Self-Guided Walking Tour in Paris

This is a self-guided walking route through central Paris, 11 stops running from the Eiffel Tower along the Seine to the Louvre, crossing the river twice and cutting through the Ile de la Cite where the city began. This page gives you the complete route: a map, the walking time and direction for every leg, real prices and opening hours for the interiors that charge admission, and shorter versions if you have less time.

11 Stops9.8 km~4 hours walking4–5 hours with stops
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Paris Walking Tour at a Glance

This route is designed for anyone who wants to see the core of Paris on their own two feet without a group, a schedule, or a guide setting the pace. It links 11 landmarks in a logical line, and every interior along the way is optional. You can walk the whole thing without paying a cent, or duck inside Sainte-Chapelle and the Louvre if you want. The point is that you decide, stop by stop, what is worth your time and money.

StartEiffel Tower (Tour Eiffel)
FinishLouvre Museum (Musée du Louvre)
Route typeA point-to-point walk, not a loop. It runs broadly eastward along the Seine from the Eiffel Tower, threads through the Ile de la Cite, then doubles back north-west to finish at the Louvre. The line stays close to the river and never asks you to retrace a leg.
Realistic timeThe 9.8 km take roughly 2.5 hours of pure walking. Add photo stops, crossings, and a coffee break and you land around 4 to 5 hours. Go inside Sainte-Chapelle or the Louvre and the day stretches well past that.
DifficultyEasy and flat, 9.8 km on paved quays and bridges. The one dusty stretch is the gravel of the Champ de Mars, and the cobbles on the Ile de la Cite are uneven, so wear proper shoes. No hills, no stairs beyond the ones inside optional interiors.
Cost to followWalking the route costs nothing, and several highlights are free to enter: Notre-Dame, the Abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Pres, and the courtyards of Les Invalides. Paid interiors are optional: Les Invalides 15 EUR, Musee d'Orsay 14 EUR, the Conciergerie 13.50 EUR, Sainte-Chapelle 11 EUR, and the Louvre 22 EUR.
Best for:

First-time visitors who want the classic Paris monuments in one connected line, plus repeat travellers who would rather walk the river than ride the metro between sights.

The Route

Free Walking Tour Map of Paris

11 stops9.8 kmabout 4 hours
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The 11 stops along this route

  1. Eiffel Tower (Tour Eiffel) in Paris, stop 1 on the self-guided walking tour
    1Eiffel Tower (Tour Eiffel)
  2. Champ de Mars in Paris, stop 2 on the self-guided walking tour
    2Champ de Mars
  3. Les Invalides (Hôtel des Invalides) in Paris, stop 3 on the self-guided walking tour
    3Les Invalides (Hôtel des Invalides)
  4. Pont Alexandre III in Paris, stop 4 on the self-guided walking tour
    4Pont Alexandre III
  5. Musée d'Orsay in Paris, stop 5 on the self-guided walking tour
    5Musée d'Orsay
  6. Royal abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Prés (Abbaye Royale de Saint-Germain-des-Prés) in Paris, stop 6 on the self-guided walking tour
    6Royal abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Prés (Abbaye Royale de Saint-Germain-des-Prés)
  7. Place Dauphine in Paris, stop 7 on the self-guided walking tour
    7Place Dauphine
  8. Conciergerie (Conciergerie de Paris) in Paris, stop 8 on the self-guided walking tour
    8Conciergerie (Conciergerie de Paris)
  9. Sainte Chapelle in Paris, stop 9 on the self-guided walking tour
    9Sainte Chapelle
  10. Notre-Dame de Paris (Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris) in Paris, stop 10 on the self-guided walking tour
    10Notre-Dame de Paris (Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris)
  11. Louvre Museum (Musée du Louvre) in Paris, stop 11 on the self-guided walking tour
    11Louvre Museum (Musée du Louvre)
  12. That's the complete route.

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Your Paris Walking Tour, Stop by Stop

  1. 1

    Eiffel Tower (Tour Eiffel)

    Eiffel Tower (Tour Eiffel) in Paris, stop 1 on the self-guided walking tour

    You spot the iron lattice above the rooftops long before you reach it. Up close, the scale is disorienting. Each leg is a massive arch you can walk under for free. The tower opens daily from 9:30 AM to 11:00 PM, but going up requires advance booking weeks ahead and the lines eat into your day. Honestly, the view from below is more interesting than the view from above. Stand between the southeast and southwest legs for a straight shot through the structure. From the base, walk southeast into the park stretching behind the tower.

    Hours
    Daily: 9:30 AM – 11:00 PM
    Price
    Free
  2. 2

    Champ de Mars

    Champ de Mars in Paris, stop 2 on the self-guided walking tour

    This long, flat park was a military drill field before it became the city's favorite picnic lawn. On warm days every square meter of grass is occupied. Street vendors sell miniature Eiffel Towers for a euro apiece, and you will be approached constantly. Ignore them and keep walking down the central gravel path. Turn around halfway for the best straight-on photo of the tower with no obstructions. The paths are loose dirt and gravel, dusty in summer and muddy after rain. Head east toward the golden dome visible in the distance across the rooftops.

    Hours
    Mon-Tue: Open 24 hours | Wed: Closed | Thu-Sun: Open 24 hours
    Price
    Free
    Website
    paris.fr ↗
  3. 3

    Les Invalides (Hôtel des Invalides)

    Les Invalides (Hôtel des Invalides) in Paris, stop 3 on the self-guided walking tour

    The golden dome gets brighter as you approach. Louis XIV commissioned this complex in 1670 as a hospital for injured soldiers, and the courtyards still feel military in scale. Napoleon's tomb sits directly beneath the dome in a massive red porphyry sarcophagus. Admission to the museums and tomb costs 9 EUR. Hours are daily 10:00 AM to 5:30 PM, closed the first Monday of each month. The main courtyard is free to enter and worth a few minutes on its own. Unless French military history is your thing, the exterior gives you enough. Walk north across the wide esplanade toward the river.

    Hours
    Daily 10:00 AM – 5:30 PM (closed 1st Monday)
    Price
    15 EUR
  4. 4

    Pont Alexandre III

    Pont Alexandre III in Paris, stop 4 on the self-guided walking tour

    This is the most ornate bridge in Paris, and it earns that reputation. Four gilded bronze statues sit on tall stone columns at each corner. Art Nouveau lampposts line both sides. The bridge was built for the 1900 World's Fair, and it still feels like a stage set. Open 24/7, free to cross. Stand in the center and look west toward the Eiffel Tower, then east toward the glass roof of the Grand Palais. Wedding photographers and film crews use this bridge constantly, so you may need to wait for a clear shot. Cross to the Left Bank side and continue east along the river.

    Hours
    Open 24/7
    Price
    Free
  5. 5

    Musée d'Orsay

    Musée d'Orsay in Paris, stop 5 on the self-guided walking tour

    The former Gare d'Orsay railway station is hard to miss. Giant clocks face the river from the stone facade. Inside, it holds the largest collection of Impressionist paintings in the world: Monet, Renoir, Degas, Van Gogh, all in a converted train shed with a glass barrel vault ceiling. The building itself is half the experience. If you go inside, check current prices and hours before queuing. Lines are always long, especially on weekends. Even from outside, the architecture is worth stopping for. Continue east along the Left Bank past the museum's ornate stone walls.

    Hours
    Mon: Closed | Tue-Wed: 9:30 AM – 6:00 PM | Thu: 9:30 AM – 9:45 PM | Fri-Sun: 9:30 AM – 6:00 PM
    Price
    €14
  6. 6

    Royal abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Prés (Abbaye Royale de Saint-Germain-des-Prés)

    Royal abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Prés (Abbaye Royale de Saint-Germain-des-Prés) in Paris, stop 6 on the self-guided walking tour

    Turn inland from the river and the noise drops. The stone bell tower ahead belongs to the oldest church in Paris, founded in 558 AD. The surrounding square is busy with traffic and flanked by two of the most famous cafes in literary history: Les Deux Magots and Cafe de Flore, both charging over 7 EUR for a coffee and worth it once for the atmosphere. Inside the church, restored 19th-century murals cover the ceiling in deep reds and blues. Entry is free. It is cooler and quieter than anywhere else on this route. Exit the church and walk north through the narrow streets toward the river.

    Hours
    Mon: 9:30 AM – 8:00 PM | Tue-Fri: 7:30 AM – 8:00 PM | Sat: 8:30 AM – 8:00 PM | Sun: 9:30 AM – 8:00 PM
    Price
    Free
  7. 7

    Place Dauphine

    Place Dauphine in Paris, stop 7 on the self-guided walking tour

    Cross the Pont Neuf, the oldest standing bridge in Paris despite its name meaning "New Bridge," and descend into this triangular square on the western tip of the Ile de la Cite. The city noise disappears. Chestnut trees shade a gravel court where locals play petanque in the afternoons. The surrounding brick-and-stone buildings date to 1607. This is the quietest public square in central Paris, and it sits right in the geographic center of the city. Take a bench. You have earned a break at the two-thirds mark of the route. The next stop is a 3-minute walk east along the island.

    Hours
    Open 24/7
    Price
    Free
  8. 8

    Conciergerie (Conciergerie de Paris)

    Conciergerie (Conciergerie de Paris) in Paris, stop 8 on the self-guided walking tour

    The twin medieval towers rising from the riverbank look like a fortress, and they were. This was a royal palace before it became the most feared prison of the French Revolution. Marie Antoinette spent her final weeks in a cell here in 1793. The clock on the corner tower, installed in 1370, is the oldest public clock in Paris and still runs. You can see the entire facade from the Quai de l'Horloge without going inside. If you want to enter and see the gothic Hall of the Men-at-Arms and Marie Antoinette's reconstructed cell, check current prices. Keep walking east along the same street.

  9. 9

    Sainte Chapelle

    Sainte Chapelle in Paris, stop 9 on the self-guided walking tour

    The entrance is tucked inside the Palais de Justice complex, easy to walk past if you are not looking. Get in line early. The security queue moves slowly. Tickets cost 11 EUR. It opens daily from 9:00 AM to 6:30 PM. The lower chapel is dark and squat with a low painted ceiling. Then you climb a narrow spiral staircase and the upper chapel hits you: 15 stained glass windows stretching 15 meters high, filtering light into blues and reds across every surface. On a sunny afternoon, this is the single most impressive interior in Paris. Budget 30 to 45 minutes inside. Exit the complex and walk east through the flower market.

    Hours
    Daily: 9:00 AM – 6:30 PM
    Price
    €11
  10. 10

    Notre-Dame de Paris (Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris)

    Notre-Dame de Paris (Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris) in Paris, stop 10 on the self-guided walking tour

    The cathedral sits at the eastern end of the Ile de la Cite, right where it has been since construction began in 1163. After the devastating fire of April 2019, Notre-Dame reopened in December 2024 following a painstaking five-year restoration. The western facade with its twin towers and three portals is one of the most photographed views in Europe. The parvis (plaza) in front is always packed with tour groups. Look for the bronze star embedded in the pavement marking Point Zero, from which all road distances in France are measured. Cross the bridge north to leave the island.

    Hours
    Mon-Wed: 7:50 AM – 7:00 PM | Thu: 7:50 AM – 10:00 PM | Fri: 7:50 AM – 7:00 PM | Sat-Sun: 8:15 AM – 7:30 PM
    Price
    Free (donations welcome)
  11. 11

    Louvre Museum (Musée du Louvre)

    Louvre Museum (Musée du Louvre) in Paris, stop 11 on the self-guided walking tour

    You enter the vast courtyard and the glass pyramid sits in the center, surrounded by the pale stone wings of the former royal palace. The Louvre holds over 380,000 works across 72,735 square meters of galleries. Admission is 15 EUR. It opens Monday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM, stays open until 9:00 PM on Wednesday and Friday evenings, and closes entirely on Tuesdays. Do not attempt to go inside at the end of a long walk. Sit by the fountains in the Cour Napoleon, watch the crowds flow around the pyramid, and let the scale of the palace sink in. This is where the route ends.

    Hours
    Mon: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM | Tue: Closed | Wed: 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM | Thu: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM | Fri: 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM | Sat-Sun: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
    Price
    22 EUR

How Long Does This Walking Tour Really Take?

Pure walking is about 2.5 hours for the full 9.8 km. Treat it as an outdoor tour of the facades and bridges and 4 to 5 hours is realistic with photos and a break. The two interiors worth committing to are Sainte-Chapelle, add roughly 45 minutes with the security line, and the Louvre, which alone swallows another 2 to 3 hours and is better saved for a separate day.

The 9.8 kilometers take about 2.5 hours of actual walking at a comfortable pace. Add in traffic lights, crowds, photo stops, and a coffee break, and you are looking at 4.5 hours total. The longest exposed stretch runs from the Eiffel Tower through the Champ de Mars to Les Invalides, about 20 minutes with no shade or shelter.

Place Dauphine at stop 7 is the natural rest point. It sits at roughly the two-thirds mark and has benches under chestnut trees. If you plan to go inside Sainte-Chapelle (and you should), add 45 minutes for the security line and the interior. Going inside the Louvre at the end would add 2 to 3 hours minimum, so save that for a separate visit.

Full Route, Shorter Walk or Two-Day Version?

Not everyone has a full afternoon or wants to walk all 9.8 km, so here are three ways to take this route. Each one uses the same stop numbering, so you can mix and match against your own energy and interests.

Full route

Eiffel Tower to the Louvre, all 11 stops

Stops 1 to 11, 9.8 km, about 4 to 5 hours with stops

The complete line from the Eiffel Tower through the Champ de Mars, Les Invalides, and Pont Alexandre III, along the Left Bank to the Ile de la Cite, and finishing at the Louvre. Best if you have most of a day and want every landmark in one continuous walk.

Short version

River core without the long outer legs

Stops 4 to 11, about 6.5 km, roughly 3 hours with stops

Start at Pont Alexandre III and skip the two longest exposed legs out to the Champ de Mars and Les Invalides. You keep the Musee d'Orsay, Saint-Germain-des-Pres, the whole Ile de la Cite cluster, and the Louvre finish, which is the densest and most central part of the walk.

Two-part split

West bank one day, the island the next

Day one stops 1 to 6, day two stops 7 to 11, each about 2 hours

Split the route at the river. Day one covers the Eiffel Tower to Saint-Germain-des-Pres along the Left Bank; day two picks up at Place Dauphine and works through the Ile de la Cite to the Louvre. Ideal with kids or if you want to go inside the museums without rushing.

You can walk it in reverse, starting at the Louvre and ending under the Eiffel Tower, and the navigation works either way. We recommend the given direction because it saves the Eiffel Tower and the quiet of the Left Bank for early light, and delivers you to the Louvre courtyard at the end when the palace is floodlit and the crowds have thinned.

Is This Paris Walking Tour Right for You?

This walk suits a wide range of travellers, but it is not for everyone on every day. Here is who it fits cleanly, and how to bend it when it does not.

A good fit if you…

  • First-time visitors who want the headline monuments of Paris connected in one logical line along the Seine.
  • Comfortable walkers happy to cover 9.8 km of flat, paved ground over an afternoon.
  • Anyone who prefers to skip the metro and see how the neighborhoods actually join up on foot.
  • Photographers, since the route strings together the Eiffel Tower, Pont Alexandre III, Sainte-Chapelle, and Notre-Dame.

Adapt the route if you…

  • Travelling with young kids: start at Place Dauphine (stop 7) and walk only the 3 km island-to-Louvre second half.
  • Short on time: take the short version from Pont Alexandre III (stop 4) and keep the dense central core.
  • Planning museum interiors: split the route over two days so the Louvre or Musee d'Orsay does not eat your whole walk.
  • Walking in the rain: lean on the free indoor stops, the Abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Pres and Notre-Dame, both directly on the path.

Tickets & Skip-the-Line in Paris

Most of this route is free to enter or free to admire from outside. A handful of stops charge admission, and for the busiest ones a timed online ticket saves you a long queue. Prices and hours below come straight from each site; book ahead where a link is given.

Les Invalides (Hôtel des Invalides)15 EUR for the museums and Napoleon's tomb; the main courtyard is free. Open daily 10:00 AM to 5:30 PM, closed the first Monday of each month. official ticket site ↗
Musée d'Orsay14 EUR. Open Tuesday to Sunday 9:30 AM to 6:00 PM, late until 9:45 PM on Thursday, closed Monday. Lines are long on weekends, so book a timed slot online. official ticket site ↗
Conciergerie (Conciergerie de Paris)13.50 EUR to see the gothic Hall of the Men-at-Arms and Marie Antoinette's reconstructed cell. Open daily 9:30 AM to 6:00 PM. The full facade is free to view from the Quai de l'Horloge. official ticket site ↗
Sainte Chapelle11 EUR for the upper chapel and its 15 stained-glass windows. Open daily 9:00 AM to 6:30 PM. Buy online the day before: the ticket line and the security line are separate queues, so a printed ticket skips one of them. official ticket site ↗
Louvre Museum (Musée du Louvre)22 EUR. Open 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM Monday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday, until 9:00 PM Wednesday and Friday, closed Tuesday. Book a timed entry online and treat it as a separate visit, not the end of this walk. official ticket site ↗
Notre-Dame de Paris (Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris)Free to enter, donations welcome. Open Monday to Wednesday and Friday 7:50 AM to 7:00 PM, Thursday until 10:00 PM, Saturday and Sunday from 8:15 AM. Reopened December 2024 after the five-year restoration; expect a queue on the parvis. official ticket site ↗
Everything elseThe Eiffel Tower base, Champ de Mars, Pont Alexandre III, the Abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Pres and Place Dauphine are all free open spaces you can enjoy without a ticket.
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Tips for Walking in Paris

  • Start at the Bir-Hakeim metro station (Line 6) around 8:30 AM. You get the classic Eiffel Tower framed by the bridge's iron columns before the crowds arrive, and morning light hits the east-facing facade of Les Invalides perfectly.
  • Wear thick-soled sneakers. The gravel paths at the Champ de Mars coat flat shoes in white dust, and cobblestones on the Ile de la Cite are uneven enough to twist an ankle in thin soles.
  • Buy your Sainte-Chapelle ticket online the day before. The on-site ticket line and the security line are separate queues. With a ticket in hand, you skip the first one and save 20 to 30 minutes.
  • For coffee mid-route, try Cafe Noir on Ile Saint-Louis just east of Notre-Dame. Espresso is about 3 EUR and the cappuccino about 5 EUR. Skip Les Deux Magots unless you want to pay 9 EUR for the same drink with a famous name attached.
  • The best photo of Notre-Dame is not from the front. Walk to the small park behind the cathedral (Square Jean XXIII) and shoot the flying buttresses from the south side. Far fewer people, far better composition.

Why Walk This Route?

Paris makes sense on foot. The monuments line up along the Seine in a way no metro ride can show you. You walk from the Eiffel Tower to the Louvre in a straight shot, crossing the river twice and cutting through the Ile de la Cite. The connections between neighborhoods become obvious when you cover them step by step.

This self-guided walking tour covers 9.8 kilometers across 11 stops in about 4.5 hours. You start in the 7th arrondissement and end in the 1st, passing through the Left Bank, over the oldest bridge in the city, and through the island where Paris began. The route never backtracks.

Common Questions

Is this walking tour route safe?

Paris is safe to walk in daylight. Pickpockets work the crowds around the Eiffel Tower base, the Louvre pyramid, and inside the Line 1 metro. Keep your phone in a front pocket, do not stop for anyone asking you to sign a clipboard or take a "free" bracelet, and you will be fine.

What if it rains during the walk?

The route is exposed with few covered sections. If rain hits, duck into the Abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Pres (free), spend time inside Sainte-Chapelle (11 EUR), or head underground into the Carrousel du Louvre shopping arcade near the end of the route. All three are directly on the path.

Can I do this tour with kids?

Yes, but shorten it. Kids under 10 will struggle with 9.8 km. Start at Place Dauphine (stop 7) and walk the second half only: Conciergerie, Sainte-Chapelle, Notre-Dame, and the Louvre. That cuts the distance to about 3 km, which is manageable even for tired legs. The Pont Neuf metro station (Line 7) is right at Place Dauphine.

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