Last Updated on January 23, 2023 by Jim Ferri
The French capital is made for walking… here are 8 wonderful walks in Paris to help you enjoy the city
Estimated reading time: 8 minutes
By Jim Ferri
Walks in Paris, one of the best places to visit in France, are like walks in no other city in the world. You see, Paris is a city that’s excellent for walking. And to feel its heartbeat you need to take to its streets and boulevards on foot.
Walks in Paris are really the only way to enjoy the culture, charm and beauty of the city and to see how Parisians live, work and relax. When you walk about Paris and you’re following in the footsteps of countless writers, artists, philosophers and intellectuals who once made the city, and France, their home.
Wander Aimlessly About Paris
Walk along the Seine, visit the city’s beautiful parks and join the crowds on some of the grandest boulevards in the world. But also leave yourself time to wander about aimlessly. Strolling down little alleyways and visit cafés where there are no other travelers. That’s the way I’ve unearthed countless surprises and little treasures all over Paris.
To help you unearth your own, here are eight wonderful Paris walks I’ve taken over the last few years. I didn’t plan any of them and found it’s the best way to see any city.
An added bonus is that during these walks you’ll see many of the best places of interest in the city to travelers. If you’re in London, you might even take a day trip by train to Paris just to take one of these walks.
A Paris Walk Like No Other: Île de la Cité
The famous island in the center of the Seine, Île de la Cité is the cradle of Paris. It’s the place where the Romans first set up camp in 52 BC. Today it’s the city’s religious and judicial center, with such jewels as Notre Dame, Sainte-Chapelle, and the Conciergerie.
Despite the millions of travelers who visit Île de la Cité every year, most come to visit only Notre Dame and, possibly, Sainte-Chapelle. But the rest of the small island is a wonderful place to wander about to admire its historic grandeur and old mansions.
Île Saint-Louis
Many travelers visit Notre Dame and then head off for another area of the city without realizing there’s another treasure close by. It’s another island adjacent to Île de la Cité, connected to it by a small bridge directly behind the cathedral.
It’s a wonderful place which relatively few travelers visit. Which is why it remains such a quiet neighborhood right in the center of the city.
Île Saint-Louis, one of Paris’s most expensive neighborhoods, is an oasis with no Metro station. In fact, it only two bus stops, which keeps it very peaceful and serene. Wander its little lanes and you’ll find artsy boutiques, good restaurants, gourmet food shops and wonderful patisseries.
Jardin des Tuileries
Named after the tile factories that originally stood on the site, originally formed the front grounds of the old Tuileries Palace (destroyed in 1871) that was built by Queen Catherine de Medici. They were landscaped by André Le Nôtre, who also created the gardens at Versailles.
These formal gardens, among the most famous in the world, link the Place de la Concorde and the Louvre. They’re a great place to walk either before or after a visit to the Louvre.
The Left Bank, One of the Most Famous Walks in Paris
Many Sundays you’ll find Parisians walking along the Seine’s Left Bank. Here the sidewalk along the quay is still lined, as it has been for centuries, with second-hand bookstalls.
Most of the books you’ll find here are in French but there are also stalls selling postcards and other tourist items.
But it’s not postcards people come here for, but the beautiful views of the city all along the river’s edge. It’s one of the most romantic and beautiful walks you’ll find anywhere.
The Loftiest of the Paris Walks: Montmartre
Set high on a hill looking out over Paris, the basilica of Sacre Coeur dominates Montmartre. It still retains its small-village atmosphere, which makes it feel quite different from the hustle of Paris below. Here you’ll find one of the best views across the city.
Place du Tertre, the small square at the high point of the city, is rife with artists selling their canvases. About them restaurants and tourist shops line the sidewalk.
But go beyond the square and visit the Montmartre Museum, in the oldest building in the village. Several famous artists lived at different times in the lives. It was here that Auguste Renoir painted his Dance at Le Moulin de la Galette and The Swing.
Boulevard St-Germain: One of the Liveliest Paris Walks
The Boulevard St-Germain stretches through one of the most picturesque and famous areas of Paris. It extends roughly from near Notre Dame to near the Musée d’Orsay on the Left Bank. If you’re walking between the two it’s the perfect alternative if you’d rather not walk along the Seine.
Once it was known as a bohemian area filled with artists and intellectuals. Today though, it’s one of the most expensive and stylish areas of Paris. As you might expect, he street is home to high-end boutiques such as Louis Vuitton and Armani. But it is also home to such famous and historic cafes as Brasserie Lipp, Les Deux Magots, and Cafe Flore.
Jardin du Luxembourg: One of the Most Beautiful Walks in Paris
While the Luxembourg Gardens are worthy of a tour by themselves, you can easily combine it with a stroll along the Boulevard Saint-Germain. It’s located on the border between Saint-Germain-des-Prés and the Latin Quarter.
The incredibly beautiful 60+ acre park is reminiscent of the Boboli Gardens in Florence. It is split into French and English gardens with more than 100 statues all about.
Many chairs line the paths to allow people to relax or read a book. There are also many activities for both adults and children, including sailing boats in the pool in front of Luxembourg Palace.
A Paris Walk Through The Passages
Around Paris there are several hidden arcades or passages that are 18th-century predecessors of today’s shopping malls. They are actually tiny towns within the larger city, private streets lined with boutiques and bistros with glass ceilings to let the light in. They were originally built to provide Parisians respite from the weather and the unsanitary conditions that plagued the streets of the city.
Although there were about 150 or so of them originally, only 20 or so remain today. And each provides a glimpse into a Paris of centuries ago to those who seek them out.
You may also enjoy: 2 Days in Paris / Normandy From Paris – An Easy 2-Day Trip / Photo Essay of Beautiful Paris
My wife and I have spent days walking in Paris. Whenever we’ve been lucky enough to be there we have done everything we could to avoid The Metro and taxis. There is no question in my mind that it is the best way to see Paris regardless of the season. It’s great that you’ve organized these walks as you have done for your readers.
Thanks Bill — Paris is one of the best walking cities in the world. I never tire of it (although, at times, my feet do)!
Just subscribed to your web site and love it. I always love to read about walking in Paris and agree that is the only way to see/feel the city. One of my favorite places to wander in Paris …. Pere Lachaise Cemetery. It is truly wonderful to just meander through it and let your thoughts wander with you.
Welcome to NST Sylvia! I’m glad you’re enjoying it and thank you very much for sharing that information with other readers. I hope we’ll see more of you and your travels.
Great piece of writing. And loved the photos. I’ll use this for my next tripto Pars!
Thanks for the Info headed to Paris on the 29 of Oct. will be there for 7 days with my lovely wife of 40 yrs. our anniversary present to ourselves have never been but we love to walk the cities we have visited. Hope to find many memorable views and take as many photos as humanly possible.
I was excited to uncover this web site. I need to to thank you for your time for this wonderful read!! I definitely appreciated every bit of it and I have you book marked to check out new things in your site.
Thank you very much Mora. You can also sign up for our popular twice weekly free newsletters.
Jim
Hello everyone,
It was great reading this article, it took me way back to years passed, to one of the travels with my family when the kids were very young. I am one of the most believing person that travel it is the best way of strengthening family or couple bonds. In a relaxed and fun mood, we rediscover feelings and appreciation for those who live beside you every day. At the same time you will learn new cultures, new places and visit the beauty of this world. Travelling is a precious time that everyone has to experience. Is more than going somewhere. I hope all of us will have the chance of doing it soon.
Thank you Silvia.
Thanks so much for the tips & useful info. My husband & I will be in Paris this spring & will definitely do alot of walking.
You’re welcome Marla. Have a great time in Paris!
Jim
Thank you Jim for a very informative itinerary of walking through Paris. I strongly believe this is the ONLY way too see, discover and drink in the sights and sounds of any City. Great Article….Thank You.
Thank you very much Ravi.
Jim