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The Best 11 Free Tours in Paris in English and for FREE!

Paris is one of the most expensive cities in the world and to visit almost all its attractions you have to pay an entrance fee that depends on the place can be over 15 euros, so finding some free activities is excellent.

That’s why we bring you the best free tours in Paris.

Top 12 Free Tours in Paris

Although there are many, many tours, we chose the ones we liked the most and the ones with the best ratings. So this is our list of free walking tours in Paris in English.

Free Walking tour of the Historic Center of Paris

This free tour is organized by Guruwalk and is led by Sebastian. He studied art and is passionate about the history of Paris, and he manages to transmit everything he knows and loves.

The tour lasts almost 3 hours, including the city’s historic center, so it serves as a good initial overview of what you can see in the city.

You will pass by the Palais de Justice, Pont Neuf, Pont des Arts, the Louvre, the Jardin des Tuileries and the Eiffel Tower.

As you get to know the places, the guide will tell you the history of each one, so you will end up learning many secrets of the past of Paris.

Book your free walking tour of the historical center of Paris here.

Free Walking Tour of the Eiffel Tower and Arc de Triomphe Surroundings

Here is a more focused option on the two must-see monuments of the City of Lights.

By touring the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe area, you will get to know the most elegant areas of the city, walk along the Avenue des Champs Elysées and visit some of the most luxurious areas of the 16th arrondissement of Paris.

Then, next to the pillars of the Eiffel Tower, the guide will tell you some of its lesser-known anecdotes. The tour departs to Trocadero Square and ends with an incredible panoramic view of the city and the Eiffel Tower.

Book your free walking tour around the Eiffel Tower here.

Free Walking Tour of Paris, Perfect for Your First Trip

This tour is similar to the first one we told you about, but it’s the Civitatis version .

It starts in front of the Hôtel de Ville square, crosses to the île de la Cité, where the church of Notre-Dame is being rebuilt, and from where you will see Sainte-Chapelle, the buildings of La Conciergerie (a former palace where Marie-Antoinette was imprisoned) and the Palais de Justice.

Along the banks of the Seine, you will see the Neuf and Arts bridges. And after passing through the Tuileries Gardens and Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel, the tour ends at the Louvre Museum, where you will hear some of the best stories of Napoleon and the Sun King.

Book your free walking tour of Paris here.

Free Tour of Montmartre, the best Free Walking Tour of Paris

It is one of our favorite neighborhoods in Paris. Walking through it, you will see the most famous lounges in the world and the most avant-garde cafes.

You can visit the cabarets Moulin Rouge and Lapin Agile with this tour . You will see the Cafe deux Moulins, where Amélie was filmed.

You will visit the building where Vincent Van Gogh lived and the workshop where Pablo Picasso worked and see the Moulin de la Galette, one of Renoir’s sources of inspiration.

And the last stop is in front of the Sacré-Coeur Basilica.

Book your free walking tour of Montmartre here.

Free Walking Tour of the Latin Quarter is one of our favorites

This free tour in Paris will take you to discover one of the must-see neighborhoods on a trip to Paris. The neighborhood has always been characterized by its bohemian and student air.

The first place you will see is the Rue du Chat Qui Pêche, the narrowest street in Paris. And its name has quite a particular history.

Then you will visit the fantastic Shakespeare and Company bookstore. From there, you will go to the church of St. Julien le Pauvre.

In front of the Cluny Museum, they tell a rather dark story about how those who stood up to the power of Notre Dame fared.

The tour continues through the Place de la Sorbonne and the Pantheon of Paris. It ends in the beautiful Luxembourg Gardens.

Book your free walking tour of the Latin Quarter here.

Free Walking tour of the Mysteries and Legends of Paris

Paris is wonderful at night. And even more, if you can walk through its streets listening to the darkest stories from its corners.

The places you will visit are similar to those of some of the tours we have already told you about, but you will see them very differently. Did you know that the Palace of Justice was where thousands of people were tortured and executed?

The guide will also tell you the stories of Paris’s plagues, murders, and legends. Do you know the legend of the baker of rue Chanoinesse?

They will also tell you about the catacombs’ origin and the Templars’ curse.

A great tour to do in the Parisian evening.

Book here your tour of the Mysteries and Legends of Paris

Free Walking Tour of Notre Dame Cathedral and surroundings

Guruwalk has an excellent option to get to know one of the most exciting areas of Paris in greater depth.

The free walking tour starts at the Pont Neuf and goes to the Latin Quarter.

In between, you will visit must-see places such as the Place Dauphine, the Conciergerie, the Place de la Cathédrale de Nôtre-Dame, the Shakespeare and Company bookstore, and the Saint-Michel church.

Free Tour of Montmartre, the passionate journey of the martyrdom of love

This free Walking tour in Paris is led by Ana, who is a Parisian. And has a degree in history, so she has a lot to tell.

In a very nice way it leads the tour with a gripping account of the neighborhood. You will pass by the Sacré-Coeur basilica, Place du Tertre, the Lapin Agile cabaret, the Maison Rose and many other places.

You will visit the Bateau Lavoir, the workshop where Picasso worked on his works, and you will finish the tour in front of the Je t’aime wall, where you can take some cool pictures.

Free Walking Tour of the Stages of Emily in Paris TV Serie

It is one of the tours in Paris in English that attracts more people thanks to the popularity of the series.

Did you like Emily in Paris? Then you will like this tour that explores the places where its protagonist ventured.

You will pass by the building where Emily’s apartment is located. You will see the Boulangerie Moderna and Gabriel’s restaurant.

Then you will visit Emily’s place of work and stroll through Paris’ must-see sites, such as the Pantheon, the Royal Palace Gardens and the Louvre.

Paris Highlights and the History of the Revolution (FREE)

If you are passionate about history, you will know how important the French Revolution was.

In this free walking tour of Paris, you will see some places that were both fundamental and transformed by the revolution.

Among other places, you will visit the Assemblée Nationale, the Obélisque, the Opéra Garnier, the Place de la Concorde, the Tuileries garden, and the Place Vendôme.

How Much to Tip on the Free Tours of Paris?

As you know, free walking tours do not have a fixed price, and it is recommended that you leave a tip at the end of the tour. This is how guides can continue to work at what they love.

The minimum recommended tip for a free tour in Paris is 5€, but the most common is to leave about 10€ per person; of course, the guide will be more than grateful if you go more.

Plan Your Trip to Paris

• What to Bring on Your trip to Paris
• Visit the Loire Valley from Paris
• The museums of District 16 that you have to know
• Romantic Plans in Paris in winter
• How to get to the Palace of Versailles from Paris
• Giverny Day-Trip from Paris

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Hi there! I’m Vero! I’ve always loved traveling! I have been living in France since 2018. And traveling around this awesome country. I love road trips and traveling by van, and also, some comfy getaways :) Check out: Touristear.com

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5 Free Paris Walking Tours You Won’t Want to Miss

By: Author Sophie Nadeau

Posted on Last updated: 1st March 2023

Categories Paris , walking tour

Last Updated on 1st March 2023 by Sophie Nadeau

Here’s your guide to the best of free Paris walking tours you won’t want to miss! Each focuses on a different arrondissement, aspect of the city, and all are worth taking in order to get to know the city on a more local level!

Do you want to truly get to know Paris? Discover the city’s secret spots, where to find the trendiest museums, and where to go to hang out in all the coolest cafés? Well, these free and self-guided walks are the perfect place to start.

Is Paris a good walking city?

#1 montmartre walking tour, #2 le marais walking tour, #3 ile de la cité walking tour, #4 latin quarter walking tour, #5 highlights of paris of the past walking tour, paris: french fashion history walking tour, read some books about paris, set aside enough time, paris museum pass, wear comfortable shoes, book your paris accommodation well in advance, enjoyed finding out about these 5 free paris walking tours you won’t want to miss pin it now, read it again later:.

First things first: is it easy to walk around Paris? I would personally say that Paris is fairly easily to navigate on foot thanks to the fact that most of the historic districts (or arrondissements as they’re so-called in French) are centred within the Paris Peripherique.

With this being said, some areas of the city are much more walkable than others! For example, while the Latin Quarter has some of the widest boulevards in Paris, Le Marais is home to much tinier alleyways and plenty of little cobblestone lanes.

Furthermore, Montmartre is pretty hilly, and some streets are steep in places, not to mention that there are a number of roads scattered across the city which remain cobbled, so leave the high heels at home!

Wherever you choose to walk, I recommend wearing comfy walking shoes! I personally love my keds like these ones as they go well with dresses and skirts and can easily pack into the smallest of suitcases. If you’re looking for something even comfier, I love the shoes from this company .

Best Paris walking tours

If you make it your mission to enjoy just one Parisian arrondissement on a local level, make it Montmartre. After all, head to the 18th arrondissement of Paris and you won’t find the 19th-century Haussmannian architecture that is so synonymous with the city.

Instead, you’ll find a village vibe complete with several wooden windmills, and even a secret vineyard! Highlights of the Montmartre walking tour of Paris include several historical spots, as well as must-see photography sites (think Instagrammable streets and postcard perfect walkways).

Read the full Montmartre walking tour guide details here.

Once a marshy swampland on the fringes of the city, today Le Marais is one of the chicest districts Paris has to offer. Home to designer stores, boutique hotels, and plenty of incredible eateries, head to this area of the city if you want to discover Paris’ Medieval past.

While in Le Marais, be sure not to miss out on a visit to Place des Vosges (the first public square in the city), as well as the chance to dip into Paris’ ever-so-new vegan scene.

Other highlights of this walking tour include a visit to the oldest house in Paris and a visit to some of the coolest museums the French capital has to offer.

Read the full Le Marais walking tour guide details here.

If you’re headed to Paris for the first or thousandth time, then no doubt you’ll find yourself on Ile de la Cite at one point or another. One of two natural islands in the centre of the River Seine, it’s in this district where you’ll find Notre Dame, Sainte Chapelle , and plenty of history from the Middle Ages.

Allegedly, it’s also on Ile de la Cité where the fated lovers, Heloise and Abelard met. Similarly, it’s there where the love story of the doves took place during the 13th-century.

Other highlights of this area of Paris include one of the cutest coffee shops in the city, as well as one of the best places to see cherry blossoms in the late spring.

Read the full Ile de la Cite walking tour guide details here.

So-called because during the Middle Ages students from the nearby Sorbonne university would converse with one another solely in Latin, today the Latin Quarter is still filled with students, happy-hour bars, and eateries. Centrally located and full of museums, this walking tour is predominantly about books, coffee, and cake!

Other highlights of the Latin Quarter include plenty of Roman ruins (the baths are a sight to behold in of themselves), the Paris Pantheon (the dome offers one of the best panoramic views of the city), and the church of Saint-Etienne-du-Mont, the final resting place of the patron saint of Paris, Saint Genevieve.

Read the full Latin Quarter walking tour guide details here.

If you’re looking for a meander of the historical highlights that have shaped Paris over the ages, then my vintage Paris tour is free to undertake and will guide you from the Latin Quarter, through Ile de la Cite, and all the way to the other side of the Seine, and into Le Marais.

For those who are unable to embark on the other free Paris walking tours due to time constraints, this is the perfect self-guided walking tour for you.

Other attractions you may well want to stop off at en-route include admiring the ever-so-stunning stained glass windows of Sainte Chapelle and seeing the very spot from which all points in Paris are measured.

Read the full Paris highlights walking tour guide details here.

Paid walking tours of Paris

If you prefer to go on a Parisian walking tour together with a local and experienced guide, then you can find lots of walking tours for a fairly reasonable free on almost any topic of your choosing. Here are some of our top picks for the best of Paris walking tours with a guide:

If you’re looking to discover that the best of fashion history, then you might consider a three-hour guided visit around the luxury area of rue Saint-Honoré. On the visit, you’ll soon discover about the history of French fashion houses and their influence on the world of fashion today.

Discover more tour details here

Practical advice, tricks, and tips for going on free walking tours of Paris

Before you visit the City of Light, then you may well want to read some fiction and historical works and memoirs about the city. Here are my very top creme de la creme picks for the best  books about Paris !

One of the top tips I could give you before embarking on a self-guided Paris walking tour would be to ensure that you give yourself enough time to truly enjoy the walk. As well as strolling around the city, you’ll want to set aside time to enjoy all of the attractions listed within each guide and snap photos en route.

If you want to see a number of museums and cultural sites while in the City of Light, you may well want to consider purchasing an all-in-one pass.

This 2,4, or 6-day pass gives you access to over 60 museums, and in many cases, offers skip-the-line options at many of these institutions. Check prices and more information here.

When visiting any European capital city, comfortable shoes are a must. And Le Marais arrondissement of Paris is no exception. Be sure to leave your high heels at home as there are plenty of cobbled streets, especially on these free walking tours of Paris.

I personally love  these shoes  as they go well with both jeans and dresses. I would also add that any kind of tennis shoes, i.e.  ones like these , are really practical for wandering around the city.

If you’re planning a trip to Paris, then you should bear in mind that it’s an extremely popular destination all year round. This means that you should probably book your hotel/ hostel/ guest house well in advance.  You can find the best deals for Paris accommodation here.

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

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

Sunday 16th of April 2023

i would like to read the texts in French….

Gideon Yuval

Wednesday 9th of October 2019

Thanks very much Sophie for this valuable information - written and presented in a very attractive and entertaining way :-). May I suggest you build a Google map with it and share? I built maps based on what you wrote here, but it would save others time if it was public

Monday 4th of February 2019

The latin quater is called tgat because this is tge area the romans set up camp , not because students spoke in latin

15 Best Free Walking Tours in Paris

• 18 Pinterest

A little piece of heaven resides in the food and fashion capital of France that can be experienced on the free walking tours in Paris.

With a profound history full of the French Revolution memoirs, iconic pieces of architecture, and the ever enchanting Eiffel Tower – these walks unveil the heart and soul of the city that envelopes you with an air of love.

So, without any further ado, let’s explore our list of Paris’ best walking tours.

Please note that some free walking tours of Paris are exclusively in English, while others are in Spanish or other languages. Make sure to pick the right one before booking.

1 – Freetour Paris Essential

Unveil the many faces of Paris as you treat yourself to an introduction to the best tourist attractions , such as the Notre Dame Cathedral, the iconic Louvre Museum, and the quintessential Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel, all in 3 hours.

Even better, roam like a Parisian as you wander through its streets and discover all the intriguing facts that make this the “city of love and light.”

• See reviews

2 – Latin Quarter and Luxembourg Gardens

Immerse yourself in the fine art of the Parisian-style student life as you tour the Latin Quarter— which is the intellectual neighborhood of the bohemian Paris.

Experience for yourself the spellbinding history of the ‘Sorbonne University’ and learn why it holds so much significance all over the world.

That’s not all; enjoy the stately Luxembourg Gardens and its Palace, in addition to visiting down many side streets and local hidden gems.

3 – Freetour Legends and Mysteries of Paris

Paris harbors a plethora of mysteries and secrets in its bosom, some of which will be unfolded on this walking tour.

Firstly, the guide will scrounge out the legends of demons and angels that lie hidden in the walls of the structurally mesmerizing Notre Dame Cathedral.

From holy stories, get ready to jump right into both the eerie ghost encounters Pablo Picasso had during his life which later became a muse for his black canvases and the grotesque stories attached to the Hotel De Ville.

4 – Montmartre Free Walking Tour: From Moulin Rouge to Sacré Coeur

Set afoot in the underrated yet ethereal town of Montmartre on this free walking tour in Paris where the guide will take you on a rollercoaster of alleys infused with vibrant culture.

You’ll encounter the unearthed gems of Montmartre from the brightly hued vineyard, the Man who walked through the wall, and some undiscovered views of Paris.

That’s not all, come up and close with Picasso’s workshop and the place where Impressionist Art was birthed.

5 – Fragonard Perfume Museum Free Tour

Uncover the delicate art of perfumery through a guided tour to the Fragonard Perfume Museum that dates back to the nineteenth century.

Learn the meticulous process of putting together perfumes right from picking the raw materials to pouring a world-class fragrance into a labeled bottle.

Emblazoned on the walls is an assortment of old perfume bottles from Ancient Egypt which will transport you back in time.

6 – Eiffel Tower and Champs Elysees

Plunge deep into the enormous yet enriching history of the city, from the nineteenth century to the present, on this free walking tour in Paris.

Gazing at the intricately constructed buildings, you’ll come across the spectacular sights of the Tomb of Napolean Bonaparte, the infamous Emperor.

Get spellbound by the legendary Théâtre National de Chaillot as you take in romantic puffs of fresh air near the Eiffel Tower.

7 – Free Walking Tour of Le Marais

Discover the fun district of Le Marais that makes everyone’s heartthrob with awe.

You’ll feel on cloud nine as you’re encircled by glorious art galleries that house the works of inspired hands and fashion stores that transport you into their glamorous world.

Enjoy the best falafel in town as you step foot into the Jewish district and lose yourself in the aura of the authentic Parisian lifestyle.

8 – Paris Uncovered – Free Walking Tour

Every breath you take in Paris will go into your box of memories as a cherished moment, such is the grandiose of this city.

Peel off the inherent layers of history on this guided tour as you walk from Palais De Justice to the Quartier Latin.

That’s not all; embrace the chilly wind hitting your face as you walk across the architectural beauty, Le Jardin de Luxembourg.

9 – Free walking tour Paris – How to be Parisian!

Melt into the mold of Parisians as you step into their world for a day on this free walking tour to Paris, unraveling their way of life.

Feel your spirits enliven as you catch glances of Arc De Triumph, Palais Royal, and Saint Chapelle.

Moving forward onto a plethora of radiantly built bridges, you’ll catch yourself mesmerized with the luscious beauty of the Luxembourg garden and many more breathtaking sights.

10 – Beauty of Paris – Free walking tour

Do you know why Paris attracts a multitude of tourists? If you don’t, this guided tour will be an eye-opener for you as it’ll present on a platter the most lauded neighborhoods of Paris.

From the happening Goute d’Or to the underrated Montmartre and Latin Quartier to the awe-inspiring and gorgeous epitome of art, the old Louvre Museum, this tour will take you everywhere with insightful commentary.

11 – Free Tour Paris Mon Amour – The essentials of the Rive Gauche

Lumbering around in the vast streets of Paris evokes the sensation of utmost felicity and courtesy to its lively aura.

A step into the Museum of Modern Art will call out the artist in you and another step into the Wine Museum will leave all your senses pleased.

On this tour, you’ll discover the most exhilarating spots like the Eiffel Tower, Princess Diana Square, and many patisseries, all of which celebrate the Parisian culture in its full glory.

12 – Charm Montmartre, a village in the heart of Paris – free tour

Delve into the charisma of the village of Montmartre, enriched with extraordinary spots like the Wall of Love with innumerable engravings pouring affection.

Further on this tour, soak in the gorgeous sight of the Sacre Coeur Basilica and not to miss the oldest standing church in Paris, the historic Saint Pierre De Montmartre.

13 – Free walking tour Paris – Awesome night in the love city

Watch the blinking lights on the Eiffel Tower as it sparkles at night to lighten up the whole city.

With an amiable guide, discover the city of love at the strike of dusk on a free walking tour in Paris, which takes you from Quai Saint-Bernard in all its glory to the beautiful Eiffel tower.

After capturing these enchanting views, sit down for a sip at the legendary Buddha Bar.

14 – Free walking tour Paris – Full history and culture

On this free walking tour in Paris, revel in the stories inscribed on every wall and corner of this city with an informative commentary.

As you listen to the many anecdotes of the Lock Bridge, move on to admiring the Arc De Triomphe and Jardin de Place Royal.

On top of that, drive up your spirits in the most luxurious way as you step into the largest square in Paris, Place de la Concorde.

15 – The Paris Free Photoshoot Tour

With a city painted with such enriched culture and gorgeous sightings as Paris, not capturing all its essence and glory would totally be a crime.

So, on this free tour, get yourself a professional photographer who will take you to the city’s most iconic hotspots- idyllic to forever transform your presence into memories through photos.

We hope you enjoyed our selection of the best free walking tours in Paris. Do not hesitate to comment below if you have any questions.

Enjoy Paris 🙂

Free walking tour near Paris

Others cities to visit after paris, find other guruwalks in paris, where are you traveling to.

COME AS A VISITOR, LEAVE AS A FRIEND !

Paris Greeters are volunteer, passionate ambassadors who warmly welcome their visitors from around the world. They offer free walks in Paris and surrounding districts. Each encounter is a unique experience: sharing this world, discovering someone else and a different culture. Greeters are not professional guides. Don’t ask them for museum or historical tours.

It is the opportunity to see Paris as it is really known by its locals, to discover neighborhoods that would not have imagined or dared to visit.  These encounters enable Paris Greeters to achieve its goal of Parisians and their city ..

VISITORS BOOK

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Free walking tours in Paris

Paris is a metropolis filled with magic and charm that has inspired poets, writers, and artists for centuries. Its tree-lined avenues, wrought-iron bridges over the Seine, and majestic historic buildings evoke the golden era of the Belle Époque. But the City of Love is not only an open-air museum; it's also a vibrant modern city with an unparalleled culinary scene and unmatched fashion.

From the Eiffel Tower to the Champs-Élysées, from Notre-Dame Cathedral to the Louvre, every corner of Paris is infused with the city's characteristic elegance and charm. Stroll its streets, uncover its secrets, savor its food, and immerse yourself in its culture – Paris awaits you with open arms!

Discover the City of Light with our Free Walking Tour in Paris

Free walking tours in Paris are an excellent option for discovering the city in an economical and authentic way. These tours allow you to explore the city's most iconic places, such as the Latin Quarter with its medieval architecture, the lively Saint-Michel Square, and the majestic Saint-Étienne-du-Mont Church. You can also take a stroll through Montmartre and visit the Basilica of the Sacred Heart, the famous windmills, and the charming Place du Tertre. Don't miss the opportunity to enjoy these tours during your visit to the City of Light.

What Are Free Walking Tours in Paris?

Free tours in Paris are an ideal option for those who want to explore the City of Light without spending too much money. These guided tours offer the opportunity to visit the most iconic places in Paris accompanied by expert guides.

These walking tours allow you to delve into Parisian history and culture while discovering its most fascinating corners. Unlike traditional tours, free tours do not have a fixed price; instead, they operate based on voluntary tips that participants can give at the end of the tour.

One of the main advantages of free tours in Paris is that they allow you to save money during your visit. By not having to pay a fixed price for the tour, you can allocate that money to other activities or souvenirs to take home as mementos of your trip.

Authentic Knowledge of Parisian History and Culture

One of the main benefits is that they provide you with authentic knowledge of Parisian history and culture. Expert guides will share fascinating stories and anecdotes about the places you visit, allowing you to immerse yourself in the city's rich history. You'll learn about historical events, local traditions, and the daily life of Parisians, gaining a deeper and more authentic perspective of the city.

Visit the Most Iconic Places in Paris

Free tours in Paris offer you the opportunity to visit some of the city's most iconic places. You can explore the charming Latin Quarter with its medieval and Renaissance architecture, visit the famous Sorbonne University, and marvel at the beautiful Saint-Étienne-du-Mont Church. Additionally, you can stroll through Montmartre, visit the Basilica of the Sacred Heart, and enjoy the bohemian atmosphere of Place du Tertre. These tours allow you to discover the city's highlights in a convenient and accessible way.

Don't miss the chance to take advantage of the benefits of free tours in Paris during your visit. You'll save money, learn about the history and culture of Paris, and visit the city's most iconic places.

Walking Tours in Paris

Latin Quarter: A Journey Through Medieval and Renaissance History

Immerse yourself in the fascinating history of Paris's Latin Quarter. Walk its charming streets filled with history and admire the medieval and Renaissance architecture that will transport you back in time. During this tour, you'll visit the famous Sorbonne University, a cradle of knowledge and a meeting place for great thinkers throughout the centuries. You'll also enjoy the lively Saint-Michel Square and be captivated by the beauty of Saint-Étienne-du-Mont Church and its impressive stained glass windows. Let yourself be seduced by the rich historical and cultural heritage of this iconic area of Paris.

Montmartre: Art, History, and Bohemian Charm

Embark on a journey through the bohemian neighborhood of Montmartre and discover its artistic essence. Walk its historic cobblestone streets and visit the majestic Basilica of the Sacred Heart, from which you'll enjoy breathtaking panoramic views of the city. Learn about the stories of Montmartre's famous windmills, witnesses of the area's artistic past, and don't miss the charming atmosphere of Place du Tertre, where artists paint live and showcase their talent through their works. Let yourself be carried away by the magic of this iconic neighborhood and discover the perfect fusion of history, art, and bohemian charm in every corner.

Central Paris: A Route Through the City's Treasures

Explore the heart of Paris and be amazed by its cultural and heritage richness. During this tour, you'll visit the city's most iconic places, such as the world-renowned Louvre Museum, home to countless masterpieces of art history. Let yourself be enchanted by the elegant streets of the city while learning about the history and stories hidden behind each corner. Additionally, the guide will be happy to provide restaurant and shopping recommendations so you can make the most of your experience in Paris.

Interesting Museums to Visit

• Musée Carnavalet: Dive into the history of Paris through the exhibitions of this museum, which houses a vast collection of art and historical artifacts.
• Musée Picasso: Immerse yourself in the world of the famous Spanish painter in this museum dedicated to his life and work. Contemplate his masterpieces and discover the various stages of his career.
• Musée Cognacq-Jay: If you're interested in 18th-century art and history, this museum is a must-visit. Explore the private collection of the Cognacq-Jay couple and marvel at their art, furniture, and decorative objects from the period.

In addition to these museums, the Marais district is home to numerous contemporary art galleries and design shops that will delight art and fashion enthusiasts.

Recommendations to Maximize Your Enjoyment

Plan Your Route and Book in Advance

Before embarking on a free tour in Paris, it's important to plan your route and book in advance to secure your spot. These tours are often very popular, especially during peak seasons, so it's recommended to make an online reservation. Ensuring you have a reserved spot will guarantee you can enjoy the experience without any hitches.

Follow the Guide's Instructions and Advice

During the tour, pay attention to the guide's instructions and advice. They are experts in the field and know each of the places you'll visit. Follow the guide's instructions and stay close to the group to not miss any details. Additionally, take the opportunity to ask questions and deepen your knowledge of Paris's history and culture.

ARE YOU GOING TO VISIT A CITY NEAR Paris?

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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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Historic Paris Tour by Walkative!

Overview of the tour in Paris

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

This activity includes:

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

Meeting point

hotel de ville, paris

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

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WALKING TOURS & ACTIVITIES IN PARIS

Free Tour of Paris

Book the original Paris free walking tour and visit many of the city's highlights with a local guide

Montmartre Free Walking Tour

Join a walking tour of the perfectly Parisian Montmartre neighborhood

Paris Latin Quarter Free Walking Tour

Visit the beautiful major landmarks that exist in Paris' Latin Quarter

Paris: 1-hour Seine River Cruise

Complete your trip to Paris with this 1-hour sightseeing cruise on the Seine River

2-hour Paris Highlights Private Tour

Make the most out of your visit and discover Paris' top attractions with your private tour guide

3-hour Paris Private City Tour

Enjoy a comprehensive overview of Paris' fascinating history and must-see sites with your private to ...

Tell us the landmarks, stories or parts of the city you want to see, how long you have to see them and when you want to go, and we’ll build an itinerary that suits you.

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Discover the many faces of Paris with a passionate local guide

Few cities in the world inspire the imagination like Paris. With beautiful architecture, stunning gardens and artistic inspiration to rival any of its European neighbours, this is a city that sits on almost every person’s bucket list. We show it to you through the eyes of Paris’ best local tour guides.

The original Free Tour of Paris  covers many of Paris’ top attractions, including Notre Dame Cathedral, the Louvre and the Arc de Triomphe. After you’ve managed to tick off some of the most popular landmarks in Paris with the free walking tour, delve deeper with us!

There are so many things to do in Paris, including experiencing the Rive Gauche on the  Latin Quarter Tour . Often known as the writers’ area, or painters’ area, this was home to Ernest Hemingway, Salvador Dalí and James Joyce, among others.

Of course, another area not to be missed is Montmartre, and the  Montmartre District Tour  runs every day and includes sites like the Basilica Sacré Coeur, the home of Van Gogh and the Moulin Rouge. But the most romantic places in the City of Love only get more romantic at night. On our City of Lights tour , you get to see Paris’ top attractions while they’re beautifully lit up.

After all that walking, you might be ready for a drink, and our top-rated pub crawl  is a great night out in Paris, with bars, clubs and drink deals all night. If you’ve still got energy the next day, why not visit the stunning Royal Gardens of Versailles? The tour to Versailles  runs almost every day, and no trip to Paris is complete without experiencing this must-see site.

Enjoy authentic local experiences

Paris is part of the SANDEMANs NEW Europe network, one of the largest walking tour companies in the world. Offering daily tours in English and Spanish, we believe in supporting local communities and are committed to giving a voice to some of Paris' best local freelance tour guides, who passionately share the city's history and culture with their own unique and always-entertaining style.

Aside from the Free Tour, in Paris you’ll also find unforgettable tours and experiences. We’re looking forward to seeing you soon!

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Things to do in Paris

Ready to start exploring Paris? Check out these useful tips and don't miss any of the city's main attractions

The best accommodation in town

Finding the right place to stay can be difficult - that's why we have sorted you out with a list of our favourite hostels and hotels in Paris

The best places to eat in Paris

Don't fall into any tourist trap! Here's a list of the top places to eat in Paris recommended by locals

The greatest bars in the city

Discover our selection of popular spots among the locals to taste from French wine to delicious cocktails

The best shopping in Paris

Find everything you are looking for with this guide to the best shops, markets and shopping streets in Paris

The local expert guides we work with are proud to show you the best Paris has to offer!

Scroll through to learn more about these unforgettable guides, including where they’re from, why they love Paris and which tours they can offer you.

Participation in tours promoted by SANDEMANs NEW Europe is strictly on a voluntary basis. Neither SANDEMANs NEW Europe, nor the self-employed freelance guides who are the providers of the tours promoted by SANDEMANs NEW Europe, will be held responsible in any way for injuries to body or property incurred during tours. The tour guides reserve the right to deny participation in any tour, to any person, for any reason. Thank you for your understanding.

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

Posted on Last updated: February 20, 2024

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

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

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

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

A self-guided walking tour of the Marais

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

Hôtel de Ville

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

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

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

Rue François Miron

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

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

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

Hôtel de Sens and Bibliothèque Forney

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

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

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

Wall of Philip II Augustus

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

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

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

Église Saint-Paul-Saint-Louis

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

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

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

Hôtel de Sully

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

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

Place des Vosges

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

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

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

Musée Carnavalet

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

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

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

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

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

Église Notre-Dame des Blancs Manteaux

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

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

Archives Nationales

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

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

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

Centre Pompidou

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

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

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

Self-guided Marais walking tour map

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

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Johanna Bradley

Tuesday 20th of February 2024

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

Lucy Dodsworth

Monday 26th of February 2024

Thanks Jo, and hopefully one day!

All cities > Paris Walking Tours > Paris landmarks free walking tour

Paris landmarks free walking tour

Right bank tour with discover walks paris.

booking is required See Map of Meeting Place

(116 votes)

What's in our tour?

Are you wanting to see most of Paris’ top landmarks in one go? Perhaps this is your first visit to Paris? Or you are wondering what makes Paris so dauntingly beautiful? This free walking tour of the Paris Landmarks and the Right Bank will bring you to the best of Paris.

Treat yourself to Champs Elysées, the Louvre Museum, Arc de Triomphe, and the Eiffel tower, all in 90 minutes.

We meet at that spot that shows at one glance some of the best that Paris has to offer: the Eiffel tower, Champs Elysées, Louvre, Arc de Triomphe, Seine River, Tuileries Garden, National Assembly, Orangerie, and Concord Plaza.

On this first stop, our guide gets us situated.We take the time to take photos, learn why and where every major thing in Paris is situated, because this spot is the center of all Paris. We want to absorb it all.

After this introduction, we head towards the Paris of luxury, grand monuments, and glamour.

Our next stop is the work of the Sun-King and Napoleon combined – Vendome plaza. It is also the home of the standard setter for all luxury hotels around the world: the Ritz.

Our tour includes rue de la paix – a.k.a. Jewelry street. No customers in sight – and yet every top jeweler fights to have a piece of property there. Why!? Our guide will tell us.

If you happen to be from Texas, we’ll show you the 150-year old-Texas embassy (that’s right!). If you’re not, we’ll show you where Coco Chanel lived for 30 years, we’ll show you the bars that Hemingway patronized. You’ll see first-hand Napoleon’s strategy for publicizing his military battles. And you’ll stand where every Couturier designer runs his fashion shows – if they let him.

There is more still – street graffiti, Sun-King style. The Paris opera – a standard setter for operas around the world. The spot of the first movie screening in human history. And secret courtyards and alleyways that most tourists walk right past without ever seeing.

Your guide is a born-and-raised Parisian. In her company, you get to explore the personality of this iconic neighborhood. You learn secrets behind these elegant old stones. And you take good pictures.

In the end, our finale is one of those hidden gems that most tourists don’t see. So this tour mixes Paris’ famed landmarks along with insider’s insights.

Please note this tour is an introduction to Paris, an orientation tour. Some landmarks we can see are some distance away. In order to see more in our 90 minutes, we do not spend time going inside buildings.

Paris Landmarks Tour Highlights

• Photo ops: Arc de Triomphe, Eiffel Tower, Champs Elysées and Montmartre
• 3 of the the world’s greatest museums: Louvre, Orsay and the Orangerie
• The haunts of Coco Chanel, Hemingway and Princess Diana
• Place Vendôme and Napoleon’s great column
• Some of the world’s most exclusive hotels: Crillon, Meurice, Ritz and now Mandarin Oriental
• Your guide: a born-and-raised Parisian who will bring the city of Paris to life

Where and when?

This  Paris Landmarks free walking tour  starts on time at 10 am, rain or shine, and lasts a relaxed 90 minutes.

We meet in front of the Orangerie museum entrance. Look for the guide in a pink vest.

Closest metro station: Concorde.

We end near metro station Opera.

Booking is required. We advise large groups to book a private tour. In the interest of all guests, we reserve the right to accommodate or to turn down large groups.

Why take this tour?

for the top Paris landmarks

for the elegance and the atmosphere

and for our guide, a born-and-raised local who can unlock the secrets of Paris for you.

HOT DAY SPECIAL: We walk in the shade as much as possible and every tour makes frequent stops for water. EXCLUSIVELY WITH DISCOVER WALKS.

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This is a free walking tour , where you pay the guide what you want at the end of the tour.

Advanced reservation is required.

Meet the tour 5 minutes before starting time.

Privatize this tour

Groups of friends, families, and school groups often reserve a private guide for this tour. Price starts at €185 depending on duration and group size.

Other information

Wheelchairs not advised on this tour, because of 2 unavoidable flights of stairs

in front of the Orangerie museum entrance

The most reliable entrances into Tuileries gardens are the Musée d'Orsay bridge entrance, and the Louvre Museum garden entrance. From there, give yourself 5-10 minutes to get to our meeting point.

10am, rain or shine

Metro station

Closest metro station: Concorde (line 1,8,12)

Additional information

All tours are in English

Average tip on this Paris Landmarks tour: €13 Average time: 1 hour 40 minutes Average number of guests 14 Ends near metro Opera Look for our distinct pink vests

Total reviews – 1400+

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TripAdvisor – 4.5

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Latin Quarter Paris Tour

Paris Latin Quarter, located on the left bank of the Seine just two steps from the Notre Dame Cathedral, is undoubtedly one of the most fascinating districts of the city, offering a unique blend of history, culture, and charm that is sure to captivate any visitor. Its narrow, winding streets lined with charming restaurants, cafes, bookstores and quirky boutiques selling everything from antiques to vintage clothing will get you enchanted within seconds. Join us and discover both the hidden gems as well as the most notable landmarks of this district, much-loved by visitors and Parisians alike!

Paris Latin Quarter has forever been the intellectual, religious and cultural heart of Paris and has inspired countless writers, musicians and artists over the years (including Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Pablo Picasso and Modigliani among others) . Its history can be traced back to the Middle Ages when it became a home to the University of Paris – La Sorbonne, one of the world’s oldest and most prestigious universities. With its founding, the Latin Quarter became one of the most important intellectual centres of Europe. The district’s name is derived from Latin, which was once the language spoken by scholars and students. Among La Sorbonne students were such personalities as Thomas Aquinas, Dante Alighieri, Pierre and Marie Curie, Jean-Paul Sartre, Simone de Beauvoir, René Descartes… The list is countless. 

In the 18th century the Latin Quarter became a hotbed for the writers, philosophers and thinkers following the ideas of Enlightenment such as Voltaire and Diderot who began to develop a more rational thinking based on the search for the rights of human beings. Their disputes and way of thinking influenced the outbreak of the French Revolution d uring which the neighbourhood played a significant role and was a place where many revolutionary leaders and activists met. 

From the 19th century, the Latin Quarter underwent significant changes as the city expanded and modernised, eventually becoming the bohemian centre of Paris in the 20th century. Today, the Latin Quarter is a vibrant and diverse district that continues to attract scholars, artists, and visitors from all corners of the world. Its rich history, unique architecture, and vibrant cultural scene make it one of the most fascinating and beloved neighbourhoods in all of Paris.

During our tour of the Latin Quarter we will see a wide range of attractions from important city landmarks up to small hidden gems, all of which are showcasing the district’s rich history and unique character. We will show you some of the oldest city churches like Saint Severin and Saint Julien Le Pauvre and walk you through the oldest and narrowest streets where Paris preserved its ancient mediaeval layout. Along the way, we will pass many museums, including the Musée de Cluny and the Musée National du Moyen Âge, which house some of the world’s most important collections of mediaeval art and artefacts. We will also see the oldest passage of Paris, where the oldest café of Paris is located, which during the French Revolution became a place where philosophers and revolutionaries met and where the idea of the guillotine was created. We will see the greatest highlights of the neighbourhood: the Pantheon, a stunning neoclassical structure, started as a church dedicated to the patron saint of Paris, Saint Genevieve to be later transformed into a resting place of great figures of the nation such as Victor Hugo, Voltaire, Rousseau, and Pierre and Marie Curie. We will visit La Sorbonne, the oldest theatre of Paris: the Odeon and the Luxembourg Gardens – the most beautiful and largest garden in Paris, that’s perfect for a relaxing stroll or a picnic. We will see the famous Shakespeare and Company bookstore, which has been a gathering place for writers and artists for over a century and discover where Pablo Picasso painted one of the most important works of art of the 20th century, The Guernica. Last but not least we will show you a hidden work of art of Dali in one of the streets of the Latin Quarter. 

Join us on a journey through the district’s rich history, from its mediaeval roots as a centre of learning to its role in the French Revolution and beyond. Whether you’re interested in history, art and culture or simply soaking up the unique atmosphere of Paris, our tour of the Latin Quarter is sure to be a highlight of your trip!

During this 2 hours 15 minutes tour you will see and discover:

• Legendary Bookstore Shakespeare and Co
• Saint Severin Church
• Ancient Roman Ruins
• La Sorbonne University
• Saint-Étienne du Mont Church
• Luxembourg Gardens
• Odeon Theatre
• Passage Saint Andre Des Arts (oldest passage with the oldest café in Paris)
• Saint Michel Fontaine.

Great Tour!

Francesca was an excellent tour guide! She was so friendly and made everyone feel welcome. Her knowledge of the history of Paris was extensive and we learned so much. Would definitely recommend!

Fun and interesting tour

Tank is a really nice tour guide and made the tour both interesting and fun. He is engaging and we can recommend the tour.

Stand-Up Show!

Everything was made to be amusing or entertaining. Add to that lots of interesting facts & anecdotes about Paris’ rich history.

But it was his interactions with everyone, which made Thom’s tour the best I’ve ever taken. He took the time to ask everyone something during the 2.5hours and was making jokes about everything and there w as constant giggling. Add to that he sings and has a nice singing voice too.

Well done Thom, you’re a real pro!

Thank you very much Jay, was a really good experience. 🙂

Great tour with an amazing guide

It was an interesting and amazing tour. Our tour guide, Francesca, was a true professional in her job. 10000/10 :))

This tour is also available as a Private Tour.

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