Paris Small-Group Historic Center Walking Tour

Once at the meeting point, you will start your tour by exploring ile de la cite, the oldest settlement in Paris. Once known as Lutetia, this former Roman city was the predecessor of present-day Paris, from which the city grew outwards.

From here, you will see the infamous Notre-Dame Cathedral (exterior only) – the most famous of the Gothic cathedrals of the Middle Ages, distinguished for its size, antiquity and architectural interest.

Located on the île de la Cité the Palais de Justice, once known as the Palais de la Cité contains some of the oldest surviving buildings such as:

A gem of Gothic style, the St Chapelle was built in seven years. It was intended to house precious Christian relics, including Christ’s crown of thorns, acquired by Saint louis.

The Conciergerie is the oldest remaining part of the Palais de la Cité, as well as at a time the most notorious prison in all of France. Over a thousand “enemies of the Revolution” were housed there, and famous figures like Marie Antoinette ended their lives there.

You will then pass by the Saint-Michel fountain, a monumental fountain commissioned by Haussmann, under Napoleon III. It depicts the archangel Michael vanquishing the Devil, evoking thoughts of the battle between Good and Evil.

Afterwards, we will see Place Dauphine, a beautiful historic square, combining all the beauty and romance of Paris. Tucked away on the western tip of the île de la Cité, Place Dauphine was one of the first projects commissioned by Henri IV.

In the middle of the bridge we will see the equestrian statue of King IV. Although the original statue dated from the 1600s, the one you will see today is a replica in its placed, as the original was destroyed during the French Revolution.

From here, we will walk to the bridge, Pont Neuf, which is considered to be the oldest stone bridge in Paris. Today Pont-Neuf is part of the banks of the Seine listed as a World Heritage site by Unesco.

Before making our way to the Louvre we will see the Pont des Arts, a bridge which connects the Insitut de France and the Louvre. Built between 1801 and 1804, it was the first iron bridge in Paris.

Created by the Cardinal Richelieu in 1633, the Palais Royal and its gardens, are just a short walk from the Louvre. The Palace housed royal families up until the Palace of Versailles was built. Here you will be able to enjoy the peaceful gardens surrounded by a fantastic futuristic architecture with contemporary sculptures.

We will then move towards the infamous Louvre Museum, the world’s most visited art museum with a collection that spans work from ancient civilizations to the mid-19th century. During this part of the tour, we will pass through the Cour Carrée, one of the main courtyards of the Louvre Palace and see the Louvre Pyramid, the museum’s main entrance, designed by Chinese-American architect I.M. Pei.

Leaving the Louvre behind us we will walk towards the Tuileries Gardens, passing through the Arc du Carrousel, a huge arc built to commemorate Napoleon’s military victories.

We will then enter the Tuileries Gardens, the oldest Park in Paris, with a history that dates back to the 17th century.

During your stroll in the Tuileries Gardens, you will pass by the Gardens’ Bookshop, a quaint bookstore tucked away in a corner which contains a large collection of gardening and landscape design books, along with some garden themed gifts and cards.

We will end our tour at Place de la Concord, a site originally known for having been an execution site during the French Revolution, and which marks the start of the Champs Elysée.