually stunning quarters. First developed in the 12th century, the neighborhood, whose name means "swamp" in French and once  was  one, went from being a royal favorite under Henri IV and Louis XIII, to falling into ruin after the French Revolution of 1789 . Since its revival in the 1960s, it has shone as a center of Parisian artistic and cultural life. It has also significantly gentrified, evolving from a mostly working-class and immigrant neighborhood to one of the most affluent and prestigious areas in the city. This, of course, is not to the liking of all, but whatever your stance, it's undoubtedly made it a stunning place to walk around, eat, drink, and lounge.

Tips and Background Information

The Marais is one of the only areas that preserves the narrow streets and architectural styles of Medieval and Renaissance-era Paris . Most of Paris was overhauled in the mid-19th century under the direction of Napoleon III and architect Baron Georges Eugène Haussmann.

The wide, sweeping boulevards and grey, classical-inspired apartments that characterize places like the Champs-Elysées and Montparnasse are the work of Haussmann, who also modernized Paris by installing sewer and water systems. The Marais has a much different flavor. Its dramatic residences or hôtels particuliers , artisan’s boutiques, galleries, lavish squares, and fascinating history are worth reserving at least a half-day of exploration for.

Tips for This Self-Guided Walking Tour

• The tour should take around two to three hours at a moderate pace.
• You can also pick and choose the sights that most interest you and see them in any order. Use our suggestions for eats and drinks to take any needed breaks.
• Make sure to wear comfortable walking shoes and to bring a backpack and reliable city map .
• Rainy days are not ideal for this tour.

The Hôtel de Sens: Medieval Royal Residence

TripSavvy / Taylor McIntyre

First up on this self-guided tour is a look at a little-known, but gorgeous, old medieval residence known as the Hotel de Sens.

Get off at Metro Pont-Marie (line 7), or by exiting at Metro Hôtel de Ville (lines 1 or 11) and walking East up Quai de Hôtel de Ville until you reach Metro Pont-Marie. Turn left on Rue des Nonnains des Hyères. Immediately to your right, you should see the majestic Hôtel de Sens .

The Residence

Stop here for a moment to admire this medieval residence's elegant formal gardens and dramatic design. On a sunny day, sitting on one of the garden benches to contemplate is a real treat.

Interesting Facts

• Built between 1475 and 1519, the medieval residence originally housed the archbishops of Sens, the order of bishops that Paris belonged to during the middle ages.
• The mixed architectural styles visible in the Hôtel de Sens show the transition that occurred between medieval and Renaissance styles over the course of the hôtel's construction.
• Henri IV's ex-wife, Queen Margot, took up residence in 1605. Known for her eccentricity and lavish tastes, Queen Margot pursued many love affairs here. She is even rumored to have collected the hair of her lovers to fashion wigs from them.

Walk through the garden area and turn right around the building to see the main facade of the residence.

• The main facade shows medieval-style turrets and windows and a keep characteristic of fortresses. The arched entryway leads into a courtyard.
• Today, the residence houses an art library.

Remnants of a Medieval Paris Fortress

From the Hôtel de Sens, walk down Rue des Figuiers until it turns into Rue de l'Avé Maria. Turn left onto Rue des Jardins Saint-Paul.

The Fortress

To your left, above the basketball courts, you can see the remnants of the medieval fortress built by King Philippe-Auguste in the 12th century, and whose foundations can be seen at the Louvre . You're now facing the largest remaining section of the enormous wall that once surrounded Paris. It's pretty unassuming, right? It's very easy to overlook this important architectural detail entirely, given how little the city highlights it to passersby.

• The fortress was built by Philippe-August to keep invaders out. It also defined the borders of 12th century Paris. Certain parts of the Marais were excluded from the protection of the king, who banned certain populations, including Jews, from the city.
• Just behind the wall is the famed Lycée Charlemagne. Historical figures such as romantic poet Gerard de Nerval were schooled here.
• If you look down to the far right side of the wall, you can see the remains of two towers, also part of the medieval city.

On the right side of Rue des Jardins Saint-Paul, there are several covered passageways. Go ahead and walk through one of them.

The Saint-Paul Village: Antique Shopping and History

The covered passageways will bring you into a series of quiet, interconnected courtyards known as the Saint-Paul Village.

The Village

Art galleries, fine antiques, food shops, and artisan boutiques selling unique home decorations can be found here. Weekend yard sales are frequent. Take some time to explore.

• A women's monastery built in 630 was once located here.
• In 1360, King Charles V built an official residence, the Hôtel de Saint Pol, here. The site would serve the Parish of the Kings of France for nearly two centuries.
• In 1970, much of the village was still without running water, and serious hygiene problems led to major renovations.
• Today, antique dealers and collectors count the Village Saint-Paul as one of the best spots in Paris for finding treasures of historical importance.

After exploring the village, take one of the right-side exits through the passageways. You should find yourself on a busy street, Rue Saint-Paul. Turn left.

Rue Saint-Paul counts plenty of charming traditional bars, bistros, and sandwich shops. Take a break here if you'd like.

To continue the tour, walk down Rue Saint-Paul until you reach Rue Saint-Antoine.

In 1559, Henri II died here during a tournament when his guard, Montgomery, pierced his eye with a lance.

Saint-Paul-Saint-Louis Church

Turn left and stay on the left side of the street. Walk about a block. You should soon reach the St.Paul-St.-Louis Church , which is located at 99, Rue Saint-Antoine.

• Commissioned by Louis XIII and completed by 1641, the Church is one of the oldest examples of Jesuit architecture in Paris. The Jesuit style features classical elements such as Corinthian pillars and heavy ornamentation.
• The church was inspired by the baroque-style Gesu Church in Rome.
• The current Lycée Charlemagne was once the church convent. In 1763, the Jesuits (a Catholic order prominent during the Renaissance) were expelled from France, and the convent became a school.
• The church features a 195-foot dome. It is best appreciated from the interior because the columns of the three-tiered church facade hide the dome.
• The Cardinal Richelieu gave the church's first mass in 1641.
• The church was pillaged and damaged during the 1789 French Revolution. St.-Paul-Saint-Louis briefly served as a "Temple of Reason" under the Revolutionary government, which banned traditional religion.
• Though many artifacts were stolen from the church during the Revolution, some important works were spared. The most impressive is Delacroix' Christ in the Garden of Olives (1827), which can be seen near the entrance.

Place du Marché Sainte-Catherine

 TripSavvy / Taylor McIntyre

Exit the church and cross Rue Saint-Antoine. Continue walking straight, down Rue de Sévigne. Make a direct right onto Rue d'Ormesson. You should find yourself on a quaint square, la Place du Marché Sainte-Catherine. Yes, there are a lot of saints on this tour.

The Place du Marché Sainte-Catherine is an example of how quaint and village-like the Marais can be, though, during weekends and high tourist season, this is not always the case.

Enjoy the cheerful atmosphere of the square. You may see neighborhood kids bounding about since this is a favorite spot for play.

• Built in the 13th century, in honor of Saint Catherine.
• The buildings surrounding the square are recent, in Parisian terms anyway: they date to the 18th century.
• The square was made pedestrian-only last century. Since then, it has become a favorite spot for laid-back, greenery-enhanced sipping and nibbling. Take an opportunity to do so here, if you'd like.

Hôtel de Sully: Residence Dating to the Renaissance

Go back to Rue Ormesson and walk in the opposite direction from where you first came. Turn right onto Rue de Turenne, then left back on to Rue Saint-Antoine. Walk to #62. You should find yourself at another historical residence, the Hôtel de Sully.

The Hôtel de Sully

Entering the Hôtel de Sully, walk through a reception area to the main courtyard. Here you can observe the neoclassical style characteristic of the residence. Greek-inspired statuary and reliefs abound. Twin sphinxes face each other at the foot of the staircase leading out of the courtyard.

• A former minister of Henri IV, Sully, once resided here.
• The cobblestone-paved front courtyard features a celebrated series of sculptures representing the four elements and the two seasons. Make sure to walk around the courtyard to get a feel for these.
• The Orangerie, or second courtyard, features a classical formal garden and an ornate stone lattice, which you can see on the right side when entering the garden.

Place des Vosges

Walk straight across the Orangerie and head to the right. A passageway should lead you out of the garden and into a covered gallery - part of the magnificent Place des Vosges .

An Unparalleled Square

Place des Vosges is quite arguably Paris' most beautiful square . Walking under the covered galleries leading out from the Hôtel de Sully, notice that they are part of an assembly of 36 red brick and stone pavilions surrounding the majestic, tree-shaded square. The Place des Vosges served as royal stomping grounds for centuries. Today it is a wonderful place to unwind, stroll, and dine.

• The square originally housed the royally-owned Hôtel de Tournelles. Charles VII and Louis XIII both lived at Tournelles.
• In the early 17th century, Henri IV's demands for an opulent residence within the city lead to the construction of the Place des Vosges, then called the Place Royale .
• Celebrated author Victor Hugo lived at #6. The Maison Victor Hugo museum dedicated to the writer of The Hunchback of Notre Dame and Les Misérables is located there today.
• Today, the galleries are occupied by fine art galleries, restaurants that tend toward the pricey, and classical musicians who set up shop and attract large crowds.
• The small park in the center of the square is one of the few places in Paris where you can sit on the grass, but watch out for signs reading pelouse en repos (the lawn is resting!)-- this means you're temporarily not allowed to sprawl out on the grass.

The Rue des Francs-Bourgeois: Popular for Sunday Shopping

TripSavvy / Taylor McIntyre 

Leave the Place des Vosges by walking in the opposite direction from Rue Saint-Antoine and the Hôtel de Sully. Turn left onto Rue des Francs-Bourgeois.

Once a street where artisan weavers worked, Rue des Francs-Bourgeois is still a major center of fashion and design. It is one of the Marais area's most popular shopping districts, and most of the shops are open on Sundays, including some of Paris's top perfume shops such as Diptyque. It also houses some impressive but often overlooked, Renaissance-era buildings. Take some time to browse some of the unique fashion and jewelry boutiques here and to admire the historic residences.

• It was named after the destitute occupants of the "almshouses" that were built here and who were freed from having to pay taxes.
• At the corner of Rue de Sévigné and Rue des Francs Bourgeois is the Hôtel Carnavalet, built in 1548. Today it houses the Museum of the History of Paris, also known as the Musée Carnavalet. This is one of Paris's many free museums, and the permanent collection is memorable. On the Rue des Francs-Bourgeois side, you can peer through the decorated iron gates into the Carnavalet's lavish formal gardens.
• Just across from the Hôtel Carnavalet on Francs-Bourgeois is the Hôtel Lamoignon, built in the late 16th century by Diane of France, daughter of Henri II. Today it houses the Historical Library of the City of Paris. You can visit the courtyard by turning left on Rue Pavée.
• At #29 bis and #31 is the Hôtel d'Albret. It was built in the 16th century and renovated in the 17th century. Today it houses administrative offices for the Cultural Affairs department of Paris.

Continue down Rue des Francs-Bourgeois. You will see other Renaissance-style residences lining the street. Keep on the left side and turn left on Rue Vieille du Temple.

This is the artery of nightlife in the area. Lots of charming, quirky bars and restaurants can be found here.

Rue des Rosiers: Culture and Street Food in the Old Jewish Quarter

Has this tour whetted your appetite? If so, you're in luck: the last stop allows you to taste some delicious traditional treats like falafel and pastries in the old Jewish quarter around the Rue des Rosiers. 

From Rue Vieille du Temple, make a left on a narrow street called Rue des Rosiers. 

Historic Jewish Quarter

Rue des Rosiers is the main thoroughfare of the Marais' historic Jewish quarter . Walking down this street and seeing the facades scrawled in Hebrew and French, many of them dating to the early 20th century, you can sense the rich history here.

• The area is also known as the Pletzl , which means square in Yiddish.
• Large Jewish communities have lived here on and off for centuries, starting in the 13th century, when the area was known as "The Old Jewry." At the constant mercy of kings who periodically expelled them from France, Jews only acquired a measure of stability in the early 19th century, under Napoléon I.
• During WWII, the neighborhood was especially targeted by the Nazi occupation and the collaborationist French police. Many schools in the area attest to that, including one that can be found off of Rue de Rosiers, at 6, Rue des Hospitalières-St.-Gervais. A commemorative plaque stands at the boy's school here. 165 students from this school were deported to concentration camps.
• Today, the street and the surrounding neighborhood is well-known for its delicious Middle Eastern and Yiddish/Eastern European specialties. Now is the time to take a break!

A Guide to the 4th Arrondissement in Paris

Complete Guide to the Place des Vosges

A Self-Guided Tour of Parisian Architecture

The 8 Best Things to Do in the Marais, Paris

9 Places for Jewish History in Paris, From Museums to Memorials

The 7 Best Places for Shopping in Paris

Top 15 Monuments and Historic Sites in Paris

48 Hours in Paris: The Ultimate Itinerary

72 Hours in Paris: What to See in Only Three Days

Place Vendôme in Paris: The Complete Guide

The 8 Most Beautiful Squares in Paris

Most Romantic Places to Go for a Walk in Paris

Guide to the 3rd Arrondissement in Paris

10 Top Things to Do in the Latin Quarter, Paris

The Essential Guide to Alsace, France: What to See & Do

The 10 Most Beautiful Churches and Cathedrals in Paris

Charming & Artistic Montmartre

This fascinating “village” in northern Paris was the home to many famous artists, such as Dali, Picasso, and Van Gogh. Wander the historic, narrow cobbled streets as you ascend to the highest point in Paris.

Take the Montmartre Walking Tour

Small group tours.

Learn the captivating history and stories of famous Parisian sights and residents while strolling through the most beautiful city in the world. Unlike other walking tours, we limit our group sizes to 10 persons to enhance and maximize the guest experience. We invite you to learn about and experience Paris with us!

Eiffel Tower

Built for the Universal Exposition of 1889, this 300 meter high iron structure designed by Gustave Eiffel has become the symbol of Paris and France around the world.

See the Eiffel Tower!

Medieval Marais

Some of the oldest buildings in Paris can be found in the Marais.

Reserve the Marais Tour now!

Pere Lachaise

Oscar Wilde, Edith Piaf, Jim Morrison and many others are buried at this beautiful cemetery in Paris

Visit Pere Lachaise Cemetery!

Historic Passages

One of the most picturesque and interesting passageways can be found in the Latin Quarter.

Take a stroll through history!

Haunted Paris

Discover the ghosts and legends of Paris' past!

Take the Haunted Paris Tour!

Most popular tours.

Versailles Palace Tour 85€

Louvre Masterpieces Tour 50€

Montmartre Tour 20€

Haunted Paris Tour 22€

Père Lachaise Cemetery Tour 20€

Latin Quarter Tour 20€

Marais Tour 20€

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Self Guided Walking Tours of Paris

In this post, you will find a free, self-guided walking tour of the historic heart of Paris, along with a map and a GPS-enabled audio option.

The route includes many locations we cover in our free guided walking tours, so we offer you lots of information based on our knowledge of the history of what you will be seeing in this self-guided tour.

This tour starts on the Left Bank in the Latin Quarter before exploring Île de la Cité and ends at the Louvre Museum.

When you are done with this self-guided tour, why not try our others?

• Right Bank Landmarks
• Latin Quarter
• Père Lachaise Cemetery

Like this one, they come with maps, routes, and in some cases, audio tour versions.

You can use these to discover the city at your own pace or as a preview of what you will see on a live-guided tour, like our free walking tours of Paris .

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SELF-GUIDED TOUR - HEART OF PARIS

The tour starts on the Left Bank in the Latin Quarter, passes through Île de la Cité and ends at the Louvre Museum.

The route is a little less than 3 kilometers (just under 2 miles).

If you'd like to enhance your experience, you might like to use our accompanying GPS-led audio tour , developed and narrated by one of our local tour guides, Andrew.

The audio tour is a more detailed version of the written information below. It costs just 2.99€ per download.

Here is a sample of the tour.

Click on the map to expand or to download it to your phone.

For directions between stops, use the map above or download a PDF version of this tour.

1. Place Saint-Michel

Place Saint-Michel is simple – a triangle between two streets, uniform buildings along both, designed by the same architect, a walk of smooth cobblestone.

The centerpiece is St. Michael defeating a devil; far above them are four statues symbolizing the four cardinal virtues of prudence, fortitude, temperance, and justice.

This monument came to be because of the 1848 Revolution and a cholera epidemic in Paris that followed it which killed thousands.

This idea of abstract concepts given human form had been popular during the Revolution, the big one, representing the kind of big virtues – like the Four Cardinal Virtues – that everyone could strive for, instead of a single human being whose actions and legacy would turn people against each other.

Simultaneous with the creation of Place Saint-Michel, Napoleon III’s renovation brought the Boulevard Saint-Michel into being, and that is the next part of the walk.

2. Boulevard Saint-Michel

The character of the street you’re on – wide-open space lined with trees and long, harmonious buildings, plus, often, a view of some landmark in the distance – was a central part of the renovation plan, or the Haussmann plan, as it’s also known.

Georges-Eugène Hausmann was a Paris technocrat. Aside from health reasons, he also made the case to the parliament that wide streets would help prevent so many revolutions in the future.

Many buildings along this road are fine examples of the French 2nd Empire style.

On the left side of the street, just after Boulinier, a used book store, you’ll see the ruins of ancient Roman-style baths.

This is a preview of the Cluny Museum, which you’ll see from the front soon.

3. The Sorbonne

The Sorbonne, or the University of Paris, has been here since 1150, making it the second oldest university in Europe.

It’s the place where some of the fundamentals of today’s education system – things like doctoral degrees – were first put into practice.

The Sorbonne helped put Paris, and the Latin Quarter, on the map. 

It’s hard to overstate how many big names are connected with this institution, then and since.

Among them are churchmen John Calvin and Thomas Aquinas, scientists Marie and Pierre Curie, writers Voltaire, Balzac, Jean-Paul Sartre, T.S. Eliot, Elie Wiesel, Susan Sontag and so many more.

4. Cluny Museum

This is the Cluny Museum, formerly the Cluny Mansion. The name comes from the Cluny monks to whom it belonged and they were named for the city where they were based.

In 1340, they obtained what was left of the thermal baths you saw earlier and built this structure beside them.

Today, it’s France’s National Museum of the Middle Ages. It’s more an art museum than a history museum, with excellent exhibits on tapestries and stained glass.

Apart from those, the museum also has early medieval art from before the Gothic era – the style called Romanesque – medieval work from the Islamic world and the Byzantine Empire, and some other late, near-Renaissance pieces from the era of the tapestries.

There are also some much older artifacts in that oldest part of the property, the Roman baths. 

It’s open every day but Tuesday from 9:15 am to 5:45 pm. Regular tickets are 5 Euros, sometimes more if there’s a special exhibit going on ( more info ).

However, it’s free for teenagers, EU citizens under 26, and, on the first Sunday of each month, for everyone. It’s also free with a Paris Museum Pass .

5. The Church of Saint-Severin

Pause here for a moment to take in the atmosphere of the medieval city.

Saint-Severin is a 13th-century church, and the Rue Saint-Severin, the road just past it, is from that same era.

Look down to the left and you can imagine the crowdedness of these roads, shared by carts. pedestrians and animals and whatever was thrown from upper windows.

And you can imagine how easy it would be to improvise a barricade across one of these streets if you wanted to.

6. Church of Saint-Julien-le-Pauve

The Church of Saint-Julien-le-Pauve, or St. Julian the Poor, began construction in the 12th century, around the same time as Notre-Dame, and steady changes since have made it a mash-up of styles.

But it started Romanesque, the early medieval style that preceded Gothic, and you can see the heaviness of that style, compared to which Gothic would have seemed so revolutionary.

While it was originally a Roman Catholic church, today it’s used by Melkite Greek Catholics, who are part of an Eastern Catholic community, based in the Middle East.

The square is called the Square Rene Viviani, mostly known for its view of Notre-Dame.

The grounds are littered with big pieces of limestone – in the 19th century when Notre-Dame was renovated and also contains a locust tree believed to be the oldest tree in Paris, about 400 years old.

7. Shakespeare and Company Bookstore

This is the second of two bookstores called Shakespeare and Company, the other stood just southwest of here, and both focused on English language books. 

An American named Sylvia Beach opened it, and as both a bookstore and a lending library, it came to be the haunt of writers and artists, including Gertrude Stein, Ernest Hemingway, and Pablo Picasso.

The bookstore provided more than just a place for future artistic celebrities to meet; it also stocked and eventually published books that were banned back home, including James Joyce’s novel Ulysses.

This Shakespeare and Company was founded by George Whitman, who offered lodging to writers in exchange for volunteer work, and if you step inside, you’ll see some of their beds.

8. Left Bank - Pont au Double

On the quays along the banks of the Seine, Shakespeare and Company has plenty of competition in the bookselling business: bouquinistes , the booksellers who set up shop in little stalls along the river. 

From around the bridge, you can get a few important views. First is the Seine itself. The name Seine comes from Sequana, the name of an ancient river goddess. 

The river is the reason for human interest in this site going back millennia, and the Île de la Cité offered a relatively easy crossing, as well as an opportunity to build low bridges and control traffic up and down the river. 

On the opposite side of the water from here is the Île de la Cité. From here you can see the big picture of the island. 

On the west end, to your left, is the Palais de la Justice, the former site of the royal palace and still home to parts of the French government. 

On the east side, to the right, has been religious turf for even longer – Notre-Dame has stood here since 1163.

Before, there was another Christian cathedral that was likely a Roman temple, and those were sometimes built on sacred sites that were older still. 

Nowadays, there’s not much on the island besides that; Haussmann eliminated most of the residences here.

9. Notre-Dame (Exterior)

This cathedral was started in the 1100s and enhanced with some of its flashiest elements over the next few centuries.

You can see one of those additions: the flying buttresses, those gracefully curved stone supports arrayed along the side of the building. 

The cathedral has 2 beautiful rose windows, both designed in the 13th century, but they were recreated in the 19th century, and they weren’t the only parts of the cathedral added so recently. 

The same is true of much of the stained glass, the spire (now destroyed by the fire), all the gargoyles, and the heads of statues on the western side. 

To help fund that restoration, Victor Hugo penned his novel Notre-Dame de Paris, known in English as The Hunchback of Notre-Dame . 

Looking at the cathedral from the front, you can see an overwhelming number of sculptures and reliefs.

For a time when most attendees were illiterate and didn’t understand the Latin language in which the sermons were given, the church façade itself was the illustrated version of the Bible. 

Over the main western doors, on what’s called the tympanum, is a relief of Judgement Day, with the separation of souls bound for eternal paradise or eternal torment. 

To the left, over the Portal of the Virgin, is a statue of Saint-Denis, who would have needed no introduction for most attendees.

He was beheaded by the Romans for the threat he posed to other religions. 

Now, he’s a patron saint of Paris and he’s also known across the Catholic world as someone to pray for relief from headaches.

In April 2019, a fire led to the collapse of much of the roof and a spire, plus collateral damage from impact, smoke, and water to much of the rest of the building and the artwork inside.

Hundreds of firefighters contained the disaster and kept it from doing more harm. 

The archaeological crypt under the parvis is now open and contains remains of the Roman city, plus models of what Notre-Dame looked like at the various phases of its life.

Tickets are 9€ or for free with a Paris Museum Pass .

Notre-Dame Cathedral's reopening is scheduled for December 8, 2024.

10. Rue de Lutece

Straight ahead, you can see the Palais de la Justice, the next stop.

To your right is the Marché aux Fleurs Reine Elizabeth II, a beautiful, 200-year-old outdoor flower and plant market, operating daily from 9:30 - 19:00 (7 pm).

Lutèce is the French variation of “Lutetia” the ancient Roman name for Paris. The full name was Lutetia Parisiorum – Lutetia of the Parisii. 

The Parisii were the tribe that lived in this area before the Roman conquest, and as you may have guessed, they give the city its modern name.

Though we refer to Roman in this tour, it is Gallo-Roman, to be exact.

The region’s population was the Gauls, a Celtic people, and while they were conquered by the Romans, local culture in the early centuries CE was a fusion of both. 

There’s a limited understanding of the geography of ancient life here – the ancient Gallic city was probably out west in today’s suburbs, and the Roman city, originally on the Left Bank, moved onto the island in the third century to be more easily defended. 

At the end of Rue de Lutèce is Boulevard du Palais, with the massive palace complex on the opposite side of the street.

11. Palais De Justice and Sainte-Chapelle

Altogether, what you see here is the Palais de la Cité. The site has served state functions as far back as being the home of Roman governors in the early years CE.

As for French kings, it was the royal palace until the 14th century, when it moved to various locations across the Seine on the Right Bank, including the Louvre. 

From here you can see Sainte-Chapelle or the Sacred Chapel, easily identified by the tall steeple on the left side of the complex.

As for going inside Sainte-Chapelle, the wait can be long, but you’ll see some of the world’s most impressive stained glass. 

The upper chapel, up a narrow spiral staircase from the entrance and once only accessible by the king and his family, is surrounded by windows, and comprehensive cleaning and restoration completed in 2014 have them in ideal form. 

The lower chapel, the portion originally made for the general population of the palace, has a highly decorated Gothic vaulted ceiling. 

Sainte-Chapelle 's hours are:

• April 1st to September 30th, 9:00 - 19:00 (7 pm)
• October 1st to March 31, 9:00 - 17:00 (5 pm)

Tickets are 13€ per person over 18 years of age; under 18 years old have free admission.

You can also be admitted for free with a Paris Museum Pass .

You can also get a combination ticket with our next stop, La Conciergerie, for 20€, but it’s only available from the La Conciergerie ticket desk; you won’t find it online.

12. La Conciergerie

La Conciergerie is famous as the last residence of Queen Marie Antoinette before she was executed early in the French Revolution. It was also a prison before and after her time. 

La Conciergerie

The royal palace had moved to new locations across the Seine in the 14th century. But some state functions stayed behind here, including part of the French court system. 

In the absence of the king himself, the place was run by a surrogate – a concierge – giving this building its name.

While the Revolution began with the liberation of a prison, the Bastille, it soon took over the palace and found uses for everything there. 

Sainte-Chapelle became storage, the space where the parliament of nobles met became the home of the assembly and the Revolutionary Tribunal, and the prison became... the prison. 

The royalty and their supporters, and eventually all kinds of perceived enemies, were imprisoned, tried, and executed, close to 3,000 of them in this building alone.

The Cell of Marie-Antoinette

In terms of the interior, La Conciergerie is a stark, simple building compared to Sainte-Chapelle, although still majestically Gothic.

Some spaces are set up as they would have looked during the Revolution, including the cell of Marie-Antoinette, which is now a chapel dedicated to her.

Hours : 

• 9:30 - 18:00 (6 pm). Last entry at 17:30 (5:30 pm)
• Early closure on December 24 and January 1 at 17:00 (5 pm)

Lastly, you can purchase a combination ticket that includes La Conciergerie and Sainte-Chapelle for 20€, available from the La Conciergerie ticket desk; you won’t find it online.

There are guided tours (at an additional cost) every day at 11:00 and 15:00 (3 pm) and virtual reality 'histo-pads' available for rental at a modest price. 

At the end of the block, on the corner of the palace, is the first of the palace’s four towers, Tour de l’Horloge.

13. Tour de L'Horloge

Tour de l’Horloge means clock tower, and the clock is hard to miss!

This was the first public clock in Paris, installed in the 14th century, although the decorated face you see now came along a couple of hundred years later and has been restored a few times since. 

The figures on either side are personifications of law and justice – you may be able to see the plaque on the left and the scales on the right. 

The clock face is covered by a small roof.

If you have especially sharp eyes and you look straight up at the underside of that roof, you can see a repeating pattern of intertwined letters: sometimes H and C, for King Henri II and his queen, Catherine de Medici, and sometimes H and M, for King Henri IV and his queen, Marguerite de Valois.

14-15. Place Dauphine

Place Dauphine is another city square, a triangle really; the rows of buildings that border it on the north and south sides slowly converge, leading to the edge of the island. 

Make your way gradually through to that point.

King Henri IV had a son, who would eventually become King Louis XIII, but until he took the throne, he was the Dauphin, or the crown prince. 

Dauphin also means dolphin; a couple of them are featured on the French coat of arms. 

Anyway, during his son’s boyhood, Henri IV converted a private palace garden into a public square and called it Place Dauphine, or Crown Prince Square. 

The buildings have mostly been redone since then; you can get a feel for the original square at the other end, the last buildings where the two sides converge to frame a statue of Henri IV.

16. Pont Neuf

The space where Henri stands is called the Square du Vert Galant, and it’s a relatively new piece of land.

River islands like Île de la Cité naturally build up this way on their downstream side. 

The New Bridge, when it was new at the start of the 1600s, just touched the tip of the island. 

Today, Pont Neuf is the oldest bridge still running across the Seine, and the others have followed its lead.

This one was specifically designed not to have houses on it, so as to offer a view of the Louvre, which is where we’re going next.

17. Quai du Louvre

First, the sights on the Left Bank. 

Directly across the Pont Neuf you can see the Monnaie de Paris, France’s mint, operating for more than a millennium and still producing Euros today.

The building includes a museum on the history of the institution itself and on other money-related matters.

Next to it, you’ll see a wide building with a dome in the middle, the Institut de France.

Founded as a school, this is the home to intellectual institutions like the Académie Française. 

The Academy does many things, including giving life-changing monetary prizes to artists, but it’s best known for promoting a stiff view of what constitutes correct French. 

Crossing the river in front of the Institut de France is another bridge, the Pont des Arts or Bridge of the Arts, named to match with the Louvre, the Palais des Arts or Palace of the Arts.

It’s a pedestrian-only metal bridge commissioned by Napoleon, and the view it offers makes it a popular spot for artists or just souvenir photographers.

There’s a tradition – purely touristic – of attaching locks to the bridge; you’ll endear yourself to Parisians if you decide not to do this.

18. Louvre Museum and Tuileries Gardens

The Louvre used to be a royal palace, and it’s easy to tell. (See our in-depth post on how to visit the Louvre Museum ).

The Louvre remained private after the royalty moved out, and it housed a private collection of art until the Revolution, at which point, in 1793, it was opened to the public.

The open space to the west of the Louvre, centered on a large sculpted hedge, is the Place du Carrousel, and it used to be the location of another royal palace – the Tuileries Palace, destroyed in the late 19th century.

It left behind the arch opposite the Louvre – the Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel, built to celebrate the military victories of Napoleon and to welcome arrivals to that palace. 

Beyond it are a couple of stairways, leading down into the former location of the moat, which contains some sculptures from the old palace. 

And beyond that is the Tuileries Gardens. At one time an exclusive royal garden, this too became public during the Revolution, and it’s another option for the next part of your adventure.

The gardens have a lot to see – it’s a sculpture garden with about 200 pieces, including several by famous French sculptor Auguste Rodin.

The gardens are bigger than the Louvre, so you could easily find yourself walking further in this park than you have through this entire tour so far!

Luckily, there are a couple of cafes around the middle if you need somewhere to rest.

It’s free to enter the gardens and is open every day, with hours changing seasonally.

• January through December 7:30 - 19:30 (7:30 pm)
• June, July and August 7:00 - 23:00 (11:00 pm)
• April, May and September 7:00 - 21:00 (9:00 pm)

At the far end of the gardens is the Jeu de Paume , a contemporary art museum and L'Orangerie museum dedicated to impressionist and post-impressionist paintings.

This magnicient museum is a must-visit in Paris. It's open 9:00 - 18:00 (6 pm) daily, except Tuesdays. Tickets are 12,50€ or free with a Paris Museum Pass .

Beyond these museums are Place de la Concorde and the Champs Élysées, included in our self-guided tour of Paris' Right Bank !

For more ideas in Paris, including things to do in the Latin Quarter, Marais, and Montmartre , check out our website, linked in the notes.

And look for our articles and audio tours about lots of other cities - you’ll find links in the notes for those, too. 

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Free self-guided Marais walking tour, Paris (with map)

Posted on Last updated: February 20, 2024

Explore Paris’ medieval heart with this free self-guided Marais walking tour, featuring this picturesque district’s mansion houses, museums and monumental gardens – with map and directions included.

* This site contains affiliate links , where I get a small commission from purchases at no extra cost to you.

Go back in time with a tour of the Marais, Paris’ medieval quarter. Its name means ‘marsh’ and the area was originally swampland. It became a fashionable residence for royalty and 17th-century aristocrats, but fell out of favour after the French Revolution. Today it’s been restored and gentrified, and has strong Jewish and LGBTQ+ communities.

The Marais mainly escaped Baron Haussman’s modernisation of Paris in the 19th century, so has a different feel to a lot of the city, with narrow cobbled streets, elegant squares and mansion houses. It’s also home to some of Paris’ best museums and galleries. So join us on a self-guided Marais walking tour to discover the area’s historic highlights.

A self-guided walking tour of the Marais

Start your Marais walking tour outside Paris’ Hôtel de Ville. The closest Métro station is Hôtel de Ville (Lines 1 and 11) in the square in front of the building. It’s also less than 10 minutes’ walk from Cité (Line 4) and Châtelet (Lines, 1, 4 7, 11 and 14) stations.

Hôtel de Ville

The Hôtel de Ville is Paris’ city hall and the mayor’s official residence. It was built between 1533 and 1628, and has survived wars, riots and being burnt to the ground by the revolutionary Paris Commune in 1871. It took 19 years to rebuild after the fire, with the exteriors recreating the original design and new, lavish ceremonial rooms inside.

The square in front of the Hôtel de Ville was once used for public executions, with a guillotine set up here during the French Revolution. But today it’s used for less gory public activities, like a festive market at Christmas and a big screen for sports events.

Walk around the back of the Hôtel de Ville , following Rue de Rivoli past the BHV Marais department store. Turn right down Rue de Lobau then left along Place Saint-Gervais. Follow the road to the left of Saint-Gervais church down Rue François Miron.

Rue François Miron

Rue François Miron is one of the oldest streets in Paris, with two medieval half-timbered buildings on the left. The Maison du Faucheur and Maison du Mouton (House of the Reaper and House of Sheep) are named after the occupations of the people who lived there. It’s thought they were built in the 14th century, with the upper floors added later.

In 1607 the façades were covered with plaster to reduce the risk of fire, and were only uncovered in 1967. Many buildings from this period were destroyed during Baron Haussman’s 19th-century redevelopment of Paris, so these two are quite rare.

Turn right at the crossroads following Rue de Jouey, then take the second right down Rue du Figuier and walk as far as the Hôtel de Sens at the end of the street.

Hôtel de Sens and Bibliothèque Forney

With its golden stone archways and turrets, Hôtel de Sens looks like a fairytale castle tucked away in a quiet street in the Marais. It was built in the 15th century for Tristan de Salazar, the Archbishop of Sens, though he died before it was completed.

Look carefully and you can see a cannonball embedded above the entrance, with the date 28 July 1830 below it – dating back to the French Revolution. The Hôtel was later used as a factory and warehouse until the City of Paris took it over and restored it. It’s now home to the Forney Library, with a collection of books on decorative arts and a pretty garden.

Carry straight on, passing Square Marie-Trintignant (where there’s a free public toilet) on your right, then turn left down Rue des Jardins Saint-Paul. Through the archways on your right is the Village Saint-Paul, a collection of art, antique and gift shops set around cobbled courtyards – with a couple of cafés if you want to stop for a drink.

Wall of Philip II Augustus

Between 1190 and 1213, French King Philip Augustus built a great wall around the edge of Paris to protect the city while he was away on the Crusades. Once it was finished it ran for over 5km, stood six to eight metres tall and was three metres thick at the base.

The last of the wall’s gates were knocked down in the 1680s. And although most of the sections of wall left behind have been incorporated into buildings, you can see one of the longest stretches of it on your left, at the end of Rue des Jardins Saint-Paul.

Turn left down Rue Charlemagne then right down narrow Rue du Prévot, which joins onto Rue de Rivoli. Go right and you’ll see a church to your right.

Église Saint-Paul-Saint-Louis

The Church of Saint-Paul-Saint-Louis was the first Baroque church built in Paris, in a change to the usual Gothic style. It was built in 1627 for the Jesuits on the orders of Louis XIII, and was inaugurated by Cardinal Richelieu. But after the Jesuits were banished in 1762 it was used as a warehouse before being restored and used for services again.

Author Victor Hugo’s daughter Leopoldine got married here in 1843, and he donated two fonts to mark the occasion which you can still see today. And when he wrote Les Misérables , he included it as the church where Cosette and Marius get married.

Continue along the main road, which becomes the Rue Saint-Antoine. Then go through the arched doorway on your left which is marked ‘Hôtel de Sully’.

Hôtel de Sully

The Hôtel de Sully is another of the Marais’ impressive mansion houses. It was built in the 17th century for Maximilien de Béthune, Duke of Sully and close friend of King Henri IV. It’s now the headquarters of the Centre des Monuments Nationaux, who manage France’s historic monuments. And although the building isn’t open to the public, you can walk through its courtyards and admire the beautiful façades and courtyard garden.

Walk through the doorway in the far right corner which leads into the Place des Vosges.

Place des Vosges

The Place des Vosges is the oldest planned square in Paris, a perfectly symmetrical space set around a central garden. It was originally known as the Place Royale and was a fashionable place for the nobility to live in the 17th–18th centuries, with its red brick buildings contrasting with the medieval architecture of the Marais.

Former residents include Cardinal Richelieu and Victor Hugo, whose old house in the corner of the square is now the Maison de Victor Hugo museum (free entry, closed Mondays). And underneath the vaulted arches around the square are high-end antique shops, art galleries and cafés where you can stop for a coffee or a glass of wine.

At the opposite side of the square from where you entered it, walk to the west along Rue des Francs Bourgeois and you’ll see the Musée Carnavalet to your right.

Musée Carnavalet

The Musée Carnavalet takes you through the history of Paris, from prehistory to the present day (free entry, closed Mondays). Baron Haussmann had the idea for the museum in 1866, and stored objects and documents at the Hôtel de Ville while the museum was being built – which didn’t work out too well as his collection was destroyed in the 1871 fire.

It’s been rebuilt since, and the museum is now spread across two mansions. There are recreated rooms from different periods in Paris’ history, furniture, paintings and objects including the Hôtel de Ville’s original charred door and a chunk of the Bastille.

From the museum, carry on along Rue des Francs Bourgeois as far as Rue Pavée.

At this point you can take a short diversion to visit the Musée Cognacq–Jay (for 18th-century art and sculpture) or Musée Picasso . Go straight on at the junction and turn right up Rue Elzevir for the Musée Cognacq–Jay. Or walk past that museum and carry on along the Rue de Thorigny for the Musée Picasso.

Otherwise turn left down Rue Pavée, passing La Mouette Rieuse bookshop and café which does a great hot chocolate. Then turn right down the Rue des Rosiers. Look out for the entrance to the Jardin des Rosiers Joseph Migneret on your right, a tranquil community garden. Turn right at the end of the street then left onto Rue des Blancs Manteaux.

Église Notre-Dame des Blancs Manteaux

Go through an unassuming doorway on your left into the Catholic Church of Notre-Dame des Blancs Manteaux (named after the white mantles worn by the monks who founded the original church in 1258). The current Baroque church was built in the 1680s, and has an ornate Bavarian wooden pulpit and 17th-century paintings and sculptures.

Then go straight on and you’ll see the entrance to the National Archives on your right.

Archives Nationales

France has one of the oldest and biggest National Archives in the world. And the documents collected from before the French Revolution are held in two mansions in the Marais – the Hôtel de Soubise and Hôtel de Rohan – which are surrounded by gardens.

The Hôtel de Soubise is where you find the Musée des Archives Nationales (free entry, closed Tuesday). It displays a mix of exhibits from the archive’s collection, which goes all the way back to the first century AD. You can also see the ornate Rococo interiors.

Carry straight on across the junction onto Rue Rambuteau. When you reach a major junction with Rue Beaubourg, the Pompidou Centre will be in front of you. If you do a small diversion to the right here down Impasse Berthaud you can visit the Jardin Anne Frank, a lovely memorial garden with benches and a childrens’ play area.

Centre Pompidou

The Centre National d’Art et de Culture Georges-Pompidou (aka the Pompidou Centre ) is instantly recognisable for its quirky, inside-out architecture, with colourful pipes and escalators outside the building. It was designed by architects Richard Rogers and Renzo Piano and opened in 1977 – taking its name from the president who commissioned it.

Inside there’s the largest collection of modern and contemporary art in Europe, as well as a public library and exhibition space. There is an entry fee for the museum, but it’s free to climb up to the top floor where you get fantastic views out across Paris.

Walk around the side of the Pompidou Centre and finish your Marais walking tour by the colourful Stravinsky Fountain. The nearest Métro station is Rambuteau (Line 11), on the corner of Rue Rambuteau and Rue Beaubourg. Or it’s just a few minutes’ walk along Rue du Renard back to the Hôtel de Ville and its Métro station (Lines 1 and 11).

Self-guided Marais walking tour map

If you’d like to do this Marais walk yourself, click on the map below to access directions through Google maps. The route is around 3.8km (2.4 miles) and takes around an hour to walk straight through, but allow several hours to include stops along the way.

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Johanna Bradley

Tuesday 20th of February 2024

I can tell I missed some interesting things in the Marais from reading your guide, Lucy. If I ever go back...

Lucy Dodsworth

Monday 26th of February 2024

Thanks Jo, and hopefully one day!

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Historic Paris Tour by Walkative!

Overview of the tour in Paris

Ah, Paris, the capital of elegance, chic, love, art, and science. Its architecture and ambiance are truly iconic, and its people are famous for their achievements and... sense of pride. The city rose from its humble beginnings as a marshland settlement, became a Roman colony, and seat off the early Frankish monarchs to finally set trends as the biggest medieval city in Europe. Home to many revolts and societal changes, it evolved as the capital of the free thinkers and... the most famous revolution changing the political landscape of western civilization forever. With its final overdo in the 19th century, its elegant boulevards became a go-to model for many other cities. Today, Paris retains many of its fortes, adding a spice of modernity. All this can get a little overwhelming, so why not have a helping hand while diving in? Talkative will grant you that and much more, with our local guides taking you on a fascinating journey through Paris's most important monuments and histories!

This activity includes:

• Carrousel du Louvre
• Tuileries Garden
• Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris
• Louvre Museum
• Hôtel de Ville
• Sainte-Chapelle
• Conciergerie
• Pont des Arts

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Hotel de Ville, outside the metro at exit 5, next to the Paris tourist office - look for a yellow umbrella!

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Walking in Paris — 5 perfect walks through Paris with maps

By: Author Emily

Posted on Last updated: November 27, 2023

The quaint cobblestone streets, winding alleys and Haussman buildings — the ones with the stone facades and wrought iron railings — that you picture when you think of a Paris postcard are all very much real. Walking through Paris is definitely the best way to explore those scenes.

While Paris is incredibly walkable,  it’s also quite big. To help narrow the scope, we’ve put put together a few walking routes that will guide you through some of the best parts of Paris. In this guide, we’ll explore Paris on foot with the help of five detailed maps.

These walking routes are designed with first-time visitors it mind. They offer a self-guided walking tour through some of the most beautiful neighborhoods, most popular tourist attractions and most charming streets in Paris.

Wander … but within reason

The French have a term — Flâner — which means to wander aimlessly through a city. There’s no similar word in English, and I would argue that’s because we’re bad at it. And by “we,” I guess I mean Americans.

I recently moved to New York and there is no wandering here. Even in Central Park, everyone has somewhere to be. And they’re not just trying to get there , they’re usually working out the next five places they need to be, too.

Neither is inherently better. Simply a difference in speed and lifestyles from two sides of the pond.

But what happens when a New Yorker goes to Paris and all the tips say to wander aimlessly but their Type A brain simply cannot do that? What about the people who want to wander, but within reason?

Enter this post. We’re here for the people who need a little direction more than “Just explore!”

On these maps, we’ve plotted the city’s top attractions, noted some of the most beautiful streets and flagged our favorite stops along the way. But from there, you can amble through nearby alleys, pop into hidden cafes and discover your own favorite spots to really make the journey your own.

We’ve drawn the box but you can color inside and outside the lines however you choose.

Paris walking routes explored in this post

• Arc de Triomphe to Pont de Arts — A must-do for first time visitors
• Latin Quarter & the isles — A balance of city energy and quiet streets
• Le Marais — A trendy neighborhood in a historic setting
• Montmartre — A beloved and beautiful art district on a hill with great views
• Eiffel Tower & the Seine — A charming walk through a Paris postcard

Arc de Triomphe to Pont de Arts Walking Guide

This is my favorite way to start a trip to Paris. Whether this is your first time in Paris or you’re a repeat visitor, this walk is a great way see many of Paris’ iconic sights in one long stretch. It features the city’s most famous boulevard, a beautiful park, iconic views and shopping galore.

This walking route in full is about 3 miles. If you were walking straight through, it would take about an hour. We don’t recommend that, though. There are so many things you can see and do along this walk that you could easily fill an entire day if you wanted.

Arc de Triomphe

Champs-élysées.

• Tuileries Gardens
• Pont de Arts

A few quick tips for using this map.

• To view the map in Google Maps, click the expand icon on the top right corner.
• Click the star icon to save the map to your Google account for later.
• To access the map next time, open Google Maps > click the Saved tab > click Maps.

Tips for this walk

• Don’t start too early. Most of the stores at the start of this walk don’t open until 10 or 11 AM. Take some time to enjoy breakfast and coffee before you head out for the day.
• Book tickets in advance. If you want to visit the top of the Arc de Triomphe or go inside the Louvre , it’s best to book a timed ticket in advance. Popular dates and times can book up days in advance.
• The Louvre deserves an entire day . That said, if you’d like to go inside the Louvre we’d recommend doing it on a different day and arrive when they open if possible. It’s a huge museum and it gets very crowded, especially in the afternoon. On this walk, we recommend just stopping by the pyramid and maybe the shops below.
• Eat along the way. There are plenty of cafes and street food vendors along this route. I don’t specifically call out many throughout this post because there are options everywhere. I’d personally recommend picking up small bites everytime you pass something yummy, like a crepe from a street vendor in Champs-Élysées Gardens, an appetizer at a bar off Saint-Honoré and ice cream in Tuileries Garden.

The view from the top of the Arc de Triomphe

Self-guided walk from Arc de Triomphe to Pont de Arts

This walk begins at Arc de Triomphe. The best way to get there will usually be by train, but it may vary based on your exact hotel location. The nearest Metro strops are Kléber station which serves the 6 train and  George V or Argentine which serves the 1 train.

Arc de Triomphe is located in the center of a busy traffic circle. Do not attempt to walk to the monument from street level. There is a pedestrian tunnel with access points (marked in yellow below) on Champs-Élysées and Grande Armée streets that will lead you to the base of the Arc de Triomphe. This is where the entrance to the monument is located, but you can also visit the base at street level for free.

You can go inside and to the top of the Arc de Triomphe. Timed entry tickets are required and cost €13 for adults. Everyone under 18 is free. The views from the top are incredible and it’s a great alternative to going to the top of the Eiffel Tower .

Even if you aren’t going inside the moment, it’s still worth seeing it from the street. The best views are on Champs-Élysées, which is convenient because that’s where we’re heading next.

One of the most famous, most filmed and most beautiful streets in Paris is Champs-Élysées. It’s akin to Michigan Avenue in Chicago, Oxford Street in London and Fifth Avenue in New York.

The street is lined with trees, which are stunning all the time but even more so in autumn and Christmastime. There’s tons of shops and stores, ranging from Zara to Louis Vuitton. Whether you’re shopping or window shopping, you are likely to be dazzled along the way.

Some of my favorite shops along Champs-Élysées are:

• Disney Store: They have always have a line up of Paris-specific Disney merchandise and lots of toys that kids will love to look at (and ask for).
• Galeries Lafayette: This is a great indoor mall to warm up in the winter or cool off in the summer.
• Nike House of Innovation: This store is a fusion of Nike Store and science museum. It’s a fun stop for the athlete and/or toddlers in your family.
• Ladurée : This pastry shop is famous for their macarons. They have many locations all over Paris (and the world). This location has a full sit-down restaurant (reservations recommended), but they also have a separate line to get treats to go.

Champs-Élysées Gardens

At the south-east end of Champs-Élysées, the shops give way to a garden. It’s lovely to walk thought, but it’s not the best for siting and staying awhile. (We’ve got an even more beautiful garden coming up in a bit.)

There are several theaters throughout the gardens. Along the way, you’ll also pass the Grand Palais and Petit Palais (museums) and Élysée Palace (official residence of the French president).

At the end of the garden you’ll run into Place de la Concorde. The plaza is basically a really busy traffic intersection with an Egyptian obelisk in the center. My recommendation? Skip it. Instead, turn left on Rue Royale and walk a block to Rue Saint-Honoré.

Rue Saint-Honoré

This street is your high-end fashion street. Designer brands like Hermès, Versace, Fendi and Christian Louboutin all have storefronts on Rue Saint-Honoré between Avenue de Marigny and where the street ends near the Louvre.

Even if $1,500 shoes are out of your budget, the window shopping alone is worth even a short stroll down this street. Plus, like I said, a detour down this street is better than crossing the traffic puzzle at Place de la Concorde.

If you’re looking to wander, this is a good area to do it. There are lots of side streets in this area that lead to unique shops, fancy hotels and swanky cafes and bars.

One of the most famous stops around here is Angelina, which is famous for their decadent hot chocolate. It’s a high-end, sit-down restaurant though, so dress accordingly. Because it’s so famous, reservations are recommend because they get very crowded. (Be sure to book early, too. They book up well over a month in advance.)

There’s also several places for fancy cocktails in cozy, immaculately decorated bars. Some of the most popular picks in the area are Bar Hemingway (inside the Ritz Paris), Bar 8 (inside the Mandarin Oriental) and Harry’s New York.

I buy designer things so infrequently that I take photos marking it as a life event

Tuileries Garden

After some shopping and maybe some light day-drinking, cut back to Tuileries Garden. This is one of the most beautiful gardens in Paris. If you were looking for a green space to relax, maybe have a picnic or let the kids play for a bit, this is the spot. (By the way, if you’re visiting Paris with kids be sure to check out this post for all our best tips.)

You don’t have to walk down every pathway in the park, but try a few different ones! You’ll find outdoor cafes, several ponds and fountains, and interesting sculptures. The grounds are immaculately landscaped with beautiful trees, flowers and bushes which really shine in the spring and fall. There’s also a great playground, which the kids will love.

At the southeastern end of the garden, you’ll run into what looks like the Arc de Triomphe. Don’t worry. You didn’t find a wormhole and travel back two miles to where you started your day. This is a second and slightly smaller monument called Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel, and it was designed at the same time as the Arc de Triomphe.

Louvre Museum

Just beyond Tuileries Gardens is the world famous Louvre art museum. The iconic glass pyramid is in an open plaza above the entrance to the museum. The plaza is a popular place for photos, souvenir shopping from street vendors, and just general relaxing with a view.

Below the plaza is Carrousel du Louvre, which is an indoor shopping mall with a food court. To get down there, look for one of the stairways around the edge of the plaza. A lot of people don’t know is that there’s also an inverted glass pyramid below ground, and this is where you’ll find it. Pretty cool!

Now, if you’re planning to visit the museum, you could certainly do that in the afternoon after making this walk. Alternatively, you could flip this walk and start at the Louvre and do the rest in reverse order. However, we don’t think it’s worth trying to smoosh the Louvre into an otherwise busy day.

The Louvre is gigantic and it’s hard to see everything even with a full day. If you want to go inside, we recommend getting the earliest entry time you can and spending a relaxing, long day there.

Pont des Arts

Exit the Louvre and head towards the Seine. Look for the Pont des Arts pedestrian bridge. It’s between Pont du Carrousel (a car traffic bridge) and Île de la Cité (an island in the middle of the river).

The bridge offers excellent views all around. You can see the Eiffel Tower in one direction and Pont Neuf on the either. There are benches along the way to relax after a long day.

If you’re heading home after Pont des Arts, the nearest Metro stop is Pont Neuf, which serves the 7 train.

View of Pont Neuf from Pont des Arts

Continue your Journey

• Peruse used books and art prints at the bouquinistes, the iconic green box stalls along the Seine
• Enjoy a meal or a coffee at a classic cafe in Saint Germain, maybe Café de Flore or Les Deux Magots
• Start your next walk through Latin Quarter & the isles

Latin Quarter & the isles Walking Tour

The Latin Quarter is one of the oldest neighborhoods in Paris, dating back more than 2,000 years. It has winding streets and tiny alleys that are filled with lively cafes, very old buildings and bookshops galore. It’s a mesh of tourist traps and authentic history, dotted with museums and gardens for good measure. The district is home to Sorbonne University, and the student population keeps the area young.

The isles refer to Île de la Cité and Île Saint-Louis, which are literal islands in the middle of the Siene. They comprise quaint shopping streets, famous churches and maybe the best ice cream in Paris. It’s a bit quieter than the banks on either side, but they’re delightful neighborhoods for a stroll.

This walk isn’t short and clocks in at just under 4 miles. But with breaks for meals and coffee along the way, it actually fills a day quite nicely.

• Shakespeare & Company

Île Saint-Louis

Rue Mouffetard

Luxembourg Gardens

As a reminder, here are some quick tips for using this map.

• Plan this walk on a Saturday . In order to feel the energy of this area, you want to visit when it’s got some life to it and that’s typically the weekend. The Rue Mouffetard market closes on Sunday afternoon, which is why we suggest Saturday specifically. Do note that many places are closed on Mondays.
• Bring cash (Euros) . Most restaurants and cafes in this area will take credit cards, but most street vendors don’t. Cash will be helpful for other odds and end purchases too, like renting a tiny sail boat to float around the pond in Luxembourg Gardens.
• The gardens are best in the summer. During the summer months, the gardens in Paris are alive . Not only are they the most beautiful during that time, but they’re also a social hub for tourists and locals alike. In the later fall and winter months, they can feel quite desolate.
• If you have little ones, split this walk over two days. This is a long walk and will wipe out most adults. I originally planned this walk with our toddler, but they totally crashed half way through. If you’re co-travellers have little legs, make this one a two-day journey.
• Skip Jardin des Plantes if you have to. If this walk is too long or you’re short on time and have to cut something, cut Jardin des Plantes. It’s out of the way and not a must see, so it’s a good way to shorten this day up a bit. That might mean skipping Rue Mouffetard, too.

Self-guided walk through Latin Quarter & the isles

This walk begins at at Pont Neuf, which is a famous bridge that passes through Île de la Cité. Ideally you would take the 7 train and get off at Pont Neuf. However, depending on where you’re staying, you could also take the 4 or 10 trains to Odéon. From there you could walk back to Pont Neuf or just skip the bridge and head straight to Fontaine Saint-Michel.

If you walked across Pont des Arts pedestrian bridge as part of the previous walking route, you’ll have already gotten a great view of Pont Neuf.

This stone bridge was first opened for use in 1604 and is the oldest bridge over the Seine that’s still in use today. There are 381 stone masks, or mascarons, carved into the bridge which represent mythical divinities. There’s also a large statue of Henry IV where the bridge crosses Île de la Cité.

After crossing the bridge to the Left Bank, walk along the south side of the Seine. Peek at the many bouquinistes, which are the little shop stalls in the green boxes. They sell art prints, books, little souvenirs and other odds and ends. It’s hard to believe something so cute and notoriously French actually exists in real life.

Fontaine Saint-Michel

In a couple blocks you’ll come to a second bridge, Pont Saint-Michel. Turn right (away from the Seine) and you’ll run into Fontaine Saint-Michele.

This is a stone fountain in a square, which was constructed in 1860. The square around it is often bustling with tourists passing through. There’s not much seating, so people will sit along the base of the fountain itself. You can usually see a street musician or dance troupe performing in front of it.

You don’t need to stay long here, but it’s a great entry point to the Latin Quarter.

Rue de la Huchette

Just across Boulevard Saint-Michele from the fountain is Rue de la Huchette. This two block street is one of the oldest in Paris. It’s famous for having the highest concentration of restaurants in the city — none of them particularly good.

The tiny pedestrian street is cramped with souvenir shops, pubs and creperies. Lining the street are many old buildings with their own stories to tell. One dates back to the 1600s. Another is said to have been a residence of Napoleon Bonaparte.

The street is very touristy, but that’s okay! Most people reading this are tourists and you shouldn’t feel bad about doing popular things. Get a Nutella crepe and let yourself go.

While you’re in this area, it’s a good time explore some of the side streets. I’d recommend popping south a few blocks to the The Abbey Bookshop.

Shakespeare and Company

Just past the end of Rue de la Huchette is Shakespeare and Company. The bookstore opened in 1951 and quickly became a literary beacon for English writers in Paris. Today, there’s often a line out the door to get into the cramped bookshop.

Fun story. The owner, inspired by his own experience with the kindness of strangers, always allowed creatives to sleep for free in the book shop. The invitation was open to writers, artists and other intellectuals, and there were three rules. Each guest had to read a book a day, help the shopkeep for a couple hours, and write a one-page autobiography. Today, thousands of biographies have been collected and archived in the shop.

You should actually read the history of the founder and the bookshop, which is told much more eloquently here .

Attached to the bookstore is a cafe by the same name. I can’t come to Paris and not stop here for a cappuccino and this Paris institution.

Right across the river from Shakespeare & Company is Notre Dame cathedral.

I have been to almost 50 countries and have visited houses of worship in all of them. Nothing hit me quite like walking into Notre Dame on my first visit in 2017. I know that’s probably the most cliche favorite church to have, but it’s mine.

Unfortunately, the inside of Notre Dame is still closed after a fire in 2019 burned much of the cathedral. You can still access the courtyard in front of it and see the church and the famous gargoyles from the outside.

Pass around the back of Notre Dame and cross over Pont Saint-Louis onto Île Saint-Louis. Step onto the island and you’ll feel like you’ve gone back in time and maybe teleported to a small French village. It’s quaint and quiet, but don’t read that as boring. There are darling boutiques, amazing restaurants and somehow less crowds than the rest of Paris.

Focus your attention on Rue Saint-Louis en l’Île, the main street that runs through the heart of the island. In a few blocks you’ll hit Berthillon ice cream shop. People argue it’s the best ice cream in all of Paris. The shop’s been around and run by the same family since the 1950s. I must confess, we haven’t actually tried it! The timing just didn’t work out for us, but it’s on our bucket list for sure.

When you’re done exploring the island, cross back to the Left Bank via Pont de la Tournelle or Pont de Sully.

Tino Rossi Garden & Jardin des Plantes

Now it’s time to relax with a bit of nature. The next part of this walk starts at Tino Rossi Garden. It’s a wonderful transition from the bustle of the city to the serenity of Jardin des Plantes.

Jardin des Plantes is a huge botanical garden. About half the garden space is a ticked zoo, which costs €10-13 per person. For the sake of time during this busy day though, we’d suggest skipping the zoo. Instead, follow the paths that cuts straight through the southern portion of the gardens.

Now we’re back to shopping and eating. After Jardin des Plantes, head toward Square Saint-Médard. There are a few ways to get there and any will work. This square has an open air market which is open most days except Sunday afternoon and Monday.

After the market, head north on Rue Mouffetard. The street is so charming and beautiful, from the shops to the buildings themselves. It’s another one of the oldest streets in Paris and its said to have been the main inspiration for Victor Hugo when he wrote Les Miserables.

When Rue Mouffetard hits Rue Clovis, turn left and head to Luxembourg Gardens. Be sure to take note of the Pantheon as you pass by. This is also a popular attraction to visit, but this long walk doesn’t leave time to go inside.

Luxembourg Gardens is my favorite park in all of Paris. In the summer, the flowers are stunning, while in the fall the changing leaves steal the show. Take some time wandering through the gardens, but be sure to take some time to sit near the pond in front of Luxembourg Palace.

In the summer, there’s a small stand near the pond where you can rent wooden boats to sail on the pond in the summer. Theres a great story about the boats, which you can read here .

• Visit the observation deck at Montparnasse Tower and enjoy a cocktail on the roof with views of the entire city at sunset
• Continuing your shopping spree on Boulevard Saint-Germain
• Get a glass of wine at a charming local bar like Chez Georges or Compagnie des Vins Surnaturels
• Start your next walk through Le Marais

Le Marais Walking Guide

The Marais has so much personality. It’s historic but trendy. Religious but LGBT friendly. Urban but quaint.

My desire to explore Le Marais is what inspired me to write this entire post. Everything I read about the neighborhood said “just go and walk around” or “it’s a great place to get lost.” I do not do well with these types of directions. I always end up on the wrong streets and wasting time in places that honestly aren’t that great.

So if you also want to explore Le Marais, but want to know just where to explore, I’ve got you covered. This route passes through some of the main shopping streets, landmarks and squares in the heart of Le Marais. With some basic landmarks flagged, you’ll feel empowered to take a few extra turns along the way as you Flâner .

Saint-Jacques Tower

Rue de rivoli, place des vosges, jewish quarter, marché des enfants rouges, square du temple.

• Get coffee first. Not far from start of this walk is Motors Coffee. It’s a great coffee shop with killer banana Nutella bread. Start here.
• Start in the afternoon . This neighborhood is slow to wake up. Come in the afternoon for the best energy. It’s also a good place to be in the evening, as there’s a wide array of bars and restaurants.
• Consider a guided tour . There’s a lot of really deep and interesting history in Le Marais. If you’re into that sort of thing, there are several free walking tours through the area, like this one .
• Wander within reason . I’ve noted the high streets and notable sights on this map, but I’ve also noted a larger general area that represents the heart of Le Marais. If you have time and interest, wandering down any of these streets will serve you well.

Self-guided walk through Le Marais

This walking tour begins at Saint-Jacques Tower. To get there by train, take the 1, 4, 7, 11 or 14 trains to Châtelet station.

The tower you see today is all that remains of a 16th century church that was destroyed during the French Revolution. For €12, you can climb 300 steps to the top of the tower. It’s usually not too crowded. The tower is only open Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 10 AM – 6 PM.

Even if you don’t go inside, the tower is beautiful to look at and surrounded by a lovely and quaint garden. There’s a small playground on one side for children, too.

Continue east down Rue de Rivoli. This is a one of the mail thoroughfares that cut through Le Marais and it’s lined with lots of big-box and thrift stores and also restaurants. There are lots of cool buildings along the way, including one you literally can’t miss, Hôtel de Ville. This massive building primarily serves as a government building, but they do occasionally have public exhibitions and guided tours.

Consider a detour off this main street to see Saint-Gervais church, Rue des Barres or Mémorial de la Shoah holocaust memorial. There are cute boutiques and some really interesting, really old buildings in this area.

Try to make it back to Rue de Rivoli by Saint Paul Station. If you have little ones, there’s a small carousel ride that might quickly become their favorite thing about their Paris trip.

Next up is the main square in Les Marais, Place des Vosges. It’s a perfectly square park that even has square trees! It’s a popular square that’s great people watching and relaxing.

Many reviews I read said that Place des Vosges was too crowded and to seek out less popular squares like Place Sainte-Catherine. I disagree. I think the energy at Place des Vosges is why you should go there.

Exit the park onto Rue des Francs Bourgeois, which another main shopping street. This one is features more high end designers and boutiques like Maje and Ted Baker.

Turn left onto Rue Pavée and then right on Rue des Rosiers and you’ll have found the soul of the Jewish Quarter. This short street is filled with jewish restaurants, bookshops and synagogues. There is so much history in this area if you know where to look. I’d highly recommend this article which talks about the history in much more depth.

If you’re hungry, this is a good place to pick up some falafel. L’As du Fallafel is the most popular pick.

Rue Vieille du Temple

Rue des Rosiers and the Jewish quarter ends at Rue Vieille du Temple. This is another photogenic shopping street with high-end boutiques and charming cafes.

Some of the cutest portions of this street are actually to the left between the Jewish Quarter and Rue de Rivoli. If you have time, walk a few blocks out of your way through that section. Alternatively, you can just turn right and head north right off the bat for an abridged version of this street.

When you run into a large 6-way interchange, turn left onto Rue de Bretagne. This street will lead you to Marché des Enfants Rouges, the oldest food market in Paris.

This market has vendors selling fresh produce and meats, but also full restaurants with bar and table service. It’s a popular place to get a meal in a unique setting.

Personally, this market didn’t do it for me. It was smaller than I expected (much smaller than Borough Market , which is what I was picturing) and nothing really stood out to me to try (granted, I’m a vegetarian). Instead of waiting for a table at the cramped restaurants, we walked a bit up the road and got pizza at a cafe. (Also uninspired, I know, but at least we were comfortable.)

Round out your time in Le Marais with a visit to Square du Temple. It’s a beautiful garden with a memorial to Elie Wlesel, playground and pond.

We actually had to cut our day a little short and didn’t make it all the way here, but I’d prioritize it next time.

• Visit a museum such as the National Archives Museum, Picasso Museum or the Museum of the Art and History of Judaism.
• Get cocktails! This area is known for it’s nightlife, but even an early drink in the area is fun. Try Candelaria (speakeasy) or read this list for best bars in the area.
• Head over La Coulée Verte Paris, an elevated garden on an old train line (similar in concept to the High Line in New York City)
• Start your next walk through Montmartre

Montmartre Walking Guide

Montmartre is often people’s favorite place in Paris and with good reason. It has winding cobble stone streets, artists painting portraits, views over most of Paris, and it’s literally topped off with a breathtaking basilica.

This is another area that can get a bad rap for being “too touristy,” but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t go. This walking route will guide you through the main areas of the neighborhood, which yes, includes the tourist attractions along the way.

Montmartre isn’t just about the attractions, though. The best way to enjoy the area is simply to spend time there. By that I mean sit on the steps for awhile. Plan to get a meal at a street-side cafe. Go into the shops and stores. If you’re just checking off sights, the neighborhood will just pass you by.

For that reason, this walk is much shorter in distance than the first three. It’s just over a mile. The neighborhood isn’t that big, so even if you wander off the path, which is encouraged, you still won’t be covering too much distance. This walk can be covered in about half a day.

Montmartre Funicular

Sacré-cœur, place du tertre, rue de l’abreuvoir, le bateau-lavoir, moulin rouge.

• Dine at a charming cafe. Montmartre is dripping with Instagrammable cafes. Le Consulat, La Maison Rose, La Taverne de Montmartre and Le Potager are all highly rated and beautiful restaurants in the area.
• Take a mini Picasso tour . The renowned painter Pueblo Picasso lived and painted in Montmartre for many years. You can see his house, studio and favorite spots in the neighborhood. Here’s a great guide that details the history and exact locations of all things Picasso in Montmartre.
• Come during different times on different trips . During your first trip to Paris, I’d suggest visiting in the early afternoon when it’s the most busy, but then try different times during subsequent visits. Come in the evening and watch the sunset from the steps of Square Louise Michel. If you want to get a portrait, come around 11 when they set up for the best pick of artists.
• Plan your route wisely. If you look at Google maps, it’s easy to feel like you can move around the district pretty quickly. Be warned! The neighborhood of Montmartre has a huge hill in the middle, which is what Sacré-Cœur sits atop. I’d suggest taking the funicular up, seeing everything at the top at once, then working your way down as you explore the rest of the neighborhood.

Self-guided walk through Montmartre

This route begins in the center of the Montmartre neighborhood at the Abbesses subway station, which serves the 12 train. Alternatively, you could take the 2 train to Pigalle station and walk up Rue des Martyrs to Rue Yvonne le Tac.

Walk along Rue Yvonne le Tac and then Rue Tardieu till you reach the base of Square Louise Michel. Just about everyone will be making the same walk between Abbesses and the square, so the street is always lively.

A funicular is a type of cable-based train that is usually used on very steep hills, and Montmartre has one. There are several different stair cases that lead up the hill, including the notable steps up Square Louise Michel, but the funicular is the easiest way to get to the top.

The base of the Montmartre funicular is located here in the southwest corner of Square Louise Michel. You can use a Paris Metro travel card or single ride ticket to ride the funicular. There is a ticket kiosk near the entrance to the funicular where you can purchase a ticket if you don’t already have one. You cannot tap to pay with a credit card on Paris Metro transportation, including the funicular.

It’s a short trip to the top and a car departs every few minutes. The funicular just makes one stop, which is at the top of the hill here . When you exit, turn right and you’re just steps away from Sacré-Cœur.

Sacré-Cœur is the basilica at the top of Montmartre. The church was consecrated in 1919. It was initially proposed as a way for France to seek religious redemption for kidnapping the pope under Napoleon. (You can read about that wild story here .)

Sacré-Cœur is free to enter and is open daily from 6:30 AM – 10:30 PM. Inside there are several statues, stained glass windows, and an immaculate pipe organ built by the same person who built the organ for Notre Dame. The organ is played on Sundays during mass and evening prayer at 4PM. For a small fee — for which they accept credit cards or cash — you can light a prayer candle inside the church.

You can also go to the top of the dome at Sacré-Cœur. The dome is open everyday from 10:30 AM – 5:30 PM and costs €7 for adults. There is no elevator to the top, so you’ll need to be able to climb 300 steps. I’ve never actually been to the top of the dome because the views from the ground are so good.

Square Louise Michel

The basilica sits at the top of Square Louise Michel. Before you continue with this walk, take a short break on the steps here and enjoy the view.

The square is lined with steps which are always filled with people enjoying the sweeping views of Paris. There’s often street performers and hawkers selling beers right from the cardboard case. The cops will always come and shut them down, but they always come right back. It’s a fun dance.

This is one of my favorite views in Paris. It’s also a great place to see the sun set if you’re here in the evening.

Pass the church and make your way to Place du Tertre. The small streets along the way have lots of souvenir shops, food vendors like creperies and ice cream shops, and a couple small art galleries. I’d suggest walking, but there’s also a cute little train that you can take.

Place du Tertre has capitalized on the artsy past of this neighborhood. Today it’s filled with artist painting portraits and selling their work. The outside of the square is all open-air cafes filled with people sipping wine and people watching.

If you’re looking to get a portrait drawn, come around 11 when they’re setting up. The best artists can get lines quickly. If you’re just coming to observe, come in the afternoon when it’s the most crowded.

Leave (some of) the crowds behind and make your way down to Rue de l’Abreuvoir. This means taking a steep walk down the hill on Rue des Saules until you see the unmissable pink and green La Maison Rose restaurant.

If you go straight past it, you’ll actually see Clos Montmartre. It’s the oldest operating vineyard in Paris; not something you’d expect to find in the middle of a city. It is not typically open to the public (minus a few special tours throughout the year), but you can see the vines from the street.

Back at our pink restaurant, though, turn onto Rue de l’Abreuvoir.

This street is beautiful. There are stone walls dripping with ivy, charming Parisian buildings and cobblestone sidewalks. It’s a delightful stroll and photographer’s dream. It’s a short street and it ends at the statue of the boobs (aka Buste de Dalida).

Just around the corner you’ll hit Square Suzanne Buisson. If you need a break and/or if the kids want to play, make a pit stop here. It’s a small square, but it’s a good respite.

Next, make your way toward Place Émile Goudeau. The route in my map above will take you down a tiny alley, which may feel like the wrong way but isn’t. Just keep going and you’ll soon hit the cobblestone square.

The square looks out onto Le Bateau-Lavoir, which was the studio rented by Picasso when he moved to Paris. The original studio was destroyed, and the building today is the the renovated version. To this day, the building serves as an artists’ residence. It is not open for tours.

Even if you are not interested in art history, it’s still a cool place to say you’ve been. And at the very least, it’s a good signpost on your journey through the neighborhood.

Rue des Abbesses

As your Montmartre walking tour comes to an end, make your way back to the main street of Rue des Abbesses. You should arrive on the street not far from where you started at the train station. This time you’re going to go the other way. This section of the street has — you guessed it — shops and restaurants.

This stretch feels a bit less touristy than the other direction and is more practical stores versus souvenir shops. It’s a good place to get an ice cream or a glass of wine. Otherwise, this walk can probably be done briskly as you’re out of the more classical Montmartre area at this point.

While you’re in the area, it’s worth it to finish your day at Moulin Rouge. Yes, that Moulin Rouge.

The venue has been hosting shows and performances since 1889, and today operates as a dinner theater. For about €200 a person, you can enjoy a full meal and performance at this iconic theater.

Even if you don’t go inside, it’s worth it to see the marquee and legendary red windmill. There is a median in the middle of street where you can safely stand and take photos.

• Continue exploring Clichy Street, which is famous for its countless sex shops
• Walk over the suspension bridge at Parc des Buttes-Chaumont. To get there, take the 2 train from Blanche station across from Moulin Rouge to Colonel Fabien and then walk about 10 minutes to the park.
• Get cocktails at Lulu White, voted one of the best cocktail bars on Paris .
• Start your next walk around the Eiffel Tower

Eiffel Tower & the Seine Walking Guide

We’ve made it to the Eiffel Tower, and this walk is truly all about the Iron Lady. This section focuses on getting to the Eiffel Tower and enjoying all the best views of it. It’s a good idea to pair this walk with your visit to the Eiffel Tower, otherwise you may find portions of this walk redundant.

Technically, this walk in full is about 4 miles. That said, you can certainly make it much shorter by cutting down the portions on Rue Saint-Dominique and/or along the Seine.

Rue Saint-Dominique

Champ de mars, eiffel tower, trocadéro gardens, pont alexandre iii.

• Have a plan for getting Eiffel Tower tickets . If you’d like to go up into the Eiffel Tower in the afternoon or evening, be sure to book your ticket in advance. Tickets go on sale 60 days in advance and book up quick, especially for the summit. Otherwise, plan to arrive 15 to 30 minutes before the tower opens in the morning to beat the crowns.
• Start at Bleu Olive . This coffee shop is conveniently located near the start of Rue Cler. It’s a good option for breakfast to begin your day or for a coffee to take with you. Note: they’re closed on Sundays and don’t open till 10 AM on Saturday.
• Avoid Mondays. Many stores are closed on Mondays, which will make parts of this walk less fun.
• Take this walk in reverse . The walk along the Right Bank (north side) of the Seine offers stunning views of the Eiffel Tower. If you flip this route, you’ll be approaching the Eiffel tower and can enjoy the view the whole time.
• Bring a blanket. If you have a small packable picnic blanket , bring it on this walk. It’ll be nice to have if you spend time sitting on the grass at Trocadéro Gardens.
• Enjoy this walk in the evening . If you start around 2 or 3 PM (Tuesday – Saturday), you’ll enjoy a bustling market on Rue Cler and a lovely early evening at the Eiffel Tower. Watch the sun set from Trocadéro Gardens and then enjoy the City of Light by night as you walk along the Seine. Perfection.

Self-guided walk around the Eiffel Tower

The best place to start this walk is the La Tour-Maubourg station which serves the 8 train. If that’s not convenient, you can also take the 13 train to Varenne station. Head west on Rue de Grenelle until you reach Rue Cler.

Rue Cler is often said to be the most beautiful street in Paris. The market street is only one block long, but it’s jam packed with shops selling the freshest produce, local meat, French cheese, wine, pastries and more. It’s like it was made to build the perfect picnic basket to take to Champ de Mars.

Tuesday through Saturday the shops are open from 8 or 9 AM till about 7 PM. The market is only open until 2 PM on Sundays and nearly all the shops are closed on Mondays.

At the end of Rue Cler you’ll hit Rue Saint-Dominique. This street is lined with traditional Hausmann buildings, which is probably what you picture when you think of Paris. It’s a popular shopping street with Eiffel Tower views.

Most of the shopping is to your right, but the Eiffel tower is to your left. If you really are not interested in shopping or are pressed for time, you can turn left after Rue Cler and enjoy a smaller segment of this beautiful street. But if you have extra time, I’d recommend turning right so you get a bit more out of it. Continue walking until you hit Boulevard de la Tour-Maubourg. Then turn around and head back down Rue Saint-Dominique until you hit Champ de Mars.

Champ de Mars is iconic, but to be honest, it’s never what I want it to be. I always pictured it to be an open, flat park when you can have a picnic under the Eiffel Tower. However, there’s actually lots of trees and I feel like there’s always construction. I’d suggest walking through it, but if you’re looking for a place to sit I’d argue Trocadéro Gardens is better.

What Champ de Mars does offer, though, is a great approach to the Eiffel Tower. She looms large from this angle and you will be itching to visit the summit.

Ah yes. We’ve made it 7,000 words into this post before finally making it to the Eiffel Tower.

If you’re planning to go inside, be sure to check out my complete visitor guide to the Eiffel Tower . It has tips for where to enter, how to avoid lines, best floor order to visit the tower and more.

If you’re not planning to go to the top of the tower, you can still technically walk underneath it. To get there, you will need to pass through the security. Follow the signs for visitors who do not yet have tickets. After security, you’ll have access to the plaza at the base of the tower and can see it right up close. If you’re not going up, just skip the lines for the ticket office and proceed to an exit.

If you aren’t interested in passing underneath the Eiffel tower, you can simply walk around the outer perimeter and carry on to Pont d’Iéna. There’s also a carousel right by bridge, which is a highlight for children and Instagrammers alike.

If you ask me, the best views of the Eiffel Tower are from Trocadéro Gardens. This is the garden I picture when I think of picnics in front of the Eiffel Tower. From this hill, you’re treated to the best views of the tower, plus the Seine and its bridges. It has a great view of the tower any time, but one of my favorite times to come here is in the early evening when the sun sets and the tower starts to light up.

There’s lots of grass space to sit, so it’s nice to have a blanket. There’s also  food vendors at the base of the gardens, so pick up a crepes or drink before you head up the hill. You’ll also usually find hawkers unofficially selling Champagne and beer, which can actually be quite nice. It’s technically illegal to drink in Paris parks, but police are generally very lenient with beer and wine.

NOTE: In the provided map, Google does not think you can cross Avenue de New York at near the Eiffel Tower, but you can. There is a pedestrian walk sign at the street light here. So you can ignore that detour. 

Walk along the Seine

After you’ve enjoyed a good long sit at Trocadéro Gardens, continue your walk along the Seine for even more beautiful views of the Eiffel Tower. I like to the follow the north side of the river, which eventually becomes Jardin d’Erivan. This riverside garden is lined with trees which become truly stunning in the fall.

At each bridge you pass, turn around to get another epic view of the Eiffel Tower. You’ll pass three, counting Debilly Footbridge, before you get to Pont Alexandre III.

This decorative bridge was built in the late 1800s. It’s a lovely bridge, but mostly I note it here as one final amazing view of the Eiffel Tower. You can still see it from the next bridge too, but it really starts to hide at that point.

If you cross this bridge, you’ll head into Esplanade des Invalides which leads right back to where this walk began. Alternatively, if you turn left and head away from the river, you’ll pass between the Petit and Grand Palais and on to Champs-Élysées. And just like that, our walks have come full circle.

• Continue walking along the Seine, passing Tuileries Garden and onward toward the isles
• Take a boat cruise along the Seine and see Paris from a new perspective
• For a family dinner, get pizza at the hip and delicious Mokus l’Écureuil near Trocadéro Gardens

More From This Trip

• British Airways Business Class Review – 777 from JFK to LHR
• London Travel Guide
• Things to do in London with Kids – Family Travel Guide + Tips
• How to Use the London Underground – A Beginner’s Guide to the Tube
• Bankside Hotel London Review
• London Eye Visitor Guide – How to Visit the Iconic Ferris Wheel in London
• Stonehenge Visitor Guide + Inner Circle Tour Review
• Little Venice London Boat Ride Guide & Review
• Visiting London Transport Museum
• Complete Guide to Big Ben in London
• Borough Market Visitor Guide
• Best Views of Paris that Aren’t the Eiffel Tower
• Visit the Eiffel Tower in Paris – A Complete Guide
• Walking in Paris – 5 perfect walks through Paris with maps
• Paris with Kids – Planning Guide, Things To Do & Tips
• Montparnasse Tower Visitor Guide + Tips
• Amsterdam with Kids – Planning Guide, Things To Do & Sample Itinerary

Monday 28th of August 2023

thank you for actually being objective as to what you can skip! me & my feet appreciate it!

Thursday 7th of September 2023

Oh good! I'm happy to hear that! I hope you have a great trip!

Tuesday 21st of March 2023

This is a stunning post. Top marks for the maps of the routes! And a great read. Thank you.

Home > Paris Attractions > Stories of Old Montmartre Walking Tour – Map Included

Stories of Old Montmartre Walking Tour – Map Included

Montmartre self-guided walking tour.

This Montmartre walking tour takes you through the main sights of old Montmartre and the stories and legends behind it.

The Montmartre Hill in Paris, also known as La Butte by locals, is famous for its Basilica of the Sacred Heart, the Love Wall, and its panoramic view of Paris. However, it is also a gastronomic and cultural district with authentic charm, dotted with many picturesque stairs and old lampposts.

Montmartre was an independent village from its origins until 1860 when it was annexed to Paris. Due to the beautiful light from ‘the heights’ and the low rents, the Butte was colonized by artists in the 19th century. When walking in Montmartre at that time, you could come across people like Corot, Géricault, Renoir, Degas, Cézanne, Max Jacob, Apollinaire, Juan Gris, Vlaminck, Braque, and Picasso!

Needless to say, the history of this neighborhood is fascinating and you will learn many quirky stories and fun facts during this walking tour of Montmartre.

The neighborhood of Montmartre is one of the top places to visit in Paris. We recommend doing this Montmartre walking tour in the following Paris itineraries:

• 2 days in Paris itinerary
• 3 days in Paris itinerary
• 4 days in Paris itinerary
• 5 days in Paris itinerary
• 6 days in Paris itinerary
• 7 days in Paris itinerary

Montmartre Practical Information

How to get to montmartre.

Two metro lines operate within Montmartre Hill: lines 12 (green) and 2 (blue).

Montmartre is a hilly neighborhood with many staircases and cobbled streets. If you want to get to Montmartre from the airport and have a lot of luggage, we recommend booking a private transfer service like  Welcome .

Where to Eat & Sleep in Montmartre?

Montmartre Walking Tour Map

Walking in Montmartre is a wonder as long as there are no tourist crowds. That’s why I recommend taking this Montmartre tour early in the morning, right after sunrise, when everything is still calm and quiet.

This Montmartre self-guided walking tour starts in front of the Sacré-Cœur Basilica , in the heart of the neighborhood. The starting point (Sacré-Coeur) is marked with #1 on this Montmartre walking tour map.

Click here to view this Montmartre walking tour on Google

Walking Tour of Montmartre – Itinerary

1. the secret of sacré-coeur’s eternal beauty.

The Basilica of the Sacré-Coeur , located at the top of Montmartre Hill in Paris, is a major religious building built at the end of the 19th century. With more than ten million pilgrims and visitors per year (in 2006), it is the second most visited monument in France after Notre Dame de Paris Cathedral!

While most of the monuments of Paris tend to darken over time and are constantly subject to renovations, the Sacré Coeur is recognizable by its characteristic and unpolluted white color. How Montmartre’s symbol can stay so white?

The Sacré Coeur was built with the stone of Château-Landon, also used to build the Alexandre iii Bridge and the Arc de Triomphe. This stone has a very interesting characteristic: when it rains, it secretes a white substance in contact with water (the cullet) which flows along the walls of the building before hardening in the sun. This is Sacré- Coeur’s secret of eternal youth and the reason why it has never been renovated!

2. Saint-Pierre Church and the Myth of Saint-Denis

The next stop of this walking tour Montmartre is 2 rue du Mont-Cenis . Here, there’s one of the oldest churches in Paris, built in the Middle Ages.

Saint-Pierre Church is connected to the legend of Saint-Denis. The saint martyr was martyred on the Butte-Montmartre (Mount of Martyrs), which became a sacred place for Christians.

Before the Middle Ages, a temple dedicated to the Roman god of Mars stood at the site of the current church. This temple became in the 5th century a Merovingian chapel surrounded by a cemetery around which a small hamlet developed.

The site experienced a new development in the 12th century. In 1133, it was ceded with the Merovingian chapel to King Louis VI and Queen Adelaide of Savoy, who decided to found a Royal Abbey of Benedictine nuns in this place. In 1147 the Royal Abbey replaced the old chapel with a new church in Romanesque style (Saint-Pierre Church) and added more constructions around it.

During the troubles of the French Revolution, the parish worship spared Saint-Pierre Church while the rest of the religious buildings were demolished entirely. After being converted into a Temple of Reason (1794), and later transformed into a tower on which Claude Chappe installed his first aerial telegraph, Saint-Pierre Church was restored between 1899 and 1905.

Today, the church’s interior keeps its original Romanesque style, except for the Gothic rib vault and some Gallo-Roman parts recycled from the Merovingian chapel. Adjacent to the church there is the charming Calvary Cemetery , the oldest cemetery in Paris! The cemetery opens its doors only on 1 November and during the European Heritage Days.

The hillock, dominated by Saint-Pierre Church and its public square (Place du Tertre), has long kept its village atmosphere. While the village’s fame has been widely exploited (you just need to see all those souvenir shops..) and completely distorted, the church retains a picturesque side with its clear perspective.

3. Place du Tertre and the Artists of Montmartre

Place du Tertre is Montmartre’s beating heart. This picturesque square framed by 3-4 story 18th-century buildings and with a beautiful view over the Sacré Coeur corresponds to the center of the old village of Montmartre.

The village of Montmartre was officially founded in 1790, and its first town hall was at 3 Place du Tertre . In the square, there is also a plaque on the façade of house #21 which commemorates the arrival of the first automobile on Christmas Eve 1898, with Louis Renault behind the wheel. This event marks the beginning of the automobile industry in France.

The local art trade is a tradition of the slopes of bohemian Montmartre, started around 1890 by famous Montmartre artists like Modigliani, Utrillo, Valadon, and Picasso. Each year, the City Council grants 140 licenses for a one-square-meter stall in Place du Tertre to be shared by two artists on alternating schedules.

Let’s take Rue Novins , the old village’s main street. This street was referred to in the 11th century as the cart road that goes from Montmartre to Paris . The even side is lined up with 18th-century townhouses with wooden shutters, wrought iron window railings, and dormers.

At #6 there’s the Mère Catherine Restaurant , a small bistro founded in 1793. This bistro replaced a 15th-century old presbytery, and guests liked to meet for drinking and to play wooden billiards. An old postcard shows the Mère Catherine and the pool players posing in front of the bistro.

Now, let’s turn left onto Rue des Saules , which plunges down the north side of the Hill. Don’t forget to take a picture of Le Consulat , one of the most Instagrammable cafés in Montmartre.

Rue des Saules was called in the 15th century the Chemin de la Saussaie, and it traversed swampy lands where willow trees ( saules in French) grew. For this walking tour of Montmartre, you will take the second intersection with Rue Cortot .

4. A Hothouse for Artists

Considered the oldest house in Montmartre and formerly the art studio of many artists, Le Musée de Montmartre (12 rue Cortot) is nestled on a quiet street. Although the museum is located a stone’s throw from busy Sacré-Coeur, it feels a world away.

Auguste Renoir was perhaps its most illustrious guest. In 1876, He rented a studio and stables in the left wing to store Le Moulin de la Galette, the extra-large painting he was working in.

The rarely crowded museum has collections on the village’s history (the section on cabarets, for example, is very interesting). The setting is very romantic, and from the exterior areas, you are treated to excellent views over the vineyard of Montmartre. Take a drink in the beautiful café in the garden, immortalized by artists like Renoir in The Swing.

After the visit to the Musée de Montmartre, this Montmartre walk turns left on Rue du Mont-Cenis. This street was in the 12th century a steep path – only accessible to pedestrians and mules – which linked the Abbey of Saint-Denis to the Abbey of Montmartre through the Hill’s northern slope.

Then turn left onto Rue Saint-Vincent , a street with a provincial feel, and stop at Montmartre’s vineyards.

5. The Wine of Montmartre

The Montmartre vineyards of Rue Sait Vincent, whose official name is Clos-Montmartre , perpetrates the memory and tradition of the many vineyards that used to cover these slopes.

In the 16th century, the inhabitants of Montmartre – then a village located outside Paris – were mainly laborers-winegrowers. The vineyards were cultivated from the top of the Butte to the surrounding plains.

In the 17th century, the Montmartre wine was a small wine reserved for local consumption. A popular saying of the time makes fun of its quality which seems to be exclusively diuretic: “It is the wine from Montmartre – Who drinks a pint, pisses a quarter of it!” .

This vineyard in Rue Saint Vincent was planted in 1933 to prevent any new construction on the grounds of a former (then abandoned) open-air dance hall called Le Parc de la Belle Gabrielle . Today, this vineyard includes “the most classic varieties from the wine provinces of France, as well as a selection of vigorous and fertile hybrids”. The whole is embellished by decorative plantations.

Public access is not permitted, except for exceptional occasions, such as the Fête des Jardins organized every autumn since 1997. The yearly harvest is generally in early October. The crop is hauled to the Mairie of the 18th Arrondissement cellars, and the 800-odd bottles of wine are sold at auction the following year during the popular Montmartre’s Harvest Festival . You can read more about this popular food & wine festival here .

6. Cabaret Life in Montmartre

Le Lapin Agile at 22 Rue des Saules is a traditional cabaret established in the second half of the 19th century, bought by Aristide Bruant in 1913. We know that in 1886 this was a restaurant run by Adèle Decerf whose specialty was sautéed rabbit.

In the early 20th century, this village-style house was the center of bohemian life in Montmartre. Dorgelès, Carco, Renoir, Courteline, Forain, Picasso, Fargue, Utrillo, Van Gogh, Clemenceau, and many more were frequent guests of this cabaret. Picasso liked sitting out on the terrace beneath the giant acacia with his dog Frika.

Today, the Lapin Agile has preserved the original and warm atmosphere of the cabarets. You can read more about the Lapin Agile and other Parisian Cabarets in our quick guide to the Cabarets of Paris .

7. Rue de l’Abrevoir

Let’s walk up Rue des Saules , then turn right onto Rue de l’Abrevoir . In the 19th century, the residents of Montmartre followed this path to fetch water for themselves and to lead horses and cattle to the watering trough ( abrevoir in French) located on this street. The 19th-century house at #15 is the site of that old watering trough.

At #2, the little Maison Rose (point #8 on the Montmartre walking tour map) painted by Maurice Utrillo is now a legendary spot in Montmartre and one of Instagrammers’ favorite spots in Paris.

9. Dalida’s Tragic Life

This Montmartre tour stops for a break at Place Dalida . This tiny square has one of the most beautiful views of Montmartre, with Rue de l’Abrevoir towards the Sacré-Coeur. The square is dedicated to Dalida , a famous pop singer who lived in Montmartre. Her incredible talent as a performer made her an icon of pop music in France.

The singer Dalida found a home in Montmartre, where she moved in 1962. She bought a beautiful mansion on the narrow 11 bis Rue d’Orchampt . She used to eat at the neighboring Italian restaurant Grazziano, down by the Moulin, and she also frequented the shops in the Rue Lepic. Dalida joined in the fight to defend and protect the Butte, so dear to her.

Weakened by the loss of her former companions (all committed suicide), as well as her friend Mike Brant, the singer died on 2 May 1987, breaking the hearts of the French. “Life is unbearable to me, please forgive me,” were Dalida’s last words. Dalida committed suicide in her house, and she was buried in the Montmartre Cemetery (not included in this Montmartre tour).

It is soon noticed that the bust dedicated to Dalida is particularly polished in some places – on the artist’s chest, in particular – leaving some visitors doubtful. There is no particular reason for that (unlike Giulietta, Dalida does not bring good luck, love, or money but quite the opposite…) so please be respectful towards this great artist and Montmartroise.

10. L’Allée des Brouillards

The romantic Allée des Brouillards is one of the few places that still can transport us back in time to the picturesque village of Montmartre. Renoir and his family lived at #8 from 1890 to 1897. His son, Jean, a famous film director, was born here in 1894.

On the right, behind a lawn, rises the delightful facade of the Château des Brouillards , in front of which so many painters set up their easels in the past.

In the 17th century, a modest farm and a mill occupied this site ( the Moulin des Brouillards ), which served as a press for Montmartre’s (not-so-good) wine. The name Allée des Brouillards (Mists Alley) tends toward two explanations: the morning mists generated by the abundance of the sources in the area or (another one much more festive) an allusion to the vapors of the wine.

In 1764, the hovel and the ruined mill were sold to a lawyer in the French Parliament who built a beautiful house, the ‘Château des Brouillards,’ parts of which you can still see today on the left side. The Château comprised a farmyard, orchard, cellars, and wells, and it was a pleasant country residence.

In 1850 the outbuildings of the Château were torn down to make room for individual houses separated by mere hedges, now on the tiny alley with the poetic name. Its park, gradually invaded by miserable huts, became the famous “maquis” (bush), so dear to nostalgic Montmartrois.

It was not until the 1920s that the castle owner began to restore it. He launched a campaign for its conservation because the City of Paris wanted to remove the old alley and demolish the house. Today, the Château des Brouillards receives the visit of many walkers and lovers of Montmartre in search of an air of the rural and picturesque Butte of better days.

11. Villa Léandre

This walking tour Montmartre takes now Rue Simon-Dereure and then Avenue Junot on the left. Before walking uphill, stop at the charming Villa Léandre for a couple of pictures.

Created in 1926, Villa Léandre was initially named Villa Junot , after its larger street tributary. Its current name comes from the caricature artist Charles Léandre, whose studio was located nearby. The cobbled cul de sac is lined with colorful anglo-Normand style houses covered with climbing plants and with small front yards.

Montmartre Things to Do and Hidden Gems

12. The Mysterious Witch’s Rock

The Passage de la Sorcière , accessible from 23 Avenue Junot or 65 rue Lepic, is one of the most pleasant and privileged little alleys in Montmartre. But this little corner of the Butte comes with many legends! Among the mysterious stories linked to this passage, we find the legend around the imposing block of stone found in its center – La Roche de la Sorcière (the Witch’s Rock).

The inhabitants of Montmartre had long believed that this rock was a meteorite, which fell there we do not know when, or how … and it was a magic tool used to protect a witch! Indeed, this imposing rock faces a rather intriguing portal that hides a big and beautiful house. According to legend, this house belonged to an old – and a little bit crazy – woman.

This rock, however, is the vestige of a disused fountain, ‘La Sourcière’ (from source , spring in French), and the neighbors transformed the name of the Passage de la Sourcière , from the name of the fountain which was present there, into Passage de la Sorcière (=Passage of the Witch). Soon, the Rock of the Witch turned into an evil tool with many legends around and spread for generations among the inhabitants of Montmartre.

Today, the witch’s private mansion is one of the most beautiful addresses in the capital, the Hôtel Particulier Montmartre (point #13 on the Montmartre walking tour map). I always recommend this hotel for a romantic stay in Paris which also comes with one of the most beautiful bars in the city. The Hôtel Particulier Montmartre is your only chance to see the Rock of the Witch as this alley is private today.

14. The Legend of Saint-Denis

Back to Avenue Junot , this Montmartre self-guided walking tour stops at Square Suzanne-Buisson , dominated by the statue of Saint-Denis. Saint-Denis was the first Christian bishop of Paris in Roman times and the evangelist of the Parisians. The Saint was martyrized and beheaded with his companions Rustique and Éleuthère during Emperor Valerian’s prosecutions.

Legend has it that after his martyrdom (circa 275), the Saint washed his decapitated head in the spring that flowed here until the early 19th century before continuing quietly on his way towards the site where he was buried (current location of the crypt in the Basilica of Saint-Denis). For this reason, the Basilica of Saint-Denis became the burial place for all the Kings of France, who wanted to rest eternally near the remains of the Saint.

15. The Windmills of Montmartre

Back to Avenue Junot, on #3, you can get a glimpse of the Moulin of the Blute-Fin , built around 1622. Of the thirteen mills which once stood on the Butte Montmartre, only this one and the Moulin Radet (#16, at the corner of Rue Girardon and Rue Lepic) survive. These windmills were used to grind wheat, press grapes, and crush materials needed in factories.

These two remaining windmills, their surrounding gardens, and a farm made up the popular guinguette (dance hall) Bal du Moulin de la Galette in the 1870s. Every Sunday, the Parisians flocked to the Ball to dance the polka, quadrille, rowdy, and French cancan .

From the 1900s, the Moulin de la Galette gained popularity and quickly became the favorite haunt of many celebrities (painters, designers, actors, etc.). Artists like Renoir, Toulouse-Lautrec, and Picasso immortalized the entertainment of Moulin de la Galette in their paintings.

17. The Fable of the Passe-Murailles

Continue walking Avenue Junot up to Place Marcel-Aymé . This is a beautiful place to see during the cherry blossom season. Here, you can see a man in bronze breaking through the wall.

The Passe-Muraille , the name of the sculpture, personifies a short story written by Marcel Aymé in 1943. ‘ An excellent man named Dutilleul had the extraordinary gift of being able to walk through walls without any trouble.’ This is a beautiful homage to the writer, who lived in Montmartre for 40 years.

Go back to the junction with Rue Girardon and then take Rue Orchampt down to Place Émile Goudeau. On the way, you can see Dalida’s house at 11bis Rue Orchampt and some picturesque artist studios.

18. Picasso and Le Bateau Lavoir

Formerly a ballroom and then a piano factory, the Bateau Lavoir facing Place Émile Goudeau was divided into twenty small workshops for artists. The place was without heating and provided with a single water point.

The Bateau-Lavoir hosted a good part of all the art people of the time: Le Douanier Rousseau, Amedeo Modigliani, Henri Matisse, Georges Braque, Guillaume Apollinaire, Jean Cocteau… All went through the small, cramped workshops of this unusual house.

Until his death, Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) kept nostalgia for the rural Montmartre of his youth, with its picturesque farms, orchards, and cabarets. The artist arrived at the Butte at 19, and he took up a workshop at Le Bateau Lavoir in 1904. Here, he executed the last works of the blue period, those of the pink period – inspired by his love for Fernande Olivier – and The Young Ladies of Avignon (1907), a prelude to cubism.

In 1970, the Bateau Lavoir’s wooden structure did not resist a terrible fire and only the facade, today listed as a historical monument, survived.

19. Place des Abbesses

The last stop of this Montmartre walking tour is the picturesque Place des Abbesses . Take your time to explore this lively square with a carousel, some benches in the shade, and the Guimard metro entrance.

Metro Abbesses is the deepest metro station in Paris; it goes 36 m below the ground!

Also interesting is the Church of Saint-Jean de Montmartre (1894-1904), designed by Anatole de Baudot. He conceived the idea of social and economic architecture in harmony with the industrial development of the time. For this building, Anatole de Baudot dared to introduce cast iron and reinforced cement with (in my opinion) a beautiful result.

Nearby, in Square Jean Rictus (point #20 on the Montmartre walking tour map), you can see the famous Love Wall , but it is always swarming with people. Instead, make your way to its back corner to discover the hidden Jardin des Abbesses , a lovely small oasis in Montmartre.

After the Love Wall, this Montmartre walk ends at the picturesque café Le Vrai Paris at 33 Rue des Abbesses (#21) for a more than deserved drink and quick eats.

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Quirky parisian explorers with a preference for lesser-known sights, we are continuously looking for new ideas and tips to bring you the best of the city of light read more about us ., we’re elisa, norbert, valérie, and cédric, four travel bloggers and friends living in paris. quirky explorers with a preference for the local side of our city and its lesser-known sights, we are continuously looking for new ideas to enjoy the best of paris & around . do you want to go beyond the louvre museum or the eiffel tower keep clicking for first-hand information & our best tips learn more about us.

Self-Guided Walking Tour of Paris

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I had the opportunity to spend a long weekend in Paris with a friend who had never been there before. There was a lot to see and not much time, so I worked up a self-guided walking tour of Paris for us that would hit many of the top tourist sites.

See the main tourist sites in a half day self-guided walking tour of Paris

There are a few “can’t miss” Paris attractions that we had to be sure to see – Notre Dame, the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower. Lisa, my friend and travel buddy, also wanted to see the Champs Elysées. We were staying in the Left Bank just a couple of blocks from Notre Dame, so we started our tour there.

This is a list of the primary tourist sites we saw and/or visited on our self-guided walking tour of Paris:

• Sainte Chapelle
• Conciergerie
• Louvre Museum
• Tuileries Garden
• Place de la Concorde & the Luxor Obelisk

Les Invalides

• Golden flame (Flame of Liberty)
• Champs Elysées
• Arc de Triomphe

Eiffel Tower

NOTE: As you probably know, after the fire at Notre Dame, you can no longer enter the cathedral. Last time I was there, there was a large fence around the perimeter. There is also no access to “Point Zero” out front.

Map of Paris tourist sites – walking tour

As you can see from the walking tour map below, it is possible to walk around Paris in a day, sightseeing at the main central tourist sites. Of course there’s much more to see and do in Paris, but this is a great walking itinerary for Paris.

The full walk is about 5 miles, if you don’t wander too far off the path. You could hop on the Metro for some of the longer stretches of walking to speed things along. Keep reading below the map for details on each location. If this is more walking than you’re up for, there’s an abbreviated list at the bottom of the page, along with some other suggestions.

Paris Left Bank

We started on the Rive Gauche, Paris’ famous left bank. Our first stop was Shakespeare & Company, a well-known bookstore with books sold in English. The original store was a hangout for many of the lost generation writers, including Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Gertrude Stein and James Joyce. The store at the current location was popular with many of the beat-generation writers like Anaïs Nin, Allen Ginsberg and William S. Burroughs. It’s literary and quirky, and still a great place to get some books. I bought Hemingway’s  A Moveable Feast , and  Down and Out in Paris and London by George Orwell. I was in Paris, after all! They may ask you if you want your books stamped. This is a stamp they put inside the cover and makes for a memorable souvenir.

From Shakespeare & Company we walked around the corner to L’Eglise St. Julien le Pauvre (the Church of Saint Julien the Poor), one of the oldest churches in Paris, which is now often used as a concert venue. Next to the church is also a small park, the Square René Viviani, home to the oldest tree in Paris.

You can see Notre Dame de Paris, the iconic church, from the park, and it is the next stop on the walking tour.

See the main sites of Paris with a relaxing dinner cruise

A Seine river cruise is a great way to see the city. Whether you take a relaxing boat ride with audio tour or a Paris dinner cruise, you can see the main tourist sites of Paris as you float by.

There can sometimes be a line of people waiting to get into Notre Dame. It generally moves quickly; the holdup is because of security checks at the door. There is a separate line to climb the towers, and it’s generally a very long line. Entrance to the cathedral is free; the tower climb has a small fee. While there, be sure to look for the “Point Zero” marker in the pavement out front. This is the point from which all distances in France were traditionally measured.

From Notre Dame, walk by Sainte Chapelle, then the Conciergerie, prison where Marie Antoinette, Queen of France, was kept before she was taken to the guillotine. Keep going to see Pont Neuf, which translates as New Bridge. It is the oldest bridge in Paris, though it was the first one not made of wood which is how it came to be the oldest bridge in Paris today. On one of the pillars of the bridge, look for a marker that indicates where Jacques de Molay, the last Grand Master of the Knights Templar, was burned. Paris is full of interesting historical markers like this.

First a fortress, then a royal palace, the Louvre became a museum when the royals moved to the Palace of Versailles. It’s most famous treasure is the Mona Lisa (La Jaconde, as they call it in France), though it contains so much more. If you’re going in, be sure to check out the Egyptian collection.

Outside the museum is the famous glass pyramid by architect I.M. Pei. This was being built during my very first trip to Paris. You can walk up to the pyramid for pictures without going in to the museum.

Tuileries Gardens

Continue your walk through the Jardin des Tuileries, or Tuileries Garden. These were the gardens of the Tuileries Palace and were created by Catherine de Medici. Don’t look too hard for the palace; it was burned during an uprising in 1871.

Pont des Arts

This was the first metal bridge in Paris, and was built during the reign of Napoleon I. (Yes, there was more than one Napoleon.) Now it is most famous for being the place where tourists hang locks to show their love. Your love doesn’t need a lock, please don’t do this. They keep taking them down. If you put a lock on the bridge, it’s now in a garbage dump somewhere. Seriously, don’t do it. And don’t get me started on throwing the keys into the river.

Place de la Concorde

It is a peaceful name for the former Place de la Revolution, which was the site of the guillotine where King Louis XVI was decapitated. In the center of the Place you will no longer find a guillotine. Instead there is an Egyptian obelisk; a gift from the Egyptian government. The story is that in return for the priceless piece of antiquity, the French government gave the Egyptians a big clock. The clock has never worked. You can still see it in Cairo, not working. The Egyptians are still mad about it.

Need a break from walking?

The Paris hop-on hop-off buses are an alternative way to get around the city. You can see the main sites of the city on a relaxed timetable, and give your legs a break!

You have probably seen the golden dome of Les Invalides by now. The “invalids” name is because its original purpose was to be a hospital and retirement home for veterans. Parts of it are still used for that purpose today, though it is perhaps better known for its army museum and for being the place to see Napoleon’s tomb.

The Golden Flame

Near the Alma bridge (Pont de l’Alma) you can see the Flame of Liberty (la Flamme de la Liberté), a replica of the flame from the torch of the Statue of Liberty. It is supposed to be a symbol of friendship between France and the U.S.A., but most people think it is a monument to Princess Diana as it is located near the Alma Tunnel where she was killed in a car accident. People leave photos and messages near it, in honor of the Princess.

Love Paris? See all my Paris posts.

Champs Elysees & Arc de Triomphe

The Champs Elysées is the most famous street in France. Its name means “Elysian Fields’, and it runs between the Place de la Concorde (the place with the obelisk) and the famous triumphal arch (Arc de Triomphe). It’s full of high end shops and is a bit like the Magnificent Mile in Chicago, if you’re familiar with that. Walking along it, you can cross to the center of the road for some great photos of the Arc de Triomphe.

When you get to the Arc de Triomphe, there is an underground passage to get to it. DO NOT try to cross the road. There are signs to the passage, though I always have to wander around until I figure out where it is.

Under the arch is the tomb of the unknown soldier, as well as monuments to others who fought and died for France. For a fee, you can go to the top of the arch for a view of Paris.

There’s still one place you’ve got to go! (It’s a line from the song Bonjour Paris in the movie Funny Face with Audrey Hepburn and Fred Astaire .) The Eiffel Tower is undoubtedly the most recognized icon in France and is a must-see stop on your Paris self-guided walking tour. Admire it from a distance, get some great photos, and then get a ticket and head on up for a spectacular view all across Paris! If your legs aren’t too tired, change it up by taking the stairs back down!

Get a guide or do a self-guided walking tour of Paris?

Self guided walking tours are great if you want to wander at your own pace, stop at cafés along the way, or linger in the places that interest you most. But if you don’t want to go it alone you can always hire a guide to show you around. Guides are helpful with language barriers and telling you the history of places you might not have known on your own. GetYourGuide has some great small group tours and offer many niche activities, like photography trips, or food-based tours.

What are the main sites to see in Paris for a quick walking tour?

If this is more walking than you care to do, or want a quick overview of Paris must-see locations, here’s my list:

From there, hop on the Metro or your preferred method of transportation and head to the Arc de Triomphe and the Eiffel Tower. That’s it, Paris in a day.

How can I see Paris without walking so much?

The Seine river boat cruises are the ideal way to see the sites of Paris without a lot of walking – and they’re really affordable, even for budget travelers. Most of the must-see tourist locations in Paris or located in clear view of the river, and there is audio that accompanies it so you can hear the history as well. I do this every time I’m in Paris – it never gets old. Pro-tip – take the cruise just before sunset. You head out in the daylight and return in the dark as everything lights up. Get details on a River Seine Cruise in Paris.

You can also take one of the Paris hop-on hop-off buses. It’s a great way to see the sites of the city while giving your legs a break.

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Covered Passages of Paris: A free self guided walking tour of Paris arcades with map

January 21, 2018 by Karen Turner 20 Comments

If you’re visiting Paris, you might be looking for something unusual to do in Paris besides seeing the Eiffel Tower.  Either way, you will not want to miss the arcades of Paris.   In my time living in Paris, I loved getting lost in the covered passages in Paris, which retain an air of magic and make you feel like you’ve stepped back in time.

This free self-guided walking tour through Paris should give you glimpse into the secret Paris that Parisians know, love, and guard with their lives. This walk through the covered passages of Paris includes some of Paris’ most beautiful passages, including Passage Verdeau, Galerie Vivienne, and Passage des Panoramas as well as some off the beaten path attractions.

This free walking tour of the covered passages in Paris is about 4 kilometers total and it should take you about an hour without stopping, so be sure to wear comfortable shoes.

You’re better off doing your walk through the Paris arcades prior to 5pm on a weekday if possible as shops might close after 5pm and it will be less crowded.  Plan for about 2-3 hours if you follow this itinerary with stopping off to take photos.   Click for my perfect four days in Paris itinerary.

*PRINTABLE MAP OF COVERED PASSAGES AT BOTTOM WITH STEP-BY-STEP DIRECTIONS*  You can also do this route in reverse very easily. 😉

• 1 Starting point of the walk
• 2 Passage Verdeau
• 3 Lunch or dinner at Le Bouillon Chartier
• 4 Passage Jouffroy ​
• 5 Passage des Panoramas
• 6 Galerie Colbert ​
• 7 Galerie Vivienne
• 8 Jardin du Palais Royal & Surrounding Galeries
• 9 Le Palais Royal
• 10 Galerie Véro-Dodat
• 11 Stop for a cocktail at Le Reset
• 12 Passage du Bourg l’Abbé & Passage du Grand Cerf
• 13 Passage Molière
• 14 59 Rivoli
• 15 If you’ve visited any of the covered passages in Paris, which one is your favorite? ​

Starting point of the walk

Start off your trip at the Cadet Metro Stop , which is along the 7 line.  Walk a block towards Passage Verdeau.  On the way, you’ll pass La Mere de Famille , a beautiful old school Parisian confectery.

Passage Verdeau

 Passage Verdeau is a covered arcade built in 1847 named for its founder.  It is an antique lovers paradise with many antique bookshops.  Even if your budget is fairly low, you can get some lovely vintage postcards from Paris.

Passage Verdeau tends to be less crowded than the surrounding passages. Arcades are the precursors to modern-day malls as we know them.

Lunch or dinner at Le Bouillon Chartier

If you’re hungry for lunch or dinner, be sure to get in line at Le Bouillon Chartier, one of Paris’ most affordable French restaurants.  The line can be long although the atmosphere as well as the food is worth it.  

Amazingly, Parisians actually come here, so although you’ll find tourists and an English menu (if necessary).  The menu changes daily and if you’re after trying traditionally French food, be sure to stop off here.

Passage Jouffroy ​

Passage Jouffroy is my favorite passage in Paris and it is one of the most famous passages in Paris for good reason.  Its interesting window displays as well as the fact that it houses a hotel (Hotel Chopin), museum, and nightclub within its walls.  

Within Passage Jouffroy, you’ll find the quirk factor with businesses like La Maison du Roy, specializing in antique inspired decorations, as well as Cannes Fayet, which specializes in walking sticks/canes.  I also have a weakness for the miniature furniture store on the corner next to Hotel Chopin.

If you’re interested in staying in the covered passages, you can stay at Hotel Chopin , a charming boutique hotel in the middle of Passage Jouffroy with a friendly cat.

Passage des Panoramas

 If you continue forward, you’ll be in Passage des Panoramas, which is full of vintage stamp/coin shops as well as restaurants.  Here, you’ll find one of Paris’ best restaurants for gluten free dining at Noglu .  

After you see the passage, exit and walk a couple blocks down towards Galerie Colbert (check hours).

Galerie Colbert ​

Galerie Colbert has limited hours as it’s part of the National Library.  Its stunning marble columns might still call to you.  When I visited, we were the only ones there besides a random person scurrying between rooms.

Unlike other Parisian covered passages, there are no stores here, but the atmosphere is a nice change. Don’t be deterred by the security guards although I’d avoid bringing a backpack if possible as it might cause issues.

Galerie Vivienne

After visiting Galerie Colbert, walk around the block to see Galerie Vivienne, another famous passage although you’ll find it full of tourists.  Within it, you’ll still find a variety of shops, mostly with luxury goods, although there’s some adorable used bookstores.  

I didn’t successfully get into the one with the miniature second story, but you’re likely to find plenty to admire within this long passage. It has multiple entrances, so just be aware of where you exit.

Jardin du Palais Royal & Surrounding Galeries

Afterwards, walk through the iconic Jardin du Palais Royal.  Imagine yourself in a movie here.  This is the domain of Parisians walking their dogs although depending on which side you’re closer to, you’ll discover some galeries surrounding Jardin du Palais Royal with exclusive clothing brands as well as artisanal goods.  

If you’re looking for something truly unique, stop off along Galerie de Valois and Galerie de Montpensier after enjoying a relaxing stroll in the park.

Le Palais Royal

After walking through Jardin du Palais Royal, you’ll end up by Le Palais Royal, the former royal palace dating back to the 17th century.  It’s now used by the French government although you’ll find tourists and Parisians posing on its striped columns within the courtyard.

Galerie Véro-Dodat

Although Galerie Véro-Dodat is a bit smaller than some of the other covered passages in Paris, I loved how quiet and serene it was.

Given that you’re about to enter one of the most crowded parts of Paris, enjoy this moment and the beautiful black-and-white floor marble floor tiles.  Interestingly, it was one of the first galeries to have gas lighting, an achievement at the time.

There used to be more businesses in Galerie Véro-Dodat, but after after stagecoaches declined in popularity, its location close to a stagecoach hub meant that it lost a lot of businesses. There’s some clothing businesses and high-end art galleries within the gallery today.

Stop for a cocktail at Le Reset

After this, you’ll be walking through a very high traffic area. If it’s almost five (somewhere), stop off at Reset.  Reset is one of my favorite bars in Paris.

If you’re into video games, this geeky bar is a must with some delicious cocktails accompanied by old-school videogames.  This is where you’ll find me out in Paris. 😉

Passage du Bourg l’Abbé & Passage du Grand Cerf

After a refreshing drink, you can stop in at Passage du Bourg l’Abbé, one of the smallest passages in Paris, with many art galleries.

It’s very close to the entrance to Passage du Grand Cerf, so if you’re not tired of Passages yet, be sure to stop in at the little boutiques. The entrances for these are a bit tougher to spot compared to the larger galleries. ​

Passage Molière

Continue walking towards Passage Molière, which differs considerably from the other galleries that you’ve seen so far. It’s not a covered passage as it’s open-air, but it has cobblestones still, which gives it an old world vibe with a twist.

It became famous for the theatre located there for many years, but you’ll find boutiques that cater to things that you never knew that you needed. I know it’s not technically a covered passage, but if you’re into secret Paris, be sure to stop in here.

Lastly, stop in at 59 Rivoli, an artist-owned building that used to be an artist squat.  Now, this building has been apportioned into artist studios and every day people can stroll in most days (besides Monday) to see the artists in action.

The facade is often changing although it’s always a unique sight to behold and be sure to bring some extra cash with you as you might find some interesting art (along with stories) to bring home with you as you can discuss the work with the artists themselves.

Most of the artists ask people NOT to take photos of their work without permission, so be careful shutter-bugs when visiting this off the beaten path sight in Paris. 

I hope you enjoyed this self guided walking tour of Paris’ covered passages and it encourages you to discover a bit more of the parts of Paris that make it truly special.  Click for another local’s one day guide to off the beaten path Paris .

If you’ve visited any of the covered passages in Paris, which one is your favorite? ​

Click for the printable version of the map.

About Karen Turner

New Yorker–born and raised. Currently living in the Hague, the Netherlands after stints in Paris and Amsterdam. Lover of travel, adventure, nature, city, dresses, and cats.

Reader Interactions

January 26, 2018 at 3:51 pm

What an amazing walking tour! I currently live in Paris and have been meaning to explore the other covered passages besides Galerie Vivienne. Thanks for sharing!!

January 27, 2018 at 9:40 am

I hadn’t realised they were so extensive, what a wonderful guide!

January 27, 2018 at 9:56 am

Sure does look like some hidden gems here! Will keep it in mind when I next visit Paris.

January 27, 2018 at 8:33 pm

Karen… this is SO excellent! I have NO idea these even existed! Absolutely adding this to my to-do list when I (eventually) make it over to Paris – and the map is super helpful. 😀

January 28, 2018 at 4:06 pm

This is so awesome! I’m heading to Paris for the first time next month and love the idea of exploring all the little galleries and passages.

March 17, 2018 at 10:37 pm

Hi, Thanks for this wonderful information. I had no idea these existed, but definitely want to wander through them next month when in Paris. Is there a printable version of the directions?

March 20, 2018 at 3:42 pm

Thank you – this walk looks amazing. Please can you also email me a printable version of the directions?

Thank you in advance,

March 29, 2018 at 5:40 am

Hi there, Loved reading it and would also love a printable version

All the best Åse

March 29, 2018 at 5:45 am

Hi Åse, Glad to hear that and thanks for reading. You’ll find a link to the printable version right above the map. 🙂

Best, Karen

April 30, 2018 at 1:16 pm

Heading to Paris on our honeymoon in a few weeks and would also love a printable map of this tour of arcades!!

Thank you!! JW

April 30, 2018 at 5:10 pm

You’ll find the printable version within the article if you look towards the end!

June 19, 2018 at 8:38 pm

The passages are very nice. However, we had a terrible dining experience at Le Bouillon Chartier. One dish was inedible, the steak was chewy and hard, we sent it back, the waiter ignored us, then made a joke about it, took the utensils from my companion’s hand to show that the steak was soft, it was so hard that he spilled half of the french fries on the table trying to slice the steak! What type of waiter dare to challenge a customer like that and take the utensils from their hands? That give you some perspective of this place attitude. At the end, we complained to the maitre but he was so busy seating people. This restaurant was 100% full of tourists, they don’t really care about returning customers. I would not encourage people to dine there. Otherwise, the galleries and passages are great places to walk around.

February 9, 2019 at 7:52 pm

My wife and I absolutely love this post and have added this walk to our Paris itinerary. Our first time in Paris for 6 nights the first week in June, 2019. Thank you for the wonderful ideas!

Jeff & Deb

March 14, 2019 at 3:50 am

Makes me want to go back to Paris just for these passages!

May 2, 2019 at 4:10 am

There is no link to print the walk only for the map. Help! I leave for Paris and would love, love being able to do this. Thank you.

June 7, 2019 at 11:59 pm

Hello. I used the link she provided with the map and it worked really well. Enjoy!

August 19, 2019 at 2:28 pm

This was so amazing! Only bummer is that I saved it for my last day, which was a Monday, and the majority of the shops are closed on Sunday/Monday! Best to go Tuesday-Saturday, as advice to fellow travelers!

Thank you for the tour, though. I’d never have found these otherwise!

February 28, 2022 at 4:32 am

Thanks for the advice! I am leaving for Paris in three days for slightly over two weeks. I had originally planned to visit the passages on a Monday. I’ll be making some changes to my itinerary. Thank you!!!

November 7, 2020 at 1:31 am

I was wondering what the hours are for the shops. Although they probably varyI would like to get a general idea so I don’t head out too early. Thanks.

September 3, 2022 at 7:29 am

Congrats Karen. That information is so good. Im going for the first time to Paris, I will keep your recommendations in mind, thanks so much!

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Walking Tours of Paris - Discover the city beyond the Monuments

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Guided walks to discover the hidden treasures of paris, paris is a great city to visit... but many tourists who come to paris end up visiting the same monuments & attractions. ​ i will show you the hidden paris...  ​places you won't find online or in the guide books.   let me be your personal tour guide to discovering the authentic paris, the city that exists beyond the monuments. ​, paris off the beaten path, come walk with me & experience the real paris, not the one for tourists.  the secret side of a city where people live, shop, work, eat...  a city that is 2000 years old my immersive  commented tours will bring paris to life & provide you with a different sightseeing experience. paris has retained many of her most beautiful vestiges.  come explore this rich history with me..

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