Which Free Things To Do In Paris Fit Your Day?

The directory below is sorted by neighbourhood and theme, but three questions narrow it faster: how long you have, whether you want history or atmosphere, and whether your visit falls on a day when a museum drops its entry fee.

1. Which side of Paris do you want to walk?
2. How much time do you have?
3. Do you want the best-known walk or something quieter?

All the free walks are shown below. Pick what kind of Paris you want and the list will narrow itself.

Free Things To Do In Paris, At A Glance

Walkative! Centre Walk, 9 Stops Walkative! Centre Walk, 9 Stops Walkative! Montmartre, 5 Stops Walkative! Montmartre, 5 Stops Saint-Germain And Saint-Michel Saint-Germain And Saint-Michel Crowd-Free Marais, 7 Stops Crowd-Free Marais, 7 Stops Pere Lachaise Scandals, English Pere Lachaise Scandals, English Emily In Paris, Cast-Member Guide Emily In Paris, Cast-Member Guide Bilingual Centre Walk, 9 Stops Bilingual Centre Walk, 9 Stops Crowd-Free Montmartre, 18 Stops Crowd-Free Montmartre, 18 Stops
  • The single biggest free offer in Paris is the walking tours: 67 of them, all pay what you want, covering six themes from the historic centre to the cemeteries.
  • The most-walked tour on this site is the Spanish-language historic centre walk by Sebastian, rated 4.88 (checked September 2026) across 4,804 GuruWalk reviews, with the English Essential Paris City Center Tour close behind at 4.9 across 2,481.
  • Montmartre is tied for the biggest walk category, 13 in total, and Sacre-Coeur itself costs nothing to enter.
  • The walks are not ours. Each is a real GuruWalk listing run by an independent guide; reserving a spot is free and the tip is whatever you decide at the end.

Seven Kinds Of Free Things To Do In Paris, Compared

Not all free things in Paris work the same way. A walking tour is free to book and paid by tip afterwards. A museum may be free every day, or only on the first Sunday of the month, or only on one evening a week. A church is free to enter but charges for its tower or crypt. A park is simply free, all day, every day. The comparison below separates the seven kinds so you can plan around the rules rather than be surprised by them.

Kind of free thingWhat it isWhat the paid equivalent costsWhat is actually freeBest forMatched free walk
Free walking tours A pay-what-you-want walking tour is a real guided walk with an independent local, booked free on GuruWalk and paid afterwards as a tip you choose. No ticket exists. Nothing is charged at booking and nothing is taken up front. Every walk on this site: 26 with their own page, 67 in the directory. Free walking tours suit first-time visitors, solo travellers and anyone who wants a local guide's stories before deciding what the city is worth to them. Walkative! Centre Walk, 9 Stops
Free museums and galleries Several Paris museums and galleries never charge entry, from the city's smaller collections to the permanent rooms of the big state museums on their free monthly days. Louvre 22 EUR at the EEA rate and 32 EUR otherwise; Orsay and Picasso 16 EUR; Quai Branly and Rodin 14 EUR. 15 of the 16 museums listed here, permanent collections, every opening day. Free museums suit art lovers on a tight budget, repeat visitors filling gaps, and families who would rather save the ticket money for food. Bilingual Centre Walk, 9 Stops
Free churches, cathedrals and monuments Many of Paris's churches and monuments cost nothing to enter, including Notre-Dame's reopened interior and grand spaces like the Pantheon's exterior. Sainte-Chapelle 16 to 22 EUR, Pantheon 13 to 16 EUR, the Notre-Dame towers 16 EUR, the Sacre-Coeur dome 8 EUR. 16 of the 21 churches and monuments listed here, Notre-Dame included. Free churches and monuments suit history-minded travellers, architecture fans and anyone who wants a slow hour of quiet between busier sightseeing. Walkative! Montmartre, 5 Stops
Neighbourhoods on foot Montmartre, the Latin Quarter, Le Marais and Saint-Germain cost nothing to walk, and each rewards wandering with a GuruWalk guide who knows the back streets. Nothing. No ticket has ever existed for a street, a square or a staircase. Montmartre, the Latin Quarter, Le Marais and Saint-Germain, at any hour of any day. A neighbourhood walk suits photographers, slow travellers and anyone who prefers one district understood well over five districts glimpsed from a tour bus. Crowd-Free Montmartre, 18 Stops
Free parks and gardens Paris's parks, gardens and viewpoints are free to enter, from the lawns along the Seine to the hillside lookouts that cost nothing at sunset. The gardens themselves, nothing. Inside them: the Musee du Luxembourg, the Parc Floral at 2,80 EUR from April to September, and the Vincennes zoo at 22 EUR. All 27 parks, gardens, cemeteries and viewpoints listed here. Parks and gardens suit picnickers, runners, families with restless children and travellers who need a cheap afternoon that still feels like Paris. Time Machine Hidden-Gems Walk
Free events and concerts Paris runs recurring free events year-round, including open-air cinema screenings in summer and classical concerts in churches, none of which need a ticket budget. The evening bill at the Parc Floral is ticketed, and outside promoters sell concerts inside churches that are themselves free. 7 recurring events an official source states are free, from the Sunday organ recital at Notre-Dame to the Saint-Merri concerts. Free events suit music lovers, film fans and travellers whose dates are flexible enough to plan around what the city is putting on that week. Emily In Paris, Cast-Member Guide
Paris on a budget Once the sights are free, a day in Paris costs what you spend on a metro pass, coffee and lunch, which makes the walking tours the cheapest structured sightseeing in the city. 2,55 EUR a metro journey, 12,30 EUR a Navigo Jour day pass, 30,60 EUR a Paris Visite day, 14,00 EUR to either airport. 5 of the 13 everyday things in the table below cost nothing at all. Budget figures matter most to students, families and long-stay travellers who need to know whether the free layer of Paris can carry most of the itinerary. Wartime Paris, English, 6 Stops

Free Walking Tours: The Best Free Things To Do In Paris

Every walking tour on this site is a real GuruWalk listing run by an independent local guide, and this site neither operates nor is affiliated with GuruWalk. The model is simple. You reserve a free spot, walk, and tip the guide at the end whatever the experience was worth. Nothing is charged up front. The 26 walks with their own pages here are the English-language picks from a wider directory of 67 free tours across the city, with 39 running in English and 36 in Spanish, 8 of them in both. Ratings shown are GuruWalk's own, drawn from each walk's reviews.

CategoryBest forTypical lengthLanguagesFree walksLead walk
Historic Centre First-time visitors after the essential sights in one free walk, English or Spanish. 2 hours and 15 minutes English 4 Walkative! Centre Walk, 9 Stops
Montmartre Curious about art history, cabarets, painters, and views over Paris. 2 hours and 15 minutes English 4 Walkative! Montmartre, 5 Stops
Latin Quarter Visitors drawn to Roman ruins, bookshops and the Sorbonne's student lanes. 2 hours English 5 Saint-Germain And Saint-Michel
Marais And Hidden Curious walkers who want the Marais beyond Place des Vosges, its courtyards and quiet lanes included. 1 hour and 30 minutes English 3 Crowd-Free Marais, 7 Stops
History Walks Anyone who wants the history, not just the postcard views. 2 hours and 15 minutes English 4 Pere Lachaise Scandals, English
Landmarks And Offbeat Visitors who want the Eiffel Tower and the Champs-Elysées explained by a local guide, or who would rather wander Chinatown street art than queue. 2 hours and 30 minutes English and Spanish 6 Emily In Paris, Cast-Member Guide
A narrow cobbled lane of tall shuttered limestone houses in the old heart of Paris on a drizzling November afternoon, a pointed slate turret closing the far end. Historic Centre and Ile de la Cite Thirteen pay-what-you-want walks around Notre-Dame, the Louvre and the Seine, several in English or Spanish. First-time visitors after the essential sights in one free walk, English or Spanish. Worn stone steps climb the Montmartre hill in low September evening light, zinc rooftops falling away and the dome of Sacre-Coeur catching the last sun. Montmartre and Sacre-Coeur Thirteen free GuruWalk walks up the butte, covering bohemian Paris, its artists and its stairways. Curious about art history, cabarets, painters, and views over Paris. A narrow Latin Quarter lane in the 5th arrondissement at golden hour, the dome of the Pantheon rising above the rooftops at the end of the street. Latin Quarter and Saint-Germain Ten GuruWalk walks in the Left Bank's oldest quarter, from the Arenes de Lutece to the Pantheon and the Sorbonne. Visitors drawn to Roman ruins, bookshops and the Sorbonne's student lanes. A quiet cobbled courtyard behind a seventeenth century townhouse in Le Marais, pale limestone walls, tall French windows and a bare plane tree in the corner. Le Marais and Hidden Paris Six pay-what-you-want walks through the Marais: medieval lanes, the Jewish quarter, and stories most guidebooks skip. Curious walkers who want the Marais beyond Place des Vosges, its courtyards and quiet lanes included. A tree-shaded cobbled avenue of weathered tombs and mossy stone at Pere Lachaise cemetery on a misty November morning, free to walk into. Revolution, War and Cemetery Walks Thirteen free history walks: Revolution, Napoleon, the Occupation, dark Paris and Père Lachaise. Anyone who wants the history, not just the postcard views. The Eiffel Tower catching warm dusk light above Paris zinc rooftops, seen for free down a stepped side street past a painted mural on a gable wall. Landmarks and Offbeat Paris Twelve GuruWalk walks built around the big-name monuments, plus quieter turns: the Opera quarter, Europe's largest Chinatown, Père Lachaise and a night out in Pigalle. Visitors who want the Eiffel Tower and the Champs-Elysées explained by a local guide, or who would rather wander Chinatown street art than queue.

Historic Centre and Ile de la Cite

The historic-centre category holds 13 walks, joint largest with Montmartre and the history walks, and it covers the core most visitors come for: Notre-Dame, the Seine banks, the Louvre district and the streets between them. The Essential Paris City Center Tour by StellarTours runs 2 hours and 15 minutes and is rated 4.9 (checked September 2026) across 2,481 GuruWalk reviews, while Sebastian's Spanish-language Best of the Historic Center carries 4.88 across 4,804 reviews, the largest review count on the whole roster. Walkative!'s Historic Paris tour and Ben's all-encompassing walk round out the most-booked options.

Best rated in this group

Walkative! Centre Walk, 9 Stops

2 hours and 15 minutes · English · 9 stops · Guide: Walkative! Tours

4.73 2,538 reviews

Pay what you want English

Walkative! Tours runs this pay-what-you-want walk through central Paris, in English, over 2 hours and 15 minutes. The GuruWalk listing holds a 4.73 rating across 2,538 reviews. You reserve a free spot and tip the guide at the end.

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Run by an independent local guide on GuruWalk

Bilingual Centre Walk, 9 Stops

Bilingual Centre Walk, 9 Stops

4.9 2,481 reviews

Pay what you want English and Spanish

2 hours and 15 minutes · 9 stops · StellarTours

A pay-what-you-want walk through the historic core of Paris, built as a first-day orientation. StellarTours leads it for 2 hours and 15 minutes, and it carries a 4.9 rating across 2,481 GuruWalk reviews. You reserve a free spot through the guide's GuruWalk page and tip at the end whatever the walk felt worth.

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Run by an independent local guide on GuruWalk

Every-Side Centre Walk, 7 Stops

Every-Side Centre Walk, 7 Stops

4.96 476 reviews

Pay what you want English

2 hours and 30 minutes · 7 stops · Ben

Ben runs this free, pay-what-you-want GuruWalk walk that sets out to cover every side of Paris in 2 hours and 30 minutes. You reserve a spot at no cost and tip him whatever the walk felt worth at the end. It is rated 4.96 across 476 GuruWalk reviews.

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Run by an independent local guide on GuruWalk

1-Hour Celtic-To-Roman Walk

1-Hour Celtic-To-Roman Walk

No GuruWalk reviews yet

Pay what you want English and Portuguese

1 hour · 2 stops · Marina

A pay-what-you-want walk through the Ile de la Cite and the Latin Quarter, tracing Paris from its Celtic beginnings to the Roman town of Lutetia. Marina guides it, it runs about 1 hour, and it is a new GuruWalk listing with no reviews published yet.

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Montmartre and Sacre-Coeur

Montmartre holds 13 free tours on the roster, climbing from Pigalle toward Sacre-Coeur. Charing Cross Tours runs a 90-minute version pitched at dodging the crowds, rated 4.82 (checked September 2026) across 1,389 GuruWalk reviews. Vive latino tours goes deeper, 2 hours and 30 minutes through the bohemian art history, rated 4.97 across 1,001 reviews. Wokitour, Sebastian and Lutecia tours!!! all bring their own routes past the cabarets, vineyard and painters' studios, so you can compare approaches before reserving a free spot.

Best rated in this group

Walkative! Montmartre, 5 Stops

2 hours and 15 minutes · English · 5 stops · Guide: Walkative! Tours

4.72 1,484 reviews

Pay what you want English

A pay-what-you-want walk up the hill of Montmartre, run by Walkative! Tours through their GuruWalk listing and lasting 2 hours and 15 minutes. The route takes in the village lanes, the cabaret history and the streets where painters once worked. Rated 4.72 across 1,484 GuruWalk reviews.

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Crowd-Free Montmartre, 18 Stops

Crowd-Free Montmartre, 18 Stops

4.82 1,389 reviews

Pay what you want English

1 hour and 30 minutes · 18 stops · Charing Cross Tours

A free, pay-what-you-want walk through Montmartre / 18th, run by Charing Cross Tours on GuruWalk. It runs about 1 hour and 30 minutes and is rated 4.82 across 1,389 GuruWalk reviews. The idea is simple: skip the crush near Sacré Coeur and take the quieter village lanes instead, the ones most visitors hurry past without a glance.

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Bilingual Art And Bohemia Walk

Bilingual Art And Bohemia Walk

4.97 1,001 reviews

Pay what you want English and Spanish

2 hours and 30 minutes · 10 stops · Vive latino tours

A free, pay-what-you-want walk through bohemian Montmartre, lasting 2 hours and 30 minutes and led by Vive latino tours in English and Spanish. It traces the art and history of the hill, and holds a 4.97 rating across 1,001 reviews on the guide's GuruWalk page.

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Martyrdom-To-Love, Bilingual

Martyrdom-To-Love, Bilingual

4.94 623 reviews

Pay what you want English and Spanish

2 hours and 15 minutes · 12 stops · Aitana

Aitana guides this pay-what-you-want walk through Montmartre, in English or Spanish, for 2 hours and 15 minutes. It is rated 4.94 across 623 GuruWalk reviews.

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Latin Quarter and Saint-Germain

The Latin Quarter has 10 free walks threading the Sorbonne, the Pantheon and the Roman ruins under the medieval streets. Morgan's Iconic tour of Saint-Germain and Saint-Michel is rated 4.96 (checked September 2026) across 494 GuruWalk reviews over 2 hours, and StellarTours' Majestic Latin Quarter Tour scores 4.95 across 395. Walkative!, Aitana and Essential Tours each cover the same ground with different emphases, from Roman Lutetia to the bookshops along the river. Saint-Germain's cafes and church of Saint-Sulpice sit within easy reach of most routes.

Best rated in this group

Saint-Germain And Saint-Michel

2 hours · English · 11 stops · Guide: Morgan

4.96 494 reviews

Pay what you want English

A pay-what-you-want walk through old Paris around Saint-Germain and Saint-Michel, guided in English by Morgan. The walk runs 2 hours and is rated 4.96 across 494 GuruWalk reviews.

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Run by an independent local guide on GuruWalk

Majestic Latin Quarter, English

Majestic Latin Quarter, English

4.95 395 reviews

Pay what you want English

2 hours · 12 stops · StellarTours

StellarTours runs this pay-what-you-want GuruWalk walk through the Latin Quarter, rated 4.95 across 395 GuruWalk reviews. It lasts 2 hours and is given in English, threading the 5th arrondissement from the Roman arena to the Pantheon's dome.

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Walkative! Latin Quarter, 7 Stops

Walkative! Latin Quarter, 7 Stops

4.73 352 reviews

Pay what you want English

2 hours and 15 minutes · 7 stops · Walkative! Tours

A free, pay-what-you-want walk through the Latin Quarter, running 2 hours and 15 minutes and led by Walkative! Tours on their GuruWalk listing. It is rated 4.73 across 352 GuruWalk reviews. The route takes in the Sorbonne, Roman-era remains, and the medieval lanes where Paris began.

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Run by an independent local guide on GuruWalk

Bilingual Memories Latin Quarter

Bilingual Memories Latin Quarter

4.83 332 reviews

Pay what you want English and Spanish

2 hours and 15 minutes · 10 stops · Aitana

Aitana guides this pay-what-you-want walk through the Latin Quarter, and it runs for 2 hours and 15 minutes. GuruWalk reviewers give it 4.83 across 332 reviews. Nothing is charged up front. You reserve a free spot, walk the quarter with Aitana, and tip whatever amount feels right once the tour ends.

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Pantheon And Roman Ruins Walk

Pantheon And Roman Ruins Walk

4.81 199 reviews

Pay what you want English

2 hours · Essential Tours

A free, pay-what-you-want walk through the Latin Quarter, lasting 2 hours and run by Essential Tours. It covers the Pantheon, Roman ruins and the Sorbonne, and is rated 4.81 across 199 GuruWalk reviews.

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Le Marais and Hidden Paris

Le Marais is where the hidden-Paris walks concentrate, six of them through the Jewish quarter, Place des Vosges and lanes most visitors miss. Quentin & Co's Paris Time Machine is the standout by rating, 4.98 across 273 GuruWalk reviews in 1 hour and 45 minutes. Charing Cross Tours runs a compact 90-minute route rated 4.8 across 517 reviews (checked September 2026), and Essential Tours' Paris Starts Here stretches to 2 hours and 30 minutes of stories and secrets. Walkative! covers the Jewish quarter history in a 2-hour walk.

Best rated in this group

Crowd-Free Marais, 7 Stops

1 hour and 30 minutes · English · 7 stops · Guide: Charing Cross Tours

4.8 517 reviews

Pay what you want English

A pay-what-you-want walk through the Marais, covering the 3rd and 4th arrondissements over 1 hour and 30 minutes, guided in English by Charing Cross Tours. The GuruWalk listing shows a rating of 4.8 across 517 reviews. You reserve a free spot and tip the guide at the end.

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Run by an independent local guide on GuruWalk

Time Machine Hidden-Gems Walk

Time Machine Hidden-Gems Walk

4.98 273 reviews

Pay what you want English

1 hour and 45 minutes · 10 stops · Quentin & Co Walking Tours

Quentin & Co Walking Tours runs this pay-what-you-want walk through the Marais, chasing the overlooked corners most visitors walk straight past. It runs 1 hour and 45 minutes in English and carries a 4.98 rating across 273 reviews on the guide's GuruWalk page.

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Stories And Secrets Landmarks Walk

Stories And Secrets Landmarks Walk

4.87 249 reviews

Pay what you want English

2 hours and 30 minutes · 9 stops · Essential Tours

A pay-what-you-want GuruWalk walk through Paris, guided by Essential Tours in English over 2 hours and 30 minutes. It drifts from famous landmarks into the Marais and quieter passages, trading postcard stops for stories most visitors walk past. Rated 4.87 across 249 GuruWalk reviews.

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Revolution, War and Cemetery Walks

Thirteen history walks take the city's darker turns. Père Lachaise cemetery gets two of them, including Prince's Scandals, Gossips & Histoire tour, rated 4.96 (checked September 2026) across 96 GuruWalk reviews. The French Revolution and Napoleon era fills several routes, from Paris Tours' 4.69-rated walk to Tito Tours Paris' Napoleonic Paris, which holds a perfect 5 across 49 reviews. The Occupation gets its own treatment too: Thom's World War 2 walk and Paris Tours' Holocaust tour in Le Marais, both grounded in the sites where it happened.

Best rated in this group

Pere Lachaise Scandals, English

2 hours and 15 minutes · English · 5 stops · Guide: Prince

4.96 96 reviews

Pay what you want English

A pay-what-you-want walk through Père Lachaise with Prince, who tells the cemetery's scandals and gossip in English. It runs 2 hours and 15 minutes and is rated 4.96 across 96 GuruWalk reviews. Reserve a free spot on the guide's GuruWalk page and tip what the walk was worth.

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Wartime Paris, English, 6 Stops

Wartime Paris, English, 6 Stops

4.76 83 reviews

Pay what you want English

2 hours and 15 minutes · 6 stops · Thom

Thom guides this pay-what-you-want walk through Paris under occupation, and it runs 2 hours and 15 minutes in English. The GuruWalk listing shows a 4.76 rating across 83 reviews. You reserve a spot for free and tip at the end.

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English French Revolution Walk

English French Revolution Walk

4.53 57 reviews

Pay what you want English

2 hours · 6 stops · Walkative! Tours

A pay-what-you-want walk tracing the French Revolution over 2 hours, run in English by Walkative! Tours. Rated 4.53 from 57 GuruWalk reviews.

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Run by an independent local guide on GuruWalk

Dark History And Ghosts, English

Dark History And Ghosts, English

4.5 38 reviews

Pay what you want English

2 hours · 9 stops · Denise

A free, pay-what-you-want walk through the darker corners of Paris, built around ghost stories, legends and the city's grim past. Denise guides it in English for 2 hours, and it is rated 4.5 across 38 GuruWalk reviews.

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Landmarks and Offbeat Paris

The landmarks-and-offbeat category holds 12 walks for the bucket-list sights and the strange corners. Three free tours approach the Eiffel Tower from different angles, including a bike version rated 4.84 (checked September 2026) across 43 GuruWalk reviews. Jason walks the Champs-Elysées, StellarTours pairs a perfume museum with the Opera quarter at a perfect 5 across 17 reviews, and an Emily in Paris tour is guided by someone who actually appeared in the show. Michel runs two outliers: a lakeside thermal town near Enghien-les-Bains and a walk through Europe's largest Chinatown.

Best rated in this group

Emily In Paris, Cast-Member Guide

2 hours and 30 minutes · English and Spanish · 7 stops · Guide: Magic Paris Tours

4.89 303 reviews

Pay what you want English and Spanish

A free, pay-what-you-want walk through "Emily in Paris" filming locations, led by a guide who actually appeared on the show. Magic Paris Tours runs it in English and Spanish for 2 hours and 30 minutes, and it is rated 4.89 across 303 reviews on its GuruWalk page.

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Champs-Elysees Glamour, English

Champs-Elysees Glamour, English

4.59 71 reviews

Pay what you want English

2 hours · 3 stops · Jason

A pay-what-you-want walk along the Champs-Elysées and through the 8th arrondissement, guided by Jason and running 2 hours in English. It is rated 4.59 across 71 GuruWalk reviews, and you reserve a free spot through the guide's GuruWalk page, tipping only at the end.

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Eiffel Monuments, 14 Stops

Eiffel Monuments, 14 Stops

4.9 29 reviews

Pay what you want English

1 hour and 45 minutes · 14 stops · Prince

Prince leads this pay-what-you-want walk through the monumental west of Paris, from the Eiffel Tower to the Champs Élysées. It runs 1 hour and 45 minutes in English and carries a 4.9 rating across 29 GuruWalk reviews. You set the price at the end.

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Perfume Museum And Opera Quarter

Perfume Museum And Opera Quarter

5.0 17 reviews

Pay what you want English

2 hours and 15 minutes · 5 stops · StellarTours

A pay-what-you-want walk through the Opera quarter and the 9th arrondissement, finishing near the Perfume Museum. StellarTours runs it in English, and it lasts 2 hours and 15 minutes. All 17 GuruWalk reviews so far give it a full 5 stars.

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Small-Group Enghien, Max 8

Small-Group Enghien, Max 8

4.94 17 reviews

Pay what you want English and Spanish

1 hour and 45 minutes · 7 stops · Michel

A pay-what-you-want GuruWalk walk through Enghien-les-Bains, the thermal spa town just north of Paris. Michel leads a small group of no more than 8 past the lake, the casino, and Art Nouveau and Art Deco architecture, plus an Amélie filming spot. Runs 1 hour 45 minutes, rated 4.94 across 17 GuruWalk reviews.

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Chinatown And Street Art, Bilingual

Chinatown And Street Art, Bilingual

4.94 16 reviews

Pay what you want English and Spanish

2 hours · 10 stops · Michel

Michel guides this pay-what-you-want walk through the 13th arrondissement, the largest Chinatown in Europe. It runs 2 hours and is rated 4.94 across 16 GuruWalk reviews. Expect layered migration history, monumental street art and a district most visitors never reach.

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Run by an independent local guide on GuruWalk

See all 67 free walking tours →

Free Museums And Galleries In Paris

Some of the best museum collections in the city cost nothing at all, any day of the week. The Petit Palais, with its murals and sculpture garden, is one of them, and so is the Musée Carnavalet, which tells the story of Paris itself through rooms of period interiors. The Musée d'Art Moderne, the Musée Bourdelle and the Musée de la Vie Romantique belong on the same list, alongside smaller houses and collections that never sell a ticket. Each one is covered in the museums section with its opening days and the practical details worth knowing before you set out.

Museum or galleryArrondissementNearest metroWhat is freeWhat you still pay for
Musee Carnavalet, Histoire de Paris 3rd Saint-Paul (line 1); Pont Marie (line 7) permanent collections, free to everyone with no booking temporary exhibitions are ticketed; advance booking is required for those even for visitors entitled to free or reduced entry
Petit Palais, Musee des Beaux-Arts de la Ville de Paris 8th Champs-Elysees - Clemenceau (line 1, 13) permanent collections, free and without reservation; the interior garden is also free during museum opening hours temporary exhibitions are ticketed
Musee d'Art Moderne de Paris 16th Alma-Marceau (line 9); Iena (line 9) the entire permanent collection is free for individual visitors with no prior reservation, subject to capacity temporary exhibitions are ticketed; all groups pay, including a reservation fee of 15 to 30 euros per group
Maison de Balzac 16th Passy (line 6); La Muette (line 9) permanent collections and the garden, free entrance for all individuals temporary exhibitions are ticketed
Musee Cognacq-Jay 3rd Saint-Paul (line 1); Chemin Vert (line 8) permanent collections, free, in line with the standing City of Paris rule Temporary exhibitions are ticketed. At this small museum an exhibition can occupy the whole house, in which case entry is charged for everything including the permanent collections.
Musee Bourdelle 15th Falguiere (line 12); Montparnasse-Bienvenue (line 4, 6, 12, 13) permanent collections, free and no booking required, subject to capacity temporary exhibitions, full price 10 euros, reduced 8 euros. Guided tours and workshops are charged separately.
Musee Zadkine 6th Rennes (line 12); Sevres-Babylone (line 10, 12) permanent collections, free of charge temporary exhibitions are ticketed
Musee de la Vie Romantique 9th Blanche (line 2); Pigalle (line 2, 12) permanent collections, free and open access, no booking, subject to capacity temporary exhibitions are ticketed. Groups must book and pay a booking fee, 15 euros for 1 to 12 people.
Musee Cernuschi, Musee des Arts de l'Asie de la Ville de Paris 8th Villiers (line 2, 3); Monceau (line 2) permanent collections plus the contemporary installations and the Peinture room displays, free and without reservation, subject to capacity temporary exhibitions are ticketed and booking is advised
Musee de la Liberation de Paris, Musee du General Leclerc, Musee Jean Moulin 14th Denfert-Rochereau (line 4, 6); Mouton-Duvernet (line 4) permanent collections, free for all visitors temporary exhibitions vary in price. The guided visit of Colonel Rol-Tanguy's underground command post is a separate paid activity.
Musee Curie 5th Cardinal Lemoine (line 10); Place Monge (line 7) everything. Free admission for all visitors with no reservation, and all the museum's activities are free too. Nothing. There is no ticket to buy here.
Memorial de la Shoah 4th Pont Marie (line 7); Saint-Paul (line 1) access to the Memorial is open and free for individual visitors, and guided tours of the exhibitions are free with a booking Nothing. There is no ticket to buy here.
Le Plateau, Frac Ile-de-France 19th Botzaris (line 7bis); Buttes Chaumont (line 7bis) free entry to all exhibitions Nothing. There is no ticket to buy here.
Pavillon de l'Arsenal 4th Sully - Morland (line 7); Quai de la Rapee (line 5) free entry to all exhibitions and events Nothing. There is no ticket to buy here.
Musee du Parfum Fragonard 9th Havre - Caumartin (line 3, 9); Opera (line 3, 7, 8) free entry and a free guided visit Nothing. There is no ticket to buy here.

Museums That Charge, And The Day They Do Not

The bigger names each work differently. The Musée d'Orsay, the Musée Picasso, the Musée du quai Branly and several others are free to everyone on the first Sunday of the month, while the Louvre is the exception people get wrong: it is free on the first Friday of the month after 18:00, except in July and August, plus 14 July. These free days are popular, so expect queues and crowds. French national monuments also moved to two-tier pricing by nationality and residence during 2026, so a ticket you read about months ago may no longer match what you find at the door. The table below sets out which museums charge, and the exact day each one does not.

Museum or monumentArrondissementNormal admissionFree to everyone when
Musee du Louvre 1st Standard admission is 22 euros for EEA citizens and residents and 32 euros for everyone else. Free for everyone on the FIRST FRIDAY of the month after 18:00, except in July and August, and on 14 July.
Musee d'Orsay 7th Standard admission 16 euros. The Thursday late opening is a reduced flat rate of 12 euros from 18:00, not free. Free for everyone on the first Sunday of the month, all year. Reservation of a time slot is MANDATORY for that free day.
Musee National Picasso-Paris 3rd Standard admission 16 euros. A free ticket cannot be booked online. Free for everyone on the first Sunday of the month, entry without reservation.
Musee du Quai Branly-Jacques Chirac 7th Standard admission 14 euros, reduced 11 euros. Free admission on the first Sunday of each month.
Musee Rodin 7th Standard admission 14 euros. From April to September there is no free Sunday. Free on the first Sunday of the month from OCTOBER to MARCH only. No advance booking needed. Visitors entitled to free admission on other grounds do not need to book either but must show valid proof at the entrance.
Musee des Arts et Metiers 3rd Every other day, and the Lady Liberte immersive experience even on a free Sunday. Free for everyone on the first Sunday of every month, excluding the Lady Liberte immersive experience. First-Sunday free tickets are issued at the box office only and cannot be booked online.
Musee Gustave Moreau 9th Standard admission 8 euros, reduced 6 euros. Free on the first Sunday of every month. Also permanently free for EEA residents under 26.
Musee Jean-Jacques Henner 17th Standard admission 8 euros, reduced 6 euros. Access to the permanent collections is free on the first Sunday of the month.
Musee de la Chasse et de la Nature 3rd Standard admission is charged on all other days. Free on the first Sunday of each month, and always free for under-18s and jobseekers.
Sainte-Chapelle 1st 22 euros for visitors who are neither nationals nor residents of the European Economic Area, 16 euros for EEA nationals and lawful residents of more than four months. Free for everyone on the first Sunday of JANUARY, FEBRUARY, MARCH, NOVEMBER and DECEMBER only. Always free for under-18s outside groups, and for 18 to 25 year olds who are EU nationals or lawful non-EU residents in France.
Pantheon 5th 16 euros individual, 13 euros from 1 October to 31 March and on Wednesdays. Joint Basilique Saint-Denis and Pantheon ticket 26 euros. Free for everyone on the first Sunday of JANUARY, FEBRUARY, MARCH, NOVEMBER and DECEMBER.
Arc de Triomphe 8th 22 euros individual, 16 euros on Wednesdays, and 16 euros from 1 October to 31 March. Free for everyone on the first Sunday of JANUARY, FEBRUARY, MARCH, NOVEMBER and DECEMBER. Always free for under-18s and for 18 to 25 year olds who are EU nationals or lawful non-EU residents in France.
Conciergerie 1st 13 euros individual. Joint Sainte-Chapelle and Conciergerie ticket 30 euros, or 23 euros at the EEA rate. Free for everyone on the first Sunday of JANUARY, FEBRUARY, MARCH and NOVEMBER. Note there is no free December Sunday here, unlike the other national monuments in Paris.
City of Paris museums, the standing free rule Across Paris Temporary exhibitions are ticketed everywhere. The Catacombes, the Crypte archeologique de l'ile de la Cite and the Palais Galliera charge for entry and are the exceptions to the rule. The permanent collections of the City of Paris museums are free to everyone, every day they open, with no booking, no ID and no nationality condition. This is a standing rule, not a monthly one.
Towers of Notre-Dame de Paris 4th 16 euros individual for the 424-step climb. The cathedral below is free and always has been. Free for everyone on the first Sunday of JANUARY, FEBRUARY, MARCH, NOVEMBER and DECEMBER. Always free for under-18s, and for 18 to 25 year olds who are EU nationals or lawful non-EU residents in France.

Centre Pompidou and Atelier Brancusi: The Beaubourg building closed on 22 September 2025 for a renovation running from early 2026, with reopening planned for 2030.

Commonly Listed As Free, But Not

The museums below are the ones most often named as free and are not. In most cases the claim started from a real rule, a free evening or an age-based exemption, and lost its conditions somewhere between the source and the listicle. Each entry shows what the museum actually charges and which rule, if any, waives it. If a museum you had counted on appears here, the fix is usually simple: shift it to the day its free rule applies, or plan around the ticket.

Walkative! Centre Walk, 9 Stops

Walkative! Centre Walk, 9 Stops

4.73 2,538 reviews

Pay what you want English

2 hours and 15 minutes · 9 stops · Walkative! Tours

Walkative! Tours runs this pay-what-you-want walk through central Paris, in English, over 2 hours and 15 minutes. The GuruWalk listing holds a 4.73 rating across 2,538 reviews. You reserve a free spot and tip the guide at the end.

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Run by an independent local guide on GuruWalk

Bilingual Centre Walk, 9 Stops

Bilingual Centre Walk, 9 Stops

4.9 2,481 reviews

Pay what you want English and Spanish

2 hours and 15 minutes · 9 stops · StellarTours

A pay-what-you-want walk through the historic core of Paris, built as a first-day orientation. StellarTours leads it for 2 hours and 15 minutes, and it carries a 4.9 rating across 2,481 GuruWalk reviews. You reserve a free spot through the guide's GuruWalk page and tip at the end whatever the walk felt worth.

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Run by an independent local guide on GuruWalk

Saint-Germain And Saint-Michel

Saint-Germain And Saint-Michel

4.96 494 reviews

Pay what you want English

2 hours · 11 stops · Morgan

A pay-what-you-want walk through old Paris around Saint-Germain and Saint-Michel, guided in English by Morgan. The walk runs 2 hours and is rated 4.96 across 494 GuruWalk reviews.

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Free Churches, Cathedrals And Monuments In Paris

Churches are the quiet bargain of Paris. Notre-Dame has reopened, and entry to the cathedral itself is free, while the towers are a separate paid visit. Sainte-Chapelle's stained glass is paid, but the churches around it are not: Saint-Sulpice, Saint-Eustache, Saint-Séverin and the Panthéon's neighbours in the Latin Quarter all open their doors without a ticket, though the Panthéon itself charges. Sacred Heart at the top of Montmartre is free to enter too, and the climb up through the streets costs nothing either. The monuments section lists each one, what is free and what is not.

Church or monumentArrondissementNearest metroWhat is freeWhat you still pay for
Cathedrale Notre-Dame de Paris 4th Cite (line 4); Saint-Michel (line 4) The cathedral itself, entirely. In the cathedral's own words, Notre-Dame is open to all, freely and without charge. Three separate things inside or under the building are ticketed and none of them is the cathedral: the Towers, 16 euros, run by the Centre des monuments nationaux; the Treasury, 12 euros full and 6 euros reduced, entered from the south ambulatory and sold at its own desk with no online booking; and the Archaeological Crypt under the parvis, 11 euros full and 9 euros reduced, which is a City of Paris museum.
Notre-Dame Sunday organ recital 4th Cite (line 4); Saint-Michel (line 4) Free entry to the great organ recital, Sundays at 16:00, listed as free on the cathedral's own opening-hours page. The separate Tuesday 20:30 concerts are ticketed through Musique Sacree a Notre-Dame de Paris and are not free.
Basilique du Sacre-Coeur de Montmartre 18th Anvers (line 2) basilica interior Dome climb 8 euros for adults from age 16 and 5 euros for children up to 15; groups of 20 or more pay 6 euros per adult and 4 euros per child.
Eglise Saint-Sulpice 6th Saint-Sulpice (line 4) the whole church, including the Delacroix chapel and the gnomon Nothing. There is no ticket to buy here.
Eglise Saint-Eustache 1st Les Halles (line 4) the whole church Nothing. There is no ticket to buy here.
Eglise Saint-Germain-des-Pres 6th Saint-Germain-des-Pres (line 4) the whole church Nothing. There is no ticket to buy here.
Eglise de la Madeleine 8th Madeleine (lines 8, 12, 14) the whole church Nothing. There is no ticket to buy here.
Eglise Saint-Etienne-du-Mont 5th Cardinal Lemoine (line 10) the whole church, including the rood screen Nothing. There is no ticket to buy here.
Eglise Saint-Germain-l'Auxerrois 1st Louvre-Rivoli (line 1) or Pont-Neuf (line 7) the whole church Nothing. There is no ticket to buy here.
Eglise Saint-Merri 4th Hotel de Ville (lines 1, 11) or Chatelet (lines 1, 4, 7, 11, 14) the whole church, and the Sunday concerts Nothing. There is no ticket to buy here.
Eglise Saint-Severin 5th Saint-Michel (line 4), with RER B and C at Saint-Michel Notre-Dame the whole church Nothing. There is no ticket to buy here.
Eglise Saint-Julien-le-Pauvre 5th Saint-Michel (line 4) or Maubert-Mutualite (line 10) the church during its published visiting hours Nothing. There is no ticket to buy here.
Eglise Saint-Roch 1st Pyramides (lines 7, 14) or Tuileries (line 1) the whole church, and the parish guided visits, which are advertised as free Nothing. There is no ticket to buy here.
The American Church in Paris 7th Invalides (lines 8, 13, RER C) or Alma-Marceau (line 9) the Atelier Nouveau concert series, the docent tours and Sunday worship Nothing. There is no ticket to buy here.
Eglise Saint-Augustin 8th Saint-Augustin (line 9) or Europe (line 3) the whole church Nothing. There is no ticket to buy here.
Chapelle Notre-Dame de la Medaille Miraculeuse 7th Sevres-Babylone (lines 10, 12) the chapel Nothing. There is no ticket to buy here.

Churches And Monuments That Sell Tickets

Not every grand doorway in Paris is open without a ticket. Several churches and monuments that visitors assume are free do charge for entry, and the rules have shifted in recent years, with some French national monuments moving to two-tier pricing that treats locals and foreign visitors differently. This section separates the two groups honestly. The churches and monuments listed as free on this site really are free, at the hours stated, and the ones that charge are flagged as charging so you can plan around them rather than be caught out at the door. Prices change without notice, so treat every figure as a guide rather than a guarantee.

Walkative! Montmartre, 5 Stops

Walkative! Montmartre, 5 Stops

4.72 1,484 reviews

Pay what you want English

2 hours and 15 minutes · 5 stops · Walkative! Tours

A pay-what-you-want walk up the hill of Montmartre, run by Walkative! Tours through their GuruWalk listing and lasting 2 hours and 15 minutes. The route takes in the village lanes, the cabaret history and the streets where painters once worked. Rated 4.72 across 1,484 GuruWalk reviews.

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Run by an independent local guide on GuruWalk

Crowd-Free Montmartre, 18 Stops

Crowd-Free Montmartre, 18 Stops

4.82 1,389 reviews

Pay what you want English

1 hour and 30 minutes · 18 stops · Charing Cross Tours

A free, pay-what-you-want walk through Montmartre / 18th, run by Charing Cross Tours on GuruWalk. It runs about 1 hour and 30 minutes and is rated 4.82 across 1,389 GuruWalk reviews. The idea is simple: skip the crush near Sacré Coeur and take the quieter village lanes instead, the ones most visitors hurry past without a glance.

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Run by an independent local guide on GuruWalk

Bilingual Art And Bohemia Walk

Bilingual Art And Bohemia Walk

4.97 1,001 reviews

Pay what you want English and Spanish

2 hours and 30 minutes · 10 stops · Vive latino tours

A free, pay-what-you-want walk through bohemian Montmartre, lasting 2 hours and 30 minutes and led by Vive latino tours in English and Spanish. It traces the art and history of the hill, and holds a 4.97 rating across 1,001 reviews on the guide's GuruWalk page.

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Run by an independent local guide on GuruWalk

Neighbourhoods: Free Things To Do In Paris On Foot

Montmartre, the Latin Quarter, Le Marais and Saint-Germain cost nothing to walk, and each one rewards an afternoon of aimless wandering. If you want a local's angle, GuruWalk guides cover all four: thirteen Montmartre walks, ten in the Latin Quarter and six through Le Marais, every one free and pay what you want at the end.

Walkative! Montmartre, 5 Stops

Walkative! Montmartre, 5 Stops

4.72 1,484 reviews

Pay what you want English

2 hours and 15 minutes · 5 stops · Walkative! Tours

A pay-what-you-want walk up the hill of Montmartre, run by Walkative! Tours through their GuruWalk listing and lasting 2 hours and 15 minutes. The route takes in the village lanes, the cabaret history and the streets where painters once worked. Rated 4.72 across 1,484 GuruWalk reviews.

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Run by an independent local guide on GuruWalk

Crowd-Free Montmartre, 18 Stops

Crowd-Free Montmartre, 18 Stops

4.82 1,389 reviews

Pay what you want English

1 hour and 30 minutes · 18 stops · Charing Cross Tours

A free, pay-what-you-want walk through Montmartre / 18th, run by Charing Cross Tours on GuruWalk. It runs about 1 hour and 30 minutes and is rated 4.82 across 1,389 GuruWalk reviews. The idea is simple: skip the crush near Sacré Coeur and take the quieter village lanes instead, the ones most visitors hurry past without a glance.

See this free tour →

Run by an independent local guide on GuruWalk

Bilingual Art And Bohemia Walk

Bilingual Art And Bohemia Walk

4.97 1,001 reviews

Pay what you want English and Spanish

2 hours and 30 minutes · 10 stops · Vive latino tours

A free, pay-what-you-want walk through bohemian Montmartre, lasting 2 hours and 30 minutes and led by Vive latino tours in English and Spanish. It traces the art and history of the hill, and holds a 4.97 rating across 1,001 reviews on the guide's GuruWalk page.

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Run by an independent local guide on GuruWalk

Free Parks And Gardens In Paris

Paris keeps 27 parks and gardens permanently free to enter, from the formal parterres near the Louvre to the wilder corners of the larger bois. The city's cemeteries are free too, and Père Lachaise doubles as a sculpture garden with famous graves. Bring a bench picnic, or join a free GuruWalk history tour of the cemetery and let a local guide point out what you would walk straight past.

Park, garden or viewpointArrondissementNearest metroWhat is freeWhat you still pay for
Jardin du Luxembourg 6th Odeon (lines 4, 10), with RER B at Luxembourg-Senat the whole garden and all of its gates Nothing. There is no ticket to buy here.
Jardin des Tuileries 1st Tuileries (line 1) the whole garden, plus its two public toilet blocks Nothing. There is no ticket to buy here.
Jardin des Plantes 5th Censier Daubenton (line 7) or Jussieu (line 10) the garden itself, the alpine garden, the iris and perennial beds, the botany school, and the Jardin des Plantes library and media library Grande Galerie de l'Evolution 13 euros full price for the permanent collection, 16 euros with a temporary exhibition. Menagerie zoo 13 euros full price.
Domaine National de Saint-Cloud Across Paris Boulogne Pont de Saint-Cloud (line 10) the whole park on foot, by bike or on horseback Only vehicles pay: 7 euros for a car, 4 euros for a two or three wheeler, 20 euros for a coach.
Jardins du Trocadero 16th Trocadero (lines 6, 9) the gardens and the esplanade above them Nothing. There is no ticket to buy here.
Square Louise-Michel and the Sacre-Coeur Steps 18th Anvers (line 2) the terraced garden, the stairways and the forecourt at the top The Montmartre funicular is not free: it takes an ordinary Paris transport ticket.
Institut du Monde Arabe Rooftop Terrace 5th Jussieu (lines 7, 10) the panoramic rooftop terrace The museum and the temporary exhibitions inside the building are ticketed separately.
Galeries Lafayette Haussmann Rooftop Terrace 9th Chaussee d'Antin - La Fayette (lines 7, 9) the open-air 8th floor terrace Anything you eat or drink at the seasonal pop-up bars set up on the terrace.
Pont de Bir-Hakeim 15th Bir-Hakeim (line 6) or Passy (line 6) the whole bridge, both the road level walkways and the Ile aux Cygnes stair down Nothing. There is no ticket to buy here.
Passerelle Debilly 7th Alma - Marceau (line 9) or Iena (line 9) the whole footbridge Nothing. There is no ticket to buy here.
Parc des Buttes-Chaumont 19th Buttes-Chaumont (line 7bis) or Laumiere (line 5) the park, apart from the fenced-off central works zone Entry is free.
Parc Monceau 8th Monceau (line 2) or Villiers (lines 2, 3) the whole park Entry is free. There is a carousel and a snack kiosk, with no prices published by the City.
Champ de Mars 7th Ecole Militaire (line 8) or Bir-Hakeim (line 6), with RER C at Champ de Mars - Tour Eiffel the whole park, and separately the Eiffel Tower's own gardens and esplanade Entry is free. Going up the Eiffel Tower is ticketed, which is a different thing from standing under it.
Place des Vosges 4th Chemin Vert (line 8) or Bastille (lines 1, 5, 8) the square, its arcades and the central garden The garden is free.
Cimetiere du Pere-Lachaise 20th Pere Lachaise (lines 2, 3) or Philippe Auguste (line 2) the whole cemetery, the printed map and the downloadable plans Nothing. There is no ticket to buy here.
Coulee Verte Rene-Dumont 12th Bastille (lines 1, 5, 8) at the western end, or Porte Doree (line 8) at the eastern end the whole walkway and the gardens along it Nothing. There is no ticket to buy here.
Parc de la Villette 19th Porte de Pantin (line 5) or Porte de la Villette (line 7) the whole park, its meadows, themed gardens, groves and canal banks The park is free.
Bois de Vincennes 12th Chateau de Vincennes (line 1) or Porte Doree (line 8) the whole wood, its lakes and paths The wood is free.
Bois de Boulogne 16th Porte Dauphine (line 2) or Les Sablons (line 1) the whole wood, its lakes, paths and cycle routes The wood is free. The Parc de Bagatelle charges 2.80 euros full price and 1.60 euros reduced from April to September and is free from October to March.
Parc Montsouris 14th Cite Universitaire (RER B and tram T3a) or Porte d'Orleans (line 4) the whole park Entry is free. A carousel, a Guignol theatre and a restaurant operate inside, with no prices published by the City.
Jardin du Palais-Royal 1st Palais Royal - Musee du Louvre (lines 1, 7) the whole garden and the arcaded courtyards Nothing. There is no ticket to buy here.
Square du Vert-Galant 1st Pont Neuf (line 7) the whole garden at the tip of the Ile de la Cite Nothing. There is no ticket to buy here.
Parc Andre Citroen 15th Javel - Andre Citroen (line 10) or Balard (line 8), with RER C at Javel the park, its lawns, the serial gardens and the fountain court The tethered Ballon de Paris is 20 euros for anyone 12 and over, 15 euros for children 3 to 11 and free under 3, with 16 euros for students under 26 and over-65s on weekday mornings from 9:00 to 13:00.
Jardin des Serres d'Auteuil 16th Porte d'Auteuil (line 10) or Michel-Ange - Molitor (lines 9, 10) the garden and the glasshouses, both stated free by the City Nothing. There is no ticket to buy here.
Square Rene Viviani 5th Maubert-Mutualite (line 10) or Saint-Michel (line 4) the whole square Nothing. There is no ticket to buy here.
Parc de Belleville 20th Couronnes (line 2) or Pyrenees (line 11) the whole park including the Willy Ronis terrace viewpoint Nothing. There is no ticket to buy here.
Jardin du Musee de la Vie Romantique 9th Saint-Georges (line 12) or Blanche (line 2) the garden, the courtyard and the museum's permanent collections Temporary exhibitions are ticketed, though when this was checked the museum had no exhibition running, so there was nothing to pay for.
Time Machine Hidden-Gems Walk

Time Machine Hidden-Gems Walk

4.98 273 reviews

Pay what you want English

1 hour and 45 minutes · 10 stops · Quentin & Co Walking Tours

Quentin & Co Walking Tours runs this pay-what-you-want walk through the Marais, chasing the overlooked corners most visitors walk straight past. It runs 1 hour and 45 minutes in English and carries a 4.98 rating across 273 reviews on the guide's GuruWalk page.

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Run by an independent local guide on GuruWalk

Stories And Secrets Landmarks Walk

Stories And Secrets Landmarks Walk

4.87 249 reviews

Pay what you want English

2 hours and 30 minutes · 9 stops · Essential Tours

A pay-what-you-want GuruWalk walk through Paris, guided by Essential Tours in English over 2 hours and 30 minutes. It drifts from famous landmarks into the Marais and quieter passages, trading postcard stops for stories most visitors walk past. Rated 4.87 across 249 GuruWalk reviews.

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Run by an independent local guide on GuruWalk

Pere Lachaise Scandals, English

Pere Lachaise Scandals, English

4.96 96 reviews

Pay what you want English

2 hours and 15 minutes · 5 stops · Prince

A pay-what-you-want walk through Père Lachaise with Prince, who tells the cemetery's scandals and gossip in English. It runs 2 hours and 15 minutes and is rated 4.96 across 96 GuruWalk reviews. Reserve a free spot on the guide's GuruWalk page and tip what the walk was worth.

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Run by an independent local guide on GuruWalk

Free Events And Concerts In Paris

Free events run through the Paris calendar. Churches hold free organ and choral concerts, national museums open their doors on free-entry days each month, and heritage sites join open-days where buildings normally closed to the public let you in at no charge. Add a free evening walk: the Latin Quarter has a GuruWalk night tour, and Pigalle has a free guided night out through its bars and cabaret history.

Free eventWhereArrondissementNearest metroWhen
Great organ recital Notre-Dame Sunday organ recital 4th Cite (line 4); Saint-Michel (line 4) Sundays at 16:00, free entry, inside normal cathedral hours
Parish concert series, marked entree libre Eglise Saint-Merri 4th Hotel de Ville (lines 1, 11) or Chatelet (lines 1, 4, 7, 11, 14) Sunday afternoons, the church reopening 15:30 to 18:00 for the concert slot
Atelier Nouveau concerts, plus the docent tours The American Church in Paris 7th Invalides (lines 8, 13, RER C) or Alma-Marceau (line 9) Selected Sundays at 17:30, not every Sunday; docent tours Thursdays 9:15 to 10:30 and the second Sunday at about 12:15
Guided walk into the crypt, in French, by free-will offering Basilique du Sacre-Coeur de Montmartre 18th Anvers (line 2) Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday at 16:00, 40 minutes, none in July or August
Parish guided visits, advertised as free Eglise Saint-Roch 1st Pyramides (lines 7, 14) or Tuileries (line 1) Fixed published dates only, meeting under the organ loft
Art, Culture et Foi volunteer tour Eglise Saint-Etienne-du-Mont 5th Cardinal Lemoine (line 10) Occasional Sundays at 15:00, meeting under the organ
Parc Floral daytime classical and jazz concerts Bois de Vincennes 12th Chateau de Vincennes (line 1) or Porte Doree (line 8) Daytime bill only: the evening concerts in the same park are ticketed
Emily In Paris, Cast-Member Guide

Emily In Paris, Cast-Member Guide

4.89 303 reviews

Pay what you want English and Spanish

2 hours and 30 minutes · 7 stops · Magic Paris Tours

A free, pay-what-you-want walk through "Emily in Paris" filming locations, led by a guide who actually appeared on the show. Magic Paris Tours runs it in English and Spanish for 2 hours and 30 minutes, and it is rated 4.89 across 303 reviews on its GuruWalk page.

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Run by an independent local guide on GuruWalk

Champs-Elysees Glamour, English

Champs-Elysees Glamour, English

4.59 71 reviews

Pay what you want English

2 hours · 3 stops · Jason

A pay-what-you-want walk along the Champs-Elysées and through the 8th arrondissement, guided by Jason and running 2 hours in English. It is rated 4.59 across 71 GuruWalk reviews, and you reserve a free spot through the guide's GuruWalk page, tipping only at the end.

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Run by an independent local guide on GuruWalk

Chinatown And Street Art, Bilingual

Chinatown And Street Art, Bilingual

4.94 16 reviews

Pay what you want English and Spanish

2 hours · 10 stops · Michel

Michel guides this pay-what-you-want walk through the 13th arrondissement, the largest Chinatown in Europe. It runs 2 hours and is rated 4.94 across 16 GuruWalk reviews. Expect layered migration history, monumental street art and a district most visitors never reach.

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Run by an independent local guide on GuruWalk

Paris On A Budget: Costs, Transport And Water

A day built from free things costs very little beyond food. The Métro and buses get you between parks, churches and walking tours for a single fare each ride, and the city's public fountains and tap water mean you never need to buy bottles. Free wifi is common in parks, libraries and municipal buildings, so maps and GuruWalk reservations work without a data plan.

What2026 priceDetail
Metro, train or RER, one journey 2,55 EUR One flat fare anywhere in Ile-de-France, airports excluded. Transfers for 2 hours, but not onto a bus or tram.
Bus or tram, one journey 2,05 EUR A separate ticket product. Transfers for 1h30 between buses, trams and Noctilien night buses; not valid on the metro or RER.
Carnet of ten tickets No longer sold Abolished on 1 January 2025. Up to 20 single tickets can be loaded onto a Navigo Easy card, each at the unit price.
Navigo Jour day pass, all zones 12,30 EUR Unlimited travel for one day, airports excluded. No reduced rate applies, and there is no cheaper Paris-only version in 2026.
Navigo Semaine, Monday to Sunday 32,40 EUR All zones. Cheaper than three Navigo Jour days for anyone staying most of a week.
Paris Visite, one adult day 30,60 EUR Airports and Versailles included, plus cultural discounts. Against 12,30 EUR for a Navigo Jour, it only pays off for the airport legs.
RER B to Charles de Gaulle, or line 14 to Orly 14,00 EUR The Paris Region to Airports ticket, 7,00 EUR reduced. Roissybus closed on 1 March 2026 and Orlybus on 3 March 2025.
Bus 350, 351 or express 9517 to Charles de Gaulle 2,05 EUR The cheapest legal way to the airport: an ordinary Bus-Tram ticket, 60 to 90 minutes on the 350 and 351.
Drinking water from a public fountain Free 1,323 drinking fountains in the City's live file, 1,238 of them working, and 113 Wallace fountains among them. Same water as the tap, plus 17 sparkling-water fountains.
Public toilets Free 610 units in the City's file, 581 in service and 504 wheelchair accessible. Sanisettes have been free since 2006; only 6 delegated Lavatory units charge.
Paris Wi-Fi in parks, libraries and town halls Free 314 municipal sites, 293 of them operational, 1,024 access points. Sessions run 2 hours and reconnect without condition, 07:00 to midnight.
A City of Paris library, and its computers Free Free high-speed wifi in every City library and 930 self-service computer stations across the network.
A free walking tour Free, pay what you want Nothing is charged up front and nothing is taken at booking. You reserve a spot on GuruWalk and hand the guide what the walk was worth at the end.
Wartime Paris, English, 6 Stops

Wartime Paris, English, 6 Stops

4.76 83 reviews

Pay what you want English

2 hours and 15 minutes · 6 stops · Thom

Thom guides this pay-what-you-want walk through Paris under occupation, and it runs 2 hours and 15 minutes in English. The GuruWalk listing shows a 4.76 rating across 83 reviews. You reserve a spot for free and tip at the end.

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Run by an independent local guide on GuruWalk

English French Revolution Walk

English French Revolution Walk

4.53 57 reviews

Pay what you want English

2 hours · 6 stops · Walkative! Tours

A pay-what-you-want walk tracing the French Revolution over 2 hours, run in English by Walkative! Tours. Rated 4.53 from 57 GuruWalk reviews.

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Run by an independent local guide on GuruWalk

Eiffel Monuments, 14 Stops

Eiffel Monuments, 14 Stops

4.9 29 reviews

Pay what you want English

1 hour and 45 minutes · 14 stops · Prince

Prince leads this pay-what-you-want walk through the monumental west of Paris, from the Eiffel Tower to the Champs Élysées. It runs 1 hour and 45 minutes in English and carries a 4.9 rating across 29 GuruWalk reviews. You set the price at the end.

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Run by an independent local guide on GuruWalk

What The Free Things To Do In Paris Actually Include

A free walking tour includes the guide, the route and roughly two hours of stories, and it excludes nothing but the tip. Every walk on this site is a GuruWalk listing run by an independent local: you reserve a free spot, the guide leads the tour, and you pay what you think it was worth at the end. Landmark entry is separate, but most walks stay outdoors anyway, past Notre-Dame, the Seine banks or Sacré Coeur.

WalkDurationLanguageMeets atStopsGuide
Bilingual Centre Walk, 9 Stops 2 hours and 15 minutes English and Spanish Fontaine Saint-Michel, Place Saint-Michel 9 StellarTours
Walkative! Centre Walk, 9 Stops 2 hours and 15 minutes English Place de l'Hotel de Ville 9 Walkative! Tours
Every-Side Centre Walk, 7 Stops 2 hours and 30 minutes English Charles de Gaulle Etoile, Arc de Triomphe 7 Ben
1-Hour Celtic-To-Roman Walk 1 hour English and Portuguese Fontaine Saint-Michel, Place Saint-Michel 2 Marina
Crowd-Free Montmartre, 18 Stops 1 hour and 30 minutes English Place Blanche, outside the Moulin Rouge 18 Charing Cross Tours
Walkative! Montmartre, 5 Stops 2 hours and 15 minutes English Place Blanche, outside the Moulin Rouge 5 Walkative! Tours
Bilingual Art And Bohemia Walk 2 hours and 30 minutes English and Spanish Place des Abbesses, Montmartre 10 Vive latino tours
Martyrdom-To-Love, Bilingual 2 hours and 15 minutes English and Spanish Rue Yvonne le Tac, Montmartre 12 Aitana
Saint-Germain And Saint-Michel 2 hours English Place Saint-Germain des Pres 11 Morgan
Majestic Latin Quarter, English 2 hours English Fontaine Saint-Michel, Place Saint-Michel 12 StellarTours
Bilingual Memories Latin Quarter 2 hours and 15 minutes English and Spanish Fontaine Saint-Michel, Place Saint-Michel 10 Aitana
Walkative! Latin Quarter, 7 Stops 2 hours and 15 minutes English Rue de la Bucherie, opposite Notre-Dame 7 Walkative! Tours
Pantheon And Roman Ruins Walk 2 hours English Fontaine Saint-Michel, Place Saint-Michel Essential Tours
Crowd-Free Marais, 7 Stops 1 hour and 30 minutes English Rue des Nonnains d'Hyeres, Marais 7 Charing Cross Tours
Time Machine Hidden-Gems Walk 1 hour and 45 minutes English Place de l'Hotel de Ville 10 Quentin & Co Walking Tours
Stories And Secrets Landmarks Walk 2 hours and 30 minutes English Place de l'Hotel de Ville 9 Essential Tours
Pere Lachaise Scandals, English 2 hours and 15 minutes English Pere Lachaise main gate, boulevard de Menilmontant 5 Prince
Wartime Paris, English, 6 Stops 2 hours and 15 minutes English Cite metro station, Ile de la Cite 6 Thom
English French Revolution Walk 2 hours English Palais Royal, Musee du Louvre 6 Walkative! Tours
Dark History And Ghosts, English 2 hours English Eglise Saint-Germain l'Auxerrois, by the Louvre 9 Denise
Emily In Paris, Cast-Member Guide 2 hours and 30 minutes English and Spanish Place du Pantheon 7 Magic Paris Tours
Champs-Elysees Glamour, English 2 hours English Place de la Concorde, by the obelisk 3 Jason
Eiffel Monuments, 14 Stops 1 hour and 45 minutes English Charles de Gaulle Etoile, Arc de Triomphe 14 Prince
Perfume Museum And Opera Quarter 2 hours and 15 minutes English Place de la Concorde, by the obelisk 5 StellarTours
Small-Group Enghien, Max 8 1 hour and 45 minutes English and Spanish Enghien-les-Bains 7 Michel
Chinatown And Street Art, Bilingual 2 hours English and Spanish Porte de Choisy, avenue de Choisy 10 Michel

What Makes Paris Worth A Free Weekend

Paris suits a free weekend better than almost any capital. The walking is the attraction: medieval lanes in the Marais, Roman ruins in the Latin Quarter, the view from Montmartre's hill. Add the free museums, the churches, the riverbanks, and a pay-what-you-want tour each morning, and you have a full two days without buying a single attraction ticket.

When To Go For Free Things To Do In Paris

Spring and autumn are the kindest seasons for walking tours and park afternoons, with long light and manageable queues at the free museums. Summer brings free open-air cinema and music festivals, but also crowds in Montmartre, so pick a small-group walk or an early start. Winter is quiet and cheap, and the churches and galleries become the warm core of the trip. Whenever you go, reserve GuruWalk spots ahead, since free tours cap their group sizes.

Where The Free Things To Do In Paris Are

Every GuruWalk walk starts at a fixed meeting point, and most of them cluster in a handful of places: outside Notre-Dame, near the Sacré-Coeur funicular, by the Moulin Rouge, in front of the Hôtel de Ville and along the Seine embankments. The map below shows where each of the 67 walks sets off, so you can pick one that starts near where you are staying or near wherever your morning coffee happens to be.

Where the free walking tours in Paris meet A plot of 15 real meeting points inside Paris, drawn from the coordinates each GuruWalk listing publishes. North is at the top, pins are numbered 1 to 15 from north to south, and points within 90 metres of each other share one pin. 1 featured walk starts outside Paris and is not plotted. 1 Place des Abbesses, Montmartre and Rue Yvonne le Tac, Montmartre: 2 free walks 2 Place Blanche, outside the Moulin Rouge: 2 free walks 3 Charles de Gaulle Etoile, Arc de Triomphe: 2 free walks 4 Place de la Concorde, by the obelisk: 2 free walks 5 Palais Royal, Musee du Louvre: 1 free walk 6 Pere Lachaise main gate, boulevard de Menilmontant: 1 free walk 7 Eglise Saint-Germain l'Auxerrois, by the Louvre: 1 free walk 8 Place de l'Hotel de Ville: 3 free walks 9 Cite metro station, Ile de la Cite: 1 free walk 10 Rue des Nonnains d'Hyeres, Marais: 1 free walk 11 Place Saint-Germain des Pres: 1 free walk 12 Fontaine Saint-Michel, Place Saint-Michel: 5 free walks 13 Rue de la Bucherie, opposite Notre-Dame: 1 free walk 14 Place du Pantheon: 1 free walk 15 Porte de Choisy, avenue de Choisy: 1 free walk 1 km N

Showing all 25 free walks across 15 meeting points in Paris, plus 1 that starts outside the city and is not on the map

Eiffel Monuments, 14 Stops

Landmarks And OffbeatFree, pay what you want1 hour and 45 minutesEnglish

Meets: Meet up location Arc De Triomphe, Avenue Friedland right outside the Metro Station Sortie (Exit) #2 Charles De Gaulle - Etoile Metro Line 1 / take the Sortie (Exit) #2

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Run by an independent local guide on GuruWalk

Crowd-Free Marais, 7 Stops

Marais And HiddenFree, pay what you want1 hour and 30 minutesEnglish

Meets: 10 Rue des Nonnains d'Hyères, 75004 Paris, France

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Run by an independent local guide on GuruWalk

1-Hour Celtic-To-Roman Walk

Historic CentreFree, pay what you want1 hourEnglish and Portuguese

Meets: I'll have a purple umbrella in front of fontaine Saint-Michel

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Run by an independent local guide on GuruWalk

Chinatown And Street Art, Bilingual

Landmarks And OffbeatFree, pay what you want2 hoursEnglish and Spanish

Meets: "I'll be waiting for you in front of the McDonald's on Avenue de Choisy. It's located just 40 meters from the Porte de Choisy station (Metro line 7 and Tramway T3a)." Important: Metro line 7 splits at Maison Blanche.

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Run by an independent local guide on GuruWalk

Narrow The Free Things To Do In Paris List To Your Day

Sixty-seven walks is a lot to scroll through, so the table below lets you cut it down. Filter by neighbourhood, by language, by duration or by the rating the walk holds on GuruWalk, and the list narrows to the handful that fit your day. A two-hour Latin Quarter walk in English and a ninety-minute Montmartre walk in Spanish are both in there, along with bike tours, a Père Lachaise cemetery walk and a night out through Pigalle.

Showing 26 of 26 free walks

Every walk here is pay-what-you-want. You reserve a free spot, and the guide is paid only by what you choose to tip at the end.

Free walkCategoryLanguageLengthRatingGuideSee it
Walkative! Centre Walk, 9 Stops Historic Centre English 2 hours and 15 minutes 4.73 ★ (2,538) Walkative! Tours See this free tour
Bilingual Centre Walk, 9 Stops Historic Centre English and Spanish 2 hours and 15 minutes 4.9 ★ (2,481) StellarTours See this free tour
Walkative! Montmartre, 5 Stops Montmartre English 2 hours and 15 minutes 4.72 ★ (1,484) Walkative! Tours See this free tour
Crowd-Free Montmartre, 18 Stops Montmartre English 1 hour and 30 minutes 4.82 ★ (1,389) Charing Cross Tours See this free tour
Bilingual Art And Bohemia Walk Montmartre English and Spanish 2 hours and 30 minutes 4.97 ★ (1,001) Vive latino tours See this free tour
Martyrdom-To-Love, Bilingual Montmartre English and Spanish 2 hours and 15 minutes 4.94 ★ (623) Aitana See this free tour
Crowd-Free Marais, 7 Stops Marais And Hidden English 1 hour and 30 minutes 4.8 ★ (517) Charing Cross Tours See this free tour
Saint-Germain And Saint-Michel Latin Quarter English 2 hours 4.96 ★ (494) Morgan See this free tour
Every-Side Centre Walk, 7 Stops Historic Centre English 2 hours and 30 minutes 4.96 ★ (476) Ben See this free tour
Majestic Latin Quarter, English Latin Quarter English 2 hours 4.95 ★ (395) StellarTours See this free tour
Walkative! Latin Quarter, 7 Stops Latin Quarter English 2 hours and 15 minutes 4.73 ★ (352) Walkative! Tours See this free tour
Bilingual Memories Latin Quarter Latin Quarter English and Spanish 2 hours and 15 minutes 4.83 ★ (332) Aitana See this free tour
Emily In Paris, Cast-Member Guide Landmarks And Offbeat English and Spanish 2 hours and 30 minutes 4.89 ★ (303) Magic Paris Tours See this free tour
Time Machine Hidden-Gems Walk Marais And Hidden English 1 hour and 45 minutes 4.98 ★ (273) Quentin & Co Walking Tours See this free tour
Stories And Secrets Landmarks Walk Marais And Hidden English 2 hours and 30 minutes 4.87 ★ (249) Essential Tours See this free tour
Pantheon And Roman Ruins Walk Latin Quarter English 2 hours 4.81 ★ (199) Essential Tours See this free tour
Pere Lachaise Scandals, English History Walks English 2 hours and 15 minutes 4.96 ★ (96) Prince See this free tour
Wartime Paris, English, 6 Stops History Walks English 2 hours and 15 minutes 4.76 ★ (83) Thom See this free tour
Champs-Elysees Glamour, English Landmarks And Offbeat English 2 hours 4.59 ★ (71) Jason See this free tour
English French Revolution Walk History Walks English 2 hours 4.53 ★ (57) Walkative! Tours See this free tour
Dark History And Ghosts, English History Walks English 2 hours 4.5 ★ (38) Denise See this free tour
Eiffel Monuments, 14 Stops Landmarks And Offbeat English 1 hour and 45 minutes 4.9 ★ (29) Prince See this free tour
Perfume Museum And Opera Quarter Landmarks And Offbeat English 2 hours and 15 minutes 5.0 ★ (17) StellarTours See this free tour
Small-Group Enghien, Max 8 Landmarks And Offbeat English and Spanish 1 hour and 45 minutes 4.94 ★ (17) Michel See this free tour
Chinatown And Street Art, Bilingual Landmarks And Offbeat English and Spanish 2 hours 4.94 ★ (16) Michel See this free tour
1-Hour Celtic-To-Roman Walk Historic Centre English and Portuguese 1 hour Not published yet Marina See this free tour

What Walkers Say About Free Things To Do In Paris

“Really enjoyed the tour with Alberto who not only told us the history of the buildings and monuments we visited but brought it to life with interesting stories. Highly recommended tour. Just perfect amount of walking for someone struggles to walk a long way.”

Sarah, Traveled as couple, GuruWalk review of Bilingual Centre Walk, 9 Stops

“Excellent tour through a beautiful city. Extremely knowledgeable and engaging guide who did not guilt the group into significant tips. Highly recommended.”

Aashir, Traveled in group, GuruWalk review of Viaterra Spanish Centre Walk

“Our guide, Aitana, was the best guide I have ever had on a city walk. Knowledgeable, expressive, friendly, and with both a great sense of humor and a reverence for her city's history, Aitana kept us engaged and expectant at every stop. This walking tour is of one of Paris's most vibrant and exciting quarters, and in the hands of a serious guide who is eager for her guests to see her city with the passion she does, it is one not to miss.”

Dottie, Traveled alone, GuruWalk review of Martyrdom-To-Love, Bilingual

“Alessandro is an incredible guide. He tells you the stories, art, and history behind the pretty buildings you'd never know otherwise. You can tell he cares about the neighborhood and enjoys sharing it!”

Brendan, Traveled alone, GuruWalk review of Bilingual Art And Bohemia Walk

“Ezrah was absolutely awesome! Very informative, professional and fun to listen to. His stories were interesting and while I’ve done Latin quarter tours before, I continue to learn more and more each time I do one. Thank you Ezrah!”

Jim, Traveled alone, GuruWalk review of Pantheon And Roman Ruins Walk

“Thomas is the best tour guide! The tour was very interactive, thoughtful, and engaging, full of fun and interesting stories, as well as little facts that are easy to remember, so you can use them to impress your friends later. I didn’t even notice how quickly the two-hour walk passed. I 100% recommend!”

Daria, Traveled alone, GuruWalk review of Early-Night Latin Quarter, Bilingual

“The tour was great! It's the perfect mix of background information, walking and conversation. Max was very lovely to talk to!”

Jacquelin, Traveled alone, GuruWalk review of Crowd-Free Marais, 7 Stops

“Great tour, history came to life with interesting stops and even a famous bookstore that played a key role in World War II. Guide wove in interesting facts about art and how it was rescued from the Louvre. Showed machine gun damage and sites to key moments. Great 2hrs in Paris”

Christy, Traveled as couple, GuruWalk review of Wartime Paris, English, 6 Stops

“We had a very good and enjoyable 2 hrs tour experience with Prince. He is very engaging, knowledgeable and very passionate about how he delivers the information which made the tour much more interesting. There is much more to see other than celebrity graves at père LaChaise and Prince our tour guide made this possible for us.”

Genevieve, Traveled as couple, GuruWalk review of Pere Lachaise Scandals, English

“Discover a real Asiatic part of Paris. Michel will lead you through the different places and customs. Grocery stores, supermarkets, worship places, introduce you to the different food and habitudes. Very interesting tour for those that want to see something completely different in Paris.”

Carlos, Traveled as couple, GuruWalk review of Chinatown And Street Art, Bilingual

“Ilias was a great guide. He was very knowledgeable about the places we visited on the tour, and he had some good spots for us to take photos without huge crowds. Finally, he had great recommendations for things to do in paris for the rest of our time here. Definitely worth the time to do this tour!”

Paul, Traveled with family, GuruWalk review of English Eiffel Tower, 7 Stops

“Fabulous tour with plenty of history but made real by lots of amusing and amazing tidbits of information. It was a flat tour and Morgan paced it very well gave lots of recommendations for restaurants bars and bistros. He was very engaging and his English was very good. All in all a great experience”

Elizabeth, Traveled as couple, GuruWalk review of Saint-Germain And Saint-Michel

These are real reviews left by travellers on GuruWalk.com for independent guides who run free, pay-what-you-want walking tours in Paris. They are reviews of those guides and their walks, not reviews of freethingstodoinparis.com. This site does not run, staff, host or sell any tour; it links to the GuruWalk listings where the reviews were published. Every quote is reproduced exactly as the traveller wrote it, including spelling and spacing, and was checked character for character against the saved copy of the listing page recorded in evidence_html. Where a review was longer than the quote shown, it was cut only at the end of a complete sentence and never with an ellipsis or a bracketed marker; those records carry excerpt_cut_at_sentence_end true. Ratings are the star ratings the reviewer gave on GuruWalk. Nothing here is written, paraphrased or supplied by this site. Reviews published on the guides' own GuruWalk listings. We do not collect, select or edit them.

Where To Stay Near The Free Things To Do In Paris

Pick a base inside the old arrondissements and the free things come to you. A hotel near the Marais puts the Jewish quarter, Place des Vosges and the Seine banks on foot; staying by Montmartre trades that for hill views and village lanes. The Latin Quarter and Saint-Germain sit between them, close to Notre-Dame, the Panthéon and the Luxembourg Gardens. Any of the three keeps a morning GuruWalk meeting point within walking distance.

Hotel Jeanne d'Arc Le Marais

Le Marais, 4th arrondissement

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Hotel Cluny Sorbonne

Latin Quarter, 5th arrondissement

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Timhotel Montmartre

Montmartre, 18th arrondissement

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Free Things To Do In Paris, Answered

Free Walking Tours

Free walks nearby

Walks and details

Questions About Free Things To Do In Paris

Are the free walking tours in Paris really free?

Yes, really free. Every walk listed here is a pay-what-you-want tour on GuruWalk, run by an independent local guide. You reserve a spot for nothing, walk, and tip at the end whatever the tour felt worth to you. There is no minimum and no fixed price, and this site has no hand in what you pay.

How much should I tip on a free walking tour?

There is no set amount, because the whole model is pay what you want. A common approach is to tip what the two hours were worth to you, more for a small group or a guide who went deep on questions. Guides on GuruWalk work for these tips, so if you enjoyed the walk, leaving nothing is the one thing to avoid.

Which Paris museums and churches are free to enter?

Several of the City of Paris museums are free to enter permanently, including the Musée Carnavalet in the Marais, which covers the whole history of Paris. Among churches, Notre-Dame and Sacré-Cœur cost nothing to enter, as do most of the historic churches scattered through the Latin Quarter.

When do the paid Paris museums let you in for free?

The Musée d'Orsay, the Musée Picasso and the Musée du quai Branly open free on the first Sunday of every month, while national monuments such as the Arc de Triomphe, the Panthéon and Sainte-Chapelle do so only from November to March. The Louvre is the exception: its free window is the first Friday after 18:00, skipping July and August. Arrive early, these days draw crowds.

Do I need to book a free walking tour in advance?

Yes, book ahead. Even though a tour costs nothing, guides cap group sizes, and popular walks fill up, especially in summer. Reserving a free spot takes a minute on the guide's GuruWalk page, and you can cancel there too if your plans change. Turning up without a spot risks being turned away.

Can I take a free walking tour in Spanish or English?

The walks in our directory run in English or Spanish: 39 of the 67 are offered in English, 36 in Spanish, and 8 guides run both. The two languages are close, with English slightly ahead, so visitors are well served either way. Each walk's GuruWalk page shows which language that departure uses.

Start With A Free Walking Tour In Paris

However you build your days, the walks below are a good place to begin. Each one is a real GuruWalk listing with its own guide, route and reviews, and reserving a spot costs nothing until you decide what to tip. Pick the neighbourhood that interests you most and start there.

Bilingual Centre Walk, 9 Stops

Bilingual Centre Walk, 9 Stops

4.9 2,481 reviews

Pay what you want English and Spanish

2 hours and 15 minutes · 9 stops · StellarTours

A pay-what-you-want walk through the historic core of Paris, built as a first-day orientation. StellarTours leads it for 2 hours and 15 minutes, and it carries a 4.9 rating across 2,481 GuruWalk reviews. You reserve a free spot through the guide's GuruWalk page and tip at the end whatever the walk felt worth.

See this free tour →

Run by an independent local guide on GuruWalk

Crowd-Free Montmartre, 18 Stops

Crowd-Free Montmartre, 18 Stops

4.82 1,389 reviews

Pay what you want English

1 hour and 30 minutes · 18 stops · Charing Cross Tours

A free, pay-what-you-want walk through Montmartre / 18th, run by Charing Cross Tours on GuruWalk. It runs about 1 hour and 30 minutes and is rated 4.82 across 1,389 GuruWalk reviews. The idea is simple: skip the crush near Sacré Coeur and take the quieter village lanes instead, the ones most visitors hurry past without a glance.

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Run by an independent local guide on GuruWalk

Majestic Latin Quarter, English

Majestic Latin Quarter, English

4.95 395 reviews

Pay what you want English

2 hours · 12 stops · StellarTours

StellarTours runs this pay-what-you-want GuruWalk walk through the Latin Quarter, rated 4.95 across 395 GuruWalk reviews. It lasts 2 hours and is given in English, threading the 5th arrondissement from the Roman arena to the Pantheon's dome.

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Run by an independent local guide on GuruWalk

Free, pay what you want · ★ 4.9 (2,481) · English and Spanish · no ticket needed See this free tour →