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20 departures for walks, self-guided, in Touristic Paris

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20 departures for walks and to organize your visit to Paris. Self-guided walks. These walks should be seen as a complement to the monuments, museums and cathedrals that are essential parts of any stay in Paris. They are indispensable for tourists who want to go beyond the usual clichés in their knowledge of Paris and Parisians. These are relaxing and instructive walks, “interspersed” with “gourmet” relaxation breaks.

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20 starting points for walks from monuments, museums and churches

Our 20 departures for walks are planned to start from a well-known building (museum, monument, church) that are a must-see during your stay in Paris. The idea behind this choice is simple: after 2 to 3 hours of “studious” visits inside museums or monuments, in a crowded and noisy atmosphere, we allow you to relax, in the open air, by walking to your next visit. But it’s not a useless walk, because our itineraries have been chosen to pass in front of or close to the unique, historic, anecdotal or simply practical places that make up the Paris of Parisians.

Our 20 departures for walks are chosen short walks, lasting around 2 hours, punctuated by noted “Relaxation breaks” (coffee breaks, restaurants, etc.), and are instructive moments of relaxation. They’ll save you time by taking you to another must-see building.

20-departures-for-walks

20 starting points for 20 departures for walks in touristic Paris

Each of our walks begins at the exit of a monument, museum or church, and leads you to the doors of another must-see part of your stay in Paris. Our walks are not meant to compete with them, but to complement what you have seen in visiting them, so that you can get to know Paris better, deeper, by mingling with Parisians on the streets and in the shops.

Our project includes 20 departures for walks . Fifteen are “operational”, the others “to come”:

  • From the Louvre Pyramid: 2 starting points for walks to Tuileries and Concorde, and also to Ile de la Cité.
  • From the Place de la Concorde: 5 departures to the Arc de Triomphe via the Champs Elysées, to the Louvre via the Jardin des Tuileries, to the Opéra Garnier and the Grands Magasins on Blvd Haussmann (+ 2 to come to the Invalides and the Eiffel Tower and also to the Musée d’Orday and the Hôtel Matignon (1er Ministre) and the Le Bon Marché department store).
  • From Les Grands Magasins towards Opéra and Concorde
  • From Arc de Triomphe: 2 departures to Place de la Concorde and also to Trocadéro – Palais de Chaillot
  • From Palais de Chaillot: 2 departures to Arc de Triomphe via Avenue George V and also to the Eiffel Tower
  • From the Eiffel Tower: 2 departures to Trocadéro, with one more to come to Invalides and Place de la Concorde.
  • From Ile de la Cité: 3 departures, initially to the Louvre and, still to come, to Notre Dame, Ile Saint Louis and Bastille on the one hand, and to the Latin Quarter and Palais du Luxembourg on the other.
  • From Notre Dame de Paris: 2 departures to Ile de la Cité and the Louvre, and soon to Bastille via the Port and Jardins de l’Arsenal.
  • From Musée Pompidou to Bastille via le Marais
  • For Montmartre: 3 departures – Pigalle to Montmartre via Place du Tertre, Place du Tertre and the top of Butte Montmartre, then Butte Montmartre and down the west side to Pigalle.

20 departures for walks, guided walks, calibrated, complete and detailed like a human tour guide

Our walks allow you to see and appreciate the Paris of Parisians. Because our walks are not just simple strolls.

It’s not just a matter of mentioning well-known places or addresses as you pass along the street. Each itinerary is chosen according to the importance and number of Points of Interest you may encounter between the exit of a monument or museum and the gates of another equally well-known museum or monument. There are in fact 15 to 25 Points of Interest per walk, i.e. one every 100 to 200 m.

Each Point of Interest is detailed as a “human” guide would do, with 3 or 4 levels of information available at the click of a button:

  • basic information, such as addresses, GPS coordinates (for easy return if needed later), access (metro, RER, etc.)
  • a short description and access conditions (opening hours, prices, etc.) for buildings to be visited (monuments, museums, cathedrals, etc.)
  • and last but not least, access to a unique “professional” database for those who are curious about details and eager for knowledge, historical or anecdotal additions.

The number of our itineraries grows progressively, as our time and financial resources permit, because setting up, checking out and testing such walks is not a simple school exercise.

To give you an example of just one of the 20 Points of Interest on our self-guided Walk on the Butte Montmartre, at the summit of Paris, click on Basilica of Sacré-Cœur, a war, a vow, uninterrupted prayers since 1885.

20 departures for walks, self-guided, of 1.5 and 2.5 km (1 to 1 1/2 miles), done in 2 hours – with Relaxation Breaks

Our self-guided walks are short (1.5 and 2.5 km (1 to 1 1/2 miles)) and can be completed in 2 or 2 1/2 hours. We figured that you’re in Paris on vacation, not running a marathon, so they should be within everyone’s reach.

What’s more, all along the itinerary, in addition to the Points of Interest, we’ve “placed” Relaxation Breaks, which are Coffee Breaks, Pastry Breaks, Restaurant Breaks, Shopping Breaks, Gallery Breaks, etc., so that you can rest, relax, shop, see, eat and chat with the shopkeepers if you like and enjoy the city. That’s what a stay in Paris is all about!

Relaxation breaks at recommended retailers

Although our walks are physically easy, we’ve included “Relaxation Breaks” for almost all of them, consisting of addresses of merchants recommended for the quality of their service and prices (see URL). These can be “Coffee Breaks“, “Restaurant Breaks“, “Shopping Breaks” and any other break you may come across: patisseries, art galleries, perfumeries, clothing, fashion accessories, etc. They’re all located on or near the route of the walk you’re taking. Some walks are not yet “doubled” by Relaxation Breaks, but we’re working on it.

Please note that the facsimile below is a copy of the English version. However, when you view this “Relaxation breaks” page in the language you have chosen, the translation will also be done automatically in that language.

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All the recommended merchants have been selected and rated (1 to 5) by the Tourists who have preceded you. We’ve only kept those whose scores are 4.0 or above, which means you’re almost certain to find complete satisfaction in using their services. This also means that we have eliminated 50% of potential merchants from our lists.
As in all tourist towns, abuse by merchants is frequent. It’s a service we try to offer our readers, by giving them the virtual certainty of being well treated when choosing a merchant from our list, and of leaving satisfied with their stay in Paris.

“Reversible” walks with your location in Paris

All our walks can be taken in either direction. With a simple click, the order of the Points of Interest and Relaxation Breaks on the itinerary is reversed, in the order in which you will encounter them as you stroll along, regardless of the direction of your itinerary. For example, you can start the Arc de Triomphe Promenade to Place de la Concorde, either from the Arc de Triomphe or from Place de la Concorde, as you wish.
The advantage is that you can choose your starting point for the walk, which may be closest to your hotel, for example. What’s more, you can track your position on our map of Paris at any time, or that of your hotel, or follow the progress of your walk.

Walks in Montmartre: three walks to visit the Butte

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There’s a lot to see in Montmartre. What’s more, it’s a hill where almost everything is uphill or downhill, so we’ve divided the tour of Montmartre into 3 slightly overlapping walks, so that the more energetic can link them together if they wish. But each can be done independently of the others:

Shopping tour along the Champs-Elysées to Concorde – Over 100 shops to visit

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It’s a walk that’s all about shopping – but not only:

Between Concorde and Grands Magasins Blvd Haussmann via Opéra Garnier

20-departures-for-walks-in-front-of-opera-garnier

It’s a “Prestige” and also a “Shopping” walk. Lots of history, things to see and buy. Both luxury and “more affordable”. The heart of Haussmann’s renovated district.

Walk in the heart of historic Paris: Ile-de-la-Cité

Palais-de-justice-and-sainte-chapelle

This is the heart of medieval administrative and judicial Paris. This is where part of the country’s national history was played out. It’s also where you’ll find the Sainte Chapelle, a 12th-century stained-glass building housing the relics of Christ, purchased and collected by King Louis IX (Saint Louis).

Between Louvre and Place de la Concorde via Tuileries and Place Vendôme

walk-through-tuileries-gardens

It’s a garden, the Tuileries, where the palace of the same name stood until 1871. A restful spot in the middle of Paris, with its statues and ponds.

Between Tour-Eiffel and Arc de Triomphe via Trocadéro

eiffel-tower-seen-from-trocadero

Two walks in quick succession: between the Eiffel Tower and Trocadéro, with a short detour to museums, then between Trocadéro and Arc-de-Triomphe, a beautiful district on the edge of the Golden Triangle of fashion and luxury.

Le Marais from Musée Pompidou to Bastille

20-departures-for-walks-through-the-marais-district

A plunge into the Marais district, the old Paris of the Parisian Jewish community, now home to the LGBT, fashionable and boutique communities. The walk ends at a symbolic site for France: the Bastille.

More information on our works

For more detailed information on our walks, navigate to the walk sections

Others

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FAQ

As our walks are extensively documented, we have chosen to “hide” some of this information “behind the map”, so as not to overload your screen. All the information you need for your walk, however, is contained “on” or by clicking the map. It may not seem possible, but that’s the reality. See below.

Each walk can be taken in one direction (Itinerary 1) or in the opposite direction (Itinerary 2). For example, you can go from the Arc de Triomphe to Concord Square, or in the opposite direction, from Concord to the Arc de Triomphe. Each Itinerary 1 or 2 takes your choice into account, automatically inverting all available information into the order in which you will be walking.

Points of interest numbered 1, 2, etc., in the order in which they appear on route 1 or 2 of your chosen walk. You can scroll through their photos on your screen by dragging them (with your mouse or finger, or by clicking on the arrows to the right or left). Clicking on the photo opens the detailed article (from our database) for the point of interest.

In the street, Relaxation Breaks are positioned between Points of Interest. They are likewise positioned in the photo strip, between the points of interest and in the order in which they are encountered during the walk. Clicking on them opens the corresponding article.

Map – Markers

This is the position of Points of Interest and Relaxation Breaks, differentiated by the shape of the logo.

Some markers may be a blue circle marked with a number (2, 3, 4, etc.). Simply click on the circle or zoom in on the map. This point will be divided into 2, 3, etc. Points of interest or relaxation breaks. This is due to the density of points on the map being too close together and therefore “superimposed” if the zoom is too low.

You’ll get the name and address of the Point of Interest or Relaxation Break in a window, plus the start of a short description of the point. Click on the window to open the full database article.

Click on the 3rd button at top right (Click to show your location). Only to be used in Paris or surrounding area.

Button at top right of map. Allows you to easily read street names and follow the route of your walk.

You can choose to walk in one direction (Clic on Itinerary 1) or the opposite direction (Itinerary 2). Or even from any Point of Interest: simply move to the address of the Point of Interest you choose as your starting point.

You can also indicate your location in Paris on the map at any time by clicking on one of the buttons at the top right of the map (the bottom “Click to show your location” button). You can then easily reach the address of the starting point “Point of interest 1” of the walk, indicated under the chosen itinerary (Itinerary 1 or “return” itinerary 2).

Note that your cell phone should have its function “location” activated if not automatic.

You can also use your “Click to show your location” button to easily track your progress during your walk. Use the zoom button at the top right of the map to make it easier to read the street names.

Note that your cell phone should have its function “location” activated if not automatic.

If you activate the “Click to show your location” on the map of the walk and you are away from Paris, you will get the map corresponding to the location were you are at the moment – not the map of Paris

Clicking on each marker

You get the name of the Point of Interest, and a window with its address and the beginning of its “short description”. Clicking on the window again, you get the complete Point of Interest data sheet.

If some markers indicate a number (2, 3 , etc.) ?

Click on the marker, zoom will be automatically activated and Points of Interest that were hidden (because they were too close each other on the map) will appear.

Relaxation breaks are indicated by the symbol Pause (2 vertical red bars).

Points of interest and Relaxation breaks are indicated in the banner above the map. This banner can be moved from left to right to show the points on your itinerary, in the order in which you will see them on your walk. By clicking on the window for each point on your route, you’ll get all the information you need (just like clicking on the markers on the map)

Visiting Paris means visiting world-famous monuments, museums, churches and cathedrals. These visits generally last between 1h30 and 3 hours. We believe that after spending so much time in a confined environment, in the midst of often large crowds, most visitors long for a walk to free themselves and relax. That’s why we’ve chosen to offer short, useful and not “random” walks around the city, right after a visit to a museum or monument.


As a result, most of our city tours begin (or end) at or near monuments or museums.
Finally, the end of the walk is “somewhere” near a key point of interest and/or near the start of another of our walks.

The itineraries of our walks are then mapped out so as to pass by “secondary” Points of Interest (compared to the “great Monuments” and Museums) often overlooked in guidebooks and by “human” guides. They are, however, historically just as interesting as what you’ll see in the official places. Their number is such that they are often located within 100 m of each other! We have weel over 200 of them in our database. There are more than 2,000 in the whole of touristic Paris. So there’s still a lot of work to be done.

As a result, most of our city tours begin (or end) at or near monuments or museums.
Finally, the end of the walk is “somewhere” near a key point of interest and/or near the start of another of our walks.

In Paris, there are dozens of museums, monuments, churches and other unique addresses that are the envy of the world. According to the experts, there are more than 2,000, but only less than 100 with a truly international reputation. These are the “points of interest” we call “main”. The others can (wrongly) be described as “secondary points of interest”.

We have chosen to list them in our own documented database. All these points of interest are grouped and organized by type. You can consult them in the “All you can see” category on our home page.

Along each walking itinerary, anything of interest (historical, anecdotal, practical, etc.) to a tourist is mentioned, documented and reported using a card stored in our database.

We have one sheet for each Point of Interest. It contains everything that might be useful for a curious tourist. It could be a historical fact, anecdote or practical information. It can be the opening hours of museums, monuments or shops, the address of course, with a telephone number if available, GPS coordinates to help locate it, and possibly prices. A short description for those in a hurry, and a detailed description with links to other documents where necessary.

Yes, and it’s free. All you have to do is enter “Tout ce que vous pouvez voir” on the www.visitingparisbyyourself.fr home page (for the site in French) or “All you can see” on the www.visitingparisbyyourself.com home page (for the site in English).


You’ll find a fact sheet on each “Point of Interest”, with historical, anecdotal and practical information. We haven’t yet reached 2,000 listings, just over 200 in English and as many in French for non-French-speaking tourists.


The number is growing as we create new articles, walks and stays in Paris.
This database feeds the other sections of our site: “Preparing your stay”, organizing “1 to 10-day stays”, “Where to stay” and, of course, “Walks”, “Shopping”, “Relaxation breaks” and “Cruises”.

The original idea was to regularly section off the walk itineraries with addresses of cafés, restaurants, etc. where you could relax and unwind. And of course to locate them on the itinerary so as to “program” on the strolls and according to the probable time the stopping points for a, a coffee at 10 a.m., lunch at 12 or 1 p.m., a sweet at 4 p.m., etc. But we then added a “quality/price” criterion to give even more useful information, especially as Paris is a tourist city and therefore susceptible to tourist abuse. In this way, we are fighting for fair prices and a positive image of Paris.

First of all, we list almost all the merchants operating in a neighborhood or within 50 to 100 m on either side of a walk route. For each of them, we check their presence and presentation on the Internet, if they exist, as well as their comments. Around 50% do not pass this stage of our investigations.

We only keep (with a few rare exceptions) merchants who have been rated with (verified) comments by their customers. Ratings are usually displayed on a scale of 1 to 5. We eliminate all ratings below 4 (with a few exceptions, to indicate where not to go). The merchants on our lists therefore have scores between 4.0 and 5.0.

 

It’s easy. All you have to do is stop at a Point of Interest or Relaxation Pause and note its postal address or GPS coordinates, which are clearly indicated in the documents provided. Then, of course, return to the same point (or the next one) when you resume your walk. So you’re in control of your time and your schedule.

Each walk has been designed with an order of appearance for each point of interest or relaxation break on the itinerary to be followed. But with a simple click (Itinerary 1 or Itinerary 2, just above the map) our software allows you to reverse the order of the visit. For example, starting the walk at the last Point of Interest and “moving up” through the itinerary to the Point of Interest that was 1st in the default configuration. No information or documentation will be “lost”.

Of course, it all depends on how brave you are and how tired you are. It’s all the easier, and without wasting time, as each new walk generally begins where (or close to) the previous walk ended. What’s more, our walks are “reversible”: our software allows you to invert (1 click) the order of the points to be seen on the walk, making it possible to “arrange” the sequence of walks with even greater flexibility.

The number of VPBY walks available on our site is steadily increasing. We started with 5 walks. We’ve now passed the 10 mark. We think that twenty or so walks would provide a sufficient network for the tourist part of Paris. Click on “List of VPBY walks on our site” (URL) for the latest update.

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Tourists visiting Paris come from all over the world. Not all of them understand English or French perfectly. As a courtesy to them, and to enable them to fully appreciate the wealth of information on our site, we have opted to translate it into the 21 languages available by simply clicking on English in the top right-hand corner. All our readers will be able to make the most of their stay in Paris.

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How are selected the Points of Interest for a walk?

Along each walking itinerary, anything of interest (historical, anecdotal, practical, etc.) to a tourist is mentioned, documented and reported using a card stored in our database.

small_c_popup.png

How are Relaxation Breaks chosen?

The original idea was to regularly section off the walk itineraries with addresses of cafés, restaurants, etc. where you could relax and unwind. And of course to locate them on the itinerary so as to “program” on the strolls and according to the probable time the stopping points for a, a coffee at 10 a.m., lunch at 12 or 1 p.m., a sweet at 4 p.m., etc. But we then added a “quality/price” criterion to give even more useful information, especially as Paris is a tourist city and therefore susceptible to tourist abuse. In this way, we are fighting for fair prices and a positive image of Paris.