Exploring Paris by foot is one of the great pleasures of visiting the City of Light.
It is possible to cross the entire city in only a few hours, but only if you can somehow keep yourself from stopping at numerous cafés and shops. In fact within a few years walking combined with biking and the Metro will be the only way to get around the very center of Paris: The Mayor’s office has announced plans to declare the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th arrondissem*nts almost totally car-free by 2012.
The smartest travelers take advantage of the walk-ability of this city, and stay above ground as much as possible. A metro ride of less than 2 stops is probably best avoided since walking will take about the same amount of time and you’ll be able to see more of the city.
You may have heard of the hazard of walking into dog droppings in Paris. The problem has receded over the last decades, partially due to fines as high as 180€ and an extensive street cleaning operations. However you will still occasionally encounter one of these little packages. Eventually with a little practice you’ll be able to avoid them without effort while looking every way but down, though you may find yourself dancing around fallen leaves in the autumn (some are just the right size and color).
You will also notice that most of the older Parisian streets (especially the ones in the Quartier Latin) are particularly narrow with little or no room to even fit a car, so the sidewalks on these roads are extremely tiny. Although this means you would opt to walk on the road, be wary as Parisian drivers, taxi drivers in particular, take no heed in the narrowness of the road, and will drive down it just as fast as if they were driving along a major road.
The city is best explored by foot, and some of the most marvelous memories you will have of Paris is walking through secret found places. Just a quick word of warning – be alert of pickpockets in Paris.
Your own walking guide to Paris
To get a great orientation of the city on foot while seeing many of Paris’ major sights, you can do a West to East walk from the Arc de Triomphe to Ile de la Cite (Notre Dame). This walk takes about 1-2 hours without any stops. Start at the top of the Champs Elysees (at the Arc de Triomphe) and begin walking down the Champs Elysees towards Place (‘square’) de la Concorde.
On the way towards the obelisk on the square, you’ll see the major stores and restaurants of Paris’ most famous avenue.
Once you’ve passed the main shopping area, you’ll see the Petit Palais and the Grand Palais to your right.
At Place de la Concorde, you’ll be able to see many of Paris’ major monuments around you. In front of you is the Tuileries, behind you is the Champs-Elysees and Arc de Triomphe, behind you to your right is the Tour Eiffel (read up about the story behind the Eiffel Tower) and Musee d’Orsay, and finally, to your left is the Madeleine.
Continue straight ahead and enter the Tuileries Gardens passing by fountains, flowers, and lovers in the park.
As you continue straight ahead, and out of the garden, you’ll see the pyramid entrance to the Louvre directly in front of you.
With the pyramid directly in front of you, and the Tuileries directly behind you, turn to your right and walk towards the Seine.
Now you can walk along the Seine (eastwards) until you reach Pont Neuf. Cross Pont Neuf and walk through the Latin Quarter, cross the river again to reach Notre Dame cathedral on Ile de la Cité.
Some of our favourite walking tours of Paris
While we love exploring Paris by foot on our own, if you’re a first-time visitor to Paris you should definitely also join in on one of the may walking tours of Paris. They’re great as you’ll learn more about the history of Paris as well as see many of the highlights of the city that you may not notice on your own.
Some of our favourite Paris walking tours focus on specific areas within the city, including:
Walking is definitely one of the best things to do in Paris – whether exploring Paris by foot by yourself or joining in on one of the fun walking tours. Just make sure to pack comfortable walking shoes!
If you’re visiting Paris in Winter, make sure to watch our video below for some secret winter tips:
I'm sure you've had similar experiences I had whilst traveling. You're in a certain place and a fellow traveler, or a local, tip you off on a little-known beach, bar or accommodation. Great travel tips from other travelers or locals always add something special to our travels. That was the inspiration for Travel Dudes.
As you can see from the walking tour map below, it is possible to walk around Paris in a day, sightseeing at the main central tourist sites. Of course there's much more to see and do in Paris, but this is a great walking itinerary for Paris. The full walk is about 5 miles, if you don't wander too far off the path.
Many of its famous landmarks and attractions can be visited on foot, especially in the central areas. For instance, popular sites like the Eiffel Tower, Louvre Museum, Notre-Dame Cathedral, Champs-Élysées, and Montmartre are within walking distance or a short stroll from each other.
Paris is definitely a walking city and you can easily see a lot of it on foot or by jumping on the Metro. There is no better view of the Champs Elysees and the Arc d'Triomphe than from the top deck of the tour bus.
It's a relatively compact city, so combining your own two feet with low-cost public transportation is the best way of of getting around in Paris. In fact, it's one of the best walking cities in the world, and it also has one of the best public transportation systems. Have a Metro map with you and you'll never be lost.
Yes, of course you can wear fashionable jeans in Paris, and sneakers as well. However, make sure your sneakers are what I call “sophisticated city sneakers”, not big white sneakers devoted to sport.
One hundred or so streets, including the Rue Cler, Rue de Lévis, Rue de Lutèce, and Rue des Barres, are pedestrianized in Paris! Each arrondissem*nt has some and it is a pleasure to stroll through them.
Near all major attractions, shopping districts and restaurants, the St.Germain de Pres district is known for its vibrant and artsy vibe. A quintessential Parisian neighborhood, St. Germain de Pres is also one of the best walking neighborhoods in the city.
To avoid looking like a tourist, you'll want to know what to wear in France. Our advice? Skip the baseball caps, white socks, sneakers, large colorful backpacks, and fanny packs. Instead, opt for dark skinny jeans, plain shirts without logos, and leather shoes.
In Paris, it's no longer a secret that pedestrian comfort is less than optimal in terms of safety, space on sidewalks, for example, or the passage of bike lanes over them: in fact, the capital scored a meagre 6.5/20 in this Walkable Cities Barometer, whereas in 2021, the overall rating was 8.1/20.
Parisians do not all dress alike, but they certainly have a “look”. You can wear any color you want, as long as it's black, black, or black. Beige and red seem to work their way into the Parisian wardrobe, as do many shades of gray, but you should leave that to the pro's.
Cute enough to pair with a dress, and comfy enough to wear all day — in summer, a comfortable sandal is your most important Paris shoe because with hotter weather, it's likely what you'll wear the most.
Paris is a generally safe country for visitors, however, you should always remain vigilant, especially in crowded tourist areas where pickpocketing and petty theft are common.
Bus. General information: One of the easiest and most affordable ways to get around Paris is by bus. With 64 bus lines connecting hundreds of stops throughout the city, tourists can easily navigate to their destinations.
How much is Uber in Paris? The cost of an Uber in Paris depends on the time of day, the day of the week, and the distance of the trip. A 15-minute ride within the city should cost approximately €12-€20, and a ride to/from Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) should cost around €55-€75.
First-time travelers should try and plan around 4-5 days—ample time to enjoy some classic Parisian highlights and visit a few of the 20 arrondissem*nts (neighborhoods).
Is it necessary to know French to get around in Paris? You can go around fine; I'm actually assuming tourists don't speak French at all when I orient them around (a handful of times every day: I live near the Louvre).
A journey around the perimeter of Paris, exploring neighborhoods well off the tourist-beaten path, revealed a city at once familiar and yet startlingly new.
Introduction: My name is Msgr. Refugio Daniel, I am a fine, precious, encouraging, calm, glamorous, vivacious, friendly person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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