

Paris, France
From the Concorde square to the Eiffel Tower
Parcours audioguidé pour visiter Paris en 1 jour
This tour draws you right into the heart of Parisian architectural power, where the iron framework of the Eiffel Tower stands in quiet conversation with the golden stone of Haussmann-era façades. Follow the grand, perfectly aligned perspective stretching from the Champ de Mars all the way to the Arc de Triomphe, as you make your way up the world’s most famous avenue, the Champs-Élysées. Between the gentle breath of the Seine River and the refined buzz of the boulevard, this route reveals a city that has made symmetry and bold vision the very essence of its character.
Quand partir à Paris ?
Jan.
8°
Feb.
9°
March
13°
April
16°
May
21°
June
23°
July
26°
Aug.
26°
Sept.
22°
Oct.
17°
Nov.
11°
Dec.
8°
The climate is generally temperate, with winters that are often cool to cold, when temperatures typically range between 0 and 8°C, and moderate summers around 20 to 26°C, with occasional heatwaves that are possible but rarely prolonged; spring and early autumn are the most pleasant periods for travel, particularly from May to June and from September to early October, when temperatures are mild, visitor numbers are more reasonable, and landscapes are especially lush, while summer remains a good option for enjoying a lively atmosphere despite a higher risk of rainfall.
Départ conseillé
No need to worry about where to begin! Our tours are designed as a loop, so you can jump in wherever you are. The navigation system and audio-guide will automatically adjust to your location. However, if you happen to be nearby, we do have a preferred starting point: Place de la Concorde/Concorde metro station
Parking à proximité
Indigo Place de la Concorde
Paris, like all major cities, is not car-friendly. We advise you to leave your car either at your accommodation or outside the city center and take the metro.
À savoir
If you wish to visit several museums and monuments in Paris, consider buying combined tickets and city passes.
Découvrez 19 lieux d'intérêt pour visiter Paris
Le plein d'inspirations
Explorez le monde en totale liberté, à pied au cœur des villes ou au fil des routes. Nos guides audios transforment chaque destination en une découverte culturelle immersive et unique.
FAQ for visiting Paris
When is the best time to visit Paris?
Spring and early autumn are generally the most pleasant times to discover Paris. From May to June and from September to early October, you will enjoy mild temperatures and a city less crowded than at the height of the summer season. The days are long, the parks are green and the atmosphere is particularly pleasant for strolling. Summer remains an excellent option if you enjoy the buzz and the lively terraces, despite a higher risk of rain. Winter has its charm with the illuminations and the Christmas markets, but plan for warm clothes as temperatures often range between 0 and 8°C.
How many days do you need to visit Paris?
For a first visit, ideally plan on between three and five days. This time will allow you to discover the emblematic monuments, wander through a few typical neighbourhoods and visit at least one or two major museums. With three days, you can cover the essential must-sees. Five days give you more flexibility to explore less touristy neighbourhoods, enjoy Parisian cafés and perhaps make a getaway to Versailles. Of course, Paris is a city you never really finish discovering, and even Parisians keep making finds there after years.
How do you get around Paris easily?
The metro remains the most practical way to move quickly around Paris. With its many lines criss-crossing the city, you are rarely more than five minutes from a station. Buses offer a pleasant alternative for admiring the city above ground. For short distances, don't hesitate to walk: Paris is a city that is wonderfully discovered on foot. Self-service bikes are also an excellent option for medium-length trips. Consider getting a transport pass suited to the length of your stay, as it will save you from buying tickets one at a time.
Which monuments are absolute must-sees?
Paris is full of architectural wonders that tell its thousand-year-old history. The Eiffel Tower remains, of course, the absolute symbol of the city, closely followed by the Arc de Triomphe and Notre-Dame. The Louvre and the Musée d'Orsay are must-sees for art lovers. Don't miss the Sacré-Cœur basilica, which offers a breathtaking panoramic view. The Champs-Élysées, the Place de la Concorde and the Invalides complete this tour of the essentials. The Ryo audioguide accompanies you precisely on a carefully designed itinerary linking these emblematic monuments, enriching your discovery with fascinating anecdotes and historical context.
How can you avoid the queues at museums and monuments?
To make the most of your time, online booking has become almost essential for major sites such as the Louvre or the Eiffel Tower. Favour visits early in the morning or late in the afternoon when crowds thin out. Skip-the-line tickets, though generally more expensive, save you precious time. Some museums offer less crowded evening openings. Also consider lesser-known but equally fascinating museums such as the Rodin or Carnavalet, where the wait is often reduced. Finally, visit outdoor monuments such as the Arc de Triomphe on weekdays rather than at the weekend to avoid the crowds.
Where can you take a cruise on the Seine?
Cruises on the Seine offer a unique perspective on the Parisian monuments. The main piers are located near the Eiffel Tower, at the Pont de l'Alma, and close to Notre-Dame. You can choose between commented cruises of about an hour, ideal for a first discovery, or dinner cruises for a more romantic experience. The bateaux-mouches remain the most iconic, but other companies offer similar services. The classic route generally takes you under the most beautiful bridges of Paris while admiring the floodlit façades in the evening, creating unforgettable memories.
Which neighbourhoods of Paris are a must to discover?
Each Parisian neighbourhood has its own soul and deserves a lingering visit. The Marais charms with its medieval lanes and trendy boutiques. Montmartre keeps its bohemian atmosphere with its street artists and picturesque cafés. Saint-Germain-des-Prés exudes intellectual elegance with its bookshops and literary cafés. The Latin Quarter buzzes with student energy around the Sorbonne. For a more contemporary vibe, explore Belleville or the Canal Saint-Martin. The Ryo app also offers several themed routes that guide you through these different neighbourhoods, revealing their secrets and their unique history as you walk.
What is there to see between Place de la Concorde and the Arc de Triomphe?
This single axis holds some of the most photographed scenery in the capital. From Place de la Concorde, with its obelisk, its fountains and its Marly horses, the perspective runs in one straight line up to the Arc de Triomphe. You first cross the Champs-Élysées gardens, far more peaceful than you might expect, framed by the glass roofs of the Grand Palais and the Petit Palais.
The upper part of the avenue, busier with shops and very lively at night, leads to Place de l'Étoile, where the Arc de Triomphe shelters the tomb of the Unknown Soldier and offers, from its terrace, a view over the twelve avenues radiating around it. Allow a good half-day if you take your time. The Ryo audio guide offers a dedicated Paris route that follows this perspective and tells its story.
Where can you admire the Eiffel Tower without going up it?
The most spectacular viewpoint is still the Trocadéro esplanade on the opposite bank: the tower appears in full, framed by the wings of the Palais de Chaillot, in particularly flattering morning light. Directly across, the Champ-de-Mars lets you take it in from the base, simply by settling down on the grass.
For less obvious angles, try the Bir-Hakeim bridge with its double row of columns, the Pont Alexandre III and its gilded lamp posts, the quays at the foot of the Pont d'Iéna, or Avenue de Camoëns, where the tower suddenly fills the end of the street. In the evening the structure sparkles for a few minutes at the start of each hour, a moment many visitors wait for sitting on the lawn.
Which walks can you do along the Seine on foot?
The quaysides have become one of the finest walks in the city. On the left bank, between the Musée d'Orsay and the Pont de l'Alma, the pedestrianised banks unfold hanging gardens, play areas and moored barges, facing the fronts of the Louvre and the Tuileries.
On the right bank, a long stretch links the Tuileries garden to the Arsenal district, passing under the bridges at water level. Heading further east, the quays of the Île de la Cité and the Île Saint-Louis offer a more intimate atmosphere, lined with trees and second-hand booksellers. The walk works in every season, but do check access to the lower banks after heavy rain, as the river can rise quickly.
Where can couples go for a romantic weekend within two hours of Paris?
Romantic getaways abound within two hours of Paris by train or car. Versailles, 45 minutes from Saint-Lazare, is best enjoyed at its 9am opening, before the crowds arrive around 11am, and the Trianons are included in the €20 ticket. Fontainebleau offers 25,000 hectares of forest, the palace where Napoleon abdicated in 1814 and charming inns in Barbizon at €120 to €180 a night. Épernay, 1h25 from Paris-Est, reveals the Avenue de Champagne and its 110 km of cellars, followed by wine villages such as Hautvillers and Aÿ.
Find all ten getaways in our ideas for romantic weekends near Paris.
What should you see on a day exploring the Marais?
The Marais spans eight centuries of history across the 3rd and 4th arrondissements. In the morning, start at the Hôtel de Ville and head to the Cloître des Billettes, the only surviving medieval cloister in Paris (1427), then the Hôtel de Soubise and its National Archives (€8). Rue des Francs-Bourgeois leads to the free Musée Cognacq-Jay and to Place des Vosges, built in 1612. In the afternoon, the Haut Marais reveals the Carreau du Temple, Rue de Bretagne and the Marché des Enfants Rouges, the city's oldest covered market (1615). The free Mémorial de la Shoah is also worth an hour.
Follow the full itinerary in our guide to the Marais in Paris.
Which activities can you combine in Paris and its surroundings on a first trip?
Paris is home to more than 130 national museums, and the Île-de-France region adds royal châteaux and ancient forests. For monuments, see the Eiffel Tower at dawn and watch it sparkle every hour after dark, climb the 284 steps of the Arc de Triomphe and admire the 1,113 scenes of the Sainte-Chapelle's 15 stained-glass windows. For museums, plan half a day for the Louvre; the Musée d'Orsay is free on the first Sunday of the month, and the Paris Museum Pass opens over 50 sites from €90 for two days. Versailles, Chantilly and Fontainebleau then make easy day trips.
Plan your stay with our guide to activities in Paris and its surroundings.
What romantic things can couples do together in Paris?
Head to the top of the Eiffel Tower after 9pm, as the city lights up, with a ticket costing €28 to €36.70 booked online. A cruise between 7pm and 8pm shows the monuments as they are illuminated, from €15 with the Bateaux-Mouches. In Montmartre, the cobbled streets are almost empty between 6:30am and 8:30am, before the crowds reach the Sacré-Cœur. On Rue Chaptal, the free Musée de la Vie Romantique hides a garden and a tearoom. For a picnic, pair the Palais-Royal garden with treats from the Stohrer bakery, founded in 1730.
Discover all 30 ideas in our selection of things to do as a couple in Paris.
Which museums and sights can you visit for free in Paris?
Several city-run museums open their permanent collections without a ticket. The Musée d'Art Moderne displays over 15,000 works, including Raoul Dufy's 600 m² La Fée Électricité. The Petit Palais, built for the 1900 World's Fair, Victor Hugo's House on Place des Vosges and the Musée Carnavalet, reopened in 2021 with 140,000 objects on the history of Paris, are also free, and all close on Mondays. Add to these the Mémorial de la Shoah, Père-Lachaise cemetery, 2.3 km of pedestrian riverbanks and, on the first Sunday of each month, Orsay or Cluny.
See the full list in our guide to free things to do in Paris.
When and where does the Art Basel Paris fair take place?
Since 2024, Art Basel Paris has set up under the 13,500 m² glass roof of the Grand Palais, bringing together more than 200 international galleries showing both established and emerging artists. The 2025 edition ran from 24 to 26 October, preceded by two invitation-only VIP days. The Grand Palais, at 7 Avenue Winston Churchill, is served by the Champs-Élysées – Clemenceau and Franklin D. Roosevelt metro stations. The works on show are for sale. Between visits, the Louvre, Orsay, the Centre Pompidou and the Bourse de Commerce – Pinault Collection extend the art immersion.
Plan your visit with our guide to Art Basel Paris at the Grand Palais.
Which cycling routes are best for discovering Paris?
Paris now has more than 1,000 km of cycle lanes, and bikes account for around 11% of journeys within the city. The founding route follows the Seine: a flat 18 km loop linking the Voie Georges-Pompidou and the left-bank Berges, which takes an hour and a half on a Vélib', ideally on a Sunday morning before 10am. The Coulée Verte René-Dumont then links the Bastille to the Bois de Vincennes over nearly 5 km, via the Promenade Plantée and the craft workshops of the Viaduc des Arts. A 22 km greenway even reaches Versailles.
Discover all ten routes in our guide to cycling in Paris.
How much does a Seine cruise cost and which company should you choose?
A classic commentated cruise lasts about an hour between the Eiffel Tower and Île Saint-Louis, for €15 to €20 per adult. Bateaux Mouches have sailed from the Pont de l'Alma since 1949, Bateaux Parisiens leave from the foot of the Eiffel Tower, and the more intimate Vedettes du Pont Neuf depart from Île de la Cité. Dinner cruises cost roughly €90 to €165, while the Batobus offers a €24 day pass with 9 stops. Sunset, between 7pm and 9pm, and the quieter morning departures remain the best times to sail.
Compare the options in our complete guide to cruising on the Seine, then check the typical route in our guide to Seine cruise prices and tips.
How should you plan your visit to the Musée d'Orsay?
Housed in a former railway station built by Victor Laloux for the 1900 World's Fair, the Musée d'Orsay holds nearly 3,000 works over five levels. On the ground floor, Manet's Le Déjeuner sur l'herbe and Olympia open the visit; the 5th level, worth at least 45 minutes, gathers Monet, Renoir and his Bal du Moulin de la Galette, Degas, Van Gogh and Cézanne. Don't miss Courbet's L'Origine du monde, which many visitors walk past the first time. Entry is free for Europeans under 26, and visitor numbers halve on Thursday evenings.
Plan your route with our complete guide to the Musée d'Orsay.
Which major events mark the calendar in Paris?
Several events come back every year. The European Heritage Days open normally closed places for free, such as the Élysée Palace and the National Assembly. On 21 June, the Fête de la Musique fills streets, parks and squares with free concerts. Nuit Blanche, launched in 2002, covers the city with ephemeral artworks, and Chinese New Year brings the 13th arrondissement to life between January and February. In July, the Paris l'été festival stages more than 70 theatre, dance and music performances, some free and some ticketed.
Note the dates in our top events in Paris.
Which day trips or weekend breaks can you take around Paris?
Versailles, 35 to 40 minutes away on the RER C, deserves at least six hours to include the Petit Trianon and the Queen's Hamlet; under-18s get in free. Fontainebleau, 40 minutes by Transilien from Gare de Lyon, spans 800 years of royal history and a forest famous for climbing. Giverny reveals the gardens where Monet lived from 1883 to 1926. For a weekend, medieval Provins and its shows, the Chevreuse Valley, Lille just 1h05 away by train or the beaches of Le Touquet widen the choice further.
Pick your getaway from our 20 day trips around Paris and our weekend ideas around Paris.
What can you discover on the islands of the Seine in Paris?
Eight islands dot the Seine, from Île de la Cité to Île Seguin. The cradle of Paris, Île de la Cité is home to Notre-Dame, whose new spire rises to 96 metres and whose towers can be visited by reservation (€16), the stained glass of the Sainte-Chapelle, the Conciergerie where Marie-Antoinette awaited her sentence, Place Dauphine and the Pont Neuf, completed in 1607. Its neighbour, Île Saint-Louis, 600 metres long and developed in the 17th century, is best explored along Rue Saint-Louis-en-l'Île, to the Berthillon ice-cream shop founded in 1954, then along its quays at sunset.
Explore all eight islands with our guide to the islands of the Seine.
Which villages near Paris are worth visiting in winter?
Within 100 km of the capital, several villages reveal themselves without the summer crowds. Provins, a UNESCO-listed medieval town 1h30 by train from Gare de Lyon, offers the Tour César (€5 in winter), underground passages at 12°C and a medieval Christmas market in early December. Auvers-sur-Oise, where Van Gogh painted 74 canvases in 70 days, preserves the Auberge Ravoux, the church he painted and his grave, shared with his brother Theo. In Giverny, Monet's gardens close from October to late March, but the Normandy village stays peaceful and authentic.
Discover all fourteen villages in our selection of the prettiest villages around Paris in winter.
Which walks let you discover Paris neighbourhood by neighbourhood?
The Seine riverbanks link Notre-Dame to the Trocadéro over 4.5 km, a walk of 1h30 to 2h past Orsay and the Pont de Bir-Hakeim. In Montmartre, climb Rue Lepic from Pigalle, then reach the Sacré-Cœur, Place du Tertre and Rue Saint-Rustique, over about 3 km. The Marais unfolds over 3.5 km, from Place des Vosges, inaugurated in 1612, to the Marché des Enfants Rouges and Rue des Rosiers, ending at the Centre Pompidou. The Latin Quarter, around the Sorbonne founded in 1257, is best explored from the Panthéon.
Choose your route in our guide to the most beautiful walks in Paris.
How do you rent a camper van in the Paris region?
With a standard car licence, you can drive any leisure vehicle under 3.5 tonnes. The coachbuilt model with an over-cab bed sleeps up to six, the low-profile suits two to four travellers, the A-class offers the most comfort and the converted van is the easiest to handle in town. Around Paris, peer-to-peer platforms such as Yescapa, Wikicampers and Indie Campers sit alongside agencies like Hertz Trois Soleils in Jouy-le-Châtel, Avis, roadsurfer and WeVan, notably near Charles de Gaulle airport. Check for unlimited mileage, the number of berths and permission to travel abroad.
Find every tip in our guide to renting a camper van near Paris.
Where can you find a water park in Paris and the Île-de-France region?
In the 15th arrondissement, Aquaboulevard offers nearly 7,000 m² of pools at 30°C, 11 slides and a lazy river, open every day of the year, for around €39 per adult; avoid Wednesday and Saturday afternoons in summer. Some 32 km away, Center Parcs Villages Nature has a large heated indoor water area, accessible with a stay costing €500 to €1,100 for two nights for four. Les Bois-Francs, 1h30 away via the A13, boasts an indoor beach at 29°C. The leisure islands round off the offer in the open air.
Compare the sites in our guide to the best water parks around Paris.
How can you visit the Eiffel Tower, Notre-Dame and the Louvre in the best conditions?
The Eiffel Tower, 330 metres high and visited by over seven million people a year, should be booked online several weeks ahead for evening slots; the stairs to the 2nd floor cost €14.80, against €36.70 for the lift to the top. Notre-Dame, reopened in December 2024, can be visited free of charge with a reservation, beneath its new 96-metre spire. At the Louvre, more than 35,000 works are on display: the Venus de Milo and the Winged Victory of Samothrace offer calmer viewing than the Mona Lisa in room 711. The guide covers twenty monuments in all.
Find all twenty must-sees in our complete guide to the monuments of Paris.
What can you see at the Musée de l'Armée in Les Invalides?
Housed since 1905 in the Hôtel des Invalides, which Louis XIV founded in 1670 for his wounded soldiers, the Army Museum holds more than 500,000 items, around 15,000 of them on display. Beneath the golden dome, rising to 107 metres, lies Napoleon I, in a red porphyry sarcophagus inaugurated in 1861 after his ashes were returned in 1840. The early arms department shows knights' armour and the armour of Francis I. The site also includes the Historial Charles de Gaulle, the Musée des Plans-Reliefs and the Museum of the Order of Liberation.
Plan your visit with our guide to the Musée de l'Armée in Paris.
Which Paris museums should you prioritise, and how should you visit them?
Paris has more than 130 museums. The Louvre, the world's largest museum, displays around 35,000 works: book online (€22), enter via the Passage Richelieu or the Carrousel, and remember that it closes on Tuesdays. Orsay, closed on Mondays, stays open late on Thursdays until 9:45pm and lets you photograph Paris through its giant clock. The Musée Marmottan Monet holds the world's largest Monet collection, with 300 works. Note that the Centre Pompidou has been closed since September 2025 for a renovation due to last until 2030. Cluny and Guimet remain far less crowded.
Discover the full selection in our top 20 museums in Paris.
What are the most beautiful parks and gardens in Paris?
Paris has more than 490 green spaces. The Luxembourg Gardens, created for Marie de' Medici, spread over 23 hectares with the Grand Bassin and its toy sailboats, the Medici Fountain and the famous green chairs. The Tuileries, designed by Le Nôtre, cover 28 hectares between the Louvre and Place de la Concorde. The Palais-Royal garden has an almost provincial feel around the Buren columns. At the Buttes-Chaumont, the Temple de la Sibylle overlooks an artificial lake and cliff, in a park open until midnight in season. Parc Monceau, created in 1769, remains more secluded.
Discover all twenty spots in our guide to the most beautiful parks and gardens in Paris.
Which Paris bridges are worth crossing on foot?
Among the 37 Paris bridges, the Pont Alexandre III, built for the 1900 World's Fair, boasts 18 lampposts and more than 200 gilded sculptural elements; photograph it from the Quai d'Orsay in the late afternoon. The Pont Neuf, completed in 1607, is paradoxically the oldest and features 381 carved masks, best seen before 8am in summer. The Pont des Arts, the first metal bridge in Paris, offers an evening view of the illuminated Louvre. The Pont de Bir-Hakeim and the Passerelle Léopold-Sédar-Senghor, with its single 106-metre arch, complete the selection.
Discover all nine bridges in our guide to the most beautiful bridges in Paris.
Which local specialities should you taste in Paris?
The baguette, recognised by UNESCO, is best bought from a craft baker. For mains, bouchées à la reine, created in Versailles for Queen Marie Leszczynska, the gratinéed onion soup of the old Halles market, the croque-monsieur, hachis parmentier and steak-frites, which dates back to the days of the La Villette slaughterhouses, are brasserie classics. Leek and potato soup, once called potage parisien, was also born in the capital. For dessert, try the Opéra cake, invented in 1955 at Dalloyau, or a slice of Parisian flan.
Discover all twenty specialities in our top culinary specialities of Paris.
Where can you go swimming in and around Paris?
Several leisure spots let you cool off near the capital. In Seine-et-Marne, the Bois-le-Roi leisure base covers 73 hectares along the Seine, on the edge of the Fontainebleau forest, with kayaking, rowing boats and tree-top trails. Meaux-Plage, now called Meaux-les-Bains, offers a fine sandy beach on the Marne. In Paris itself, the Bassin de la Villette, built in 1808 in the 19th arrondissement, is the city's largest artificial body of water. The natural lake at Jablines-Annet, 40 km away, has calm, clear water, and the 250-hectare Cergy-Pontoise leisure island adds sailing and the region's only cable water-ski.
Find your spot in our top 5 swimming spots in Paris.
What can you see on a visit to the Arc de Triomphe?
Commissioned by Napoleon in 1806 after Austerlitz and completed in 1836 under Louis-Philippe, the Arc de Triomphe stands 50 metres high. Walk all the way round to admire François Rude's La Marseillaise, then look for the 558 generals' names engraved inside the vault. The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, buried in 1920, can be visited free of charge, and the flame is rekindled every evening at 6:30pm. The top, reached by 284 steps with no public lift, reveals the twelve avenues of the Étoile; arrive 45 minutes before sunset.
Plan your visit with our complete guide to the Arc de Triomphe.
How do you visit the Paris Catacombs?
The world's largest underground ossuary, the Catacombs hold the remains of nearly six million Parisians, transferred between 1785 and 1860. The 1.5 km route, 20 metres underground at a constant 14°C, takes about an hour. The site opens Tuesday to Sunday from 9:45am to 8:30pm, with a €31 full-price ticket including an audio guide and €12 for ages 5 to 17; booking a time slot online is best. The entrance is at Denfert-Rochereau, served by metro lines 4 and 6 and the RER B. Don't miss the Crypte de la Passion and the Port-Mahon sculptures.
Find all the practical details in our guide to visiting the Paris Catacombs.
What itinerary should you follow to visit Paris in 3 days?
On day one, climb the Arc de Triomphe, walk down the Champs-Élysées to Place de la Concorde, picnic in the Tuileries, then head to the Trocadéro and end at the Eiffel Tower at sunset, with tickets booked ahead. Day two is devoted to culture: arrive at the Louvre for its 9am opening and allow at least three hours, then see the Sainte-Chapelle and its 15 stained-glass windows before exploring the Latin Quarter and Shakespeare and Company, with a Seine cruise in the evening. Day three takes you up to Montmartre and the Sacré-Cœur, then down to the historic Marais.
Follow the day-by-day plan in our guide to visiting Paris in 3 days.
What can you discover on a visit to the Sacré-Cœur Basilica?
Built between 1875 and 1914 and consecrated in 1919, the Sacré-Cœur Basilica welcomes more than 10 million visitors a year. Its Romano-Byzantine architecture, designed by Paul Abadie, centres on an 83-metre dome, and its Château-Landon stone stays white thanks to the rain. Inside, Luc-Olivier Merson's choir mosaic covers 475 m² and is among the largest in Europe. The great organ, inaugurated in 1898, has nearly 6,000 pipes. Silence is required, as perpetual adoration has continued here since 1885.
Plan your visit with our guide to the Sacré-Cœur in Montmartre.
Where should you go shopping in Paris, whatever your budget?
The Champs-Élysées gathers the big flagship stores, including Europe's largest Zara, while the Golden Triangle around Avenue Montaigne is home to Dior, Chanel and Valentino. The Marais, open on Sundays, mixes designers on Rue des Francs-Bourgeois, the Merci concept store and upmarket vintage shops; avoid it on Saturdays between 2pm and 5pm. On the left bank, Saint-Germain-des-Prés lines up fashion boutiques and bookshops, and Le Bon Marché, founded in 1852, remains the reference for beauty. For non-EU visitors, tax refunds apply from €100 spent in a single shop.
Find the best addresses in our guide to shopping in Paris.
What is there to see in the Latin Quarter of Paris?
The Latin Quarter owes its name to medieval students, who had to speak Latin even in the street after the Sorbonne was founded in 1257. Nearby, the Collège de France, founded in 1530, opens its lectures to everyone free of charge. At the Panthéon, completed in 1790, Foucault's pendulum has demonstrated the Earth's rotation since 1851, and the crypt holds Voltaire, Rousseau, Victor Hugo and Marie Curie. Then wander the Montagne Sainte-Geneviève and the booksellers' stalls on Quai de Montebello, facing Notre-Dame. Allow a full day to see everything.
Explore the neighbourhood with our complete guide to the Latin Quarter.
How should you explore the Canal Saint-Martin on foot?
Dug on Napoleon I's orders between 1802 and 1825 to bring drinking water to Paris, the Canal Saint-Martin runs 4.55 km between the Bassin de l'Arsenal and the Bassin de la Villette, with nine locks climbing 25 metres. Walk it from south to north: from the Bastille, the canal runs beneath Boulevard Richard-Lenoir, home to a large market on Thursday and Sunday mornings, then resurfaces at Square Frédérick-Lemaître. Made famous by Hôtel du Nord and Amélie, the neighbourhood is lined with wine bars and vintage shops.
Follow the full route in our guide to the Canal Saint-Martin neighbourhood.
What is there to see in the Saint-Germain-des-Prés neighbourhood?
Everything starts at the church of Saint-Germain-des-Prés, whose Romanesque bell tower, completed around the year 1000, is the oldest in Paris. Next door, the Café de Flore and Les Deux Magots recall Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir, with a coffee costing €6 to €9; the Brasserie Lipp has a more local feel. Via Rue de l'Abbaye, tiny Place de Fürstenberg houses the Musée Eugène-Delacroix, set in the painter's last studio. Heading back down to the Seine, the Institut de France and the Pont des Arts offer a fine view of Île de la Cité.
Discover the itinerary in our guide to Saint-Germain-des-Prés.
What can you discover in the Belleville neighbourhood of Paris?
A former village annexed in 1860, Belleville stretches across the 10th, 11th, 19th and 20th arrondissements and has welcomed successive waves of Armenian, Kabyle, Eastern European Jewish, then Chinese and Vietnamese immigrants. On Rue du Télégraphe lies the highest point of public space in Paris, at 128.5 metres. Parc de Belleville, opened in 1988, offers one of the finest free panoramas over Paris from its lookout, along with a small Pinot Meunier vineyard. A whole street serves as an open-air gallery for street artists, and the boulevard market is held on Tuesdays and Fridays.
Explore the neighbourhood with our complete guide to Belleville.
Why visit the Butte-aux-Cailles, the village-like district of the 13th?
Spared by Haussmann because its slope made building works too costly, the Butte-aux-Cailles has kept its low houses, cobbles and narrow lanes. A former hamlet on the banks of the Bièvre, it was one of the last strongholds of the Commune in May 1871, as Place de la Commune-de-Paris-1871 recalls. Beneath the square, an artesian well brings up water at around 28 degrees, feeding a public fountain and an Art Deco swimming pool. Stroll along Rue de la Butte-aux-Cailles and Passage Vandrezanne, and look out for Jérôme Mesnager's white figures.
Set off on a stroll with our guide to the Butte-aux-Cailles.
How can you make the most of the Heritage Days in Paris?
On the third weekend of September, embassies, ministries and private mansions open their doors, free of charge or at reduced prices. More than 17,000 sites take part across France, including several hundred in Paris; some, such as the Hôtel de Lassay and the Élysée Palace, can only be visited that weekend. The Ministry of Culture publishes its programme in mid-August, complemented by that of the City of Paris. The Paris Historique association also runs free guided tours of courtyards and mansions in the Marais. The most popular sites are packed on Saturday mornings.
Plan your route with our guide to the Heritage Days in Paris.
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