Exploring Paris by Foot: Walking Guide to Paris

Walking Guide to Paris: Seeing the City on Foot

Exploring Paris by foot is one of the great pleasures of visiting the City of Light.

It is possible to cross the entire city in only a few hours, but only if you can somehow keep yourself from stopping at numerous cafés and shops.

The center of Paris has become much more pedestrian-friendly in recent years. Since 2020, Rue de Rivoli has been closed to private cars, and the riverside expressways along the Seine have turned into the car-free Parc Rives de Seine. Since November 2024, the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th arrondissements have formed a limited-traffic zone where through traffic is banned. In a March 2025 vote, Parisians approved making 500 more streets car-free.

In fact within a few years walking combined with biking and the Metro will be the only way to get around the very center of Paris: The Mayor’s office has announced plans to declare the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th arrondissements almost totally car-free by 2012.

The smartest travelers take advantage of the walk-ability walkability of this city, and stay above ground as much as possible. A metro ride of less than 2 stops is probably best avoided since walking will take about the same amount of time and you’ll be able to see more of the city.

Related Read: A Guide to Paris for Beginners

Exploring Paris by foot

You may have heard of the hazard of walking into dog droppings in Paris. The problem has receded over the last decades, partially due to fines (currently €135) and extensive street cleaning operations.

However you will still occasionally encounter one of these little packages. Eventually with a little practice you’ll be able to avoid them without effort while looking every way but down, though you may find yourself dancing around fallen leaves in the autumn (some are just the right size and color).

You will also notice that most of the older Parisian streets (especially the ones in the Quartier Latin) are particularly narrow with little or no room to even fit a car, so the sidewalks on these roads are extremely tiny. Some streets, such as Rue de la Huchette, are now only for pedestrians. Where cars are still allowed, be careful, as Parisian drivers — taxi drivers in particular — pay no attention to how narrow the road is and drive down it as if it were a major road.

The city is best explored by foot, and some of the most marvelous memories you will have of Paris is walking through secret found places. Just a quick word of warning – be alert of pickpockets in Paris.

Your own walking guide to Paris

These three self-guided walking routes each begin and end at a metro station. You can complete one route in a morning or link two routes in a day.

Walking times are without stops. Allow at least double with sights, cafés and photos.

Route 1: Arc de Triomphe to Notre-Dame, the classic west-to-east walk

To get a great orientation of the city on foot while seeing many of Paris’ major sights, you can do a West to East walk from the Arc de Triomphe to Ile de la Cite (Notre Dame). This walk takes about 1-2 hours without any stops. Start at the top of the Champs Elysees (at the Arc de Triomphe) and begin walking down the Champs Elysees towards Place (‘square’) de la Concorde.

• On the way towards the obelisk on the square, you’ll see the major stores and restaurants of Paris’ most famous avenue.

• Once you’ve passed the main shopping area, you’ll see the Petit Palais and the Grand Palais to your right.

• At Place de la Concorde, you’ll be able to see many of Paris’ major monuments around you. In front of you is the Tuileries, behind you is the Champs-Elysees and Arc de Triomphe, behind you to your right is the Tour Eiffel (read up about the story behind the Eiffel Tower) and Musee d’Orsay, and finally, to your left is the Madeleine.

• Continue straight ahead and enter the Tuileries Gardens passing by fountains, flowers, and lovers in the park.

• As you continue straight ahead, and out of the garden, you’ll see the pyramid entrance to the Louvre directly in front of you.

• With the pyramid directly in front of you, and the Tuileries directly behind you, turn to your right and walk towards the Seine.

• Now you can walk along the Seine (eastwards) until you reach Pont Neuf. To find the quietest spot, take the steps down to the car-free lower part of the Parc Rives de Seine. Cross Pont Neuf and walk through the Latin Quarter, cross the river again to reach Notre Dame cathedral on Ile de la Cité. The cathedral reopened in December 2024 after the 2019 fire, and entry is free.

Route 2: The Marais, from Hôtel de Ville to Place des Vosges

• The Marais is an old, aristocratic quarter that escaped Haussmann’s rebuilding. The streets are narrow and crooked, and the area is full of 17th-century mansions. The area is located within the new limited-traffic zone and is at its liveliest on Sundays when many shops are open.
• Start at the Hôtel de Ville metro station, look back at the city hall, and then walk north on Rue Vieille du Temple.
• Turn right onto Rue des Rosiers, the heart of the historic Jewish Quarter, where you’ll find long lines for falafel at lunchtime.
• Continue to Rue des Francs-Bourgeois, walking east past its boutiques and mansion courtyards.
• Turn left onto Rue de Sévigné to reach the Musée Carnavalet, the museum of Paris’s history. Admission to the permanent collections is free.
• Walk on to Place des Vosges, the oldest planned square in Paris (1612). Victor Hugo’s apartment in the southeast corner is also a free museum.
• Leave through the passageway in the southwest corner of the square. It leads through the garden of the Hôtel de Sully, which is open during the day, to Rue Saint-Antoine and the Saint-Paul metro station.

Route 3: Montmartre, from Anvers to Abbesses

This is the only real climb in central Paris, and it rewards you with a beautiful view. Go early in the morning if you want to see Place du Tertre without the crowds.

• From the Anvers metro station, walk up Rue de Steinkerque to the foot of the Sacré-Cœur. Climb the steps or take the funicular with your metro ticket.
• Take in the view of Paris from the terrace in front of the basilica. Entry to the basilica is free.
• Walk west to Place du Tertre, where painters still set up their easels.
• Take Rue du Mont-Cenis and then Rue Cortot to Rue des Saules. There, you will find the pink-walled La Maison Rose café on the corner of Rue de l’Abreuvoir.
• Follow Rue Lepic past the Moulin de la Galette, one of the last windmills on the hill.
• Finish at Place des Abbesses, where you will find the “I Love You” wall in Square Jehan-Rictus, as well as one of the last original Art Nouveau metro entrances.

Some of our favorite walking tours of Paris

While we love exploring Paris by foot on our own, if you’re a first-time visitor to Paris you should definitely also join in on one of the many walking tours of Paris. They’re great as you’ll learn more about the history of Paris as well as see many of the highlights of the city that you may not notice on your own.

Some of our favorite Paris walking tours focus on specific areas within the city, including:

• Paris by night walking tour
• The great women of Paris walking tour
• Paris food walking tour
• Chocolate walking tour
• Street art walking tour
• Paris Latin Quarter walking tour
• Montmartre district walking tour

Walking is definitely one of the best things to do in Paris – whether exploring Paris by foot by yourself or joining in on one of the fun walking tours. Just make sure to pack comfortable walking shoes!

If you’re visiting Paris in Winter, make sure to watch our video below for some secret winter tips:

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Paris a walkable city for tourists?

Very. Most of the major sights sit within a few kilometers of each other, and you can walk from the Arc de Triomphe to Notre-Dame in under two hours. Since November 2024 through traffic has been banned in the four central arrondissements, which makes the historic center noticeably calmer on foot.

How far can you walk in Paris in one day?

Most visitors comfortably cover 10 to 15 km with stops. That’s enough to combine Route 1 in the morning with the Marais in the afternoon, since Route 1 ends a short walk from Hôtel de Ville.

Are there free self-guided walking tour maps of Paris?

The Paris tourist office (parisjetaime.com) publishes free neighborhood walks. For the three routes above, enter the start and end metro stations in Google Maps in walking mode and add the listed streets as stops, then save the map offline.

Is it safe to walk around Paris at night?

The central arrondissements and the riverbanks are busy and well lit into the evening. Keep bags closed on crowded metro platforms and around the big sights, where pickpockets work, and take a taxi or the metro after midnight if you’re heading to quieter outer districts.

What shoes should I wear to walk around Paris?

Broken-in sneakers or walking shoes with cushioned soles. Many streets in the Marais, Latin Quarter and Montmartre are cobbled, and Montmartre adds steep steps.

Can I walk along the Seine without traffic?

Yes. The Parc Rives de Seine runs car-free along the left bank between the Musée d’Orsay and Pont de l’Alma (closed to cars since 2013) and along the right bank below the old Georges-Pompidou expressway (since 2016).