Anybody even remotely familiar with The City of Lights will tell you: Paris is by far meilleur a pied. On foot is where you discover the magnificent city’s quiet nooks and corners, intimate caf?s, bistros, bookstores and secret gems. With over 40 million tourists a year, there’s a lot of human traffic to dodge in Paris. So buy some sensible shoes, get out of the hotel and explore the French capital’s 20 arrondissements. You just never know what fabulous monument or architectural masterpiece is at the end of that narrow block.
With tourism such an integral part of the city’s fabric, a parade of private and state-run operators offer pedestrian tours that cater to just about every interest. Theology, culinary heritage, minority cultures, architecture, history, archaeology or all of the above frankly, these tactile, purpose-driven, pavement-pounding expeditions provide delightful dissections of Paris. A nice counterpoint from the usual aimless tourist explorations around town.
Whether you book online, with your travel agent or hotel concierge, here are some Paris pedestrian tours of note.
The first evidence of human settlement in the area we know now as Paris, was on the islands of the river Seine as far back as 4,000 B.C. As the present site of such indelible Gothic landmarks as Notre Dame Cathedral and La Sainte-Chapelle, ?le de la Cit?, in addition to ?le Saint-Louis and the artificial ?le des Cygnes, provide superb photo ops and insight into the history of Paris.
The lifeblood of many a town in Europe, street markets are reliable destinations to measure the pulse of a city. The platitude certainly holds with Paris, where most people still prefer fresh food and procure just enough sustenance for a day or three. As such, the city’s myriad street markets are lively places to explore.
One of the most popular quarters in all of Paris, the romantic backdrop of Puccini’s La boh?me has a vibe completely distinct from the rest of the city. Tours of the Latin Quarter, which encompasses the 5th and parts of the 6th arrondissements on the left bank of the Seine, often include ?le de la Cit? and Notre Dame, although the inherent charm of landmarks like the church of Saint-?tienne-du-Mont, the Panth?on and Mus?e de Cluny put it over the top.
A tour of the public parks and gardens of Paris could very well last six hours, although most try to cover them in half the time. Whatever the case, they offer a wonderful overview of places like the Jardin du Luxembourg, the Tuileries, Les Halles and the Champ de Mars, all eminently historic in their own right and home to a plethora of impressive landmarks. With a ?2.5 million annual budget for flowers and maintenance, Paris takes very good care of the gardens and parks that contribute so much to the fabric of daily life in the city.
The Marais district draws scores of tourists for a number of very different reasons. Historical, bourgeois, with significant Jewish and gay populations, the district spans parts of the 3rd and 4th arrondissements on the right bank of the Seine. The Marais feels almost like a separate village from the outer city and has some remarkable attractions, from the architecture around Place des Vosges to the Mus?e Picasso.
Although the Basilica of the Sacr? C?ur is the most dramatic and obvious landmark in Montmartre, the de facto village in Paris is very much a neighborhood, with a unique rhythm and life. In the 18th arrondissement in the north of the city, the former home of artists like Dali, Picasso, Lautrec and Renoir was heavily romanticized in Am?lie, but with good reason. For character and charm, Montmartre is tough to beat, especially on foot.
Discover the best hotel deals in Paris before you plan your next trip to The City of Lights.
Photo credits: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
Responses to this Article
Leave a Reply