Two women walking along the Seine in Paris.

Best walks in Paris

Take a stroll with us as we reveal our pick of the best walks in Paris.
By Stuart Bak

“A walk about Paris will provide lessons in history, beauty, and in the point of life”. So said Thomas Jefferson, third President of the USA and ambassador to his beloved France from 1785-1789.

Jefferson’s sentiments still ring true today: wander the city’s atmospheric streets and you too may discover the meaning of life in a magnificent monument, awe-inspiring view, or world-beating museum; perhaps even in the flavor explosion that is the humble macaron.

A Wander Through the Marais

With its maze of quaint cobbled streets, enchanting garden squares, tempting pâtisseries and delightful café culture, the Marais is a great place for a leisurely weekend stroll. Starting at Place de la Bastille, wander the Sunday food market for delicious fresh pastries and coffee before heading into the Marais proper. Your first stop is the Place des Vosges, the oldest planned square in Paris, where formal gardens surrounded by atmospheric arcades and picture-perfect 17th-century townhouses provide the ideal location to pause with your petit dejeuner and watch the world go by.

Meandering west through the narrow alleyways, you’ll soon reach the Musée National Picasso-Paris, where an impressive collection of over 700 of the master's sculptures and paintings awaits. You’ll find the museum’s excellent gift shop – containing some of the coolest Picasso souvenirs in town – just a little further along the street. Now head towards the Seine, pausing to smell the roses in the beautiful gardens of the Musée des Archives Nationales and to climb the flamboyant gothic tower of Saint-Jacques for wonderful views across Paris.

Back on terra firma, it’s a short stroll to the riverbank, where several soaring, arched bridges connect to Île de la Cité, the tiny island in the middle of the Seine that packs a ridiculous number of major attractions into its 55 acres, including Notre-Dame Cathedral, medieval Saint-Chapelle and the Conciergerie, where Marie Antoinette was imprisoned in the final days before her execution.
 

Musée d’Orsay to the Eiffel Tower

This delightful walk along the Seine’s Left Bank ticks off many of the city’s must see attractions, and boasts sweeping views across the water along the route. Start at the Musée d’Orsay, where paintings from masters including Van Gogh, Monet and Toulouse-Lautrec make up the biggest collection of Impressionism and Post-Impressionism on the planet. If you have the time, the fifth-floor Café Campana is well worth a visit for its excellent coffee and even better views – through a giant clock-face window – to the Louvre and Sacré-Cœur Basilica.

Heading west, pause to pay your respects at the statue of our old pal Thomas Jefferson and to take in the views of the spectacular Jardin des Tuileries across the Seine, before arriving at Les Invalides, a major military museum that houses Napoleon’s tomb beneath its extraordinary golden dome. Grab a selfie by the huge art nouveau lamps on the soaring Pont Alexandre III before continuing along to the intriguing Paris Sewer Museum and foliage-covered Musée du Quai Branly. Behind the amazing green wall of vegetation here lies an impressive collection of indigenous art and cultural artifacts from around the world, well worth an hour or two of your time.

From here it’s a hop and skip to that most iconic of Paris attractions, the Eiffel Tower. Here, if you still have enough juice left in the tank, you can climb the 674 steps to finish your walk on the second floor viewing platform. Or, perhaps more sensibly, take the elevator.
 

Louvre to the Arc de Triomphe

Mirroring the above route, this walk begins across the Seine at the Louvre, where you’ll want to tick off the Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo before strolling through the Jardin des Tuileries, with its tree-lined avenues and dozens of sculptures by the likes of Rodin, Giacometti and Maillol. Green chairs by the park’s two tranquil ponds provide a great spot to take the weight off and enjoy the garden views.

Pause to admire Monet’s Water Lilies in the wonderful Musée de l’Orangerie before exiting the gardens onto Place de la Concorde. Immerse yourself in the history of this, the largest square in Paris and site of many key moments of the French revolution, including the execution by guillotine of Louis XVI, Marie Antoinette and Robespierre. Try to keep your head as you admire the grand fountains, palatial neo-classical buildings and towering Luxor Obelisk, then head away from the Seine and onto the Champs-Élysées.

Once you’ve had your fill of shopping for luxury designer goods and scoffing expensive macarons from the Ladurée store with its opulent green-and-gold facade, work off the sweet treats with a climb to the top of the Arc de Triomphe. Your efforts will be rewarded with a stunning view back along the route you’ve just taken where, from your elevated vantage point, you'll see that the Champs-Élysées, obelisk, gardens and famous glass pyramid of the Louvre are all perfectly aligned.
 

Canal Saint-Martin to Parc des Buttes-Chaumont

Get off the beaten track and soak up the boho vibes on a stroll along the Canal Saint-Martin. This picturesque route takes in cute cafés, Venetian-style bridges, vibrant street art and shady spots to pause and skim stones, just as Amélie did in the Oscar-nominated movie of the same name.

Start where the Rue de Marseille joins the Quai de Valmy and head northwards past the boho bars and bistros and colorful waterside boutiques. Circumnavigate the Stalingrad Rotunda to reach the Villette canal basin where, in summer, the quays are transformed into artificial beaches complete with deckchairs, as part of the annual Paris Plages event.

A short detour away from the canal and onto Rues de l’Ourcq and Rue Germaine Tailleferre reveals some incredible contemporary street art. Then cross the Rue de Crimée lift bridge, the last of its kind in Paris – if you’re lucky, you might even get to see it in action, rising and falling as the boats bob along underneath.

Continuing along Rue de Crimée, you’ll eventually reach the beautiful Parc des Buttes-Chaumont, from where you can create your own adventure by exploring its many paths, hills, valleys and grottoes, and climbing to its highest point at the colonnaded Temple de la Sybille.
 

A Romantic Stroll Around Montmartre

Get lost in the winding streets of Montmartre, following in the footsteps of vaunted artists including Renoir, Picasso, Degas and Modigliani. Surely one of the very best walks in Paris, a romantic meander around the famous butte takes in such sights as the Sacré-Cœur Basilica, the grand confection that sits atop the hill and commands awe-inspiring views across Paris, particularly at sunset.

Head round to Instagrammers’ favorite Place du Tertre where, having taken a few dozen perfect snaps you can have your own image captured for posterity by the working artists dotted around the square behind their easels. Soak up the village-esque charm as you stroll on through the cobbled lanes, encountering attractions including the Moulin de la Galette windmill (immortalized by both Renoir and van Gogh), Café des Deux Moulins (the small brasserie that featured in Amélie) and the Musée de Montmartre. Set in one of the neighborhood’s oldest buildings, a glorious 17th-century mansion, it was once home to the studio of Renoir himself and extends to the beautiful gardens that so inspired him.

Of course, no walk through historic Montmartre would be complete without visiting the Moulin Rouge cabaret, spiritual home of the can-can. Best visited in the evening for the most atmospheric views of its iconic neon-lit red windmill, you’ll find it on the Boulevard de Clichy, at the bottom of Rue Lepic.

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An Alternative Guide to Paris Museums

Paris is one of those amazing European cities just brimming with art, culture, and history. In fact, some of the most famous museums in the entire world are found right here in the City of Lights. We’ve all heard of the Louvre, Musée D’Orsay, Versailles, and so on. But what about those of you who’ve already hit up the biggies and are looking to explore some more distinctive or unusual Paris museums? If you’re looking for alternatives to the major label museums in Paris, have we got the handy little guide for you. Check out our guide to the quirky, unique, and unexpected museums in Paris. The alternative museums we highlight in this post include: Musée des Plans-Reliefs Musée de Cluny Museum of Arts & Crafts Museum of Decorative Arts Château de Rambouillet Sèvres, City of Ceramics Museum of Music Discovery Palace Picasso Museum Musée des Plans-Reliefs The Musée des Plans-Reliefs would be Toby Shandy’s delight. Housed in the Hôtel des Invalides, this collection features a massive assortment of “plans-reliefs,” or scaled-down models of cities and other geographic features for military purposes. They were originally used to strategize during battle—something of an early precursor to our digital renderings. The collection includes pieces from the late seventeenth through the early nineteenth centuries. Musée de Cluny Although it’s a museum that tends to escape people’s radar when visiting Paris, the Cluny Museum is actually among the most significant cultural institutions in the city. Found in the Latin Quarter, this museum features one of the best collections of medieval art and artifacts anywhere in the world. For example, you’ll find a number of famous tapestries, crowns, engravings, sculptures, and other evidence of medieval artistry and craftsmanship from France and beyond. Museum of Arts & Crafts The Musée des Arts et Métiers is something of a misleading name for this fine collection of scientific and industrial materials. Here you’ll find tens of thousands of drawings and objects—among which are some of the most famous technical objects in history, such as an original Foucault pendulum, the original model for what would become the Statue of Liberty, and the first mechanical calculator. Visitors can also explore historic cars, planes, and other artifacts from the history of transportation. Museum of Decorative Arts Housed in a portion of the Louvre Palace (but distinct from the Louvre itself), the Musée des Arts Décoratifs brings together compelling exhibits from the history of graphic arts, advertising, and fashion. The overall focus is on design and decorative arts, with objects like furniture, wallpaper, ceramics, glassware, children’s toys, carpets, and much more comprising its extensive collections. Visitors will also want to take time to explore themed period rooms that showcase different moments in the history of material goods. Château de Rambouillet Castle of Rambouillet is located a fair distance southwest of Paris, but it’s worth the extra effort to see this remarkable museum. Formerly the summer home of the Presidents of the French Republic, it’s now a historic monument preserving the long history of the castle. It was originally built in the fourteenth century but is most famous as the place that Louis XIV transformed into an idealized version of a country dairy to please his queen, Marie-Antoinette. There were further additions and modifications made by later rulers as well. Sèvres, City of Ceramics A small community in the southwest suburbs of Paris, Sèvres is known for its unparalleled production of exquisite porcelain. The largest porcelain manufactory in Europe is still located in this neighborhood, as the eponymous Sèvres – Cité de la Céramique museum. A visit here is an opportunity to learn about the historic porcelain production in France, as well as a chance to see their fine collection of Asian and European ceramics, including many pieces by modern and contemporary artists. Museum of Music Located within the renowned performance space Cité de la Musique, the Musée de la Musique boasts a unique collection of rare and unusual instruments. Visitors can peruse over 1,000 instruments and musical artifacts ranging from a tortoise guitar to a crystal flute. The collections span the period from the seventeenth century through the modern era including non-European instruments and music. The accompanying audio guide allows visitors to listen to recordings, and free daily concerts provide live musical inspiration. Discovery Palace The Palais de la Découverte is an exciting modern science museum located in the 8th arrondissement in Paris. Permanent exhibitions here include a focus on topics like mathematics, chemistry, physics, biology, geology, and astronomy. It’s particularly notable for its Zeiss planetarium. About a decade ago it merged with the Cité des Sciences et de l'Industrie, sharing their collective dedication to spreading scientific knowledge and education with visitors of all ages. Picasso Museum An art gallery dedicated exclusively to the expansive productions of one of Europe’s most famous artists, the Musée Picasso is absolutely a must-visit for fans of the Spaniard’s life and works. You’ll find more than 5,000 works of art including paintings, notebooks, sculptures, ceramics, engravings, and drawings, as well as thousands of archival documents include Picasso’s personal correspondence, manuscripts, and photographs. This collection is located in the Marais district of Paris. Save on Admission to Paris Museums Visit these museums and plenty of other cultural institutions with the Go Paris pass. Pay only 95 Euro for the 48-hour Paris Museum Pass, which covers admission to more than 55 different museums and monuments in the broader Paris area. The Go Paris pass also includes admission to tours, cruises, and other fun attractions to help round out your weekend getaway. Share Your Adventure with Us Tag @GoCity in your vacation photos and we'll feature you on our page. Follow the Go City Instagram and Facebook pages for competitions, special offers, and events and inspiration for your chosen destination, too!
Katie Sagal
A tourist studying her map in front of the Eiffel Tower
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Is Paris Safe?

Paris is one of the most-visited cities on the planet, with millions of tourists pouring in every year. And it’s not difficult to understand why: beautiful parks, world-class museums, gourmet dining and Instagrammable monuments galore mean it’s packed with great things to see and do. Never mind that it's simply one of the most romantic places on earth. But is Paris safe for tourists to visit? Find out in our guide below. How Safe is Paris? Paris, like most major cities, has its fair share of petty crime, with pickpocketing and bag-snatching highest on the list of things to watch out for. Tourists and newcomers to the city are, of course, far more likely to be targeted than locals, especially those who appear lost, disoriented or confused by their surroundings, or who generally stick out like a sore thumb. So it’s important to know what to look out for to stay safe and ensure you enjoy an incident-free break. Opportunistic thieves tend to ply their questionable trade in and around major attractions, where large crowds of tourists can make for easy pickings. So it makes sense that the places you’re most likely to be relieved of your cash and possessions are around the likes of the Eiffel Tower, Champs-Élysées and Notre-Dame Cathedral, as well as in popular neighborhoods including Montmartre, the Marais and the Latin Quarter. Avoid flashing around large sums of cash, keep your bags zipped up and be aware of your surroundings when, for example, using your phone or taking money out of an ATM. Thankfully, violent crime against tourists is relatively low in Paris. So the best response if you do fall victim to petty theft on the streets is not to give chase and instead report the incident to local police as soon as possible. And remember that, as long as you take sensible precautions like keeping an eye on your belongings and not falling for obvious scams, it’s likely the very worst thing that will happen to you in Paris is having to endure your waiter’s scorn when you order your steak well-done. Common Scams in Paris Thieves in Paris employ a quite extraordinary range of techniques to part you from your belongings. All are designed to fluster or otherwise bamboozle you for just long enough to get what they want and melt back into the crowd. A common trick is for the thief to pose as a lost tourist and approach you when you’re sitting at a café or restaurant table on the street. Placing an oversized city map on your table they will, on departing, pocket the map as well as whatever else was underneath it: your purse, your phone, and so on. Avoid this by keeping items in your pocket or a secured bag rather than in full view of opportunists. Also be wary of anyone who approaches you to sign a petition, or to donate to a charity: it’s highly likely these are not legit. Likewise someone who spills a messy liquid – coffee, ketchup, etc – on you, then makes a show of helping you clean up. These are distraction techniques pure and simple, so secure your belongings and walk away. Gold rings and roses are some of the other common scams that many visitors to Paris fall foul of – especially hopeless romantics. In the first of these, the the tinkle of metal hitting concrete is rapidly followed by a lady asking you if you have dropped your ring. When you say it isn’t yours she will then insist you take it as a lucky charm. But take care: as soon as you agree she will aggressively demand payment for the item. Beware also of men bearing flowers. These will be held out for you to take, but are never, ever free of charge. So only accept one if you’re happy to line this particular scammer’s pockets. The game of bonneteau – also known as find the lady and three-card monte – has been operating on the streets of Paris for centuries. Simply keep your eye on your chosen color of ball as it disappears beneath one of three cups, correctly identify the cup and hey presto, you win! Right? Wrong: it’s a confidence trick and you are the dupe. Keep your cash in your pocket and walk away. Is Paris Safe for Solo and Female Travelers? Not only is Paris safe for solo and female travelers, there are also loads of great things you can do on your own here, from learning to make macarons to seeing the city by bike and joining one of the city’s fab weekly rollerskating events. Otherwise the rules are much the same as for everyone else: take sensible precautions like letting family and friends know your plans if you’re going out alone at night and avoid trouble hotspots like quiet streets and late-night trains. A night out in Paris can of course be a lot of fun, with its buzzing nightlife and great entertainment scene: think world-class opera, high-kicking cabaret shows, and late-night bars and clubs. It’s always safer to politely decline offers of drinks from strangers and indeed to go out in a group if you can. Drink in moderation and ideally take a cab home rather than using public transport at night. Apps like Uber operate in Paris, or you can hail a Taxi Parisien, identifiable by the name on their cab light. The cab will also have a meter and display a badge with the driver’s license number. Note that if you do opt to take the Paris Métro, you should only buy your tickets from an authorized vendor or ticket machine in the station. Do not pay touts in and around the station for what might appear to be bargain tickets – you are most likely being scammed. Follow these simple tips and chances are your holiday in Paris will be every bit as fun and trouble-free as it is for the millions of tourists who visit and fall in love with the city every year. Save on things to do in Paris Save on admission to Paris attractions with Go City. Check out @GoCity on Instagram and Facebook for the latest top tips and attraction info.
Stuart Bak

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