paris walking tour map

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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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One Day in Paris France – A Free Self Guided Walking Tour of Paris

There’s nothing better than taking the time to stroll around a beautiful city and delight in its ambience. And there’s no better city to indulge in such a pastime than Paris. After all, this is the birthplace of flâneur – the word the French use to describe the act of strolling idly; sauntering, while observing the goings-on around you.

Usually, my time in Paris is limited to rushed stopovers. But recently I got to spend an afternoon getting reacquainted with “la Ville Lumière”. And it was while practising the art of flânerie that I was able to rediscover the highlights of Paris organically, without an agenda.

What unfolded was a beautiful free walking tour of Paris, taking in some of the city’s most pleasurable sights.

Free Paris Walking Tour Map

If you want to maximise your time in Paris, getting the train is a great alternative to flying. Forget check-in times, collecting baggage and having to schlep into central Paris on the metro or bus. The TGV or Eurostar will drop you right near the heart of Paris. Both the Gare de Lyon or Gare du Nord train stations are a fantastic place to start a walking tour of Paris.

The self-guided walking tour of Paris mapped out below starts from the Gare de Lyon and could take as little as an afternoon (if you don’t linger too long at any one-stop) or the entire day if you take time to appreciate each site. Walking is a great way to explore the city and get your bearings – and it’s so much more fun than taking the metro!

Total walk = 12km / 2.3 hours 

Get your free printable version of this map here.

One Day Tour of Paris

Stop #1 bastille.

A swift 10-minute walk from Paris’s Gare de Lyon station will have you outside the Place de la Bastille. Once the site of a prison, it was stormed on what is now known as “Bastille Day” and destroyed during the French Revolution.

While you can still see the outline of the prison marked on the ground, now all that stands here is the 52m high  Colonne de Juillet – a tribute to the 504 lives lost during another revolution in 1830. From the Place de la Bastille you can take a short detour along the Bassin de l’Arsenal to see the colourful houseboats moored at its banks.

Stop #2 Le Marais

If you had to choose just one district of Paris to explore, my advice would be to park yourself in Le Marais. With oodles of old-world charm wrapped in a layer of style and luxury, Le Marais offers the quintessential Paris experience.

Browse the boutiques, soak up the sun in a leafy park, or station yourself in a cafe to watch the passersby. Whatever you do in Le Marais, you’ll be sure to have experienced Paris at its finest.

Stop #3 Hotel de Ville and the Circular Pavilion

The Hotel de Ville is a city hall on a grande scale. Its intricate exterior is only surpassed in beauty by the artwork on display inside the impressive building. Located on the banks of the Seine, the square that houses the Hotel de Ville makes the perfect resting spot and regularly holds concerts and seasonal events throughout the year.

Hearing the name “Circular Pavilion” might have you imagining an entirely different building. Deceivingly, the angular construction completely defies its name. Instead, ‘circular’ comes from the idea of recycling and up-cycling. A message reflected by the use of recycled materials used in its construction.  

The sight of the recycled door  façade  against the flamboyant nature of the Hotel de Ville makes a startling contrast!

Stop #4 Notre Dame

The Cathedral of Notre Dame is one of France’s most famous landmarks . Situated on the Île de la Cité – a natural island in the River Seine – it’s just a short walk from the Hotel de Ville over the Pont d’Arcole. Stop here to admire the building’s amazingly detailed sculpture work, gothic style, and grandiose structure that took over 170 years to build.

It’s worth venturing inside (entrance is free) if only to appreciate the stunning effect of the stained glass windows.*

*Sadly, the cathedral is currently closed due to the devastating fires of 2019.

Stop #5 Pont Neuf

At the opposite end of the Île de la Cité you’ll discover Pont Neuf – the oldest bridge in Paris. Although it’s perhaps preferable to admire it from afar – in order to take in the 12 arches that support the structure – walking over the Pont Neuf is an experience also.

As I heard one passerby explain, “the Pont Neuf used to be the Eiffel Tower of Paris”. Meaning, before Paris’s iconic landmark was around, the Pont Neuf was the city’s most famous attraction.

These days it has taken over as the prime spot for placing ‘love locks’ – padlocks adorned with lovers names before being affixed to the bridge. An honour that used to belong to the nearby Pont des Arts until they were removed due to safety concerns.

Stop #6 Louvre Palace & Pyramid

If you’ve only got 1 day in Paris, you probably won’t have the chance to appreciate the works on display inside the world’s largest museum – the Louvre. But you’ll still be able to admire the architecture of the Louvre from the outside!

Napoleon Courtyard, framed by the Louvre Palace, is an amazing place to sit and soak up the atmosphere. Often you’ll be accompanied by the melodic harmony of a busker or two, and always by the sounds of several dialects being spoken around you.

The Louvre Pyramid, which is actually the biggest of five pyramids onsite, serves as the entrance to the museum. Designed by Ieoh Ming Pei, the architect behind the  Museum of Islamic Art in Doha, Qatar, it was constructed to the same proportions as the Pyramid of Giza. It consists of 673 glass panels in the shape of diamonds and triangles – giving the effect of sparkling jewels as it reflects the light.

Read more about the Louvre Palace here.

Stop #7 Tuileries Garden

A short jaunt across the road from the Louvre Museum will have you crossing the Carousel Gardens and entering the Tuileries Garden. This formal French garden in the centre of Paris is accentuated with ponds, fountains and statues. 

Pull one of the iconic green metal chairs to the water’s edge and settle in for the afternoon with a good book, or to watch Paris’ younger residents sailing model boats. In the hottest months, seek shade in one of the benches tucked under rows of leafy green trees.

Stop #8 Place de la Concorde

The eighth stop on your Paris walking tour, the Place de la Concorde, lies in between the Tuileries Gardens and the Champs-Élysées. Even though it’s called a ‘square’, Place de la Concorde takes on the form of an Octagon. At the eight points surrounding the square is a monument representing a French city; Lyon, Marseille, Bordeaux, Nantes, Brest, Rouen, Lille and Strasbourg. And it’s in the middle of the square you’ll find the oldest monument in Paris – the Luxor Obelisk.

At over 3,300 years old, this Egyptian obelisk was transferred to Paris in 1833 – taking a ginormous effort in those times. On either side of the obelisk, you can see the Fontaine des Mers and the Fontaine des Fleuves. Despite so much to see in the area, it’s not the most serene area to go for a stroll – with multiple lanes of traffic heaving through the square with every green light.

Stop #9 Champs-Élysées

While the Jardins des Champs-Elysées at the lower end of the avenue are very much worthy of a Sunday stroll, it’s been said that the Champs-Élysées has had its heyday. Now it’s a hub for the fashion stores and cafés which line either side of the almost 2km long avenue.

In any case, tourists still flock here in droves and it does still hold the charm of yesteryear – most noticeably when you look up! In the middle of the road (take care when crossing!) you’ll be met with an outstanding view of the avenue and the Arc de Triomphe in the distance.

Stop #10 Arc de Triomphe

At the upper end of the Champs-Elysées lies the Arc de Triomphe. The Arch, which is the biggest in the world, was commissioned by Napoleon and completed in 1836. It’s difficult to judge from afar just how mammoth a structure it is until you stand underneath it. At just shy of 50m, the Arc de Triomphe towers over the Place Charles de Gaulle, making people and cars look miniature at its foot.

The Arc is a full-scale attraction, with a museum, tours and viewing platform – plan some time to visit if you can. The viewing platform offers the one the best views over Paris (including a great perspective of the Eiffel Tower) and the Champs-Elysées.

Stop #11 Jardins du Trocadéro

From the terrace of the Palais de Chaillot you’ll have a fantastic view over the Jardins du Trocadéro, and of course, the Eiffel Tower which looks almost surreal as it appears in front of you. Try not to get too sidetracked from the gardens though, as they offer an incredible experience in their own right.

The Fountain of Warsaw is the main feature of the gardens – a large mirror-like basin in which multiple fountains shoot water up to 12m in the air. In summer, the garden creates a spectacle as lights illuminate the fountains from below.

If visiting Paris with kids , there is a playground right next door and a carousel to delight the little ones .

Stop #12 Eiffel Tower

The last stop on your self-guided walking tour of Paris, the Eiffel Tower, is the most iconic landmark in the city of lights! You can see it rising up above the slate grey rooftops around the city, but seeing it up close is another experience entirely.

While taking the elevator to the summit offers a breathtaking birds-eye view of the city, the best way to view the tower itself is to make yourself comfortable in the park below. The Champ de Mars park extends out in front of the tower and is the perfect place for a picnic, impromptu game of boules, or simply enjoying the convivial atmosphere.

And there you have it, your one day tour in Paris has come to an end! If you have the time, I’d recommend hanging out at the last stop until sunset so you can experience the magic of the Eiffel Tower at night (it’s one of the loveliest things to do on an evening in Paris !). And then once you’re ready to rest your weary feet, there is a few Metro stops close by.

The Champ de Mars/Tour Eiffel is the closest, followed by Bir-Hakeim and Ecole Militaire.

Essentials for your Free Walking Tour of Paris

For walking tours in Paris, there are a few things you’ll need to take with you to make the most of your one day in Paris:

• A quality, lightweight camera – I recommend the Sony A6000
• A phone to use Google Maps, or you can print out the map (above) ahead of time. Keep a map of the metro lines handy too.
• A reusable water bottle – you can fill it up at drinking fountains en route.
• A few euros. Don’t rely on cards, as some places won’t accept them for small items. Also, you’ll need coins for the public toilets in popular spots.
• Keep cool and look the part with a lightweight linen dress, sandals and sunnies. And don’t forget a travel-safe purse for carrying the items above!

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23 comments.

Brilliant itinerary Nadine! I’ve never followed a walking route through Paris and this is a great way to see the ‘big’ sights in one go. Loved your photos and tips too – it makes me want to jump on Eurostar immediately!

Thanks Nancy! Walking is such a great way to get around – as you normally end up discovering a few surprises on the way too (whether by accident or not!). Keep an eye out for some cheap tickets 😉

This is the walking tour that I usually propose when I have guests (usually starting from Notre Dame) on a Paris Getaway. The thing is that when we arrive at Pont Alexandre III they are so destroyed that they are just happy watching the Eiffel Tower from the right bank :-))

I can’t wait to use your tour, but perhaps you should align your map points (letters) with your text points (numbers)!! Thanks!

Hi Kiim, Good point about the letters/numbers, thanks! I’ll fix that up asap. I’m also working on a cool printable map to go with this post so stay tuned 🙂

We loved your walk Nadine. It gave us and our teenager a great day out, we did some shopping and we saw some great Parisienne landmarks.

Hi Liz, Oh, I’m so glad you enjoyed the walk! Thanks for letting me know my plan was useful 🙂

This was an amazing and spot on walking tour. We followed everything that we wanted to see plus we expirience other sites that were along the way like Iglesi Saint Paul – Saint Louis which was an amazing find beautiful church. This made our only day in Paris amazing and we took into consideration on what to bring along for the long journey. Thank you Nadine

Oh, that’s such lovely feedback Saul! I’m so glad the walking tour helped you to enjoy your time in Paris 🙂

Wonderful itinerary. Thanks ❤️❤️❤️

You’re very welcome 🙂

Hi Nadine I just did the same a day in Paris walk tour as mentioned by yourself – thank you for putting this together as it helped me make most of my short time – notes made me feel I was on a guided tour. – le Marais was amazing totally unexpected

Thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience

Hi Nandu, thanks for the feedback! I’m so glad this walking tour helped you enjoy your time in Paris!

Its going to be my 2nd visit to Paris, and I am already sure that this walk is going to be even more fun than the HoHo bus ride we took last time. The map is part of my travel pouch already. Thanks in advance. You are doing a great job!

Awesome! I’m sure you’ll have a great time 🙂

This was amazing! Must say it is very long so be prepared for that. I combined it with the new Lime Scooter rentals in Paris, and it made it much easier. I would recommend this to anyone because I feel like I’ve seen almost everything in one day! I will say this though a if you plan on stopping and visiting many of the stops, this will take you more than one day. I only went up the Eiffel Tower at the end and it was still a 6 hour mission. Would be great split into two days if you wanted to go into places like the Notre Dame and the Arc de Triumph. Overall it was amazing and I would definetly recommend it!

Yes, it’s a long walk for sure – my feet were quite sore by the end (but I didn’t wear appropriate footwear!). You could absolutely break it down and do it over a few days to allow time for sightseeing on the way. Thanks for your comment!

Hello Nadine, Thank you for the itinerary! This will be a lifesaver. We only have one day in Paris, and this will ensure we get to see the best parts for sure! I see that you have it listed as a 2.5 hour walk, but realistically, (like Hannah posted above), how long would it take if we were to stop at the landmarks? I guess I could do the math, add a half-hour here, and an hour there, but I was just wondering if you had a good idea from feedback you might have received. Thanks!

Hi Patrick, I came up with this itinerary from doing the walk myself and it took a full afternoon with stops for lunch, browsing, to look at landmarks etc. So around 12pm – 7pm. You could most definitely cover it all in a full day if you don’t spend more than an hour at each stop. Hope that helps!

This looks like a great walking route! I’ve been looking for something like this as we’ll be walking with our dog & kids so we’ll take it slow. Do you know specifically if any of the points on your itinerary don’t allow dog access?

Sorry, I don’t know that specifically. But Travelnuity has a great guide on visiting Paris with dogs which may help you. You can find it here .

Thank you very much for your amazing job, Nadine. We visited Paris many years ago, but we didn’t have such a great tool. We’ll be in Paris again, just in four days, and thanks to you now we know what we will do on the first day!

That’s great Michael – hope you love the walk!

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Visit Paris in 1 day

Visit Paris in 1 day? Of course it won't be enough but with good organization, a good itinerary and a good program, it is possible to do a nice walking tour to enjoy the most beautiful monuments of Paris in one day.

I share with you my self-guided walking tour to visit Paris in 1 day. Simply open the attached map to follow the route which allows you to discover the main tourist sites of the beautiful French capital on foot. I recommend downloading the map in advance in order to use it offline when you are in Paris.

And in addition to the walking route to follow to visit Paris in 1 day, I also tell you the program of the day, the details of the visits with photos and advice.

How to visit Paris in 1 day?

To discover or visit Paris in 1 day, you have several possibilities, everything will depend on your desires:

• Panoramic tour of Paris + cruise on the Seine + visit to the Eiffel Tower
• Private tour of Paris with a guide
• Discover Paris by bike
• Tour of Paris by tourist bus
• Visit Paris on your own by following my self-guided walking tour which allows you to see the essentials of Paris in 1 day.

It was during a professional internship that I extended for a day that I was able to experience this tourist route. But be careful, this tour of Paris in 1 day Strolling along was really very sporty! This is why I have arranged it below to make it more pleasant and less tiring.

What to visit in Paris in 1 day?

Visiting Paris in 1 day does not allow you to discover the city in its entirety, but it still allows you to visit the city's most emblematic sites:

• Champs-Elysees
• Arc de Triomphe

Eiffel Tower

Pont des arts, holy chapel.

• Notre-Dame cathedral

Louvre Museum

Orangerie museum.

• Sacred Heart
• Moulin Rouge

Paris in 1 day – Self-guided walking tour

Here is the circuit that you can follow on foot:

Itinerary to visit Paris in 1 day

My visit to Paris begins with the most beautiful avenue in the world (forgive my chauvinism…): the Avenue des Champs Elysées.

Take advantage of a 30-minute walk to go leisurely to the Eiffel Tower. To get there from the Champs-Élysées, you have to take Avenue Montaigne (known for its luxury boutiques) to Place de l'Alma.  

Then you will have to follow the Seine via Avenue de New York to Place de Varsovie. You will have to cross the Jena bridge and you will arrive at the Eiffeil Tower, emblem of Paris! Inaugurated during the Universal Exhibition of 1889, at its 324 meters height, the Eiffel Tower overlooks the banks of the Seine and the Champ-de-Mars.

There, it's a shame not to walk but the day will be long, so I recommend taking the bus to go from Eiffel Tower until Pont des Arts (lovers bridge).

You have to go to the middle of the Champs de Mars at the Rapp – la Bourdonnais stop and take bus 69 in the direction of Gambetta Mairie du 20 rd . Allow about 15 minutes and ask the driver (at 11 rd stop) to stop at the Pont des Arts. After a few photos, return to the Quai de Conti and follow the Seine to the Pont Neuf.

You will be on the Ile de la Cité and can go in 10 minutes to the Sainte Chapelle, which I advise you to enter to admire the magnificent and gigantic stained glass windows.

Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral

Then take the Quai du Marché Neuf to arrive at the Notre Dame de Paris Cathedral in a 10-minute walk. An emblem of Gothic art, this magnificent Cathedral still proudly sits in the center of Paris despite the flames it was able to withstand...

From Notre Dame de Paris walk 10 minutes to the Pont Marie Metro crossing the Pont Saint Louis and the Pont Louis Philippe. Take Metro line 7 towards 8 Mai 1945 station. Get off at Palais Royal – Musée du Louvre station.

It is one of the largest and most beautiful museums in the world which houses, among others, the Mona Lisa, the Raft of the Medusa and the Venus de Milo. Corn , if you only spend 1 day in paris, there is no need to take tickets to visit the museum. It's so huge that you won't have enough time to enjoy a quick visit. On the other hand, if you come back for a visit, here is where is the Mona Lisa in the Louvre .

So after a few photos of this magnificent Palace, you can then go via the Quai des Tuileries to the Musée de l'Orangerie on foot (15 minutes).

This is one of my favorite museums in Paris because at the entrance the walls are magnificently painted by Claude Monet who created the superb frescoes of the Water Lilies.

To go to my favorite district of Paris , the Butte Montmartre and its picturesque little bistros, you will have to take a taxi or the metro. To get there by metro, allow around 30 minutes. From the Musée de l'Orangerie, go to Métro Concorde (5 minutes) then take line 12 Front Populaire. It is a direct line that will take you to Abbesses station where you will have to get off.

How to visit Montmartre on foot?

From Abbesses station, you can take a short tourist circuit on foot which will allow you to visit the most beautiful sites of Montmartre:

Located 50 meters from the Abbesses metro station, go through the Mur des Je t’aime:

Then head towards Place du Tertre to admire the painters of Montmartre.

From Place du Tertre, take rue Novrins then rue Du Mont Cenis. You will turn into rue du Chevalier de la Barre to arrive at the Basilica of the Sacré-Cœur. It is accessed by the Funicular or by climbing the large stairs which lead to the Basilica.

Dining in Montmartre

Then you will have the choice between a nice dinner in Montmartre or a dinner show at the Moulin Rouge .

If you choose the restaurant option, I recommend the restaurant le POULBOT which offers a wide selection of craft beers and a carefully selected wine list. In this restaurant, you can taste typical French dishes in a very Parisian atmosphere!

If you prefer the French Cancan flans of the beautiful Parisians, the show at the famous Montmartre cabaret the Moulin Rouge awaits you.

Paris in 1 day - What a hotel in Montmartre

Only 10 minutes walk from the Sacré Cœur, I recommend my favorite hotel in Paris: the Hotel 29 Lepic (Rue Lepic).

With its ideal location in the heart of Paris, its romantic atmosphere, this is a dream hotel for a stay in Paris. Its rooms are comfortable, clean and very well equipped and the breakfast is generous and delicious.

If you have the chance to spend 2 days in Paris, here is my circuit to visit Paris in 2 days and my good plans for shopping in Paris .

And if you want to go sightseeing around Paris: My weekend around Paris or visit Paris for a stopover: Visit Paris in 1 afternoon

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3 thoughts on “Visit Paris in 1 day”

I calculate with your explanations and the hours that you note on your circuit. thank you

hello thank you for sharing your travels. I am preparing a little tour of France by car with my family, my husband, my 2 children 7 and 9 years old and me. I am inspired by your itineraries, for the visit of Paris on foot can you tell me approximately how long you have to walk? it is to best adapt the circuit for my children. thank you and good luck noemie

Hello Noémie, I must tell you that my itinerary and the times given are really made for adults who like to walk. I think with kids you will probably have to adapt it so that it is not the race for them. In any case, I hope you enjoy Paris and have a good stay with your family!

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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Paris walking tour map. Best Paris walks

Paris walking tour maps let you discover the city in the best way. Distances are short. Density of sights is high. Streets are pleasant. The walking tour from Louvre Museum to Arc de Triomphe is a classic combining sigtseeing and shopping. Paris walking tour maps focus on the best districts. A city tour is a good introduction. Places to visit in Paris .

Paris city tour

To discover Paris, first book a tour of Paris. Then focus on specific districts that can be discovered on foot.

On the 1.30 hour audio tour, you will immerse yourself in the spirit and structure of the most beautiful city in the world. Panoramic and 360° views will allow you to discover the essential Parisian sites, including the Opéra Garnier, the Eiffel Tower and the Champs-Elysées.

Throughout the tour, audio commentaries will immerse you in the history of Paris' most famous monuments and districts.

Kids will be delighted to share this exceptional experience and be able to learn while having fun.

Tour information and booking .

Left bank walking tour map

The left bank is the most parisian district. Its old streets, stores, cafés, the Luxembourg Gardens are a unique combination. The tour leads you from the Seine River to Luxembourg Gardens through Saint-Germain-des-Prés.

Check detailed Left Bank Paris walking tour map and itinerary

If you don't have time to do this 3 hour walking tour, book a Paris tour, including the Left Bank. Information .

Le Marais walking tour map

Le Marais is one of the oldest and the trendiest district of Paris. Its Jewish and gay communities, atmosphere, bars, shopping streets and sights including Centre Pompidou, Picasso Museum, Place des Vosges, support this reputation. Live Le Marais as you walk. The tour takes three hours.

Check detailed Le Marais walking tour map and itinerary .

If you don't have the time to do this 3 hour walking tour, book a coach Paris tour, including Le Marais. Information .

Montmartre walking tour map

Montmartre is the hilly and picturesque village of Paris. In three hours, discover Sacré-Coeur and Moulin de la Galette.

Enjoy the lively atmosphere, shops and bars of rue des Abbesses. Visit Place du Tertre and its many artists.

Check detailed Montmartre walking tour map and itinerary .

An alternative is a Montmartre guided coach tour. Information .

Paris apartment and hotel map

Eiffel tower walking tour map.

You can combine the visit of the Eiffel Tower with a visit of some of the great museums at walking distance. A scenic and spectacular walk in Paris if you have a few hours.

Detailed Eiffel Tower walking tour map and itinerary

If you don't have the time to do this walking tour, book a guided Paris tour, including the Eiffel Tower. Information .

4 hour walking tour map

The Ile de la Cité, Notre-Dame and Louvre Museum are the heart of Paris. In 4 hours, discover the city top sights.

Check detailed Paris in 4 hour walking tour itinerary and map

If you don't have the time for this walking tour, book a Paris city tour by motorcoach. Information . Explore Paris has many interesting out-of the beaten track walks in Grand Paris . You speak French. Check the specialized Paris walks with guide. Consider a walk in Père Lachaise cemetery .

The top thematic Paris maps

Seine river bridge map.

Download detailed Paris Seine River bridge map

As driving and parking are quite difficult in the city, the metro is the most heavily used means of transportation. The metro is safe and clean. Locate metro lines and metro stations on the map. Find your itinerary in town. Check our Paris metro map

Bus network

Download printable Paris bus network map .

Arrondissements

The city is divided into 20 arrondissements, its administrative subdivisions with each a separate city hall and a zip code. As example, the zip code of the 1st arrondissement is 75001. Locate most city top sights on the Paris Arrondissement map .

There is a wide choice of hotels and apartments in town with very different quality and value for money. Most hotels are small and charming boutique hotels. Locate our favorite hotels in town and our favorite districts for hotels on Paris hotel map .

Restaurants

There is a huge number of restaurant in the city, both French and foreign. In general, the tourist districts offer poor value for money. But, there are exceptions. Locate our favorite restaurants in town on Paris restaurant map .

Shopping venues

From the huge shopping malls to the small specialized shops, there are shopping venues matching your taste. Locate the best shopping venues in the city on Paris shopping map : fashion streets, department stores, shopping malls, flea market.

Paris map pdf

Locate the top monuments on Paris monument map . It includes the Eiffel Tower, Notre-Dame, the Louvre, the Sacré-Coeur, the Arc de Triomphe, La Conciergerie, the Sainte Chapelle, the Fondation Louis Vuitton, Palais de Chaillot.

The city is world famous for its top museums of art: Musée d'Orsay, Louvre, Centre Pompidou, Musée d'Art Moderne, Musée Picasso, Musée Marmottan. Locate and view the top museums on Paris museum map .

Gardens and parks

Locate the top gardens and parks on Paris garden map : Luxembourg Gardens, Les Tuileries, Parc de la VIllette, Buttes-Chaumont, Parc Monceau, Bois de Boulogne, Bois de Vincennes.

Sightseeing

Locate and view the top sights on Paris sightseeing map : on one map, monuments, museums, parks and gardens.

Tourist map

Locate top tourist sights on Paris tourist map . It includes monuments, museums, gardens, shopping venues, restaurants

Best things to see and do in Paris

Paris is the capital of France and one of the most popular tourist destinations in the entire world. It is one of the places highest on the list of cities you should visit at least once in your life because of everything it has to offer culturally, in terms of its monuments, architecture, and cuisine. In addition to the main attractions of the city like the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame Cathedral, or the Montmartre and Le Marais neighborhoods, take a free walking tour to get to discover some of the lesser-known parts of the city where the River Seine flows. 

On any of the free guided tours we offer in Paris , you will be able to find a large selection of unmissable places to visit with your local guide who will show you the hidden charms and the way of life of this amazing city. You can’t leave Paris without having gone to visit the Saint Chapelle Church, the Louvre Museum, the gardens of Champs Elysées, Sacré Coeur Basilica, Pont Neuf (the New Bridge) over the Seine, Luxembourg Gardens, the Parisian Catacombs,  Vendome Square, Les Halles Market, the Pompidou Center, Orsay Museum, the Arc de Triomphe, the Latin Neighborhood, Tuileries Gardens, the Galleries Lafayette, Garnier Opera, or the Pere Lachaise Cemetery. 

Many travelers leave their reviews and opinions after having done their free walking tour in Paris (in the morning or afternoon) and they evaluate the route and their experience with the local guide. After, there may be other cities you want to visit and do a guided tour with a local guru like Bordeaux, Toulouse, Marseille, or Nice. 

What is included in the Essential Free Tour of Paris?

What will i discover on the free tours through montmartre, paris, what is the atmosphere like on the free tours through paris at night, what will we explore on the free tours through the latin quarter of paris, are there free tours at the eiffel tower in paris, what awaits me on the free tours through monumental paris, what are the free tours of parks and gardens in paris like, what do the free tours of street art and graffiti in paris involve, free walking tour near paris, others cities to visit after paris, find other guruwalks in paris, where are you traveling to.

A Free & Self-Guided Latin Quarter Walking Tour of Paris

By: Author Sophie Nadeau

Posted on Last updated: 6th November 2021

Categories Paris , walking tour

Last Updated on 6th November 2021 by Sophie Nadeau

The Latin Quarter, otherwise known as the  Quartier Latin  in French, is a lively district with roots dating back to a time when Paris was known as Lutetia. Here’s a free and self-guided Latin Quarter walking tour. Along the way, you’ll discover some of the best bookstores in the city, get the chance to glimpse some history, and discover why the patron saint of Paris is no longer in her final resting place.

Latin Quarter Walking Tour: Practical Advice, Tricks & Tips

Circus bakery, square rené viviani, shakespeare & co., odette paris, catholic church of saint severin, the abbey bookshop, cluny museum, place de la sorbonne, paris pantheon, saint-etienne-du-mont, enjoyed reading this free and self-guided latin quarter walking tour pin it now, read it again later:.

If I were to give just one tip for this walking tour of the Latin Quarter (i.e. 5th arrondissement of Paris), it would be to ensure that you wear comfortable walking shoes. Although the route is predominantly flat, you’ll likely end up wanting to stop off at several of the sites and wander around.

For those who think that they’ll be seeing many cultural attractions and museums when in the French capital, I would also advise that you consider the Paris Pass. Though it’s a little pricey in its initial investment, this pass allows you to skip-the-line at many attractions and allows for entry into over sixty monuments and museums! Check here for Paris Pass prices and further information.

For further information on the Latin Quarter, be sure to read my guide to the 5th arrondissement . If you’re looking to stay in this area of the city (after all, basing yourself in this area means that you’re in a great spot from which to explore the rest of Paris) , then I highly recommend booking your accommodation in advance.

Walking time: 21 minutes

Distance covered: 1.6 km

For the very best cinnamon bun in the city, you simply must head to Circus Bakery . Newly opened and located along a pretty street close to the Notre Dame Cathedral, it’s also here where you’ll find some of the best coffee the city has to offer. Please note that as of late 2021, Circus bakery is permanently closed. Luckily, many of the same products that were for sale in Circus can now be found for sale in the Café in the Merci concept store in Le Marais.

The oldest tree in Paris can be found in the heart of Square René-Viviani , a pretty green space where many Parisians and tourists choose to picnic during the summer months.

Often said to date all the way back to the 1600s, this small piece of history is now propped up by concrete and wooden pillars. Nevertheless, be sure not to miss this quirk of history while in the area!

Of all the anglophone bookshops in Paris , Shakespeare & Co. is likely the most known of. Named for a bookshop which was opened by the American, Sylvia Beach, in 1919 and hosted some of the biggest names in writing during the era. During the 1920s, Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Gertrude Stein, all frequented the store.

Today, a new and second bookstore of the same name is open as an ode to the original . Should you wish to visit for yourself, be sure to be prepared to queue. After all, the bookstore is tiny and space is limited. If you’re visiting Paris in the cherry blossom season , you can also expect to see plenty of pretty cherry flowers outside the store.

If you’ve ever searched for the most instagrammable spots in Paris, then no doubt you’ll have come across Odette Paris . Situated in the Latin Quarter, steps away from the Church of Saint- Julien-le-Pauvre, Odette serves some of the best choux buns in the city! Located along a cobbled lane, be sure to head there mid-week or earlier in the day if possible so as to capture the pretty coffee shop with fewer people around!

Truth be told, my favourite church in Paris is not Notre Dame, nor is it the Sacré-Coeur Basilica. Instead, the beauty of the St Severin ecclesiastical building makes it well worth a wander inside if you’re ever passing through the Latin Quarter.

Home to a rather unusual formation of arches designed so as to look like trees, once inside you’ll find a quiet place to sit and contemplate, away from the hustle and bustle of the rest of the arrondissement. When visiting, be sure to stay as quiet as possible. It is a place of worship, after all!

Books spill out onto the street and the smell of freshly brewed coffee is ever-wafting down Rue Parchemenerie, the pretty Latin Quarter street where the Abbey Bookshop can be found.

Established several decades ago by Canadian Brian Spence, the store now counts some 35,000 titles among its offerings. At other times of the year, the Abbey Bookshop also offers book signings and talks, meaning that it’s always an exciting place to stop by if you’re in the area.

Of all the museums in Paris, none is so enthralling for a Classical History buff as that of the Musée de Cluny. Located between the intersection of what were once the two main streets in Roman Paris, the Cluny Museum offers both the chance to see what life may have been like during the Middle Ages, and also a glimpse of the former Roman bath houses. Nearby, several important Roman locations can be found. For more information, check out my guide to Roman Paris.

Paris is home to some of the most prestigious universities in the world. With this being said, no architecture of any university in France is perhaps as famous or as iconic as that of the Sorbonne University. Once known as the Sorbonne IV, the college takes its name from the Collège de Sorbonne which was founded as early as the 13th-century.

If you’re thirsty en-route to the other locations on this Latin Quarter tour or simply want to purchase a coffee or glass of wine, then I recommend sitting in one of the cafés at Place de la Sorbonne and simply watching the world go by. Want to know more about café culture in Paris? Here’s my guide to the art of ordering coffee in Paris.

Thought that Rome was the only place to have its own Pantheon? Think again. Sitting in pride of place and overlooking the rest of the city, as well as the ever-so-pretty Jardin du Luxembourg, the Paris Pantheon was originally constructed to serve as a place in which to house the relics of Saint Genevieve.

However, over time that purpose changed and now one of the greatest honours that a French citizen can be bestowed is to be interred in the Pantheon. Now, you can not only visit the final resting place of the likes of Voltaire and Marie Curie, but you can also pay to go up the Pantheon’s dome and enjoy one of the best panoramic views of Paris.

In a kind of returning to the source of sorts, this Latin Quarter walking tour ends where the Patron Saint of Paris now finds her final resting place. Lying in the shadows of the iconic Paris Pantheon, this beautiful church contains the shrine of Saint Genevieve, patron saint of Paris, as well as several architectural features of note.

Free to visit, once inside the  Paroisse Saint-Étienne-du-Mont , be sure not to miss the rood screen. Intricately carved, it dates all the way back to the 16th-century and is the last of its kind in Paris. Wait for one of the guided tours, and you can peek behind the scenes at some truly astonishing stained glass windows.

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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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Home > Paris Itineraries > Free Walking Tour of Le Marais, Paris (With Map!)

Free Walking Tour of Le Marais, Paris (With Map!)

Visit le marais – paris’ most authentic district.

With its elegant architecture, hidden gardens, and beautiful squares, Le Marais is one of the best neighborhoods in Paris to visit . Le Marais used to be where the bourgeois lived, and its wealthy past can be seen in the elegant private mansions.

Located on the Right Bank of the Seine River , Le Marais encompasses parts of the 3rd and 4th Arrondissements, and it is best explored on foot.

If you are looking for the best places to explore in Le Marais, this guide is perfect for you! I’ve put together this self-guided walking tour of Le Marais, including a map, that you can use entirely for free. Le Marais has many beautiful corners, and you don’t want to miss any of them!

Are You Planning a Trip to Paris Last Minute?

If you are booking a last-minute trip to Paris, I’ve got you covered! Below are our must-guides, top tours, hotels, and more:

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» Where to Stay:  Best Districts to Stay in Paris

• Le Pavillon de la Reine  (historical 5-star hotel in Le Marais)
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• Hotel Ducs de Bourgogne (super central 4-star hotel near the Louvre)

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Want skip-the-line access at museums & attractions in Paris?  Get your hands on a  Paris Museum Pass !

» Don’t leave without travel insurance!   Safety Wing works well for long and short trips (starting with a minimum of 5 days). SafetyWing covers COVID-19 for new policies purchased, and unplanned quarantine is covered, too.

Related Posts

Map of Le Marais Paris Walking Tour

Click here to view this map of Le Marais Walking Tour on Google

Le Marais Walking Tour (Self-Guided)

Start this Le Marais free walking tour from the metro station Saint Paul (Line 1).

1. Paroisse Saint-Paul Saint-Louis  

Right beside the metro entrance is the beautiful Paroisse Saint-Paul Saint-Louis , a 17th-century church with an important record: it was the first church in Paris to break away entirely from the Gothic style and use the new Baroque style instead.

The baroque façade, with its massive red door and asymmetrical clock, is truly stunning. Step inside the church to admire the impressive 59-meter dome shining light over the altar and Delacroix’s astonishing painting ‘Christ in the Garden of Olives.’

Take the time to walk around the church: there are other artworks worth exploring!

From the Church, return to the main street (Rue Saint-Antonie) and take the second street on the left (Rue de Birague) to get to Place des Vosges.

2. Place des Vosges

Place des Vosges is one of the Royal Squares in Paris . It is also Paris’ oldest public square, commissioned by King Henri IV in 1605. Originally called Place Royale, today it is one of Paris’ most beloved squares and gardens where you can relax and have a picnic during the good season.

The architecture of this square is quite unique. Its perfectly symmetrical layout includes buildings with red brick exterior walls and slate roofs built over vaulted arcades. Today, these buildings house restaurants, cafés, and art galleries.

On one of the corners of Place des Vosges, you will find Maison de Victor Hugo (6 Place des Vosges), where the famous writer lived. This house museum is free to visit.

From the square’s southwest corner, you can access the Hôtel de Sully (5 Place des Vosges), a beautiful palace with a free-access courtyard with sculptures.

Exit Place des Vosges from the top left corner and walk straight to arrive at the Musée Carnavalet.

3. Musée Carnavalet

The Musée Carnavalet is one of the best museums in Paris to visit if you are a history buff. This museum offers insight into the city’s history.

Its impressive permanent collection, which can be visited for free, boasts about 2,600 paintings and 2,000 sculptures scattered around 100 rooms.

The French Revolution exhibit is particularly interesting. It features detailed scale models of objects such as guillotines and replicas of the Bastille prison and King Louis XVI’s prison cell.

Your next stop, Square Georges Caïn, is on the parallel street on the left (Rue Payenne) from Musée Carnavalet.

4. Square Georges Caïn 

This pretty square behind Musée Carnavalet is an oasis of peace amid the bustle of the Marais district.

Besides being a green space where locals like to relax, it is also a kind of lapidary museum where you can see some remains from the Tuileries Palace.

As soon as you enter the Square Georges Caïn , you first see a bronze statue of a naked woman, ‘L’Aurore,’ in the middle of a rose bed. Another exciting piece to check out is ‘Le Rossignol Electrique,’ an electronic bird that starts singing whenever the wind blows.

To arrive at the Musée National Picasso, the next stop, leave the square at its top left corner and follow the street on the right.

5. Musée National Picasso

The Musée National Picasso is housed in the Hôtel Salé , a stunning private mansion listed as a historical monument. Commissioned by Pierre Aubert, lord of Fontenay, the hotel was built between 1656 and 1659 and boasts the typical architecture of Le Marais.

As the name suggests, the Picasso Museum showcases the works of Pablo Picasso, the famous Spanish painter. It also hosts interesting temporary exhibitions about Picasso’s friends. The Musée Picasso in Paris is the most important Picasso Museum in the world, followed by the museums in Barcelona and Málaga.

Less than a 10-minute walk from the Musée National Picasso, you will find the Marché des Enfants Rouges. Once you reach Rue de Bretagne, take the third street on the left to get to the next stop.

6. Marché des Enfants Rouges

The Marché des Enfants Rouges is Paris’ oldest covered food market. Built in 1615, it takes its name from the Hospice des Enfants Rouges (Red Children’s Hospital), a former children’s hospital where the orphaned children were all dressed in red.

Strolling around the Marché des Enfants Rouges, you can purchase fresh produce, from vegetables to cheeses to oysters. You can also pick up ready-to-eat dishes from international cuisines, like Moroccan and Italian, and enjoy them on the spot.

Walk back to Rue de Bretagne and proceed to the left for a few minutes. You will find yourself at the Square du Temple.

7. Square du Temple

Located in front of the Mairie (City Hall) of the 3rd Arrondissement, the Square du Temple is a beautiful English-style garden built in the area that belonged to the Knights of the Temple back in the 13th century. 

In Medieval times, the Templars drained and deforested this land. They built the Enclos du Temple , a vast enclosure that extended over 130 hectares and was protected by an 8m tall perimeter wall. It was like a city within the city of Paris!

Curious visitors will notice some strange blue lines on the pavement and sidewalk just in front of the Mairie. This is the exact layout of the Old Temple’s Keep , the prison where King Louis XVI and Queen Marie-Antoinette spent the last years before their execution. At that time, the Keep was the only Medieval vestige of the Old Temple, and it was completely razed in 1810 by the order of Napoléon I to avoid any memory or place of worship dedicated to the Monarchy.

Return to Rue de Bretagne and take the first street on the right (Rue des Archives). Walk it for around 8 minutes, and the Archives Nationales will be on your left. You can access Archives Nationales through Rue des Francs Bourgeois.

8. Archives Nationales (Hôtel de Soubise)

The Musée des Archives Nationales is housed inside the Hôtel de Soubise . It contains some of France’s most important historical documents and the Armoire de Fer (the Iron Chest). The Armoire de Fer is an impressive strongbox built in 1791 to hold essential documents produced by the New Regime, including the original of the French Constitution (1791).

Before leaving, check out the Hôtel’s secluded gardens, a great place for a relaxing break.

9. Crédit Municipal de Paris

Across the street from the Archives Nationales, you will find the Crédit Municipal de Paris (CMP). Formerly known as ‘Mont de Piété,’ is the oldest financial institution in Paris.

Since 1637, the institution has practiced pawn broking, a form of credit that consists of pawning a valuable object in exchange for an immediate loan representing 50 to 70% of the object’s value on the public auction market. The Crédit Municipal also serves as a bank and auction house.

The Crédit Municipal is located in a mansion built on a former convent, itself erected on the former walls of Philippe-Auguste (XIIth century), demolished around 1535. The layout of this ancient enclosure and the remains of an old tower can still be seen in the courtyard of this establishment. During the good season, there’s an outdoor terrace bar that belongs to Griffon .

10. Medieval Houses Rue François Miron  

Rue François Miron is one of the oldest streets in Paris. Here, you can marvel at gorgeous half-timbered houses dating back to Medieval Paris .

For centuries, these tall and skinny buildings, the Maison du Faucheur and Maison du Mouton (House of the Reaper and House of Sheep), were considered the city’s most ancient ones. Nonetheless, the houses in Rue François Miron are a must-see in Le Marais thanks to their crookedness.

From Rue François Miron, head to Rue du Pont Louis-Philippe. Your next stop, Rue des Barres, is the first street on the right. 

11. Rue des Barres

The lovely Rue des Barres is located between the Church of St Gervais-et-Saint-Protais and the Square Couperin. It’s one of the oldest streets in Le Marais and also one of the prettiest. Here,  you can see a few half-timbered houses still standing in the city, as well as the 7th-century St Gervais-et-Saint-Protais Church.

Rue des Barres is the last stop of this Le Marais walking tour. From here, you can take the metro (Pont Marie station, line 7).

If you are in the mood for more walking and it’s not too late, check out this self-guided Paris chocolate tour , which explores the best chocolate shops in Le Marais.

You can also walk towards the Seine River and cross Pont Louis-Philippe to visit Ile Saint-Louis . Curious about what there is to do here? Check out my post on the best things to do in Ile Saint-Louis .

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About WORLD IN PARIS

Quirky parisian explorer with a preference for lesser-known sights, i am continuously looking for new ideas and tips to bring you the best of the city of light read more about me ., i am elisa, the travel blogger behind world in paris. quirky explorer with a preference for the local side of my city and its lesser-known sights, i am 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 & my best tips learn more.

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The Best Walking Route Through le Marais (with a map)

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Start: Arts et Métiers Metro Station in le Marais

Passage de l’ancre in le marais.

Passage de l’Ancre – by Poulpy – Wikimedia Commons

Marché des Enfants Rouges in le Marais

Marché des Enfants Rouges – by besopha – Wikimedia Commons

Merci in le Marais

Practical information, opening hours: monday to saturday: 10am to 7:30pm, address: 111 boulevard beaumarchais, 75003 paris, france, metro station: richard lenoir, musée national picasso in le marais.

Musée National Picasso – by Kippelboy – Wikimedia Commons

OPENING HOURS: Tuesday TO Sunday: 9:30am to 6pm

Address: 5 rue de thorigny, 75003 paris, france, metro station: chemin vert, l’as du fallafel in le marais.

L’As du Fallafel – by Plot Spoiler – Wikimedia Commons

OPENING HOURS: Sunday TO Friday: 11am to 12am

Address: 32-34 rue des rosiers, 75004 paris, france, metro station: hôtel de ville, place des vosges in le marais.

Place des Vosges – by AlNo – Wikimedia Commons

Le Village Saint-Paul in le Marais

Opening hours: wednesday to monday: 11am to 7pm, address: rue saint-paul, 75004 paris, france, metro station: pont-marie, maison européenne de la photographie in le marais.

Maison Européenne de la Photographie – by Maison Européenne de la Photographie – Uploaded by them

OPENING HOURS: Wednesday TO Sunday: 10am to 8pm

Address: 5/7 rue de fourcy, 75004 paris, france, metro station: saint-paul, end: rue des barres in le marais.

Rue des Barres – by Mbzt – Wikimedia Commons

5 Best Restaurants in Le Marais

1. au bourguignon du marais .

Photo by Maria Orlova from Pexels

OPENING HOURS: Monday to Sunday: 12 to 10 pm

Address: 52 rue françois miron, 75004 paris, france, metro station: saint-paul (le marais), 2.  candelaria.

Image by VinaConstanze from Pixabay

OPENING HOURS: Monday to FRIDAY: 5 pm to 2 am/Saturday to Sunday: 12 pm to 2 am

Address: 52 rue de saintonge, 75003 paris, france, metro station: filles du calvaire, 3. miznon.

Photo by Jonathan Reynaga from Pexels

OPENING HOURS: Sunday to Thursday: 12 to 11 pm/Friday: 12 to 4 pm

Address: 22 rue des ecouffes, 75004 paris, france.

Photo by Nicola Barts from Pexels

OPENING HOURS: Monday to Wednesday: 12 to 2:30 pm  6:45 to 10:45 pm/Thursday to Friday: 12 to 2:30 pm, 6:45 to 11 pm/Saturday: 11 am to 3 pm,6:45 t0 11 pm/Sunday: 11 am to 3 pm,6:45 to 10:45 pm

Address: 30 rue debelleyme, 75003 paris, france, 5. le colimaçon.

Photo by Pixabay from Pexels

OPENING HOURS: Monday to Saturday: 6:30 to 11 pm/ Sunday: 12:30 to 3 pm, 6:30 to 11 pm

Address: 44 rue vieille-du-temple, 75004 paris, france.

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Natalie is a film photographer and is fascinated by both humans and astrology. She enjoys roaming the streets of Paris by foot, and is inspired by the city’s timeless, Bohemian flair and the soul in districts such as Le Marais and Menilmontant.

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The best walks in Paris to soak up the city’s charms

From the Eiffel Tower to the Louvre Museum , Paris is full of iconic attractions to admire. But there’s so much more to Paris than these familiar sights. If you want to get to know the real Paris, you’ll have to walk the French capital’s cobbled streets like the locals.

In fact, Paris prohibits motorized vehicles in certain areas to maintain a quiet, traffic-free environment. Many streets near the Luxembourg Gardens and Centre Pompidou are strictly reserved for pedestrians only, and the city’s charming arcades and covered passages can only be accessed on foot.

So pack your most comfortable walking shoes—here are the best walks and walking tours in Paris to check off bucket list experiences while discovering hidden gems.

1. Île de la Cité

Duration: 2 hours

Île de la Cité (City Island) is an island in the heart of Paris, floating amid the Seine River . Inhabited since the 1st century, this small island was once used as a fortress by Romans. Today, Île de la Cité is well-connected to the mainland by five bridges and its own Metro station. The entire island is only about 10 streets long, and is a treasure trove for history buffs.

To start your journey, cross Pont Neuf , the city’s oldest surviving bridge. Stop by the oldest public clock in Paris and wander around the Conciergerie , where Marie Antoinette was imprisoned during the Reign of Terror. Sainte-Chapelle is also worth a visit—built by Louis IX, the royal chapel is almost entirely constructed out of stained glass. Although the Notre-Dame Cathedral is currently closed for renovation, you can still admire the magnificent building from the outside.

Not ready for your adventure to end? Head across Pont Saint-Louis to explore Ile Saint-Louis, a quieter island that's home to the legendary Berthillon .

2. Montmartre

Duration: 4 hours

Named after the hill it’s located on, Montmartre is one of the best neighborhoods in Paris to walk around. Between the 19th and 20th centuries, Montmartre’s bohemian atmosphere attracted famous artists like Claude Monet, Pablo Picasso, and Vincent van Gogh; you can still visit the buildings where they once lived in .

Even now, a stroll down Montmartre’s cobblestone streets will transport you back to its village days. Wind through the neighborhood’s narrow streets and check out its iconic windmills , including the Moulin Rouge , before heading up to the Sacre-Coeur . We recommend wearing your most comfortable shoes, as you’ll need to climb up more than 200 steps to reach the dome, where you’ll be rewarded with one of the best views in Paris.

Once you’ve worked up an appetite, join a food tasting tour to try Montmartre’s best delicacies from its quaint bakeries, restaurants, and Paris’ only vineyard .

3. Saint-Germain-des-Prés

Located on the Left Bank, the neighborhood of Saint-Germain-des-Prés is home to numerous cafés, bookstores, and universities. Walking around the artsy district will immerse you in Paris’ culture and heritage, beginning from the Middle Ages.

Start at the neighborhood’s namesake, the Abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Pres . Founded in the 6th century, the church is a stunning Gothic masterpiece filled with colorful frescoes. As you continue down Boulevard Saint-Germain , you’ll notice many iconic cafés like Cafe de Flore , Les Deux Magots , and the Brasserie Lipp . These cafés were regular meeting spots for some of France’s most influential writers, painters, and philosophers.

Those with a sweet tooth will also be spoilt for choice in Saint-Germain—the neighborhood is home to Paris’ best patisseries and chocolatiers . Don’t miss out on this tasting tour of Saint-Germain’s acclaimed chocolate shops .

4. Jardin des Tuileries

Duration: 1 hour

The Jardin des Tuileries is great for a scenic walk or bike ride from the Place de la Concorde to the Louvre. Not only will you be able to easily see two major Parisian attractions, but you’ll also get to admire one of Paris’ most exquisite public parks.

Spot the Tuileries Garden’s gated entrance from the Obélisque de Louxor . As you stroll along the verdant garden, you’ll find yourself in an open-air museum—numerous outdoor sculptures by Auguste Rodin, Aristide Maillol, and other French sculptors are scattered throughout the 70-acre park. Stop by the Musée de l'Orangerie to admire Monet’s iconic water lilies , or continue down the main pathway to pass through the Grand Carré and the Grand Basin, where children can play with toy sailboats.

Finally, continue straight past the Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel to reach the main courtyard of the Louvre. You won’t miss the spectacular Pyramide du Louvre , where you can begin your tour of the world's most-visited museum .

5. Latin Quarter

The Latin Quarter is one of the oldest districts in Paris and is home to the Sorbonne and many other universities. As the Latin Quarter avoided Baron Haussmann’s sweeping renovations, it still retains its ancient charms, from its cobblestone streets to the buzzing Rue Mouffetard , a must-visit for its delectable food.

There’s plenty to discover in this medieval district. Book-lovers will have a magical time browsing Shakespeare and Company ’s shelves and uncovering the Latin Quarter’s links to famous writers, artists, and intellectuals , while families can drop by the Jardin des Plantes , which is home to Paris’ Museum of Natural History as well as Parc Zoologique de Paris .

Afterward, continue towards the Luxembourg Gardens , or end your walk with a pub crawl to experience another side of the Latin Quarter.

6. The Marais

Once a land-filled swamp, Le Marais (The Marsh) transformed into an aristocratic district in the late Middle Ages. In the 17th century, the Marais saw a boom in private mansions built by French nobles. After the French Revolution, the district became a Jewish Quarter and working-class area.

Start your walk around the Marais at the iconic Hôtel de Ville . The Renaissance building was once the site of gruesome public executions but is now home to the Paris city council. As you continue heading north, you’ll see many grand mansions left over from the Marais’ aristocratic past. Many of these mansions are now museums, which you can visit—stop by the National Archives , housed within the Hôtel de Soubise, one of the first private mansions built in the neighborhood, as well as the Musée Picasso , located in the majestic Hôtel Salé.

If you’re feeling hungry, make a stop at the Marché des Enfants Rouges , Paris’ oldest covered market, where you can browse its food stalls. Last but not least, Place des Vosges is the highlight of the Marais. This public square is home to a rolling green park, surrounded by red-brick townhouses and arcades, including the Hôtel de Rohan-Guéménée , where Victor Hugo once lived.

7. Butte-aux-Cailles

The hilltop neighborhood of Butte-aux-Cailles , situated in the 13th arrondissement, is a sleepy, village-like district bursting with personality. Fans of street art will love wandering down Butte-aux-Cailles’ winding streets , where notable urban artists Miss Tic and Jef Aérosol have left their marks.

Throughout the 13th arrondissement , you’ll find more colorful works sprouting from each street corner. Artists from all over the world, including Chile and America, have decorated the neighborhood’s walls with huge portraits, stencil drawings, and even 3D artwork. Liberté, égalité, fraternité , by Shepard Fairey, is an iconic mural paying tribute to France’s national motto, painted by the artist after the 2013 terrorist attacks.

8. Canal Saint-Martin

Duration: 1.5 hours

The picturesque Canal Saint-Martin has inspired painters, musicians, and writers, and has even been seen in films like Mission: Impossible — Fallout . Saint-Martin’s waterfront is ideal for a stroll, and you can rest your feet anytime at one of the cozy bars and bistros lining the canal.

We recommend starting your walk along the Quai de Valmy , where you can spot boats passing under cast-iron footbridges. Along the way, feel free to stop by Point Éphémère, a waterfront arts center with an exciting program of concerts and exhibitions throughout the year. Once you reach the end of the canal, you can continue heading towards the Stalingrad Rotunda to reach the La Villette canal basin, where the summer Paris Plages are held.

Tip: For a romantic night out, you can even take a dinner cruise along the waterway.

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Self-guided walking tour of Paris: The French Revolution hotspots

• Post category: Paris & Île-de-France
• Post author: Nassie Angadi

If there ever was a city made for a walking tour, it is Paris. With a relatively small center connected by wide boulevards, you can walk from Place de la Bastille in the east to the Eiffel Tower in the west, in less than two hours. And that is with plenty of stops along along the way for a bit of sightseeing.

And if you love history and are interested in doing a themed walking tour, Paris is ideal. Exploring the places where the French Revolution took place, you will quickly realize that many of the monuments of significance are well within walking distance of each other in the center of Paris.

The history is palpable as you explore the streets of Paris and its world-class art museums. Paris is made for wandering, with its wide boulevards that let you amble and have ample opportunities to take in the sights, sounds, and smells that make it one of the most beautiful cities in the world. And it is a great way to get a feel for the city.

Now I should mention, when I say the French Revolution, I mean the 1789 French Revolution, as there were a couple of revolutions afterwards. But this is the one everyone remembers, where Marie-Antoinette got guillotined.

So let’s get to the top places and monuments on the 1789 Revolution walking tour, shall we? Allons-y!

1. Place de la Bastille

Located: at Metro Bastille in the 11th arrondissement of Paris

In the east end of Paris, is the Place de la bastille where once stood the ancient fortress prison called Bastille Saint-Antoine dating back to the 14th century.

Around the time of the Revolution, the former royal fort that had been converted into a prison.  An imposing building made of stone, it was surrounded by guards armed to the hilt.

In July of 1789 there were only 7 prisoners there, among them the infamous French writer and philosopher Marquis de Sade, who had already been held there for over 10 years. (A good majority of his works were written in prison.)

On July 14, 1789 the revolutionaries stormed into the Bastille, freeing all the prisoners and beheading the prison’s governor and stuck his head on a spike. The revolution had begun.

Anyway, as the French peasants and revolutionaries were preparing to make their demands, they decided they needed weapons. While they were able to get muskets by taking over the Hotel des Invalides in Paris, they also needed gunpowder. As it happened, the Bastille had stockpiles of it.

There are no remnants of the fortress there today. The ancient fort soon turned into rubble, and for practical reasons, the prison was demolished. Today, the site of the Bastille is a large circular roundabout and gathering place called the Place de la Bastille .

2. Place des Vosges

Located: off of Rue Saint Antoine in the 3rd – 4th arrondissement .

Leaving Place de la Bastille, head west on Rue Saint Antoine for about 7 minutes and turn right onto Rue de Birague till you arrive at the magnificent Place des Vosges.

In order to understand the French Revolution, it is important to understand what the French were protesting against.

Originally known as Place Royale, Place des Vosges is one of the most beautiful spots in the Marais , and indeed, in Paris. It is where the rich and famous used to live, and in fact still do.

The last French queen to live was Anne of Austria in the 1600s, before Marie-Antoinette’s time. (She preferred Versailles and Fontainebleau .) However, this sumptuous building in the heart of Paris was emblematic of the divide between the rich and the poor.

Paris had not yet been revamped by Baron Haussman, so at the time, this area was surrounded by a medieval city , with buildings very close together and poor sanitation. At the time, there were no wide boulevards and Hausmannian architecture . Place des Vosges was a luxurious building where the nobility lived; the nobles who didn’t pay taxes like the commoners did .

Before the Revolution, even access to the gardens was forbidden to poorly dressed people except on one day of the year, August 25, the feast of Saint Louis .

You can imagine that this was one of the first places taken over by “the people” after the Revolution. During the 1789 Revolution, it was successively renamed several times:

• place des Fédérés – Federate square
• place du Parc-d’Artillerie – Artillery park square
• place de la Fabrication-des-Armes – Maker of weapons squre
• place de l’Indivisibilité – Indivisible square

In 1800, it was renamed “ Place des Vosges ” in honor of the Vosges regional department , which was the first to have paid tax under the French Revolution and, send volunteers to defend the “ patrie ” (country) in danger.

You can read more about the Place des Vosges here. If you like, you can take a guided walking tour through the area to hear about the Marais’s famous residents and how this area has changed over time.

3. Conciergerie on Ile de la Cité

Located: 2 Bd du Palais, 75001

Cross Pont Notre dame (bridge) with its many carvings of kings and saints, and visit the Conciergerie on Ile de la Cité .

The prison at the Conciergerie is where Marie-Antoinette was held in prison, put on trial, and found guilty. After a two-day show trial, she was found guilty on all charges and condemned to death.

The tiny prison cells of the Conciegerie were a far cry from the royal palaces the Queen was used to. You can book a tour of the Conciegerie here.

4. Jardin des Tuileries

Located: 200 Rue de Rivoli in the 1st arrondissement

After visiting the Conciergerie, head back to the Right bank and go west till you reach the Jardin des Tuileries.

This was the site of a royal palace, the Palais des Tuileries , and it is in this palace that Marie-Antoinette, Louis XVI and their children were brought to after being forced to leave Versailles .

French Queen Catherine de Medici started building the Palais des Tuileries two centuries earlier in 1564, a stone’s throw away from the Palais du Louvre . Later monarchs would go on to add wings and attach the Tuileries and the Louvre .

French Royals would usually stay at the Tuileries Palace , while their ministers and fideles would stay at the Louvre. This remained while Marie-Antoinette and her family were confined to the Tuileries, with their loyal friends staying at the Louvre.

Slowly, as the guillotine started to fall, many of their friends escaped France, while they still could, leaving the King and Queen isolated and imprisoned.

Even after the fall of the monarchy, the Tuileries Palace remained associated with the French monarchs, and in 1871 it was burnt down during the Paris Commune protests. The Louvre palace managed to survive the flames , but only just.

5. Eat some cake at Angelina’s

Located: 226 Rue de Rivoli, 75001

After all that walking, we might need some refreshments reflect on the historical events to come.

Take a break at Angelina’s by eating some cake and tea at the historic tearoom, Angelina’s, the epitome of “gourmet pleasures”.

It is just steps away from the Place de la Concorde, where Marie-Antoinette, her family, and many nobles of that time met their fate.

6. Place de la Concorde

Located: the center of Paris

After your refreshments, head over to Place de la Concorde, which is where Marie-Antoinette and King Louis XVI were guillotined. A large Egyptian obelsik and fountain marks the spot where they lost their lives.

Her last words are recorded as, “ Pardonnez-moi, monsieur. Je ne l’ai pas fait exprès ” or “Pardon me, sir, I did not do it on purpose”, after accidentally stepping on her executioner’s shoe.

After the queen’s head fell, it was shown to the crowd, who responded by crying: “ Vive la République! ”

In a symbolic and yet practical gesture, the bridge in front of the Place de la Concorde and the Assemblée Nationale on the other side of the Reine, was built using some of the stones from the castle at Bastille.

The Pont de la Concorde (bridge) is directly off of the Place de la Concorde, if you would like to have a look.

7. La Chapelle Expiatoire

Located at 29 Rue Pasquier, 75008

About 10 minute walk away in the 8th arrondissement is the Expiatory chapel. It was built on top of the cemetery where King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antoinette were buried after their execution in 1793.

Their bodies were later moved to Saint-Denis Basilica outside of Paris, where other royal family members are buried, but the Expiatory chapel was built on this spot in the 8th arrondissement to commemorate all the lives lost in the Revolution.

And that is the walking tour of Paris, French Revolution edition! If you enjoyed that article, you may like reading more about visiting Paris . A bientôt!

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Free self-guided Paris film locations walking tour (with map)

Posted on Last updated: March 18, 2024

Explore the streets of Paris through its film locations, from black and white classics to modern blockbusters, on this free self-guided Paris film locations walking tour – map and directions included.

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

In the words of the 2006 film anthology – Paris, Je T’aime . And as well as it being one of my favourite cities, Paris is also a favourite with film-makers. Its iconic buildings, pavement cafés, art galleries, bridges and gardens have featured in countless films and TV series, from Last Tango in Paris and Funny Face to The Da Vinci Code and Before Sunset .

This self-guided Paris film locations walking tour follows the Seine from the Eiffel Tower in the west to Notre Dame Cathedral in the east. Join us for a 7.6km (or 5km if you use the handy Métro short cut) journey across the city through the films it’s inspired.

A self-guided Paris film locations walking tour

Start your Paris film locations walking tour at the Pont de Bir-Hakeim, a bridge across the Seine which is just a couple of minutes’ walk from either Bir-Hakeim Métro station (Line 6) or the Champ de Mars Tour Eiffel RER station (Line C).

Pont de Bir-Hakeim

Originally known as the Pont de Passy when it was built in the early 1900s, the Pont de Bir-Hakeim was renamed after a Second World War battle in the Libyan desert. It’s built on two levels, with cars and pedestrians at the bottom and Métro trains on a viaduct above. And if you walk out to the middle you get a great view of the Eiffel Tower.

On screen the bridge appeared in the Christopher Nolan film Inception (2010). It’s conjured up by Ariadne (Ellen Page) when she’s learning to manipulate dreams, using mirrors to make it look like it’s stretching off into infinity. It’s also where Marlon Brando and Maria Schneider’s characters first meet in Last Tango in Paris (1972).

Staying on the Left Bank (the south side of the river), walk along Quai Jacques Chirac until you’re standing in front of the Eiffel Tower.

Eiffel Tower

The ultimate Parisian icon, the 330-metre-tall, wrought-iron Eiffel Tower * was built for the 1889 World’s Fair. Despite the locals not being all that impressed with it initially, the tower has become an integral part of the Parisian skyline. It’s also one of the city’s biggest tourist attractions, with over 300 million visitors since it first opened.

Pretty much every film or TV series set in Paris has a shot of the Eiffel Tower somewhere (how else would we know it was Paris?). But it got a starring role in 1985 James Bond film A View to a Kill , where Bond’s dining companion in the Jules Verne restaurant is killed with a poisoned butterfly by May Day (Grace Jones) before she jumps off the tower.

Fred Astaire, Kay Thompson and Audrey Hepburn sing and dance under the tower and on the viewing platform in the musical Funny Face (1957). Lois Lane hangs off the bottom of its lift in Superman II (1980). It’s also blown up by a cannon in The Great Race (1965) and miniatures of it are used to smuggle gold in The Lavender Hill Mob (1951).

The next hop is a bit bigger, so if you don’t want to walk all the way you can take the RER (Line C) from the Champ de Mars Tour Eiffel station to Invalides. Otherwise, carry on waking along Quai Jacques Chirac past the Musée du Quai Branly and Sewer Museum and on along the edge of the river until you reach Pont Alexandre III (1.6km).

Pont Alexandre III

The extravagant Alexandre III bridge was built in 1896 as a symbol of peace between France and Russia. It connects the Champs Elysées with the Invalides and is decorated in gloriously over-the-top style with four statues of giant golden flying horses as well as nymphs, cherubs and sea creatures, lit by ornate Art Nouveau lamps.

Anastasia, the possible surviving daughter of the Romanovs, was the granddaughter of Tsar Alexander III, and the bridge has been used in two films about and named after her – the 1956 Ingrid Bergman Oscar-winner and the 1997 animated movie.

After leaving the Eiffel Tower, Roger Moore’s James Bond leaps from the bridge into a passing boat in A View to a Kill . And it’s also seen in Luc Besson’s Angel-A (2005), Woody Allen’s Midnight in Paris (2011) and romantic drama Me Before You (2016).

Cross over the bridge so you’re on the Right Bank of the Seine, then turn right and follow the river for a few hundred metres to the Place de la Concorde.

Place de la Concorde

The Place de la Concorde is Paris’ largest square, stretching over almost 19 acres. During the French Revolution it was where Marie-Antoinette, Louis XVI and many others were publicly executed by guillotine. But after an 1830s redesign it’s now a big open space (albeit filled with crazy traffic) decorated with fountains and an Egyptian obelisk.

In The Devil Wears Prada (2006), the Fontaine des Fleuves (Fountain of the Rivers) in the Place de la Concorde is where Andy (Anne Hathaway) decides she’s not cut out for a job in the fashion industry after all and throws her mobile phone into the fountain.

From the Place de la Concorde, head through the gates into the Jardin des Tuileries.

Jardin des Tuileries

The Tuileries Palace and Gardens were built in the 16th century and take their name from the tile ( tuile ) factories there before. The palace was the French monarch’s residence until it was burnt down in 1871, and its formal gardens were later made into a public park.

In The Bourne Identity (2002), the Tuileries is where Marie gives Jason Bourne the phone records she’s stolen from the nearby Hotel Regina. Audrey Hepburn poses in the gardens with a bunch of balloons in Funny Face . And the Coen Brothers filmed a short film called Tuileries in the Métro station as part of the anthology Paris, Je T’aime (2006).

Exit the park on the north side onto Rue de Rivoli. Walk down Rue de Castiglione which leads to Place Vendôme, a smart square surrounded by designer shops which had a 1998 French crime film named after it, starring Catherine Deneuve.

At 15 Place Vendôme, the Ritz Paris * is one of the city’s most luxurious and expensive hotels, with a night in their Suite Imperiale costing a huge $20,000. Coco Chanel lived in the hotel for 34 years and other past guests include Ernest Hemingway, Edward VIII and the Princess of Wales, who died in a car accident after dinner at the hotel.

Art history must pay well for Professor Langdon (Tom Hanks), who stays in a suite at the Ritz at the end of The Da Vinci Code (2006). Kay Thompson danced with cab drivers outside the hotel in Funny Face , and her co-star Audrey Hepburn filmed sections of both Love in the Afternoon (1957) and How to Steal a Million (1966) there.

Backtrack to the top of Rue de Castiglione then turn left down Rue Saint Honoré and follow it for 900 metres to where it meets the Avenue de l’Opéra.

Café Le Nemours

With its elegant Roman columns, striped umbrellas and wicker chairs, the Café Le Nemours is your quintessential Parisian café. It’s tucked away behind the Louvre on Place Collette, close to the Palais Royal Gardens and in a prime spot for people-watching.

Enjoy a coffee on the terrace in the footsteps of Angelina Jolie, who shot the opening scenes for The Tourist (2010) here – her character had breakfast while being spied on by the French police. The café interiors also feature in 2011 French film Intouchables .

Cross Rue du Rivoli outside the café and go through Passage de Richelieu, which comes out in front of the Louvre pyramids.

As well as being one of the world’s biggest and best-known art museums, the Louvre * is a popular Paris film location. The main building, the Louvre Palace, was built in the late 12th century and became a museum after the French Revolution. Today there are over 35,000 works of art on display, including the Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo .

But are the remains of Mary Magdalene hidden under the inverted pyramid? That’s the theory in Dan Brown’s book The Da Vinci Code . Despite the big boost in visitors it gave them, the Louvre weren’t exactly keen on the book, but they gave permission for the 2006 movie to be filmed there – though they had to use a replica of the Mona Lisa .

Daniel Day-Lewis wanders around the galleries in The Age of Innocence (1993). Wonder Woman (2017)’s alter-ego is a curator in the Louvre’s Greek antiquities department. And it also makes an appearance in the upcoming John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023).

Walk through the archway to your left into the next courtyard of the Louvre, then head through another archway on the right which emerges onto the Quai François Mitterrand. Cross over the road onto the Pont des Arts bridge.

Pont des Arts

The Pont des Arts was Paris’ first metal bridge when it was built in 1802 – though the one you see today is an 1980s copy after the original was damaged. It’s a popular spot for artists to set up their easels, and is where the ‘love locks’ trend started, with couples attaching padlocks to the bridge’s railings then throwing the key into the Seine.

Two of the characters in Now You See Me (2013) add their locks to the bridge. But after a section of the railings collapsed from the weight of all the padlocks, the metal railings were replaced with glass panels to stop any more locks being added.

The Pont des Arts also also appears in the final episodes of the Sex and the City TV show (2004), and is where Mr Big tells Carrie he loves her after all. And Liam Neeson jumps off the bridge after his daughter’s kidnappers at the end of Taken (2008).

Walk across the bridge towards the imposing Institut de France. Then turn left and walk along the Quai du Conti to the next bridge – the Pont Neuf.

Despite its name, the ‘new bridge’ is actually Paris’ oldest bridge. It was built in 1578 for Henry III and has two different sections, connecting the Île de la Cité to the Left and Right Banks. In the middle there’s a triangle-shaped park that’s a popular spot to bring a picnic and a bottle of wine and sit watching the boats go by on a summer evening.

In Mrs Harris Goes to Paris (2022), Mrs Harris takes a stroll through the Jardins du Pont Neuf next to the bridge. It’s also where Jason Bourne sets up a clandestine meeting in The Bourne Identity . And it gives its name to the French film Les Amants du Pont Neuf (1990), a love story about two young homeless people who live on the bridge.

Continue walking along the Left Bank of the Seine to Quai de Montebello, where you’ll see Shakespeare and Company on your left.

Shakespeare and Company

The Shakespeare and Company bookstore is a Paris literary institution. It’s been selling new, second-hand and antique English-language books to Paris locals and visitors since 1951. Writers and artists can even stay there, with bunks tucked between the shelves where the ‘tumbleweeds’ sleep in return for helping out in the shop for a few hours a day.

The bookshop is where Jesse (Ethan Hawke) does a reading from his book in Before Sunset (2004). It also features in Midnight in Paris (2011) and Julie & Julia (2009). And while you’re there, look out for Le Caveau de la Huchette , a jazz bar just around the corner which appears in a dream sequence in the musical La La Land (2016).

Next continue walking along the riverside to the Quai de la Tournelle.

Quai de la Tournelle

The final location on this Paris film locations walking tour is the Quai de la Tournelle, an area on the waterfront where you get a great view back down the Seine towards Notre Dame Cathedral – currently undergoing repair after the major 2019 fire.

The quay is where Bourne and Marie spend their first night in Paris sleeping in a car in The Bourne Identity . It’s also another location from Before Sunset , where Jesse and Céline (Julie Delpy) decide to be tourists and take a boat trip * along the Seine.

From the Quai de la Tournelle, it’s a five-minute walk to Maubert Mutualité Métro station (Line 10). Or you can find a café or bar to finish off your walk with a drink – there’s a good selection of places just across the bridge on the Île Saint-Louis.

Paris film locations walking tour map

If you’d like to do this Paris film locations walk yourself, click on the map below to access directions through Google maps. The full route is 7.6km (4.7 miles) and takes 1 hour 40 minutes to walk straight through, but allow 2–3 hours including stops. Or the subway short cut between the Eiffel Tower and Pont Alexandre III cuts it down to 5km (3.1 miles).

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Johanna Bradley

Friday 23rd of December 2022

Sounds like the basis for a wonderful day, Lucy. Wishing you the merriest Christmas, and a healthy, happy new year.

Lucy Dodsworth

Wednesday 18th of January 2023

Thanks Jo, here's to a great 2023!