5 Fantastic Walking Tours in Paris: A Self-Guided Itinerary
Walking through Paris is one of the most immersive ways to experience the city’s beauty, history, and allure. I find that there is something so magical about taking the time to walk down the cobblestone streets. You past elegant Haussmannian facades and architecture, cozy cafés, and you can do it all at your own pace. Walking tours in Paris are an underrated way to let you soak in the city’s atmosphere and essence while uncovering its fascinating history along the way.
When you visit Paris, you naturally will find yourself traversing large parts of the city on foot. However, with so many historic buildings, grand churches, statues, and squares, it’s easy to pass by remarkable significant sites without knowing their meaning. That’s where self-guided walking tours come in: they offer you a chance to appreciate and develop a deeper understanding of the city’s past while allowing you to explore independently.
One of my favorite things about walking tours in Paris is just how much history you can absorb by walking around. No museum ticket required. Whether you are interested in medieval landmarks, the icons and symbols on building, or cultural areas, these walking tours will help you immerse yourself in Parisian culture without the constraints of a crowded group tour.
Finding the best self-guided walking tours can be overwhelming because there are so many options to choose from and they aren’t always well-known. That’s why I’ve put together a list of five spectacular walking routes that highlight the different sides of Paris, from Gothic cathedrals like Notre Dame to the iconic Seine. Many of the tours include a map and an optional audio guide, so you can navigate the city with confidence.
If you enjoy these walks, be sure to check out the linked websites within this article down below. They offer even more in-depth walking tours in Paris, letting you continue your exploration of Paris. Whether it’s your first visit to Paris or your tenth, exploring the city with walking tours ensures you’ll always discover something new.
1. Paris Along the Seine Walk
Start Point: Eiffel Tower
End Point: Louvre Museum
Source: The Stickered Suitcase
For this tour, you begin your journey at the iconic Eiffel Tower, where you can take in the grandeur of the city. You can spend hours admiring Gustave Eiffel’s creation from below or buy tickets to take the elevator to the top. Either way, this landmark offers breathtaking views of the city. Just be sure to buy tickets in advance if you do want to go up to the top.
From there, the tour will take you along the Seine River, where you can appreciate in the picturesque elegant Parisian architecture. As you continue, you’ll pass the Musée d’Orsay, a renowned art museum for its vast collection of Impressionist masterpieces from artists like Monet, Van Gogh, and Renoir.
If you continue the tour, you will arrive at Place de la Concorde, a large square steeped in French history, It was once a major site during the French Revolution. From here, you will continue on through the Tuileries Garden, a peaceful green space in the heart of the city where you can stop and take a break.
Finally, the walking tour ends at the famous Louvre Museum. It will be very crowded, but inside you’ll find the enigmatic Mona Lisa (La Gioconda), the powerful French Revolution painting of Liberty Leading the People, and countless other art and artifacts spanning centuries.
2. Historic Heart of Paris Walk
Start Point: Cour Carrée
End Point: Hôtel des Invalides
Source: Free Tours by Foot offers a self-guided tour of this area, including a map.
If you haven’t done enough waking for one day from the first tour, you can technically start this one where it ends. For this tour, you can step into Parisian history by beginning in the Cour Carrée, the oldest part of the Louvre. Once a medieval fortress, it was later transformed into a grand royal palace then it slowly evolved over centuries into the museum we know today.
Pass through the glass pyramids and the Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel which is one of Napoleon’s tributes to his victories back in the late 1700s and early 1800s. From there, walk through the Jardin des Tuileries, a large park that was once reserved for royalty.
Arriving at Place de la Concorde, you’ll stand where Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette met their fate during the French Revolution. Once the site of the city’s busiest guillotine, today it’s a striking public square marked by the ancient Luxor Obelisk, a gift from Egypt.
For the final part of this walking tour, follow the Seine across Pont Alexandre III to the grand Hôtel des Invalides to see one of my favorite buildings in Paris. Originally built as a refuge for war veterans, it now houses Napoleon’s extravagant tomb, a fittingly grand final resting place for the legendary emperor. Hôtel des Invalides also is a huge war museum. You can learn about Napoleon obviously but also WWI, WWII, the Franco-Prussian War, and Charles de Gaulle.
3. Latin Quarter Walk
Start Point: Cathédrale Notre-Dame
End Point: Place de la Contrescarpe
Source: GPSmyCity offers an app in the Apple Store and Google Play Store for their walking tours. The app features GPS so you don’t have to worry about getting lost. It also works offline so you can use it without data. They have many more fantastic walking tours I highly suggest you check out!
This is a good walking tour if you want to see area around the Pantheon. the tour takes you through the intellectual hub of Paris: the Latin Quarter. This historic neighborhood has been a center of learning, culture, and debate for centuries.
Begin the tour at the Cathédrale Notre-Dame, the iconic 860 year old Gothic masterpiece that has finally reopened to visitors after five years of restoration following the 2019 fire. Then, make a stop at what I consider the best bookstore ever (yes, I’m biased) Shakespeare and Company. This old cozy bookstore has been a haven for writers and literary lovers for decades.
From there, you can explore several historic churches and visit the Cluny Museum, home to a wide collection of medieval artifacts. You’ll walk past the Panthéon which is where some of France’s most influential and famous figures such as Voltaire, Victor Hugo, Marie Curie, and Alexandre Dumas are buried.
I lived in the Latin Quarter while studying abroad, and I can’t recommend this area enough. If you have time, take a detour on your walk to see the Jardin des Plantes or visit the Arènes de Lutèce which is an ancient Roman amphitheater hidden in the heart of the city.
4. Père Lachaise Cemetery Tour
Start/End Points: The main entrance of Père Lachaise Cemetery
Source: Rick Steves Audio Europe™ provides an in-depth audio guide for this tour, available for download.
This walking tour covers one area but it’s a rather famous one. Venture into the serene and quiet Père Lachaise Cemetery, the final resting place for several famous French men and women. It is a sprawling necropolis and one of the most visited cemeteries around the world. If offers a peaceful yet deeply atmospheric escape from the city’s bustle.
As you meander around the cemetery, you can find the graves of literary giants like Oscar Wilde, musical legends such as Jim Morrison, and iconic figures like Édith Piaf. Each tomb tells a story, offering a poignant reflection on the lives that have shaped art, culture, and history.
For deeper insight, Rick Steves’ audio guide provides historical context and interesting stories that bring the cemetery to life (pun intended 🤣). This is a great tour if you’re want to see more of Paris’ history and famous people.
5. Medieval Paris Walk
Start Point: Hotel de Sens
End Point: Nicolas Flamel’s Auberge
Source: Paris Unlocked
For the final walking tour on my list, you can travel back in time to medieval Paris, where echoes of the past still shape the city’s streets. The tour begins at the Hôtel de Sens in the Marais District, one of the few surviving medieval mansions. Its turreted façade offers a glimpse into 15th-century aristocratic life.
From there, you will walk until you find the remains of King Philippe-Auguste’s fortified wall which is a remnant of the city’s medieval defenses. Although a lot of it has disappeared, sections of the wall still stand in the middle of the busy city.
Next, you will cross the Seine to the Île de la Cité where the Conciergerie once served as a royal palace before becoming an infamous French revolutionary prison for many people including Marie Antoinette. Nearby is the stunning Sainte-Chapelle that dazzles with its breathtaking stained glass. It is a masterpiece of Gothic design in a different way than Notre Dame.
Personally, if I had to choose between Sainte-Chapelle and Notre-Dame, I’d pick Sainte-Chapelle for its painted walls and colorful atmosphere. Since it’s a smaller structure, the windows are able to let in more light and the walls are thinner. Sainte-Chapelle has such as different feel than Notre-Dame, although it does help you imagine what Notre Dame used to look like on the inside because Notre Dame was once painted similarly to Sainte-Chapelle.
Luckily for you, you don’t have to choose between visiting the two! While Notre-Dame isn’t on this specific walking tour, it’s easy to add since it’s also on Île de la Cité and it is well worth a visit if you have the time.
The walking tour continues to Saint-Germain-des-Prés Abbey, one of Paris’s oldest churches. Finally, end the tour at Nicolas Flamel’s Auberge, the city’s oldest intact house which was built way back in 1407. Once a refuge for the poor, this rare medieval relic still stands, its carved stone façade whispering stories of centuries past.
More Incredible Walking Tours in Paris Resources
While these five walking tours in Paris offer an amazing introduction to Paris, there is plenty more to explore! You can easily find walking tours for areas like Monmarte and Sacré-Cœur, or for street markets like the one on Rue Cler. There’s even one on the hidden passages and galleries of Paris (I highly recommend exploring those cozy areas). Here are a few more websites that provide even more walking tour options in Paris:
- Paris je t’aime – This is the official site of Paris tourism. The site offers a variety of themed walks including literary Paris, famous legends, and historic sites.
- Paris je t’aime Walking Tours – A comprehensive guide to various walking routes throughout the city and it covers everything from historical walks to food-themed tours (yum)
- Some Bold Adventure – A travel blog with detailed self-guided itineraries that explore unique corners of Paris and it include lesser known routes.
- Now Go See It – A global travel website that offers great unique and authentic tours through areas often missed by tourists.
Final Thoughts
Get ready to wear through your pair of shoes. With these walking tours, you can wander by the Seine, uncovering medieval history, or learn more about Paris’ artistic neighborhoods. These self-guided walking tours allow you to experience the magic of the city at your own pace. I hope you try one of these and witness the charm that makes Paris so special.
Ready to explore?
Recommended Reads
5 Fantastic Walking Tours in Paris: A Self-Guided Itinerary
8 Best Day Trips From Paris by Train
Paris Like You’ve Never Seen: 8 Secrets Hidden in Plain Sight
